VIDEO: Naheem Ridore’s long run leads to an early try for Weymouth Rugby
The experienced 8-man player contributed to an early score as the two-time defending Division 2 champions got back on track with a comfortable win over Braintree.
The New England Free Jacks became Quincy’s hometown team when they moved to Veteran’s Memorial Stadium in 2021.
Through consecutive championships, the professional rugby team established itself in the New England sporting landscape.
Players and staff celebrated their 2024 Major League Rugby title this week with guest appearances at the Taste of Quincy food festival and the New England Patriots’ preseason game against the Carolina Panthers before kicking off a parade at Kilroy Square, just down the street from their home stadium.
Once an expansion team with humble beginnings, the Free Jacks have risen to regional popularity.
“It’s been a long road,” said Josh Larsen, a lock from Canada and one of five remaining players from the inaugural season.
Prior to moving to Quincy, the Free Jacks played their home games at Union Point in Weymouth in 2021 after not playing a single home game during the team’s debut season in 2020. At the time, the Boston Cannons, a professional men’s lacrosse team of Major League Lacrosse, were the last to call Veteran’s Memorial Stadium home in 2019 until they moved to Harvard Stadium following the team’s acceptance into the Premier Lacrosse League in 2020.
The Free Jacks moved in the following summer.
“I’ve always said from the beginning that it’s just great to be part of the sports fabric here,” head coach Scott Mathie said before the championship game. “It’s a heck of a sports town with a huge legacy. To contribute our little bit, our two cents, to this whole thing is special. I think our fans, the guys in Quincy, have rallied around this team and really embraced us. The town has really embraced us as their own people.”
“It’s absurd that we’re here in Quincy,” said Alex Magleby, CEO of the franchise. “We’ve been here three years now and it’s scorching hot. That extends all the way to New England.”
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Magleby attributed the growth of the fan base to the accessibility of Free Jacks players, in addition to the growing popularity of the sport in the country. He said the Free Jacks have the biggest fans in the league.
The players’ accessibility comes from the team’s well-known game-day celebrations and the post-game access to the field it grants fans, as well as the tackling clinics for amateur rugby players from local high schools, sock drives for the homeless and food drives for veterans that players participate in “on their own time and at their own discretion,” Magleby said.
“I think people are starting to recognize that and understand that this is our sport,” Magleby said. “This is the Free Jacks. There is an incredible interconnectedness. There are reasons why these things should exist in society. We can entertain and bring joy, but we can also be an opportunity for people who are struggling.”
Larsen chuckled modestly at the suggestion that he and his teammates were becoming celebrities in the city.
“Honestly, (fan support) has really improved year after year since I’ve been here. It started out fantastic and I think the results have paid off,” Larsen said. “Just walking around (town) and stuff, they say, ‘Great game this weekend,’ whether it’s the janitors or the Quincy City Council.”
The Free Jacks are currently tied with the MLR leader in championships (2) and have posted an overall record of 52-20 in their five seasons of existence.
Can Quincy now safely be called a rugby center?
“Anytime you try something new, especially something new, people ask, ‘What is this?’ Kudos to the mayor’s office in Quincy and to Mayor (Thomas) Koch for coming in with open arms and being willing to try this,” Magleby said. “The people of Quincy caught on pretty quickly, and they didn’t have to. They’ve fully embraced it, and we’re very happy that’s the case.”
