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 South African Janus Venter for the 2024 Major League Rugby season. The 24-year-old hooker (25 in June) is 6’1” and 231 lbs. Janus is from Boksburg, Gauteng, South Africa, and attended Dr E.G. Jansen High School. He joined the Free State Cheetahs ahead of the 2018-2019 season and made his first appearance in 2021 in Round 2 of the Currie Cup Premier Division match against the Griquas, his only match that season. He appeared in another match for the Free State Cheetahs in 2022, as well as playing for the Griffons. During the 2023 season, Janus…

The Dallas Jackals re-signed Dewald “Dewy” Kotze for the 2024 Major League Rugby season. The 26-year-old hooker (27 in June) is 6’0″ and 230 lbs. Dewald played 816 minutes in 15 matches, starting 10, and scored 3 tries for the Dallas Jackals in 2023. He then was selected for Canada’s two-match November tour to Spain but was a late withdrawal. Dewald played 245 minutes in 4 matches, starting 3, for the Dallas Jackals in 2022. Dewald is from Kriel, South Africa, but moved to Edmonton at the age of 14 and played for the Strathcona Druids clubs. He represented the…

Old Glory DC re-signed Calixto Martinez for the 2024 Major League Rugby season. The 27-year-old tighthead prop is 5’9″ and 240 lbs. Cali played 198 minutes in 12 matches, starting once, for Old Glory DC in 2024. Cali is from White Rock, British Columbia. He attended Earl Marriott Secondary and the University of British Columbia, earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Geography with a minor in Political Science. Cali played age-grade rugby for Canada, playing for the Under-17s in 2017, and the Under-20s in both 2015 and 2016. He’s won the Canadian University Championships with the UBC Thunderbirds and also played…

The Utah Warriors signed Kalisi Moli for the 2024 Major League Rugby season. The 26-year-old eight man (27 in June) is 6’2” and 245 lbs. Kalisi was born in Oakland, California and grew up in Utah. He lives in West Valley. He graduated from Herriman High School in 2015 where he was a two time High School All-American in rugby and an All-State and all-region in football. Following his graduation, he went on a two year mission with the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day Saints to Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Between 2018 through 2022 Kalisi played collegiate football as a…

The Chicago Hounds re-signed Mark O’Keeffe for the 2024 Major League Rugby season. The 30-year-old Irish wing/center is 6’1″ and 220 lbs. Mark played 750 minutes in 10 starts and scored 3 tries for the Chicago Hounds in 2023. He carried the ball 90 times for 826 meters (9.2 meters-per-carry), had three clean line breaks, beat 33 defenders, and defensively made 65 tackles, five of which were dominant. During the Fall he was the Backs Coach for Loyola Chicago Men’s Rugby Club Ramblers. Mark played just under 1000 minutes in 14 starts, carried for 1200 meters (10.8 meters per carry,…

The Houston SaberCats re-signed Gerrie Labuschagne for the 2024 Major League Rugby season. The 27-year-old wing, who has played fullback and center, (28 in December) is 6’5″ and 225 lbs. Gerrie played in 13 matches, 10 starts, and scored 2 tries in 2023 for the Houston SaberCats. He also was Houston Athletic Rugby Club’s Backs and Attack Coach. Gerrie played 761 minutes in 11 starts and scored 3 tries and kicked a penalty goal for the SaberCats in 2022. Gerrie was born in Springs, South Africa, and attended Die Anker, Brakpan High School. He later attended the University of the…

The Utah Warriors re-signed Franco Van den Berg for the 2024 Major League Rugby season. The 27-year-old loosehead prop is 6’0″ and 265 lbs. Franco played 351 minutes in 9 matches, starting 4, for the Utah Warriors in 2023. Franco played 599 minutes in 11 matches, starting 9, in 2022 for the Utah Warriors. He played 753 minutes in 14 matches, starting 11, and scored one try for the Utah Warriors in 2021. He started all five matches, playing 284 minutes, during the truncated 2020 MLR season. During the 2019 season, he played 1013 minutes in all 16 matches, scored…

