Hounds Race Past Anthem 61-36

CHICAGO, Il.- The Chicago Hounds welcomed the Carolina Anthem to SeatGeek Stadium on Sunday night for their Week Seven matchup of the 2026 Major League Rugby season. The Hounds kept their undefeated campaign intact with a 61-36 win.

Center Santiago Videla led all scorers with 16 points after kicking eight successful conversions. Match-day captain Mac Jones nabbed a brace with right wing Mark O’Keeffe scoring a pair of tries. No. 8 Matt Oworu, hooker Theo Fourie, fullback Brock Webster, left wing Peyton Wall, and reserve backrower Jake Kinneeveauk all dotted down tries in the winning effort.

Carolina got an early lead in the opening minutes of the game but didn’t convert the try, giving the visitors a 5-0 advantage. It would be their only lead of the game. Oworu started the onslaught of scoring minutes later and Chicago took the lead with Videla’s first successful kick of the evening. Jones added his two tries in the span of the next 10 minutes, sandwiched between a Carolina score. After 23 minutes, the two offenses were exploding with the score sitting at 21-12.

Before halftime, O’Keeffe earned his brace, scoring his first try in the 26th minute. Carolina responded with a try of their own before the Hounds charged back downfield and the right wing ran in for his second score of the day. O’Keeffe now sits at five tries on the season, a new single-season high for him whilst in Chicago. The Hounds went into the locker room for halftime with a 33-19 advantage.

Similarly to the first half, Carolina opened the scoring to start the second stanza of the night. The score brought the game within single digits, 33-24, but it wouldn’t be enough. Hooker Theo Fourie scored his seventh try of the season in the 50th minute before Carolina responded with another try.

The Hounds put another beautiful try on the board right before the second-half water break. Outside center Tavite Lopeti escaped a few would-be tackles to break the line. After fending off a few more Anthem defenders, he threw an offload to a trailing Brock Webster. The Canadian fullback had to do his fair share of dirty work to cross over for the score, but he got it done. With the successful conversion attempt, Chicago held a 47-31 advantage heading into the final 20 minutes of action.

The 2025 Rookie of the Year, Peyton Wall, was up next. He received a well-timed pass off a beautiful set-piece move from the Hounds. The wing pinned his ears back and raced for the corner, running past a Carolina defender and dotting down his first score of the season. Videla nailed another tough conversion attempt and Chicago moved ahead even more, 54-31.

After a Chicago yellow card in the 73rd minute, Carolina responded with a try via the forwards. It was too-little, too-late of course. The Hounds came roaring back with a try in the closing minute via reserve forward Jake Kinneeveauk, who displayed an impressive set of wheels to score the first try of his MLR career. Videla sank the easy conversion and Chicago walked away from Week 7 with a commanding 61-36 win.

Chicago moves to 6-0 on the season and now looks ahead to a matchup with the California Legion slated for next Saturday. California currently sits second on the league table with a 3-3 record and 18 table points. Chicago leads the table with their undefeated record and 30 table points.

CHI: 61

CAR: 36

Scoring:

Tries: Mac Jones (2), Mark O’Keeffe (2), Matt Oworu, Theo Fourie, Brock Webster, Peyton Wall, Jake Kinneeveauk

Conversions: Santiago Videla (8/9)

Lineup: