The Houston SaberCats signed scrumhalf Jake Christmann for the 2020 Major League Rugby season. Jake will be 21-years-old in January and is 6’2″ and 185 lbs.
Jake was signed for the 2019 Major League Rugby season by the Utah Warriors, however, he did not play during the season. His recovery after an injury while playing in the Fall 2018 exhibition season with the Glendale Raptors impacted his availability. Jake also played with the Raptors during the 2018 MLR season.
Jake returned rugby this past Fall with the Chicago Lions and helped the team advance to the Elite Cup Final.
Jake was born in Indianapolis, where he attended Bishop Charard High School. He began playing rugby in 2014 when he joined the Royal Irish Rugby and later helped them win the 2017 Boys High School National Championships.
Jake then played at Fylde in the U.K. “Ken Benson recommended Fylde to Jake on his arrival in Lancashire and he turned up at the Woodlands for pre-season in late summer. Jake joined in 1st/2nd team squad training and warmed to his task in adjusting to the standard of rugby at Fylde’s level – and to the particular characteristics of the weather on the Lancashire Coast. His most familiar position is at scrum-half and he is also a reliable goal kicker.”
Jake was understudy to US Eagles starter Shaun Davies at Glendale but acquitted himself well. He started four games and showed a long, accurate passing game. Christmann started for the Raptors while Davies was involved in international play with the Eagles. He did not play for the USA Junior All-American side that played against Canada in 2018, but remains eligible for the Under-20 side in 2019 and is likely to be considered favorite to fill the role played by Ruben de Haas this season.
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