The Utah Warriors re-signed Ratu Veremalua Taukanoa Vugakoto (aka Tuvere) for the 2024 Major League Rugby season. The 25-year-old hooker (26 at the end of December) is 6’1″ and 255 lbs. Tuvere played 482 minutes in 11 matches, starting 5, and scoring 1 try for the Utah Warriors in 2023. Tuvere played 673 minutes in 15 matches, starting 7, and scored 3 tries for the Utah Warriors in 2022. He played 647 minutes in 16 matches, starting 8, and scored 2 tries for the Utah Warriors in 2021, and started all five matches, playing 371 minutes, and scored one try…

The Dallas Jackals signed Tomás Cubilla for the remainder of the 2024 Major League Rugby season. The 25-year-old center (26 in February) is 6’0″ and 220 lbs. Tomás played 231 minutes in 3 starts for the Dallas Jackals in 2023. Tomás is from Buenas Aires, Argentina. He graduated from St George’s College, Argentina in 2015 and then enrolled at the University of San Andies in 2016, graduating with a degree in Economics in 2020. He played rugby for Alumni in the Nacional de Clubes and URBA Top 14 since 2017. In the 2019-2020 season, he played for Jaguares XV in…

The Seattle Seawolves obtained Tyren Al-Jiboori for the 2024 Major League Rugby season in a trade with the San Diego Legion for 2024 salary cap considerations. Tyren was the Legion’s 2023 MLR Collegiate draft first-round pick (#12). The 22-year-old wing is 6’2″ and 220 lbs. Tyren grew up in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and is from a rugby family with his brothers Michael and Malon (Eagle #520) having played professional rugby. He attended Union High School from 2015 through his graduation in 2018. While there, he played varsity football as a strong and free safety and also played rugby. In 2016 he…

NOLA Gold Pat O’Toole received a contract extension through the 2025 Major League Rugby season. The 28-year-old hooker (29 in February) is 6’0″ and 240 lbs. Pat played 702 minutes in 13 matches, starting 11, and scored 3 tries for NOLA Gold in 2023. During the season, he was honored after appearing in his 50th MLR match. In 2022 he played in 11 matches, starting 7, and scored 5 tries, and in 2021, he played 828 minutes in 16 matches, starting 13, and scored 7 tries for NOLA Gold. Following the 2019 MLR season with the Houston SaberCats, Pat signed…

Old Glory DC re-signed John Rizzo for the 2024 Major League Rugby season. The 25-year-old wing/fullback (26 in June) is 6’0″ and 205 lbs. John played 332 minutes in 8 matches, starting 3, and scored 2 tires for Old Glory DC in 2023. He also helped the Cincinnati Wolfhounds advance to the Midwest Premiership Finals in the Fall. John played 133 minutes in 5 matches, starting one for Old Glory DC in 2022 after he joined them mid-season. He then was selected to play with the USA Falcons on their tour against Chile and Brazil A teams. John is from…

The New England Free Jacks signed Mason Koch for the 2024 Major League Rugby season. The 26-year-old hooker is 5’10” and 240 lbs. Mason played 308 minutes in 8 matches, starting 4, and scored 3 tries for the Chicago Hounds in 2023. Mason played 211 minutes in 12 matches, starting 1, scoring 1 try, carrying 16 times for 111 meters (6.9 MPC), and was perfect on his 30 tackle attempts for Austin Gilronis in 2022. In 2021 he played 267 minutes in 9 matches, starting 2, scoring 2 tries, carrying 20 times for 109 meters (5.5 MPC), and making 39…

The Chicago Hounds signed Paddy Ryan for the 2024 Major League Rugby season. The 32-year-old tighthead/loosehead prop (33 in December) is 6’2″ and 285 lbs. Paddy played 462 minutes in 11 matches, starting 8, for the Chicago Hounds in 2023. He carried the ball 33 times and gained 138 meters on those carries (4.2 meters-per-carry), and defensively he completed 54 tackles on 62 attempts and was credited with three breakdown steals. Additionally, Ryan had 98 first or second ruck arrivals. He made his 50th MLR appearance in the Hounds’ Week 13 contest against the New York Ironworkers and has played…

1 2 3 268