Rugby ATL Signs Conor Keys Through 2023

Rugby ATL signed Canadian international Conor Keys to a contract extension through the 2023 Major League Rugby season. The 23-year-old lock (24 in another week) is 6’6″ and 265lbs.

Conor played in all 5 matches for Rugby ATL in their inaugural season, starting twice, and had a 90% tackle completion rate and was a force in the team’s 6 mauling tries.⁣

Conor is from Stittsville, Ontario, and attended Sacred Heart Catholic High School. He began playing rugby at age 10 with the Barrhaven Scottish and later with the Ottawa Ospreys. He played representative rugby for the Eastern Ontario U18s and for the Lower Canada Voyagers U19s.

Following his graduation in 2014 from Sacred Heart, he attended the University of Victoria from 2014-2019. While playing for the Vikes in the CDI Premier League, he was selected for the CanadaU20 side in 2016 and played for the Atlantic Rock in the Canadian Rugby Championship. He also spent a Summer in New Zealand playing with the Burnside Bombers in Christchurch.

He made his debut for the CanadaSenior Men’s National Team against Chile in the Americas Rugby Championship on February 11, 2017, and has earned 18 test caps, 10 as a starter. His last one was at the 2019 Rugby World Cup against New Zealand on October 2.

Conor joined Rugby ATL in 2020 after playing professionally in England for the Rotherham Titans in the National One English Third Division.

Rugby ATL Comments

“We saw Conor beginning to grow into his own during the 2020 season and we believe he has tremendous upside for both RugbyATL and Rugby Canada,” said Head Coach, Scott Lawrence.⁣
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“I’m excited to come back down to the Peach State. The boys have some unfinished business from last year and it’s going to be something special to watch next year. It was a no brainer signing again given the lads we have in the locker room and the coaching staff in ATL,” said Keys.⁣