US-eligible Italian scrum-half Sebastiano Villani played in Major league Rugby between 2023-2024. He represented the NOLA Gold for his entire MLR career.

Villani picked up rugby in his hometown of Milan in 2005, and continued to play after moving to the USA, through his time at Greenwich High School where he was named a High-School All-American. Villani attended St. Bonaventure University where he won a Division 1 National Championship with the Bonnies in 2021. He declared for the 2022 MLR Collegiate Draft and was selected 2nd overall by the NOLA Gold.

Villani played with the Gold academy side through the fall of 2022 and was signed to the MLR side for the 2023 season, were he earned 5 appearances and his first (to date, only) MLR start. Villani returned for the Gold’s best season to date in 2024, earning an additional 4 appearances off the bench as the team finally ended it’s playoff drought. On October 23rd, 2024, the NOLA Gold announced the departure of Villani, and it is unknown if he will return to MLR in 2025.

Achievements

• 2022 MLR Draftee: 2nd Overall (NOLA Gold)