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.

Lui Sitama

Samoa-born utility back Lui Sitama played in Major League Rugby between 2021-2023. He represented the Austin Gilronis (2021), Rugby ATL (2022), and the Dallas Jackals (2022-2023).

A product of American International College, US-eligible Samoan Lui Sitama was selected 4th overall by the Austin Gilgronis in the inaugural MLR Collegiate Draft in 2020. He earned his MLR debut in his rookie season with 1 appearance off the bench, gaining 40m in possession. Sitama signed with Rugby ATL ahead of the 2022 season, and earned 6 appearances with the RATLers including his first 3 MLR starts, scoring 2 tries before being traded to the Dallas Jackals on 3rd May 2022 along with Jalen Tatum in exchange for Salary Cap Considerations. Sitama would score a 3rd try for the Jackals in 3 games (all starts) in 2022.

Sitama stayed with the Dallas Jackals for their 2023 campaign, scoring a 4th career try and starting 7 of his career high 12 appearances, completing over 50 tackles for the second season in a row.

achievements
  • MLR Draftee: 2020 – 1st Round (4th overall) – Austin Gilgronis

Reegan O’Gorman

Vancouver native Reegan O’Gorman played in Major League Rugby between 2021-2025. He represented the Austin Gilgronis in 2021, before moving to the New England Free Jacks (2021-2023), and Rugby FC LA (2024-2025).

O’Gorman earned 5 appearances for the Austin Gilgronis in his debut season in MLR, following 2 season ending injuries in the 3 years prior to his debut. In December of 2021, the New England Free Jacks announced the signing of O’Gorman for the 2022 season. He played in New England for 2 seasons, earning a total of 21 caps with the Free Jacks including 9 in their 2023 Shield Winning season (6 starts including 1 in the Championship Series, a personal best), emerging as 24-25 victors over the San Diego Legion in Chicago.

On 16th October 2023, Rugby ATL (now LA) acquired Reegan O’Gorman from the New England Free Jacks in exchange for 2024 Salary Cap Considerations (unknown) and Rugby FC LA’s 2nd Rd Pick in the 2024 MLR Collegiate Draft (Matt Carrion). O’Gorman appeared in 12 games for RFCLA in their inaugural season, starting 11 times and completing over 100 tackles, earning a MLR Team of the Week selection for his performance in Round 12. On December 24th, 2024, Rugby FC LA announced the return of Reegan O’Gorman for his 2nd season with LA and 5th in MLR in 2025.

Achievements:

  • MLR Team of the Week: 2024 – Rd 14
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2024 – Rd 12
  • 2023 MLR Champion: New England Free Jacks
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2023 – Rd 14
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2022 – Rd 13

Ruben de Haas

South African born, Arkansas raised scrumhalf Ruben de Haas played in Major League Rugby in 2021, and again between 2025-2026. He represented the Austin Gilgronis (2021), the NOLA Gold (2025), and the Chicago Hounds (2026).

De Haas was born in George in South Africa’s Western Cape, before emigrating to the US at the age of 10, settling in Arkansas in 2009. He played football through high school at Jessieville HS, while also playing club rugby with one of only two teams in Arkansas at the time, the Little Rock Junior Stormers. De Haas represented the USA U19s in their 2016 tour of Ontario, Canada, captaining the team before playing with the U20s that same year in the World Rugby Trophy. The following year he represented the USA Selects in the Pacific Rugby Challenge while also signing an academy contract with the Free State Cheetahs organisation, playing with the U19s. He played with CUT IXIAS in the 2018 Varsity Cup, also earning his test debut for the USA at the age of 19 as Eagle #522 against Chile in February 2018. He played with the Cheetahs through 2020, representing the team in the Currie Cup as well as the Pro 14 and Super Rugby, before making his first move to MLR, with the Austin Gilgronis.

De Haas started 4 of his 6 appearances for the AGs in 2021, before heading to Europe and signing with Saracens in the English Premiership, where he played from 2021-2023. Following 2 years in the Premiership, de Haas returned to the Cheetahs in the Challenge Cup, where he is the third generation of his family to play for the club. He has become the USA national teams’ go-to number 9 in recent years, representing the Eagles at the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan and is still a regular starting 9 in 2024. On January 3rd, 2025, the NOLA Gold announced the signing of Ruben de Haas on a 5-month loan deal for the 2025 season, returning to MLR for the first time in 4 seasons. Unsurprisingly, de Haas set career highs across the board in 2025, starting 6 of his 13 appearances for the NOLA Gold and running for just shy of 150m gained. His loan period with the Gold ended at the same time as his 2yr deal with the Cheetahs, making De Haas a free agent.

What was a disappointing season for the NOLA Gold in 2025 would turn out to be their last in MLR, with the team announcing their withdrawal in August of that year. On 14th November 2025, the Chicago Hounds announced the addition of De Haas for the 2026 MLR season.

 

Mason Koch

Iowa native Mason Koch played in Major League Rugby between 2021-2024. He represented the Austin Gilgronis (2021-2022), the Chicago Hounds (2023) and the New England Free Jacks (2024).

Koch discovered rugby while at high school where he also played football, baseball, and wrestled. He was a founding member of his school’s rugby team and carried this into university at Dartmouth College, helping the team earn four consecutive Ivy League Championship during his tenure. He was drafted 16th overall in MLR’s inaugural Collegiate Draft in 2020 by the Austin Gilgronis, and earned 9 caps (2 starts) during his rookie season, scoring 2 tries. He earned a total of 21 caps for the AGs over 2 seasons, starting 3 times and scoring 3 tries.

Following Austin’s disqualification from the 2022 season prior to the 2022 Championship Series (along with the LA Giltinis) and their subsequent cessation of operations, Koch was selected by the NOLA Gold in the dispersal draft, before being traded to the Chicago Hounds on 2nd December 2022 in exchange for 2023 Salary Cap Considerations. Koch played for the Hounds during their inaugural season in 2023, earning 8 caps including a personal best 4 starts and scored 3 tries, another PB. On 21st November 2023, the New England Free Jacks announce the signing of Mason Koch as a free agent ahead of the 2024 MLR season.

Although his season was hampered by injury, Koch earned 5 appearances for the Free Jacks off the bench during their Shield-Winning 2024 Campaign, passing 100 career tackles completed. He did not return to MLR for the 2025 season, instead playing with the Austin Huns in Texas where he was vice-captain.

Achievements: