Alberta native Ben LeSage played in Major League Rugby between 2020-2024. He represented the Toronto Arrows (2020-2021), the LA Giltinis (2022), and the New England Free Jacks (2023-2024).

Born and raised in Calgary, LeSage played football and swam for his high school Dr. E.P. Scarlett High, while also playing rugby with a neighboring school, Henry Wise Wood High School. He also played for the Calgary Canucks before attending the University of British Columbia between 2013-2019, playing with the Thunderbirds during his time there, winning 3 Rounsfell Cups in the BC Premier League. LeSage represented the Canadian U18 side in 2013 and the U20s in 2014, before earning his full test debut for Canada against Romania in November 2016. He represented Canada at the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan and has been a stalwart in the Canada squad since his debut.

LeSage joined the Toronto Arrows (at the time, Canada’s only professional rugby team) ahead of the 2020 season, and started all 5 games as the Arrows went 4-1 before the COVID-19 pandemic cancelled the season. He returned in 2021 and scored a PB 5 tries in 13 games (all starts) for the Arrows, carrying for just under 800m gained. Despite representing Toronto for 2 seasons, LeSage never represented the Arrows in Toronto, due to restrictions resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.

On 9th November 2021, the Toronto Arrows traded LeSage to the LA Giltinis in return for MLR Draftee James O’Neill, LA’s 2022 3rd Rd Pick (Denver Fatt), and 2022 Salary Cap Considerations (unknown). In his lone season on the west coast, LeSage scored 4 tries in 12 games (11 starts) as the Giltinis finished 2nd in the Western Conference before being disqualified shortly before the MLR playoffs, along with sister team the Austin Gilgronis. During the 2022/23 offseason, both the LA & Austin franchises folded, and a dispersal draft was held for players. The New England Free Jacks selected LeSage 11th.

LeSage has been a regular in the Free Jacks lineup since joining, earning 34 appearances (23 starts) and scoring 5 tries across his 2 seasons in Quincy, lifting the shield in back to back seasons following a 24-25 victory over the San Diego Legion in Chicago in 2023, and a 11-20 victory over the Seattle Seawolves in San Diego in 2024. LeSage featured in both Free Jacks’ final victories, starting in 2023 and coming off the bench in 2024. . He was named as the 2024 Free Jacks Minuteman Award recipient, awarded to the player who best embodies the Minuteman spirit, putting the team first, and demonstrating reliability, selflessness, and leading through their actions for the good of the team and community. On October 22nd, 2024, the New England Free Jacks announced the return of LeSage for the 2025 season, the same day he was named to the Rugby Canada squad for their 2024 end of year tests.

achievements

• 2024 MLR Champion: New England Free Jacks
• 2024 S. Marcus Calloway Award Recipient
• 2024 MLR Ironman
• 2024 Free Jacks Minuteman Award Recipient
• 2023 MLR Champion: New England Free Jacks