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.

Blake Makiri

New Zealand winger Blake Makiri played in Major League Rugby during the 2025 season. He represented the Utah Warriors for his entire MLR career.

A native of Auckland, Makiri played rugby through his time at Sacred Heart College, also playing for club side Manurewa. He joined the Counties Manukau NPC side in 2023 and earned his NPC debut that year at the age of 21. Makiri has played in the NPC with Counties Manukau for two seasons, in 2023 & 2024.

The Utah Warriors announced the signing of Blake Makiri for the 2025 season on 16th January 2025, 10 days after pre-season training camps opened.

NARDB Player #1,368

Aidan King

Australian back row Aidan King played in Major League Rugby between 2025-2026. He represented the NOLA Gold (2025) and Old Glory DC (2026).

Hailing from Brisbane, King attended The Anglican Church Grammar School which boasts alumni such as David Pocock and Quade Cooper, and played rugby for ‘Churchie’ before enrolling at Penn State University and heading to the US. King attended for his undergraduate degree between 2020-2024, and declared for the 2024 MLR Collegiate Draft where he was selected in the 1st round, 6th Overall, by the NOLA Gold. The Gold confirmed the signing of King, as well as Penn State teammate Dalton Musselman, when they released their full roster for the 2025 season on January 10th, 2025.

Despite a disappointing season for the NOLA Gold as a whole, Aidan King recorded a solid, arguably Rookie of the Year calibre season. He started 9 of his 14 appearances, scoring 1 try and recording 122m gained in possession with a very impressive 166 tackles. While undoubtedly on the shortlist, King missed out on Rookie of the Year to Chicago’s Peyton Wall.

Following the MLR season in August 2025, the NOLA Gold announced their withdrawal from the League and as a result, Aidan King explored the open market. On 9th November 2025, Old Glory DC announced the signing of Aidan King for his sophomore season in 2026.

achievements:
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2026 – Rd 4
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2025 – Rd 11
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2025 – Rd 7
  • 2024 MLR Draftee: 6th Overall – NOLA Gold

Dalton Musselman

Pennsylvania native Dalton Musselman played in Major League Rugby during the 2025 season. He represented the NOLA Gold for his entire MLR career.

A native of Coatesville, Musselman attended Bishop Shanahan High School, captaining the school team prior to his graduation in 2019, after which he attended Penn State University. During his time there, he also Captained the Penn State team and played with the USA Sevens team. He declared for the 2024 MLR Collegiate Draft and was selected in the 2nd round, 18th Overall, by the NOLA Gold. The Gold confirmed Musselman’s signing when they released their full roster for the 2025 season on January 10th, 2025.

Musselman earned his MLR debut off the bench during the Gold’s Round 12 clash with the San Diego Legion in California.

Achievements:
  • 2024 MLR Draftee: 18th Overall – NOLA Gold

NARDB Player #1,366

Isikeli Kava

Hawaiian flanker/prop Isikeli Kava played in Major League Rugby during the 2025 season. He represented Old Glory DC for his entire MLR career.

A native of Honolulu, HI, Kava played football and volleyball while at Liahona High School making him a perfect candidate for the American Raptors crossover program, which he joined in 2021. Although listed as a flanker, Kava had been making the transition to the front row while with the Raptors, and earned a spot in their 2024 Super Rugby Americas squad. Following the 2024 SRA season, Kava travelled to Australia and played with the Gungahlin eagles in the ACTRU Premier Division and, after the news that the Raptors would not play professional rugby in 2025, he joined Old Glory DC for the 2025 season, with the Flags confirming the signing on January 9th, 2025.

NARDB Player #1,365

 

Chase Jones

Californian lock/flanker Chase Jones played in Major League Rugby between 2023-2026. He represented the NOLA Gold (2023-2025) and the California Legion (2026).

