The Championship-winning LA Giltinis signed dual-code Australian star Will Chambers for the 2022-23 Major League Rugby seasons. The 33-year-old center (34in May) is 6’3”, and 220 lbs.
Will was born in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, but moved to Nhulunbuy, in the Northern Territory with his parents, who are Yolngu Indigenous Australian descent, when he was two years old. He played rugby and at age 13 moved back to Brisbane where he attended St. Joseph’s College, Nudgee from 2002-2005.
From 2007-2010 he played rugby league in the National Rugby League with the Melbourne Storm. The team won the 2009 Grand Final, but later the title was stripped for salary cap breaches. In 2012, 2017, and 2019 the team won titles again with Finals losses in 2016 and 2018.
In 2013 Melbourne Storm won the World Club Challenge over Super League XVIII Champions, Leeds Rhinos.
Will played rugby Union with the Super Rugby Queensland Reds in 2010-11 before joining the Pro 12 Munster team, where he played 8 matches, 3 Heineken Co matches, and others for Munster A.
Will played representative rugby for Queensland from 2014-2019 and played in the State of Origin Series. In 2015 he played for the Indigenous All-Stars and following the NRL season with Melbourne, he became the 800th Australian Kangaroo capped player when he debuted against the New Zealand Kiwis. He would go on to earn 7 caps between 2015-2017.
From 2019-2021 he played in Japan for Suntory Sungoliath before returning to Australia in 2021 to play in the NRL season with Sydney’s Cronulla- Sutherland Sharks.
LA Giltinis Comments
“I’m pumped to get over to California with my family for another chapter in my life. I like to be around successful organisations…it makes the hard work more enjoyable,” Chambers said.
The Giltinis have shrewdly seized on his versatility because he has also played rugby for three top clubs. His 2010-11 stint with the Queensland Reds in Super Rugby was followed by short-term stints with leading Irish province Munster (2011-12) and Japanese powerhouse Suntory (2019-2021).
Chambers was considering retirement until a recent phone call prompted by Giltinis match-winner Matt Giteau, a former teammate at Suntory.
Giltinis head coach Stephen Hoiles and Giteau both spoke with Chambers, who needed little convincing that Los Angeles offered a wonderful opportunity.
“When ‘Gits’ and I were at Suntory and he told me he was thinking about going to the US to play, I said to him ‘get me over there’,” Chambers said.
“When I got a phone call from Stephen Hoiles a few weeks ago he asked if I was still interested – It was a pretty easy process from there. I took quite a bit of notice of the Giltinis last season because Gits and Adam were involved.
“They won an impressive number of games and it’s super-special to win a Championship in the first season.
“You want to build that into the DNA of a club so they are successful for a long period. LA will be exciting for my family and as a chance to play rugby again.”
Chambers has a successful track record and the lure of playing and living in LA was a magnet as he mapped out a new adventure for his young family.
“Will has an impressive record of performing for top clubs over a long career. He’s a proven winner,” Giltinis General Manager Adam Freier said.
“He has always backed himself to perform in rugby league and rugby union and he brings authority in attack and defence to each team he plays for.
“We’re excited that he wants to join a Championship-winning team and continue that success into 2022.”
