Browsing: Major League Rugby

Major League Rugby is a professional USA league that began in 2018 and has teams in the U.S. and in Canada. Current MLR teams include Austin Elite Rugby, Glendale Raptors, Houston SaberCats, New Orleans Gold, Rugby United New York, San Diego Legion, Seattle Seawolves, Toronto Arrows, and the Utah Warriors. In 2020, teams in Atlanta, New England, and Washington, D.C. will join the league and have exhibition matches in 2019.

The Chicago Hounds signed tighthead prop Fred Apulu for the remainder of the 2023 Major League Rugby season. The 26-year-old tighthead prop (27 in May) is 6’4 and 270 lbs. He played 26 minutes in one match with San Diego Legion in 2023 and 40 minutes in one match with the LA Giltinis in 2022 where he made his professional debut as a replacement against Seattle in June, Fred is from Fasitoouta, Samoa, and attended Nu’uausala College (NASCO). He later moved to Hawaii to be with his girlfriend Maria, who is his wife and worked there until signing with LA.…

The Houston SaberCats signed Devereaux Ferris for the remainder of the 2023 Major League Rugby season. In October it was announced that his signing rights were traded from NOLA Gold to the Dallas Jackals in exchange for Cael Hodgson, however, he didn’t sign and played in New Zealand. The 28-year-old scrum-half is 5’9″ and 180 lbs. Devereaux played 385 minutes in 14 matches, starting 3, for NOLA Gold in 2022 and has played in 34 MLR matches. In 2021, Devereaux played 598 minutes in 16 matches, starting 6, and scored one try for the Seawolves. He recently played in the…

The Utah Warriors signed Tongan international Siaosi Nai for the remainder of the 2023 Major League Rugby season. The 23-year-old scrum half is 5’10” and 215 lbs. Siaosi was born in Nuku’alofa, Tongatapu, Tonga. He played for Tonga in the 2019/20 World Pacific Challenge and in 2019 in the World Junior Under-20s Trophy competition. He also represented the Gray Wolves in the 2022 Crossroads Cup in Utah. Other Articles DJCoil Rugby articles by Doug Coil are also available on Facebook. Other Social Media sites to follow or subscribe to include Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube for interviews.

The Chicago Hounds signed Matai Leuta for the remainder of the 2023 Major League Rugby season. The 32-year-old wing is 6’3″ and 235 lbs. Matai played 1282 minutes in 17 matches, starting 16, and scored two tries for the Houston SaberCats in 2022. Matai is from Marina, California, and was raised in Fiji at age 6. When he returned to California, he attended Seaside High School, graduating in 2008. While he played rugby as a youth, but his senior year in high school he helped the Spartans win the Monterey Bay League in football. Matai played for the Monterey Beachdogs…

Rugby ATL traded for Niall Saunders with the Utah Warriors in exchange for salary cap consideration for the 2023 Major League Rugby season. The 25-year-old scrumhalf is 5’10” and 195 lbs. Since re-signing with the Utah Warriors for 2023, he did not play during the season before the trade. Niall played 548 minutes in 10 matches, starting 7, and scored 3 tries for the Utah Warriors in 2022. He then played with the Tel Aviv Heat in the Europe Super Cup Final this Fall. He previously played with the Tel Aviv Heat in 2021. Niall is from Chertsey, Surrey, United…

San Diego Legion signed Luke Green for the remainder of the 2023 Major League Rugby season in a loan agreement with the London Irish. The 22-year-old tighthead prop is 6’2″ and 265 lbs. and will be returning to London before the 2023-24 season. Luke, who is from the United Kingdom, played his club rugby at London Irish Amateurs before joining the London Irish Academy when he was 15 years old. He has represented England at both the under-18 and under-20 levels, playing in two Under 20 Six Nations campaigns where he played in all five fixtures in the 2021 tournament.…

Rugby  ATL signed former USA international Phil Thiel ahead of their 2023 match against NOLA Gold. The 38-year-old hooker, who is 5’11” and 250 lbs, came in as a replacement in the 73rd minute for his Major League Rugby debut. Phil is from Traverse City, Michigan, and played football and was on the wrestling team at Traverse City West High School. He also played rugby with T.C. Alliance Youth Rugby Club. Following his graduation in 2003, he attended Saginaw Valley State University to play football and a year later transferred to Northwestern Michigan College where he played rugby for the…