A native of Davis, CA, Jones was a High School All-American in 2017 while playing rugby at Dixon High, before attending St. Mary’s College of California between 2017-2021. In 2019 Jones was selected for the USA U20s, and played with the Gaels when they finished as D1A Runners-Up in 2022 while studying for his Masters degree. He declared for the 2022 MLR Collegiate Draft and was selected in the 1st Round, 6th overall by the NOLA Gold, signing with them ahead of the 2023 season and playing with their Academy side in the Fall.

Unfortunately for Jones, he suffered an Achilles injury that ruled him out of the entire 2023 MLR season, and the rehab of which sidelined him for much of the 2024 season as well. On January 8th, 2025, the NOLA Gold announced the return of Chase Jones for 2025, where he finally earned his Pro debut. Jones scored his first MLR try in Round 8 against Anthem RC, and was selected for the MLR Team of the Week for his performance. In total, Jones started 8 of his 11 appearances for the Gold, delivering 91 tackles completed and running for 72m in possession.

Jones’ bad luck continued following the 2025 MLR campaign, as the NOLA Gold announced that they would not participate in the League’s 2026 season. On 28th February 2026, the California Legion announced the addition of Chase Jones for the 2026 campaign.

Achievements:
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2025 – Rd 8
  • 2022 MLR Draftee: 1st Round (6th Overall) – NOLA Gold

NARDB Player #1,364

Cian Darling

Irish back row Cian Darling played in Major League Rugby between 2024-2025. He represented the NOLA Gold for his entire MLR career.

Born and raised in Dublin, Ireland, Darling attended Colaiste Choilm in Swords, and represented Leinster at U18 & U19 levels while also playing with Skerries RFC with whom he was an All-Ireland U19 finalist. Darling moved to the US in 2018, attending Wheeling Jesuit University until 2019 before transferring to rugby powerhouse Lindenwood University. He attended Lindenwood between 2019-2023 and was a regular starter for the Lions throughout his time there while also serving as lineout coach. In 2021, he won the NCR Collegiate Rugby Championship with the school’s Sevens team.

Darling declared for the 2023 MLR Collegiate Draft and was selected in the first round, 7th overall by the NOLA Gold. He spent 2024 with the NOLA Gold academy side and New Orleans RFC, and on January 8th, 2025 the Gold confirmed the return of Cian Darling for a second MLR season in 2025. In his sophomore year, Darling earned his MLR debut and started 1 of his 3 appearances during a challenging season for the NOLA Gold. He gained 18m in possession and completed 24 tackles.

With the NOLA Gold announcing their withdrawal from MLR in August 2025, Cian Darling’s future in the league is currently unclear.

Achievements
  • 2023 MLR Draftee: 1st Round (7th Overall) – NOLA Gold

NARDB Player #1,363

Tavius Sykora-Matthess

Iowa native Tavius Sykora-Matthess played in Major League Rugby during the 2025 season. He represented the Chicago Hounds for his entire MLR career.

A multi-sport athlete, Sykora-Matthess played football and 7s while at Washington High School, as well as wrestling (a sport with valuable transferrable skills to rugby). He played football at college level at Missouri Southern State University before transferring to Iowa Central Community College and focussing on rugby. He was named a Collegiate All-American in 2022, the same year he represented the USA U23 team.

Tavius Sykora-Matthess also toured South America with the USA Falcons in a busy 2022 before joining the American Raptors for their Super Rugby Americas season in 2023, where he played for two seasons. Following the announcement that the Raptors would not operate in 2025, Sykora-Matthess played with the Chicago Hounds academy side during the fall of 2024 and, on January 6th, 2025, the Hounds announced the signing of Tavius Sykora-Matthess for their 2025 MLR season. He first appeared in a matchday 23 during Round 12, when he started on the bench during the Hounds’ home clash with the Miami Sharks, a 14-7 victory in which Sykora-Matthess earned his MLR debut.

Christian Leali’ifano

New Zealand born, Australian raised Samoan fly-half Christian Leali’ifano played in Major League Rugby during the 2025 season. He represented Rugby FC LA for his entire MLR career.

