Ex-Wallaby Chris Latham has served as a coach in MLR in 2020, and again between 2024-2026. He served as Head Coach of the Utah Warriors (2020), Assistant Coach for the Seattle Seawolves (2024), and Head Coach of the Chicago Hounds (2025-2026).

Latham’s playing career saw him represent the Wests Bulldogs in the Australian Premier League, as well as the NSW Waratahs for the 1997/98 Super 12 (now Super Rugby) season. Latham moved to the Queensland Reds ahead of the 1998/99 season and earned over 100 Super Rugby caps for the Reds between 1998-2008. While playing for the Reds in 1998, Latham earned his test debut for the Wallabies and appeared in 78 games for Australia, representing them at Three Rugby World Cups, winning in 1999, finishing 2nd in 2003, and recovered from an ACL injury to represent Australia in 2007. He scored 40 test tries (2nd in Wallabies history) including 5 against Nambia at the 2003 RWC, where Australia finished as runners-up to England. Following an impressive international career, Latham signed with the Worcester Warriors in the English Premiership in 2008, earning just shy of 50 appearances for the English side between 2008-2010, when Latham signed with Kyuden Voltex in Japan, where he played until he retired in 2012.

Latham is no stranger to Major League Rugby, having served as Head Coach of the Utah Warriors during the truncated 2020 season, where the Warriors went 2-1-2 before the COVID-19 pandemic forced the league to cancel the season. Latham stepped down ahead of 2021 due to personal reasons, he returned to his native Australia and continued his coaching career before joining the Seattle Seawolves as an Assistant Coach for the 2024 season when Seattle finished as MLR Runners-up. Latham returned to the Head Coach role on 11th September 2024 when the Chicago Hounds announced him as their head coach ahead of the 2025 MLR Season. In his first year in Chicago, Latham led the Hounds to a team record 11-5 finish (2nd in the Eastern Conference) and defeated Old Glory DC to advance to the Eastern Conference Final, falling to the New England Free Jacks in heartbreaking fashion.

Latham returned as Head Coach of the Hounds in 2026, where the team were utterly dominant. Latham led the Hounds to an undefeated regular season with a 10-0 record and the maximum of 50pts in the standings, before demolishing Old Glory DC in the Semifinals to earn a spot in the Championship Game which happened to take place in Chicago. On a soaking wet evening in front of their own fans, Latham’s Hounds dispatched the California Legion to earn their first MLR Shield and secure the first undefeated season in league history, 12-0. Unsurprisingly, Chris Latham was named MLR Coach of the Year for this incredible achievement in 2026.

Head Coach Record

Overall: 26-1-8
Chicago Hounds (2025-2026): 24-6
Utah Warriors (2020): 2-1-2

achievements

• 2026 MLR Coach of the Year
• 2026 MLR Champion: Chicago Hounds