The Toronto Arrows re-signed Canadian international Peter Nelson for the 2024 Major League Rugby season. The 30-year-old flyhalf/fullback is 6’0″ and 215 lbs.
Peter joined the Toronto Arrows during the 2023 season and played in 8 matches, starting 7, carried 28 iimes for 256 carry metres, had 127 passes, 16 tackles, five defenders beaten and an offload. He also scored 10 points via the boot, slotting two penalty goals and two conversions.
Peter was supposed to play with the Seattle Seawolves in 2020, however, the pandemic ended the season before his visa approval. He then played for US Bressane and from 2021 to 2023 with Stade Aurillacois Cantal in France.
From 2017 through 2020, he was also a rugby coach with Dungannon Rugby Club.
Peter is from Dungannon, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland, and attended the Royal School Dungannon from 2003-2011. He then went to Ulster University School of Sports from 2011-2016, earning a Bachelor of Science Degree in Sports and Exercise. He also was a volunteer rugby coach at Royal School Dungannon from 2013-2014.
He played for Ireland’s U18s and U20s, the latter in 2012, and then for Emerging Ireland from 2013-2015. He also played for Ulster Rugby from 2011-2019, making 60 appearances before leaving to play for Dungannon in 2019 in the All Ireland Division 2B.
Peter was eligible to play for Canada through his Vancouver-born grandmother and in 2019 played in the Pacific Nations Cup. He made his debut for Canada against the United States on July 27, 2019, and played in all three of Canada’s matches at the Rugby World Cup. He has earned 17 caps for Canada, booting 79 points and adding a try. During Summer 2023 he played two matches against Tonga. His cap total should increase with his selection to play in the two-match La Vila International Rugby Cup in Spain in November.
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