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.

Mathis Demandolx

Washington state native Mathis Demandolx played in Major League Rugby during the 2026 season. He represented the Chicago Hounds for his entire MLR career.

A native of Bellevue, WA, Mathis Demandolx attended the Rhino Rugby Academy in 2021 before enrolling at Central Washington Univeristy in 2022. He has attended various USA U18 & U20 camps and returned to the Rhino Rugby Academy to represent them in the World Tens Series in 2023. Demandolx joined the Chicago Lions club side in 2024 before heading to New Zealand to improve his game with the Whakarewarewa Rugby Club Premier Grade side through the summer of 2025, helping the team claim their first Baywide Championship title in 19 years. He returned to Chicago after this time in New Zealand to re-join the Lions, and represented them while also playing with the Chicago Hounds Autumn Performance Squad.

Demandolx’s performances with both the Lions and the Hounds Academy earned him a spot on the Chicago Hounds MLR roster for the 2026 season, which was announced by the team on January 23rd, 2026.

NARDB Player #1,655

Aidan Ridgway

South African scrum-half Aidan Ridgway played in Major League Rugby during the 2026 season. He represented Old Glory DC for his entire MLR career.

A native of Johannesburg, South Africa, Aidan Ridgway enrolled at Arkansas University and represented the Red Wolves from 2020-2024. Following his graduation from Arkansas, Ridgway declared for the 2024 MLR Draft and was selected as one of the 50 top prospects to attend the MLR Rising combine. Clearly his performance at MLR Rising impressed MLR staff, as when the 2024 draft came around, Ridgway was selected in the 2nd round, 15th overall by Old Glory DC. He spent the fall of 2024 with the Old Glory DC academy side and the Washington Irish, but did not feature at MLR level during the 2025 season. NARDB understands that although Ridgway was working towards US-eligibility, he had not obtained it at that point. Instead, Ridgway returned to Arkansas State for another year with the Red Wolves.

On 22nd January 2026 however, Old Glory DC announced the addition of newly US-eligible Aidan Ridgway for their 2026 campaign.

Achievements
  • 2024 MLR Draftee: 15th Overall (2nd Round) – Old Glory DC

NARDB Player #1,654

Connor Devos

Texan prop Connor Devos played in Major League Rugby during the 2026 season. He represented Old Glory DC for his entire MLR career.

A native of The Woodlands, TX, Devos attended The Woodlands HS before enrolling at rugby powerhouse Lindenwood University. He attended Lindenwood from 2021-2025, representing the Lions throughout as they finished in the NCR D1A final four in 2022, 2024, and 2025. During his time at Lindenwood, Devos was named a Collegiate All-American in 2024, and was selected to represent the USA at both U20 and U23 levels, touring South Africa with the U23s in the summer of 2025 and proving a standout at both levels. This helped raise his value when he declared for the 2025 MLR Draft following his graduation.

In the MLR Draft, Connor Devos was selected 4th overall by Old Glory DC before spending the fall with the St. Louis Bombers at D1 club level. On 15th January 2026, Old Glory DC announced that they had added Connor Devos to their Major league Rugby roster for the 2026 campaign.

achievements

NARDB Player #1,653

Todd Thornley

New Zealander Todd Thornley coached in Major League Rugby during the 2026 season. He briefly served as Assistant Coach for the California Legion, before joining the New England Free Jacks as General Manager.

A long-time Collegiate coach, Todd Thornley served as Head Coach of the Central Washington University Wildcats Men’s side from 2016-2025, turning CWU into a powerhouse of Collegiate Rugby, producing 5 USA Eagles and 15 Major League Rugby players during his time in charge. Despite this transformation, CWU discontinued it’s Varsity Rugby program at the end of the 2024/25 season, and in October of that year, Todd Thornley had joined the UCLA Bruins Men’s side as Forwards and Defence Coach under MLR alumni Harry Bennett.

Mere months after joining a very impressive UCLA program in January 2026, the California Legion announced their coaching team for their inaugural Major League Rugby season in 2026, naming Todd Thornley as Assistant Coach – Forwards. However, in mid-March of 2026, Thornley instead headed to join New England as the new General Manager of the Free Jacks following the departure of long-time GM Tom Kindley.

Dave Clancy

Irishman Dave Clancy coached in Major League Rugby between 2023-2026. He served as an Assistant Coach with the Chicago Hounds (2023-2024), the San Diego Legion (2025), and the California Legion (2026).

A career coach, Dave Clancy got his first taste of coaching with the Munster Academy in Ireland while he completed his studies, and turned this into a role with the Strength & Conditioning department of the Samoan national team in 2011. From there, Clancy spent a short time as Head Coach of the Cayman Islands, before moving to the United States in 2016 and signed as the Director of Rugby with the Chicago Lions. He served as DoR for the Lions for 4 years, before taking the Head Coach role at UCLA from 2020-2022, during which time he weas also the head of the LA Giltinis academy side, his first foray into Major League Rugby.

Following the disqualification and subsequent withdrawal of the Giltinis, Dave Clancy moved back to Chicago and joined MLR expansion side the Chicago Hounds as an Assistant Coach responsible for the backs and attack. He served with the Hounds from 2023-2024, at which time he headed back to California to join the San Diego Legion coaching team as an Assistant Coach for their 2025 season. With the San Diego Legion merging with Rugby FC LA to create the California Legion during the 2025/26 MLR offseason, Clancy was named as Assistant Coach – Backs then the team announced their coaching staff in January 2026, ahead of their inaugural season.

