The Chicago Hounds signed Maclean Jones for the 2023 Major League Rugby season, after obtaining his signing rights in the 2022 MLR dispersal draft. The 26-year-old No.8/flanker (27 in June) is 6’1″ and 225 lbs.
Maclean played 580 minutes in 9 matches, starting 7, for Austin Gilgronis in 2022. He carried the ball 29 times for 137 meters (4.7 MPC) while recording a broken tackle. Jones was credited with 116 tackles on his 131 attempts with five dominant tackles and two turnovers.
He played 900 minutes in 13 starts for the Gilgronis in 2021. He made 540 meters on his 87 carries (6.2 MPC) with six line breaks and 11 broken tackles, finishing the season with two tries. The flanker recorded 154 tackles on the season.
The Gilgronis had expected Jones to contribute to the team in 2020, however, visa issues affected his being able to play.
Maclean grew up in western Queensland and played junior rugby league with the West Panthers, had a trial with the Bulldog Rugby League U15s, and played with the Brisbane Broncos U15s, as well as with the Metropolitan North U15s.
While attending St. Joseph’s Nudgee College, he played for the first XV, as well as Cricket for the first XI. He played for the ARU National Gold Squad, and the Queensland Reds U16s, as well as playing rugby league for the West Panthers Cyrill Connell Cup Team and the Brisbane Broncos Elite Player Development Program.
In 2013, he decided to concentrate on rugby union. He played for the Australian Schoolboys on their UK and Ireland tour, Australia A Schoolboys, Queensland Rugby Football Schools, and the Queensland 1, as well as for the ARU National Gold Squad again.
Maclean played for the Australia U20s and was vice-captain at the Junior World Cup in manchester and the captain of the Oceania Tournament in Brisbane. He received a rugby scholarship to the University of Queensland, where he played for Premier Grade, Premier Colts, and 1st XV sides while training with the Queensland Reds Wider Training Group.
He played in the NRC with Queensland Counties and then with the NSW Counties Eagles. He also played in 2017 with the Warringah Rats in the Shute Shield.
In 2019 he made his Super Rugby debut with the Waratahs and had hoped to join the Austin Gilgronis for the 2020 Major League Rugby season, however, visa delays rerailed his inclusion until 2021.
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