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.

Josh Larsen

Canadian born, New Zealand raised lock Josh Larsen played in Major League Rugby between 2019-2025. He represented the Austin Elite (2019) and the New England Free Jacks (2020-2025).

Born in British Columbia but raised in New Zealand with his brother and fellow MLR-er Travis Larsen, Josh began playing rugby at 6 years old, attending Mount Albert Grammar School and graduating from the University of Otago in 2015 with a degree in Commerce. While at University in 2014, he represented the Canada U20 side in the Junior World Trophy, and joined the Northland system in 2016 following his graduation. He represented the Northland Mitre 10 Cup team (now the NPC) in 2017, finishing as runners-up. That same year Larsen earned his debut for the Canada senior team against the Maori All Blacks, and played in the RWC Repechage tournament as Canada fought for a spot at the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan, which they earned. Larsen returned to New Zealand to play with Otago in the NPC before representing his birth country at the 2019 RWC in Japan. Through 2024 he has 21 caps for Canada.

Along with his brother, Larsen signed with the Austin Elite ahead of the 2019 MLR season. He scored 2 tries in 13 games (all starts) for Austin and completed 179 tackles in his debut MLR season. He then joined the New England Free Jacks expansion side as Free Jack #1, and has been Club Captain of the side for 5 seasons through 2025. Larsen has earned 48 appearances for the Free Jacks (44 starts) and scored 4 tries. He has completed 557 tackles for the club including a high of 231 in 2022 when he finished 5th league-wide. Injury sidelined him for much of 2023 as the Free Jacks advanced to the MLR Championship Final and defeated the San Diego Legion 24-25 in Chicago to earn their first Championship Victory. Injury affected his 2024 season as well but he still managed 14 appearances and 9 starts as New England qualified for the post-season as the #1 seed in the Eastern Conference for the 3rd season in a row. Larsen came off the bench for all 3 of the Free Jacks’ 2024 playoff games including the 2024 Championship Final, a 11-20 victory over the Seattle Seawolves in San Diego to secure back-to-back Shields.

On October 16, 2024, the New England Free Jacks announced the return of Club Captain Josh Larsen for the 2025 MLR season where he played a depth role in the Free Jacks’ successful threepeat campaign. He earned another 14 appearances for New England, starting just once but still recording 65 tackles to take his career total to over 800 in his 78 MLR appearances from 2019-2025. On 12th November 2025, the New England Free Jacks announced their staff for the 2026 campaign, confirming that Josh Larsen had retired as a player and had joined Ryan Martin’s coaching team as an Assistant (defence). His NARDB Staff Profile can be found here.

achievements

Tiaan Erasmus

South African hooker/flanker Tiaan Erasmus played in Major League Rugby between 2019-2024. He represented the Austin Gilgronis (2019-2020), the Houston SaberCats (2021, 2024), and Rugby ATL (2022-2023).

An age-grade player in the Cheetahs system in South Africa, Erasmus moved from Bloemfontein to Texas in 2019 to play with Austin. He spent his first 2 MLR seasons with the AGs, earning a combined 20 MLR caps and appearing in all but 1 of the Gilgronis’ games in that period before the 2020 season was cancelled as a result of COVID. He moved across the state in July 2020 when he signed with the Houston SaberCats ahead of MLR’s return to play in 2021, and earned a further 9 caps (6 starts) for the Cats before moving to Rugby ATL between 2022-2023.

Over his first 5 seasons in North America, Erasmus earned a total of 44 MLR Caps (25 starts) across 3 teams, scoring 10 tries total including a high of 4 on two occasions including in the shortened 2020 season, where he was T-2nd in the league with 4 tries in 5 games. Following news of a change in ownership of Rugby ATL, and their subsequent decision to relocate the team to Los Angeles, Tiaan Erasmus returned to Houston, who announced the signing of the then-27yo on 13th November 2023, ahead of the 2024 season.

Achievements:

  • MLR Team of the Week: 2022 – Round 18
  • T-2nd in League Try Scoring: 2020 (4)
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2020 – Round 4

Travis Larsen

New Zealand/Canadian Lock Travis Larsen played in Major League Rugby between 2019-2024. He is a MLR journeyman, having represented the Austin Elite (later the Gilgronis, 2019), Old Glory DC (2020), San Diego Legion (2021) Seattle Seawolves (2021-22), and the Toronto Arrows (2023-24) through his 6 seasons in North American professional rugby.

Appearing for Austin in his debut MLR season alongside brother Josh, Larsen appeared in 15 of their 16 games in 2019, earning 13 starts and scoring his first MLR try. He moved to the US capital to represent Old Glory DC in their inaugural MLR season, appearing in all 5 games of the 2020 season before it was cancelled due to the global COVID-19 pandemic. Travis Larsen signed with the San Diego Legion ahead of the 2021 season and earned 8 appearances (1 start) scoring 1 try for the California club before being traded to the Seattle Seawolves mid-way through the season. He stayed with the Seawolves through the 2022 season, helping them to an MLR Championship Final appearance where they fell to Rugby New York (now Rugby New York Ironworkers) 30-15.

On 15th September 2022, Travis Larsen was traded from the Seawolves to the Toronto Arrows in exchange for 2023 Salary Cap Considerations (unknown). He earned 10 further caps (9 starts) in his first season with the Canadian franchise, racking up over 500m gained and delivering 106 successful tackles. His performance with the Arrows led to his international debut for Canada in their September 2023 tests against Tonga.

As of the conclusion of the 2023 MLR season, Larsen has earned 55 MLR caps (35 starts) for 5 different MLR teams, scoring 3 tries. On 10th October 2023, the Toronto Arrows announced the return of Travis Larsen for the 2024 MLR season.

Achievements:

Patrick ‘Paddy’ Ryan

Chicago born Irish prop Patrick ‘Paddy’ Ryan played in Major League Rugby between 2018-2025. He represented the Austin Gilgronis (2018, 2021), Rugby New York Ironworkers (2019-2020), the San Diego Legion (2022), and the Chicago Hounds (2023-2025).

Ryan has played professionally in the English Premiership for Newcastle, and in the Championship for London Welsh, in France for UA Libourne in Federale 1, and in Italy with Rugby Viadana. Eligible for the USA through his birth in Chicago, Ryan debuted for the Eagles against Ireland in 2017, and earned 7 caps through to his more recent cap against Fiji in 2019.

Ryan has taken part in the inaugural seasons of 3 different MLR sides: the Austin Gilgronis (2018, League’s inaugural season), Rugby United New York (2019), and the Chicago Hounds (2023). A talented and effective prop, through his first 6 seasons in MLR Ryan earned 56 caps (42 starts) across 4 sides, scoring 7 tries in total including a high of 3 for Rugby New York in 2019. He earned his first MLR Team of the Week selection for the Chicago Hounds in Round 18 of the 2023 season.

On 20th November 2023, the Chicago Hounds announced the return of Paddy Ryan for the 2024 MLR season where he scored his 8th MLR try and earned 15 further appearances for the Hounds (11 starts) as Chicago qualified for the post-season for the first time in team history. Ryan started the Hounds’ first ever MLR playoff game, the Eastern Conference Semifinal match against the NOLA Gold which they won 21-45 to advance to the Eastern Conference Final, falling 23-17 to the eventual Champions, the New England Free Jacks in a game that Paddy Ryan also started. On January 3rd, 2025, the Chicago Hounds announced the return of Paddy Ryan for his 3rd season with the team, and 8th in MLR.

Achievements:

  • MLR Team of the Week: 2025 – Rd 5
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2024 – Rd 13
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2023 – Rd 18