Men's Clubs

The Gainesville Spartans posted "FINAL SCORE: 70-5!" on Sunday, September 13 after their fall opener at Walker Park in Athens, a 1 PM kickoff played in the rain both clubs had been watching all week. Athens' own site logs it 72-5; the Spartans' number is the one the Spartans posted. Athens had opened a week earlier with a 66-12 win at Gwinnett on Saturday, September 5, per the Eagles' site, and posted their full 2026-27 schedule on Sunday, September 13: at Columbus on Saturday, October 17, home to the Atlanta Bucks on Saturday, October 24 at 1 PM, and a round robin with the Exiles and Gwinnett on Saturday, November 21.

Atlanta Old White announced a new head coach for their D1 side on Wednesday, September 9: Matt Heaton, captain and veteran of Canada's men's 15s, a 2019 World Cup competitor, and holder of the MLR single-season tackles record from his Rugby ATL and RFCLA years. Phil Thiel joins as assistant coach: USA Eagle number 411, 36 caps, the 2011 and 2015 World Cups, and multiple national titles at Life University. Old White host the Exiles at 1 PM on Saturday, September 26 at the Atlanta Rugby Grounds on Fairburn Road, and the D1 side is at Southern Pines the same day.

The Exiles' AGM on Saturday, September 12 approved a legal name change to Exiles Rugby Club of North Fulton, a new 2026-27 board, and a stated goal of 500 members by 2030. Training is Tuesdays and Thursdays, 7 to 8:30 PM, on the lower field at Innovation Academy in Alpharetta, with the Thursday social at Olde Blind Dog.

Two Saturday fixtures did not survive the weather. High Country's home opener against the Augusta Maddogs at Grant Park was called off on Friday, September 11, per High Country, with no makeup date yet. The Atlanta Bucks' free Rugby 101 at Grove Park was rained out on the morning, and the club moved the social to Reds Beer Garden at 1:30 PM. The Bucks, home from Brisbane with a third place in their Bingham Cup division and a new board announced on Wednesday, September 9, open their home season against the Gwinnett Lions on Saturday, September 26 at 1 PM at Grove Park, 709 Hortense Place NW.

High Country are back training at Coan Park on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7 to 9 PM and host Macon Love on Saturday, September 19 at Grant Park, 2 PM per Macon Love's site. Augusta's home matches play at 2055 Division Street, which the club says is the same pitch as the old 100 Wood Street address, GPS having stopped believing the old one. Gwinnett moved practice to Tuesdays and Thursdays, 6 to 8 PM, at Tribble Mill Park in Lawrenceville, with Saturday afternoons pencilled in for touch.

Saturday, September 26 is a big one: Old White vs the Exiles, Bucks vs Gwinnett, Renegades and Augusta (both clubs list it home, and we are confirming the venue with them), the Shamrocks' home doubleheader against Hilton Head, and Macon Love at Charleston. Every kickoff the clubs have posted is on the calendar.

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