Steff Hughes

Welsh ex-player Steff Hughes coached in Major League Rugby during the 2026 season. He served as Assistant Coach (Attack & Backs) for Old Glory DC.

A Wales U20 captain, Scarlets Centurion and Pro14 Champion in 2014, Steff Hughes represented Old Glory DC as a player/coach during the 2025 MLR season, starting all 15 of his appearances for the Flags as the qualified for the postseason. Hughes’ full NARDB Player Profile for the ex-Scarlets and Dragons man can be found here, with further information about his playing career. Following the conclusion of the 2025 MLR season, a 31yo Hughes called time on his playing career to focus on coaching full time.

In November 2025, the same day that Hughes announced his retirement, Old Glory DC announced that he would be joining their coaching staff as Attack & Backs coach for their 2026 campaign under Head Coach Simon Cross. He had been coaching one of the three Young Glory regional academy teams during the MLR off-season.

Josh Larsen

Canadian born New Zealand lock Josh Larsen coached in Major League Rugby during the 2026 season. He served as an Assistant Coach for the New England Free Jacks.

A capped Canadian international and Free Jacks legend who will forever be Free Jack #1, Josh Larsen enjoyed a stellar playing career in Major League Rugby that included 3 MLR Shields and 78 games across 7 MLR seasons. A full record of his MLR playing career can be found at his NARDB Player Profile, here. Having hung up his boots following the 2025 season with the Free Jacks, 2026 will be Larsen’s first year of coaching a professional team, although he has spent countless hours investing in the game at a grassroots level around the organisation, and has coached with the Free Jacks academy at both youth and high school levels.

The New England Free Jacks announced Josh Larsen’s transition from player to Assistant Coach (Defence) in November, 2025.

Pingi Tala’apitaga

Samoan former player Pingi Tala’apitaga coached in Major League Rugby during the 2026 season. He served as Assistant Coach for the New England Free Jacks.

Born and raised in Apia, Samoa, Pingi Tala’apitaga’s professional career started in New Zealand’s NPC in 2010, representing the Bay of Plenty Steamers. A tighthead prop, Tala’apitaga represented the Steamers from 2010-2016, earning close to 50 NPC appearances for Bay of Plenty. Alongside playing with the Steamers, Tala’apitaga also played in Super Rugby with the Highlanders in 2015, helping the team secure their first ever Super Rugby title. In 2016, Tala’apitaga took his talents to France and spent 3 seasons in the Pro D2, representing RC Narbonne (2016/17) and Soyaux AngoulĂªme XV Charente (2017/18 & 2018/19) before calling time on his professional career.

Tala’apitaga has turned his talents to coaching since having up his boots, coaching at almost all levels of the game in New Zealand. He has coached with the then-World Champion Black Ferns, as well as the Bay of Plenty Steamers who finished 3rd in the 2025 NPC. In October 2025, the New England Free Jacks announced the addition of Pingi Tala’apitaga to their 2026 Coaching Staff as Assistant Coach (Forwards)

Steve Brett

New Zealand former player Steve Brett coached in Major League Rugby from 2020-2026. He was an Assistant Coach for the Colorado Raptors (2020), Rugby ATL (2021), and the Seattle Seawolves (2026), and Head Coach for Rugby ATL (2022-2023) and Rugby FC LA (2024).

A fly-half during his playing career that included representing the Junior All Blacks and Maori All Blacks as well as the Crusaders and the Blues in Super Rugby as well as two years in Japan and 5 more years in France with Bayonne, Lyon, Narbonne, and Clermont Auvergne, Steve Brett called time on his professional playing career in 2018, just as Major League Rugby was starting out in the United States. Brett first entered MLR as Assistant Coach with the Colorado Raptors during the COVID-shortened 2020 season. When the world began to open up again he had moved to an Assistant Coach role (Attack & Backs) with both Rugby ATL as well as USA Rugby, serving in both roles until 2022 when he was promoted to Head Coach following Scott Lawrence’s sudden resignation. Brett led the RATLers from 2022-2023, holding a 16-1-16 record including a 11-5 record in 2022. Brett followed the team to Los Angeles following Rugby ATL’s sale and relocation to the West Coast, and served as the first Head Coach of the rebranded Rugby FC LA, recording a 5-1-10 record in their inaugural season before being released by the team at the end of the 2024 season.

Steve Brett took a year out of Major League Rugby in 2025, instead re-joining the USA Rugby setup as Attack and Skills Coach under Scott Lawrence similar to his position under Lawrence at Rugby ATL. On December 29th, 2025, the Seattle Seawolves announced that Brett was joining their coaching team as Assistant Coach (Attack & Backs) for the 2026 season.

Head Coach Record

Overall: 21-2-27
Rugby ATL (2022-2023): 16-1-17
Rugby FC LA (2025): 5-1-10

Baden Godfrey

Australian back rower Baden Godfrey played in Major League Rugby during the 2026 season. He represented Anthem RC for his entire MLR career.

A native of the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), Baden Godrey developed in the Brumbies system, representing the U19s and ‘A’s in 2022 & 2023 while also playing with the Tuggeranong Vikings First Grade side for 3 years between 2022-2024. In November 2024 Godfrey was selected for the Australia Sevens squad, and in March of 2025 Godfrey signed with the Norths in the Shute Shield Competition.

On 23rd December 2025, Anthem RC announced the signing of Baden Godfrey for their 2026 Major League Rugby campaign.

NARDB Player #1,652