Born in New Zealand’s largest city of Auckland, Leali’ifano moved to Australia with his family at the age of 7. He attended the Peter Lalor Secondary College and represented the Australia Schoolboys side in 2004 & 2005, before entering the Brumbies pathway system in 2006. That same year, he was chosen to represent the Australia U19 side, winning the IRB Junior World Championship, also playing with the Australia U21 side. The following year, 2007, the Brumbies signed Leali’ifano to a rookie contract and he spent that year with the Australia Sevens team as well as the Canberra Vikings in the Australian Rugby Championship. He earned his Super Rugby debut for the Brumbies during the 2008 season, and played fly-half as well as centre alongside Matt Giteau at the Brumbies, who he represented on-and-off through 2019. During his time at the Brumbies, he also spent time with the Toyota Shuttles and the NTT Shining Arcs in Japan, as well as Ulster in the Pro14 (at the time) on loan. Leali’ifano returned to Super Rugby in 2022 with the Moana Pasifika, and in May 2022 he became the 7th player in Super Rugby history to reach 1,000pts scored in Super Rugby, the vast majority of which were scored during his over 100 appearances with the Brumbies. He played with Auckland in the 2024 Bunnings NPC.

Internationally, Leali’ifano made his test debut for the Wallabies against the British & Irish Lions in 2013, but was knocked unconscious very early in his debut. Despite the ominous start to his test career, Leali’ifano went on to earn over 25 caps for Australia between 2013-2019 and, after switching unions, made his test debut for Samoa in 2023, representing them at the Rugby World Cup in France. He is one of very few players to have represented two nations at test level in the modern era.

On December 20th, 2024, Rugby FC LA announced the signing of 37yo Christian Leali’ifano for the 2025 MLR season. He scored 2 tries and 95pts in 15 games (all starts) during the 2025 season, helping RFCLA to their first ever postseason appearance. He started the team’s first playoff game, a 27-21 defeat to the Houston SaberCats in the Western Conference Semifinal. For his efforts, Christian Leali’ifano was named as Rugby FC LA’s Clubman of the Year for 2025 and was an All-MLR Honorable Mention.

achievements

NARDB Player #1,361

Lautaro Soto

US-born Argentinian centre Lautaro Soto Ansay played in Major League Rugby during the 2025 season. He represented the Miami Sharks for his entire MLR career.

Born in Philadelphia, PA, Lautaro Soto was raised in Tigre, just north of Buenos Aires in Argentina. He played rugby from a young age, starting with Club San Andrés in 2007 and captaining the U16 side in 2017 and the U17s in 2018. He continues to play for Club San Andrés when in Tigre. In 2010 Soto joined Chaltel College, playing there from 2010-2019 where he Captained the rugby team in 2018 & 2019, also winning back-to-back Player of the Year Titles.

In 2021, Soto headed to the US and to the rugby powerhouse Lindenwood University, studying and playing with the Lions until his graduation in May 2024. Soto declared for the 2024 MLR Collegiate Draft, and was selected in the 3rd Round, 27th Overall, by the Miami Sharks. On December 20th, 2024, the Sharks confirmed the signing of Lautaro Soto Ansay for the 2025 season.

Achievements

NARDB Player #1,360

Matt Carrion

Pennsylvanian back row Matthew Carrion played in Major League Rugby during the 2025 season. He represented the New England Free Jacks for his entire MLR career.

A native of Carlisle, PA, Carrion attended Carlisle high school before enrolling at Life University in 2019. In his first year with the Running Eagles, he helped the team to an ARP title and was selected to represent the USA U18 side. He continued to excel at Life, and was invited to the MLR Rising combine ahead of the 2024 Collegiate Draft, in which he was selected in the 2nd Rd, 14th overall, by the New England Free Jacks.

On December 19th, 2024, the New England Free Jacks confirmed the signing of Matt Carrion for their 2025 season.

achievements

NARDB Player #1,359