The Seattle Seawolves re-signed Canadian international Jake Ilnicki for the 2021 Major League Rugby season. The 28-year-old prop (29 at the end of February) is 5’11” and 260lbs.
Jake played 144 minutes in four matches, starting twice, during the COVID-19 shortened season.
He played 156 minutes in five matches in 2019, carrying 3 times for 19 meters making 30 tackles, and “played a huge role in key penalty and mauling tries.”
Jake is from Williams Lake, British Columbia, and played rugby for the University of Victoria after attending Williams Lake Secondary. He played age-grade rugby with the Canada U20s after playing with the Williams Lake Rustlers. He captained the side that faced the US in 2012.
Jake made his senior men’s test debut for Canada in 2013 against Georgia and has 38 caps, his last was at the 2019 Rugby World Cup against South Africa on October 8, 2019. In addition to playing in three matches at the 2019 Rugby World Cup, he also appeared in one match for Canada in the 2015 Rugby World Cup.
He moved to Australia in 2014 and played for Eastern Suburbs and the New South Wales Country Eagles. In 2016 he played for the San Diego Breakers and at the conclusion of the season returned to the Southern Hemisphere to join the Manawatu Turbos of New Zealand. Then it was onto the United Kingdom to play with the Northampton Saints of Premiership Rugby. In 2017, he moved to the Newcastle Falcons and in the 2018-2019 season, he played with Yorkshire Carnegie of the RFU Championship.
