Chicago Hounds make rugby history as Chef Art Smith adds star power

The Chicago Hounds have accomplished something no other team has ever done in Major League Rugby history: finish the regular season undefeated.

The Hounds capped off their remarkable campaign with a commanding 35-19 victory over the New England Free Jacks, completing a flawless 10-0 regular season and becoming the first franchise in MLR history to go unbeaten. The milestone victory came after another impressive second-half surge, with Chicago pulling away in the final 20 minutes to seal its place in the record books.

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Center Tiaan Loots starred in the historic win with a hat trick, while fullback Brock Webster added a try against his former club. Santiago Videla was perfect on conversions, and the Hounds also benefited from a penalty try as they closed out their perfect campaign in style.

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The achievement is even more impressive considering Chicago earned bonus points in every regular-season match by scoring at least four tries, finishing with 50 table points and a staggering point differential of +209. On average, the Hounds outscored opponents by more than 20 points per game.

For a franchise that only debuted in 2023, the turnaround has been extraordinary. After steadily improving over its first few seasons, the Hounds have now established themselves as the team to beat in Major League Rugby and have set a new standard for excellence across the league.

The club’s success has also been bolstered by the involvement of celebrated Chicago chef Art Smith, who joined the Chicago Hounds ownership group as a co-owner in 2024. The two-time James Beard Award winner and former personal chef to Oprah Winfrey partnered with the franchise through his Sporty Bird concept, bringing added visibility and local star power to one of Chicago’s fastest-growing professional sports organizations. (Chef Art is the only chef in America who is a minority owner of a professional sports team.) 

With history already secured, Chicago’s focus now shifts to postseason play as the club pursues what would be an even sweeter accomplishment: turning its historic undefeated regular season into a Major League Rugby championship.