The Seattle Seawolves signed Adriaan Carelse for the 2023 Major League Rugby season after a trade with the Dallas Jackals for 2023 salary cap considerations. The 28-year-old flyhalf/ fullback is 5’9″ and 175 lbs. Prior to the trade, Adriaan played 387 minutes in 5 starts for the Jackals in 2023. He played 728 minutes in 10 starts and scored 42 points (12 conversions, 6 penalty goals) for the Dallas Jackals in 2022. In 2021 he played 702 minutes in 10 matches, starting 9, and scored 61 points (3 tries, 14 conversions, 6 penalty goals) for Rugby ATL. Adriaan grew up…

Rugby ATL re-signed Connor Cook for the remainder 2023 Major League Rugby season. Following the end of the 2022 season, Connor retired from rugby. The 32-year-old back-row is 6’3″and 220 lbs. Connor played 876 minutes in 12 starts and scored 4 tries for Rugby ATL in 2022. He played 829 minutes in 13 matches, starting 12, for the Ratlers in 2021. During the truncated 2020 MLR season, Connor played 157 minutes in all five matches for the Colorado Raptors, starting twice. During the 2019 MLR season, he played 582 minutes for the Glendale Raptors in 13 matches, starting 5 times,…

The Houston SaberCats signed Kitan Ojo for the remainder of the 2023 Major League Rugby season. The 20-year-old wing/center was born and raised in Houston and is 6’1″ and 210 lbs. He joins the team after playing with Rugby HTX and the Harlequins Academy. After living in Houston, he moved to England where he graduated from Epsom College in 2021. He then enrolled at the University of Exeter in 2021 where he majored in Mechanical Engineering, as well as continued to play rugby. Other Articles DJCoil Rugby articles by Doug Coil are also available on Facebook. Other Social Media sites…

The Houston SaberCats signed Tomiwa Agbongbon for the remainder of the 2023 Major League Rugby season. The 22-year-old back-row is 6’3″ and 225 lbs. Tomi was born in New Jersey and grew up in England. He attended New Hall School from 2015 through 2020 and played rugby on the team’s first XV. Since 2021 he attended Loughborough University, where he studied mathematics, accounting, and financial management, as well as playing rugby with the team. During the 2021-2022 season, he played 195 minutes in 4 matches, starting 2, with the Leicester Tigers in the English Premiership. Tomi joined the SaberCats ahead…

The Dallas Jackals signed Matthew Gordon for the remainder of the 2023 Major League Rugby season. The 26-year-old lock/back row is 6’4″ and 240 lbs. Matt joined the Jackals ahead of the team’s match against the Houston SaberCats and started at lock. He was Old Glory DC’s 23rd pick in the 2020 Major League Rugby Collegiate Draft, and played 91 minutes in two matches, starting one, for the team in 2021-2022. Matt is from Aberdeen, Scotland, and attended Lathallan during high school. There he played rugby, cricket, and field hockey. He attended Robert Gordon University from 2014-2018, earning a Bachelor…

The Chicago Hounds signed Cameron Dodson for the remainder of the 2023 Major League Rugby season. The 26-year-old lock is 6’7” and 245 lbs. After playing for two years for Austin Gilgronis in 2021-2022, he signed with Wasps, playing 141 minutes in two starts, before the team had financial problems. He then moved to Aurillac in the French Pro D2 league, playing 976 minutes in 15 starts, and scoring one try. Cam was signed as a free agent by the Gilgronis for the 2021 season, after being undrafted despite being identified by rugby pundits as the number one projected collegiate…

The Chicago Hounds signed Justice Nkombua for the remainder of the 2023 Major League Rugby season. Justice, who was born in Chicago, is a 21-year-old lock and flanker and is 6’5″ and 245 lbs. Justice began playing rugby at CBC Boksburg High School and represented Valke Under-16 through Under-18 levels. His performance at Grant Khomo and the Academy Week competitions earned a contract with the Limpopo Blue Bulls. He played for the University of Pretoria Tuks in their Young Gun competition, and then the first team in both the Varsity Cup and Carlton Cup. In 2022, he was a member…

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