League: Major League Rugby

Founded in 2017 with it’s inaugural season played in 2018, Major League Rugby (MLR) is the highest level of professional rugby in North America.

Harrison Boyle

US-born, New Zealand raised back three player Harrison Boyle played in Major League Rugby between 2021-2022, and again from 2025-2026. He represented the New England Free Jacks for his entire MLR career.

Born in Boston, MA, Boyle and his family returned to his native New Zealand when he was young. He played rugby while attending St. Patrick’s College, Silverstream between 2013-2017, playing with the 1st XV for two years and co-captained the 2017 team which won the Wellington Schools Championship. He attended a U17 and U18 development camp with the Hurricanes in his final few years at St. Patrick’s College, and represented the Otago U19 academy side in 2018 & 2019, playing in the Jock Hobbs Memorial National Under 19 Tournament which earned him a spot on the New Zealand U20 Development Camp in 2020. He was named to the New Zealand U20 side for the 2020 Junior World Championship before it was cancelled due to COVID.

Boyle was signed by the New England Free Jacks for the 2021 MLR season, returning to the land of his birth. He represented the Free Jacks for two seasons between 2021-2022, starting 16 of his 25 games. He gained over 500m in possession, and completed 105 tackles in total including 88 tackles in 2021. Following the 2022 season, Boyle returned to New Zealand to complete his law degree at the University of Otago. On January 31st, 2025, when the New England Free Jacks revealed their full roster for the 2025 Campaign, fans were surprised to see Harrison Boyle’s name back in the squad, returning to MLR for his 3rd season after 2 years away.

In 2025, Harrison Boyle scored 2 tries in 16 appearances (8 starts) to help the Free Jacks secure their 3rd successive Shield, the first of Boyle’s career. He recorded a career high of 315m gained to take his career total over 800, as well as 39 tackles. On 3rd December 2025, the New England Free Jacks announced the return of Harrison Boyle along with scrumhalf Oscar Lennon.

achievements

Justin Johnson

California native Justin Johnson played in Major League Rugby between 2021-2022. He represented the New England Free Jacks for his entire MLR career.

A native of Inglewood, CA, flanker Justin Johnson attended the rugby powerhouse Life University and was named a Collegiate All-American twice while there, winning two national championships and also representing the USA U20s and USA Selects. He was one of MLR’s first ever draft picks, being selected in the 1st Round, 6th Overall by the New England Free Jacks in MLR’s Inaugural Collegiate Draft in 2020.

During his rookie season, Johnson was a key contributor for the Free Jacks. He started 9 of his 14 appearances for New England, scoring 1 try and completing 70 tackles while running for just under 200m gained. He would add another 3 appearances off the bench for the Free Jacks the following season, in 2022.

Since 2022, Johnson has served as assistant coach at Harvard (2022-2024) and has coached the USA U20s winter camp in 2023. In February 2025, he joined the Penn State Men’s Rugby coaching team as an assistant coach. 

Achievements:
  • MLR Draftee: 2020 – 1st Round (6th Overall) – New England Free Jacks

Joe Johnston

US-Eligible New Zealand flanker Joe ‘The Mechanic’ Johnston played in Major League Rugby between 2021-2023, and again in 2025. He represented the New England Free Jacks for his entire MLR career.

Nicknamed ‘The Mechanic’, Johnston captained the Bay of Plenty U19 squad in 2017, earning a contract with the Bay of Plenty senior side whom he has played with for every NPC season since 2019. Johnston’s move stateside was announced by the New England Free Jacks in September 2020, ahead of the 2021 MLR season. He was a regular starter in the Free Jacks lineup during his time in New England, earning 48 total caps (37 starts) and scoring 8 tries. He recorded 195 tackles in 2021, finishing 7th in MLR, and improved this in 2022 with a total of 220 tackles, again finishing 7th in MLR. He appeared in 17 games during both 2022 and in 2023, and the final season of his first stint in MLR saw Johnston racking up over 500m gained and completing 161 tackles, and finished as an MLR Champion after defeating the San Diego Legion 24-25 in Chicago.

