Nola Gold Rugby Club announced the signing of Cian Barry on June 13, the day of the Major League Rugby draft. The 24-year-old utility back is 5’8″ and 160 lbs. He can play both halfback positions, as well as fullback and wing.
Cian is from Surrey, England, and attended Epson College before going to U.C.L.A. from 2014-2019. He began playing rugby with Reeds Weybridge at age five and still plays in the Sunday league whenever his schedule permits. He played County rugby with Middlesex and with Surrey for the U16s and U18S and played with the London Wasps SoR for 1 year.
Cian was a High School All-American from 2012-2014. He was eligible to play for the U.S. as his mother was a U.S. citizen. He represented the team at the Las Vegas 7s, but played for Epson College at the England School 7s instead of the BHSAAs, as Epson was the #1 team in England at the time. He also played for Team USA at the Youth Olympics in 2014. That was short-lived, however, as he separated his shoulder in the first match against Kenya.
He has also played for the Ramblin’ Jesters since 2013. The team has played in Dubai, Copenhagen, the Rugbytown 7s, Nancy, Colorado, and in 2019 at the HSBC World Series warmup tournament in Chester, England, the only non-international team that was invited.
In 2019 he was selected as a Men’s Collegiate All-American and played in the Rugbytown 7s with the team that year.
Cian graduated U.C.L.A. in 2019 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Geography. He played D1A Rugby and played in several Collegiate Rugby Championships.
Next for him is for him to develop as a player for NOLA Gold. He will also likely spend time playing for New Orleans RFC beginning in the Fall.
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