The 2021 USA Rugby League season is the 24th season overall of amateur and semi-professional rugby league competition in the United States and the 11th season under the governance of the USARL.

2021 USARL Season
LeagueUSA Rugby League
DurationJune 12 - August 28, 2021
Teams6
2021 season
ChampionsTampa Mayhem (1st title)
Runners-upJacksonville Axemen
Biggest home winTampa Mayhem 72 - 0 South Florida Speed (July 3rd)
Biggest away winTampa Mayhem 18 - 40 Jacksonville Axemen (June 12th)

USARL membership was in flux since the announcement of the North American Rugby League in Spring 2021. Atlanta Rhinos, Boston 13s and Philadelphia Fight left USARL to be founding members of the new competition. White Plains folded after NARL established the New York Freedom. Northern Virginia folded after most of its players joined the newly established DC Cavalry in NARL. Lakeland Renegades suspended operations due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 2021 USARL season was contested by six teams. Philadelphia and Delaware in the North; Tampa, Jacksonville, Southwest Florida Copperheads, and South Florida Speed in the South.[1][2]

Participating clubs

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Participating clubs
Colors Club Founded City (MSA) State Stadium Titles
(Last)
Delaware Black Foxes 2015 Wilmington   Delaware Eden Park Stadium 0 (N/A)
Jacksonville Axemen 2006 Jacksonville   Florida UNF Rugby Field 2 (2018)
Philadelphia Fight 1998 Conshohocken (Philadelphia)   Pennsylvania Garthwaite Stadium 4 (2016)
South Florida Speed 2021 Miami, FL   Florida North Dade Optimist Park 0 (N/A)
Southwest Florida Copperheads 2018 Naples, FL   Florida Paradise Coast Sports Complex
Tampa Mayhem 2014 Tampa Bay   Florida Keystone Prep High School (Tampa)

Fixtures and results

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Week 1 – June 12, 2021
Home Team Score Away Team Venue Report
  Tampa Mayhem 18 - 40   Jacksonville Axemen Keystone Prep High School (Tampa) [3]
  Southwest Florida Copperheads 40 - 6   South Florida Speed Paradise Coast Sports Complex [3]
Week 2 – June 19, 2021
Home Team Score Away Team Venue Report
  South Florida Speed 22 - 24   Southwest Florida Copperheads North Dade Optimist Park [3]
Week 3 – June 26, 2021
Home Team Score Away Team Venue Report
  Jacksonville Axemen 56 - 14   Southwest Florida Copperheads UNF Rugby Field [3]
  South Florida Speed 0 - 30   Tampa Mayhem North Dade Optimist Park [3]
  Delaware Black Foxes 74 - 10   Philadelphia Fight Eden Park Stadium [3]
Week 4 – July 3 and July 10, 2021
Home Team Score Away Team Venue Report
  Tampa Mayhem 72 - 0   South Florida Speed Keystone Prep High School (Tampa) [3]
  Southwest Florida Copperheads 26 - 30   Jacksonville Axemen Paradise Coast Sports Complex [3][4]
Week 5 – July 17, 2021
Home Team Score Away Venue Report
  Jacksonville Axemen 55 - 16   South Florida Speed UNF Rugby Field [3]
  Southwest Florida Copperheads 24 - 28   Tampa Mayhem Paradise Coast Sports Complex [3]
Week 6 – July 24, 2021
Home Team Score Away Team Venue Report
  Jacksonville Axemen 30 - 20   Tampa Mayhem UNF Rugby Field [3][5]
  Philadelphia Fight 14 - 30   Delaware Black Foxes Garthwaite Stadium [3][6]
Week 7 – July 31, 2021
Home Team Score Away Team Venue Report
  Tampa Mayhem 30 - 0   Southwest Florida Copperheads Keystone Prep High School (Tampa) [3]
  Delaware Black Foxes 50 - 10   Philadelphia Fight Eden Park Stadium [7]

Delaware qualifies for USARL Grand Final

Overall standings

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Overall USA Rugby League Standings
# Team P W D L PF PA PD Pts
1   Jacksonville Axemen (P) 6 6 0 0 211 68 +143 12
2   Tampa Mayhem (C) 6 4 0 2 178 94 +84 8
3   Delaware Black Foxes (RU) 3 3 0 0 154 30 +124 6
4   Southwest Florida Copperheads 6 2 0 4 90 170 -80 4
5   Philadelphia Fight 3 0 0 3 30 154 -124 0
6   South Florida Speed 6 0 0 6 44 221 -177 0
P: Played W: Wins D: Draws L: Losses (P): Premiers (C): Champions (RU): Runner-Up

South Conference playoffs

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South Conference final at Jacksonville – August 14, 2021
Home Team Score Away Team Venue Report
  Jacksonville Axemen 14 - 18   Tampa Mayhem UNF Rugby Field [8]

Tampa qualifies for USARL Grand Final

USA Rugby League National Championship

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USA Rugby League National Championship – August 28, 2021
Home Team Score Away Team Venue Report
  Tampa Mayhem 60 - 10   Delaware Black Foxes Sportsplex of Tampa [9]

References

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  1. ^ "USA Rugby League | USARL | XIIIs SOUTH Conference". www.usarl.org. Retrieved 2024-05-10.
  2. ^ "USARL Men's 2021 Domestic Competition Schedule announced". www.usarl.org. Retrieved 2024-06-24.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "USA Rugby League | USARL | XIIIs SOUTH Conference". www.usarl.org. Retrieved 2024-06-24.
  4. ^ "Close call for the Axemen in a tough win over the Copperheads". www.usarl.org. Retrieved 2024-06-24.
  5. ^ "Axemen Grind Out a Tough Win over Mayhem to Remain Undefeated". www.usarl.org. Retrieved 2024-06-24.
  6. ^ "Black Foxes welcome the Fight to their den". www.usarl.org. Retrieved 2024-06-24.
  7. ^ "Black Foxes fend off the Fight at home". www.usarl.org. Retrieved 2024-06-24.
  8. ^ "Axemen go down in South playoffs with historical defeat by the Tampa Mayhem". www.usarl.org. Retrieved 2024-06-24.
  9. ^ "USARL XIIIs Competition History | About USARL". www.usarl.org. Retrieved 2024-06-24.
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