On 1st December 2023, the New England Free Jacks announced the departure of Joe Johnston, who returned to his native New Zealand to complete his education. He represented Bay of Plenty in the 2024 NPC in New Zealand and following a year out of MLR, the New England Free Jacks announced the return of Joe Johnston on November 7th, 2024, ahead of the 2025 MLR season. Johnston Captained the 2025 Free Jacks team, appearing in all 19 games as New England completed MLR’s first ever Threepeat, securing their 3rd Shield in a row after defeating the Houston SaberCats at Centreville Bank Stadium in Rhode Island. Johnston scored 2 tries and started 17 times, recording his second 200+ tackle season with a career high 224, finishing T-4th League-wide with San Diego Legion Captain, Brad Wilkin. Johnston was an All-MLR Honorable Mention for his 2025 season.

On November 22nd 2025, the New England Free Jacks announced the return of Joe Johnston for his 5th Major League Rugby season in 2026.

Achievements
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2026 – Rd 7
  • 2025 All-MLR Honorable Mention
  • 2025 MLR Champion: New England Free Jacks
  • T-4th in MLR Tackling: 2025 (224)
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2025 – Rd 13
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2025 – Rd 9
  • 2023 MLR Champion: New England Free Jacks
  • 7th in MLR Tackling: 2022 (220)
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2022 – Rd 7
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2022 – Rd 5
  • 7th in MLR Tackling: 2021 (195)
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2021 – Rd 18
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2021 – Rd 13
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2021 – Rd 3

Vili Toluta’u

Hawaiian born hooker/flanker Vili Toluta’u played in Major League Rugby between 2018-2021. He represented the Seattle Seawolves (2018-2020) and the New England Free Jacks (2021).

Born and raised in Hawaii, Vili Toluta’u began playing rugby as a teenager for the Maui Warriors. Following his high school graduation, Toluta’u enrolled at Central Washington University where he continued playing rugby, captaining the CWU side and graduating in 2018, just as the fledgling MLR was getting off the ground. Toluta’u signed with the Seattle Seawolves in April 2018 for the inaugural season, earning his debut off the bench in a Round 1 victory over the San Diego Legion. He started 7 of his 8 games during the 2018 season, helping the Seattle Seawolves advance to the Championship Game where he was named as MVP in a 19-23 victory for the first ever MLR Shield. That season, he was also named in the All-MLR First XV.

In total, Toluta’u started 11 of his 17 games for the Seawolves between 2018-2020, lifting the Shield twice before signing with the New England Free Jacks for the 2021 season following a shortened 2020 season that was cancelled after 5 rounds due to COVID-19. He earned 15 appearances for the Free Jacks in 2021, scoring 3 tries and starting 4 times. In December 2021, Vili Toluta’u made the decision to opt out of the 2022 MLR season to focus on his family, and has not returned to the league since.

Internationally, after progressing through the USA age grade sides Vili Toluta’u earned his international debut in June 2018 against Canada. He has also played with the USA Falcons and the USA Selects.

achievements

Wian Conradie

Namibian loose forward Wian Conradie has played in Major League Rugby since 2021. Initially signed by the Dallas Jackals, he signed with the New England Free Jacks following the Jackals’ deferral to 2022, and has represented the Free Jacks for his entire MLR career.

He signed with Gloucester in the English Premiership for their 2021/22 season, but returned to the Free Jacks part way through the 2022 MLR season. He started 16 games for the Free Jacks during their 2023 campaign, scoring 7 tries and gaining 1,262m with ball in hand (7th in MLR) as well as completing 234 tackles (3rd in MLR)in a season where he was named MLR Forward of the Year, as well as lifting the shield with the Free Jacks following a dramatic 24-25 victory over the San Diego Legion in Chicago.

Conradie returned for the Free Jacks‘ title defence, but only managed 7 further appearances before injury cut his season short. To date, Conradie has made 44 starts in 47 games for New England, scoring 15 tries and carrying for over 3000m gained, not to mention his nearly 700 completed tackles. On October 22nd, 2024, the New England Free Jacks announced the return of Wian Conradie for their 2025 MLR campaign. Conradie matches his career high in both starts and appearances in 2025, starting all 16 of his appearances and scoring 5 tries to take his career total to 20. Conradie recorded his 3rd 200+ tackle campaign, finishing 8th League-wide with 210 tackles completed and recording over 550m in possession, contributing significantly to the Free Jacks finishing atop the Eastern Conference, and completing the Threepeat for their (and Conradie’s) 3rd straight MLR Shield with Conradie starting all 3 playoff games in 2025. Conradie was named to the 2025 All-MLR 1st XV for his performance.

Achievements