The New England Free Jacks signed Stan van den Hoven for the 2022 Major League Rugby season. The 23-year-old lock is 6’8” and 250lbs.
Stan is from Nieuwegein-Zuid, Utrecht, Netherlands, and attended Cals College. He played rugby for the Netherland U20s.
Stan moved to New Zealand in 2017 to foster his rugby career, playing on the national championship winning Bay of Plenty U19 Provincial Squad and being named Player of the Year in his first season on the team. The following year he trained with the New Zealand U20 squad in preparation for the World Rugby U20s Championships.
In 2019 he made his professional rugby debut in the Mitre 10 Cup with Bay of Plenty and became a regular in the starting lineup for the squad, logging 7 caps through the 2020 season.
In 2021 Stan was selected to the Chiefs Super Rugby squad where he made appearances for the development side, but the pandemic impacted him making his debut with the Super Rugby side.
New England Free Jacks Comments
Upon signing, van den Hoven expressed his excitement in transitioning to the team as well as the city of Boston. “I’m very excited to join the Free Jacks this coming season and grateful for the opportunity to be able to wear the jersey. From what I’ve seen the rugby community over in Boston looks awesome and I can’t wait to become a part of it and take the field.”
“Stan really epitomizes the Free Jacks identity,” expressed Free Jacks Assistant Coach Mike Rogers. “He is hard-working, physical, and has a real love for the game. I’m looking forward to seeing Stan represent the Free Jacks with pride and plenty of Dutch passion. He is a big man who will certainly make an impact in the MLR.
With plenty of experience around New Zealand locking down the tough competition in the NPC, van den Hoven’s aerial skills and physicality will be an incredible asset to the New England second row. Keep an eye out for the Dutch lock as he bolsters the Free Jacks pack in the 2022 MLR season.
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