New York Exiles Finish Their 2026 Season With a Victory Over the Boston Banshees

by Dennis Thornton, MetroSports Magazine - August 10, 2026

The Women's Elite Rugby League, capped off its second full season of professional women's rugby this weekend with the 2026 Legacy Cup Championship. Although neither the New York or Boston teams made it to the championship, they did face off against each other in their respective season final match on July 25th.

It was a beautiful sunny afternoon at Memorial Field, Mt. Vernon home of the NY Exiles.  The Exiles were pitted against the Boston Banshees, another NY-Boston rivalry.  This was the Exiles final home game and last game of the season.  A win would secure fourth place in the Women’s Elite Rugby league this year and avenge the season opening loss to Boston. 

Both teams looked fit for competition during the pre-game warmup.  The respective captains pumped their teammates up with cheers and words of encouragement.

The teams were evenly matched which led to an exciting game long see-saw pattern with each team responding to the opponents score with a goal of their own.   The Banshees were first on the board with a goal and 2-point conversion.  The home crowd came to life when Carly Lehman (#2) scored the first Exiles goal.  The Banshees struck again.  Then the Exiles Caitlyn Caldon (#10) sprinted her way around a phalanx of Banshees defenders for their second goal. The first half ended Exiles 14 – Banshees 12. 

Early in the second half  Ashley Torres-Brown (#8) pushed her way over the goal line for the Exiles third goal.  The momentum seemed poised to move in the Exiles favor.  But then, following a hard hit, Carly Lehman was prostrate on the field unable to get up.  Several minutes passed before she was assisted off the field hobbling.  When you are down on the field and get a close-up view of the physicality of this sport you wonder why there are not more injuries.  These young women are athletes with grit.  They grapple and tackle going to the ground with force and still get up and go at it again, at least most of the time.

The Banshees scored again.  At 63 minutes into the game, Exiles responded with Caoimhe O'Sullivan Roche (#18) propelling herself over the goal line.  The home crowd cheered even more loudly.  But it wasn’t over as several minutes later the referees debated a goal line play and awarded the Banshees with another score.  The Boston fans cheered. 

The atmosphere was tense with excitement as the clock was counting down the remaining ten minutes.  Each team had scored four goals and everyone in stands was on the edge of their seats.  With just a few minutes to go the Banshees had possession and were aggressively driving down the field towards the Exiles goal.   Past the midway point they pushed. Then the Exiles forced a turnover and were awarded the scrum.  During the final two minutes the Exiles fended off the Banshees efforts to regain possession and thus secured the win.

This was an exciting game from the first kick-off to last second on the clock.  The teams were competitively on par with their running game scoring the same number of goals.  However, the deciding factor was that the Banshees were only successful in making their 2-point conversion kick after their first goal.  Their kicks went wide for the subsequent three. The Exiles skillfully kicked the ball between the uprights all four times leading to a six (6) point difference at the conclusion of the game.  Final score, Exiles 28. – Banshees 22.

The crowd cheered, the Exiles fist-pumped the air and gave a unified victorious cry.  All the rivalry on the field immediately evaporated as members of both teams demonstrated warm sportsman(sportsperson) like conduct and shook hands and embraced as is the custom.   Members of both teams went to greet family and friends in the stands.  Players were congratulated for their performance and hard work.  They talked with fans and signed autographs before posing for a final team photograph.