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.

Pieter Jansen

South African hooker Pieter Jansen represented the New England Free Jacks in Major League Rugby from 2021-2022. Jansen appeared in all 16 of New England’s games in 2021 (14 starts) as well as 11 games in 2022 (9 starts) for a total of 27 MLR caps to date, 23 of them starts.

In his 27 appearances for the Free Jacks, Jansen has scored 9 tries putting him 4th in team history at the conclusion of the 2022 season. During that season, he made 101 tackles for a success rate of 85.59% and gained 105m in 24 ball carries before his season was cut short due to injury

On 6th July, 2022 it was announced that Jansen would return to South Africa to rehab an injury and would not take part in MLR’s 2023 season. It remains unclear if he will return in 2024.

Harry Barlow

Erich de Jager

South African prop Erich de Jager represented the New England Free Jacks in Major League Rugby from 2021-2022. He appeared in all 33 Free Jacks MLR games during that time, racking up 30 starts. As of the conclusion of the 2022 season, Erich de Jager had appeared in 86% of all Free Jacks games (38 from 2020-2022).

He scored 2 MLR tries, with both of them coming in the 2021 season. During 2022, Erich de Jager made 116 tackles with a success rate of 85.93%.

On 4th July 2022, it was announced that de Jager had signed with French side Bourg-en-Bresse, who compete in the 3rd tier of French rugby.

MLR Honours:

2021 Team of the Week – Round 8
2021 Team of the Week – Round 12

Peceli Rinakama

Dougie Fife

Scottish utility back Dougie Fife played in Major League Rugby between 2021-2024. He represented the New England Free Jacks (2020-2021) and the NOLA Gold (2023-2024).

An Edinburgh native, Fife played rugby growing up and throughout his education, he represented Edinburgh U17s & U18s, as well as Scotland U17s, U19s, and the U20s between 2009-2010 before joining the Edinburgh senior side in the PRO12 (later the PRO14 and now the URC), where he played from 2011-2020, scoring 26 tries in 123 PRO12/PRO14 appearances for his hometown club. Fife earned his international debut for Scotland in the final game of the 2014 Six Nations against Wales, and also appeared in the 2015 Six Nations. He earned 8 Scotland caps between 2014-2018, but was far more prolific on the Sevens stage, scoring 27 tries in 81 games between 2016-2020 and was named Player of the Final at the 2016 London Sevens, which Scotland won.

The New England Free Jacks announced the signing of Dougie Fife for their 2021 MLR campaign. Fife started all 16 games of their 2021 season, scoring 9 tries (T-5th in MLR) and 51pts and racking up over 900m gained (8th in MLR). He spent 2 seasons in New England, scoring 11 tries in 29 appearances (all starts) and gaining 1,775m with ball in hand. On 21st September 2022, the New England Free Jacks traded Fife to the NOLA Gold in exchange for 2023 Salary Cap Considerations (unknown). Fife would spend the next two seasons with the Gold, playing primarily at fullback and earning an additional 26 appearances (25 starts), scoring 2 tries, 1 in each season. He was a member of the Gold team that finally qualified for the MLR Playoffs in 2024, in their 7th season.

achievements:

MLR Team of the Week: 2024 – Rd 2
T-5th in MLR Try Scoring: 2021 (9)
8th in MLR Meters Gained: 2021 (949m)

Evan Geist

Tolu Fahamokioa

Erik Thompson

Tadhg Leader

Irish fly-half Tadhg Leader played in major League Rugby between 2018-2020. He represented the San Diego Legion (2018), the NOLA Gold (2019), and the New England Free Jacks (2020).

Beaudein Waaka

Former All-Blacks 7s player Beaudein Waaka Played in Major League Rugby between 2020-2023. He represented the New England Free Jacks for his entire MLR career.

Waaka was a near-unanimous choice for league MVP in 2022 following his switch from full-back to fly-half, and finished as the 2nd highest MLR points scorer with 151 (135 regular season), behind only Seattle Seawolves fly-half, AJ Alatimu.

2022 was Waaka’s 2nd 100+ pt season, finishing with 105 in 2021 (4th overall). He was the New England Franchise leader for Points Scored (270), Playoff Points Scored (16), Penalties Scored (27), and Conversions Scored (65) until Jayson Potroz surpassed him in 2024. Additionally, at the conclusion of the 2022 season he was part of a 3-way tie for 2nd highest try scorer for the Free Jacks, on 11 along with John Poland & Dougie Fife. Waaka’s overall kicking success rate in MLR is 73.98% (92/125).

On July 1st, 2022, it was announced that Waaka would be joining the Kobelco Kobe Steelers in Japan. With his contract in Japan expiring at the end of April 2023, Waaka re-committed to the New England Free Jacks through the 2025 MLR season and re-joined the Free Jacks ahead of their 2023 Championship Series campaign, lifting the shield as MLR Champions after defeating the San Diego Legion 24-25 in Chicago. On May 31st 2023, Manawatu announced that they had signed Waaka for the 2023 & 2024 Bunnings NPC seasons. Despite signing a contract with the Free Jacks through the 2025 season, Waaka joined the Mazda Skyactivs Hiroshima in Japan’s League One Division Three which rules him out for the majority of the 2024 MLR season, although he could return for a playoff push.