Major League Rugby - North American Rugby Database

American Samoan winger Lauina Futi played in Major League Rugby between 2021-2026. He represented the Seattle Seawolves for his entire MLR career.

Futi played gridiron football through high school, winning back-to-back championships in two undefeated seasons as a running back at Tafuna High School. He continued his football career after moving to California in 2014, playing with Allan Hancock College between 2014-2015 before moving to moving to Idaho and picking up rugby. He played with the BYU-Idaho affiliated Rexburg Yetis and Boise United Rugby in 2017 (43rd State Crimson Lions Rugby at the time), playing with the team’s D2/D3 side. Futi moved to Seattle in 2018 and joined Seattle RFC, playing in both the US D1 and the BC Premier League.

Futi joined the Seattle Seawolves for their 2021 MLR campaign and made a big impact, scoring 4 tries in 7 games (all starts) in his debut MLR season to solidify himself as part of the Seawolves roster. He has represented Seattle for 4 MLR seasons, scoring 21 tries in 52 games (40 starts) including a high of 9 in 2023 when he finished T-9th in MLR, also gaining just shy of 1,500m in possession to finish 2nd in MLR Meters Gained, both personal bests. he was a part of the 2022 Seattle side that made it to the Championship Final, starting on the bench during their 30-15 loss to Rugby New York.

Following his standout 2023 season, Futi was included as part of the USA Eagles squad, earning his test debut and caps against Portugal, Georgia, and Brazil. Futi returned for the Seattle Seawolves in 2024, adding 4 tries in 12 games (8 starts) to take his career total to 21 tries in 53 games for Seattle. The Seawolves qualified for the playoffs and advanced to the Championship Final for the 4th time in team history that season, falling to the New England Free Jacks by a score of 11-20. Futi did not feature in the final, but played a full 80 minutes during their Western Conference Semifinal victory over pacific rivals, the San Diego Legion. Ina Futi was confirmed for a 5th season with the team when the Seattle Seawolves released their complete 2025 roster on January 14th, 2025. During that season, Futi would gain over 500m for the 5th straight season and now sits not far off 4000m gained, adding 6 tries in 13 games (12 starts) to take his total to 27 tries in 66 games (53 starts) since 2021. As of the conclusion of the 2025 season, Lauina Futi sits T-9th all time for tries scored in MLR, and is one of only 2 players in league history to have recorded 3 hattricks, with Joe Mano.

On 28th January 2026, the Seattle Seawolves confirmed the return of Lauina Futi for his 6th season with the team in 2026.

achievements

MLR Team of the Week: 2026 – Rd 11
MLR Team of the Week: 2026 – Rd 10
2024 MLR Runner-Up: Seattle Seawolves
MLR Team of the Week: 2025 – Rd 13
2nd in MLR Meters Gained: 2023 (1,495m)
T-9th in MLR Try Scoring: 2023 (9)
2022 MLR Runner-Up: Seattle Seawolves

Samoan Fly-half AJ Alatimu played in Major League Rugby between 2021-2025. He represented the Seattle Seawolves (2021-2023) and the Houston SaberCats (2024-2025).

Born in Samoa, Alatimu has played much of his rugby in Australia, winning the 2016 National Rugby Championship with Perth Spirit before joining Brisbane City for 2017, and the Western Force between 2018-2020. At international level, Alatimu has represented the Samoa U20 side between 2012-2013, and made his full test debut for Samoa against Scotland in November of 2017. He represented his nation at the 2019 Pacific Nations Cup as well as the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan.

Alatimu joined the Seawolves ahead of the 2021 season from Western Force, who had been competing in the NRC and Global Rapid Rugby competitions (they rejoined Super Rugby in 2021). He quickly established himself as a lethal goal kicker, and to date he still maintains an 80% accuracy rating from the tee across all his MLR games. He has scored over 100pts in 2 of his 3 MLR seasons including 2023 when he shared the 10 jersey with a very impressive Jordan Chait, and finished 4th in MLR with an even 100pts. At the conclusion of the 2023 MLR season, Alatimu is the highest scoring player in Seawolves history, having scored 321pts for the club. He is one of only 5 players to have scored over 300pts in the competition, and currently sits 4th on the all-time MLR points scorers list. In addition to this, he is also MLR’s all-time leading playoff point scorer, with 55pts in Championship Series games.

On 17th July, 2023, Counties Manukau announced Alatimu as part of their roster for the 2023 NPC competition in New Zealand. This competition is popular among MLR players as there is no crossover, allowing many to play professional rugby year-round. In September 2023, the Seattle Seawolves announced a trade with the Houston SaberCats that sent Alatimu to Texas in exchange for USA Eagle Joe Taufete’e. Alatimu returned to MLR with the SaberCats for the 2024 season, earning his 50th MLR cap and scoring 78pts while splitting kicking duties with Davy Coetzer as the SaberCats recorded their best season to date, securing their spot in the playoffs for the 3rd consecutive year and finishing the regular season with a record of 14-2, the top team in MLR for the regular season.

On November 13th, 2024, the Houston SaberCats announced the return of AJ Alatimu for his 5th season in MLR in 2025. He began the season as part of a tandem with Davy Coetzer once again, however Coetzer’s 2025 was plagued with injury so the MLR veteran Alatimu stepped up to take over the Houston #10 jersey. The playmaker started 10 of his 18 appearances in 2025, scoring his first 3 tries that season and helped the SaberCats to their first postseason victory. Alatimu started all three of Houston’s playoff games in 2025 as they defeated playoff Rugby FC LA and the Utah Warriors to claim the Western Conference title for the first time in club history, and earning the right to fight for the 2025 Shield against the reigning Champion New England Free Jacks, where they fell 28-22 in Rhode Island on June 28th, 2025. Alatimu kicked 7pts in the Championship game to take his career total to 504, becoming just the 2nd player in MLR history to pass 500pts scored in the competition.