Rugby ATL re-signed Jonas Petrakopoulos for the 2023 Major League Rugby season. The 24-year-old front row, who has played all three positions, is 5’11” and 240 lbs.
Jonas played 253 minutes in 13 matches for the Ratlers in 2022. He then played for the club’s Academy team in the American Rugby Premiership in the Fall.
Jonas played 305 minutes in 12 matches, starting one, for the Ratlers in 2021.
Jonas played for Rugby United New York during the 2020 MLR season. He was a loosehead prop reserve against the New England Free Jacks in their opening match in Las Vegas and then started at tighthead prop against the Austin Gilronis during the second week. He played 90 minutes and did not feature in the remaining three matches of the truncated season.
Jonas was born in Amsterdam, Netherlands with both parents from the U.S. He began playing rugby in the seventh grade when living in Liverpool, England. His family moved to Indianapolis, Indiana before going into the eighth grade where he spent his first two years at Herron and then transferred to Bishop Chatard in Indianapolis.
He played rugby for the Royal Irish and won High School Rugby National Championships in 2014, 2015, and 2017. He won All-Conference honors while at Bishop Chatard in 2016, was an Indiana All-State selection in 2016 and 2017, as well as a High School All-American in 2016 and 2017. He was also the 2017 Indiana High School Rugby Player of the Year.
Jonas played for the USA High School All-Americans against Canada in Ontario in 2016 and the Major Junior All-Americans U19s against Canada in 2017. In 2016 he also played for Netherlands U18s in Portugal and later the U20s. As a dual national, it is still to be determined whether he plays for the Senior USA Men or the Dutch National Team. With USA Coach Greg McWilliams at RUNY, it is hoped that as he develops, that he will be on the U.S. radar.
In 2018 he played for SAS Rugby and in 2019 played with Greeton Marist and then Ngawha, the Bay of Plenty Development side after the club season ended. In 2020 he returned to the U.S. to play for Rugby United New York.
Petrakopoulos has been in academy structures for the Bay of Plenty in New Zealand, Stellenbosch Sport in South Africa, and ‘T Goii in Holland.
With RUNY adding season professional props for 2021, Jonas signed a two-year contract with Rugby ATL through the 2022 season. With the retirement of Jamie Ferrante, he should see increased playing time, which will facilitate his development.
