Rugby ATL Adds Will Burke

Rugby ATL signed Will Burke for the 2021 Major League Rugby season. The tighthead prop, who turns 25 this week, is 6’0″ and 250 lbs.

Will was signed by the Dallas Jackals for 2021, however, when the team delayed inclusion in the league until 2022, he was a free agent signing by Rugby ATL.

Will played with the Ratlers this past weekend against the Utah Warriors in a preseason match.

Will played in the first two matches with Rugby United New York in Las Vegas to begin the 2020 season but due to the truncated season due to COVID-19.

Will is from Upstate New York and played high school football and wrestled.  He attended the University of Buffalo from 2014-2018 and was a D1A Rugby East All-Conference honorable mention before his first-team All Rugby East selection in 2016. He was also nominated for the Collegiate All-Americans.

Following his graduation from the University of Buffalo, he played with the Buffalo Rugby Club in the Spring and helped them to finish 7th in the country in Men’s D2 rugby. Willa then went to Northern Ireland to play with Lurgan Rugby Football Club in the Kukri Ulster Championship Divison 2. In his team debut on 31 August 2019, he was named Man of the Match. That lasted four months before he returned to play with Buffalo RFC.

Will Burke has a bright future in rugby and joined RUNY after attending training camp, which led to securing an MLR contract for 2020. Playing time should increase in 2021 with Rugby ATL.

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North American Rugby News With A USA Slant