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.

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2024 – RD 16: Houston SaberCats v Seattle Seawolves

The Seattle Seawolves play in their 100th Major League Rugby match, becoming the first MLR team to reach 100 games played in the competition!

Unfortuntely, their party was spoiled by the Houston SaberCats, who took a narrow 28-25 victory at SaberCats Stadium.

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Abe Turpen

Idaho native Abe Turpen played in major League Rugby between 2024-2025 season. he represented the Utah Warriors (2024) and the NOLA Gold (2024-2025).

A multi-sport athlete growing up, Turpen played gridiron football and rugby, while also wrestling. He earned three state championships in wrestling and was an all-conference football player while attending Capital High School. He attended the University of Arizona and played rugby throughout his time there, also participating in the 2023 Collegiate Rugby Shield in Utah, where he caught the eye of the Warriors organisation.

In the 2023 MLR Collegiate Draft, the Utah Warriors selected Turpen in the 2nd Rd (22nd Overall) using a pick acquired via trade with the Houston SaberCats. He spent time in the Warriors system but did not feature for the MLR side. On 11th May 2024, the Warriors traded Turpen to the NOLA Gold in exchange for 2024 Salary Cap Considerations (unknown). Although he did not feature in MLR during 2024, on 8th January 2025 the NOLA Gold announced the return of Abe Turpen for a 2nd season in New Orleans in 2025 where he earned his MLR debut and 4 appearances for the Gold off of the bench. Turpen recorded 27m gained in possession and 11 tackles completed.

Following the 2025 MLR season in August 2025, the NOLA Gold announced their withdrawal from the League. With this, Abe Turpen’s future in rugby is unclear.

achievements

Matias Caramuti

Argentina-born fly-half Matias Caramuti played in Major League Rugby during the latter half of the 2024 season. He represented the Dallas Jackals (2023-2024) and the Miami Sharks (2024).

A native of Rio Cuarto, Caramuti began playing at a local club in Argentina, Uru Cure Rugby Club at the age of 6. By 2019 he was representing the club’s first team, and that same year he trained with Merewether Carlton Rugby Club in Australia. Caramuti moved to the USA in 2020 to attend Thomas More University in Kentucky where he enjoyed plenty of success, helping the Saints win the NCR Division II National Championship while being the DII top scorer, an All-American, and the team’s co-captain. Caramuti declared for the 2022 MLR Collegiate Draft and was selected in the 2nd Round, 20th Overall by the Dallas Jackals.

Possibly because he was still classed as an international player, Caramuti did not appear in an MLR game for the Jackals during his rookie season. Still classed as an international player for the following season, Caramuti remained with the Dallas Jackals for the first half of the 2024 MLR season. On 11th June 2024, Doug Coil revealed that the Miami Sharks had signed Caramuti for their 2024 stretch run, but he did not feature for the Sharks at MLR level.

achievements

NARDB Player #1,287

Koby Baker

North Carolina native Koby Baker played in Major League Rugby between 2024-2026. He represented the Seattle Seawolves (2024), and the Chicago Hounds (2025-2026).

Baker played rugby through high school, representing the SA Rugby Boys High School All-Americans Sevens Team in his senior year in 2019. He then moved to Wales to attend Cardiff Metropolitan University (which has produced a number of MLR-ers) between 2019-2022, during which time he played rugby in the BUCS league in the UK. He then went to play in Australia for the 2023/24 season, before returning to the US to play with the American Raptors for their 2024 Super Rugby Americas season.

Once the Raptors’ 2024 SRA season concluded, Baker signed with the Seattle Seawolves for their 2024 MLR Playoff push. He earned 5 appearances off the bench for the Seawolves, appearing in all three Seawolves playoff games including the 2024 Championship Final, finishing as runners-up to the New England Free Jacks. On January 6th, 2025, the Chicago Hounds announced the signing of Koby Baker for the 2025 MLR season after playing with their academy side in the fall of 2024. He earned an additional two appearances for the Hounds off the bench that year to take his career total to 7, while continuing to play with the Hounds academy side.

Following an impressive fall season with the Chicago Hounds’ Autumn Performance Squad, with whom he started games against the Midwest Thunderbirds and Canada’s Pacific Pride, the Chicago Hounds announced the return of Koby Baker to the MLR squad on 13th January, 2026.

Achievements

NARDB Player #1,286

Jackson Zabierek

California native Jackson Zabierek played in Major League Rugby between 2024-2026. He represented the Seattle Seawolves (2024) and the Chicago Hounds (2025-2026).

Zabierek played football during high school, and also played rugby with Lamorinda RFC in California. He attended the University of Santa Cruz between 2019-2023, captaining the team from 2020 until his graduation. Zabierek has represented the USA U23 team, as well as the California Grizzlies on their 2023 tour of Chile. Upon his graduation from USC, Zabierek declared for the 2023 MLR Collegiate Draft where he was selected in the 2nd Round (18th Overall) by Rugby ATL, who had already been relocated to Los Angeles as Rugby FC LA.

Although drafted by RFCLA, Zabierek instead represented the American Raptors during their 2024 Super Rugby Americas campaign. When the SRA season ended, he signed with the Seattle Seawolves for their 2024 playoff run, earning his first MLR start and 6 appearances as the Seawolves advanced to the 2024 Championship game where they fell 11-20 to the New England Free Jacks. Zabierek came off the bench in all 3 playoff games for the Seawolves in 2024, including the Championship game.

On January 5th, 2025, the Chicago Hounds announced the signing of Jackson Zabierek for the 2025 season, where he served as the regular back-up hooker in a strong Hounds side. He doubled his appearance total from the season before, featuring in 12 games and earning his first start in the final week of the 2025 regular season, where he scored his first two MLR tries and was selected for the MLR Team of the Week. On 23rd December 2025, the Chicago Hounds confirmed the return of Jackson Zabierek for his 2nd season with the team in 2026.

achievements
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2025 – Rd 17
  • 2024 Western Conference Champion: Seattle Seawolves
  • 2023 MLR Draftee: 2nd Rd (18th Overall) – Rugby FC LA

NARDB Player # 1,285

2024 – RD 15: Seattle Seawolves v Utah Warriors

The Seattle Seawolves host the Utah Warriors at Starfire Stadium in a Western Conference clash. With RFCLA having already played and lost, the Seawolves only needed to secure a win to clinch their spot in the 2024 MLR Playoffs.

The Warriors have struggled mightily in the first half this season, and that was very true in this game. With a number of reinforcements returning from injury, the Seawolves ran riot for the first 40, scoring 6 tries and 42pts to completely blow the Warriors away. Starting the second half already down 42-10, the Warriors did put in a valiant effort for the 2nd 40, with the 2nd half score at 26-19. Unfortunately for Utah, the score still looked ugly, with the Seawolves taking a comfortable 68-29 victory to clinch their playoff spot!

Seattle winger Jade Stighling recorded 4 tries and 22pts in this game, becoming the 3rd player in MLR history to record over 3 tries scored in a single game (after Dean Muir scored 4 in 2023 and Dewald Kotze scored 5 earlier in 2024). This was also the 43rd hattrick in MLR history and the 6th in Seawolves team history! On the other hand, this was the most points ever conceded by the Utah Warriors, who’s 2024 playoff aspirations are hanging by a thread.

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2024 – RD 15: Dallas Jackals v Chicago Hounds

The Dallas Jackals, sporting their Texas-themed City Edition jerseys, host the Chicago Hounds at Choctaw Stadium during Round 15 of the 2024 season.

The visitors got on the board first through Kian Meadon, who slotted a successful penalty on his Hounds debut. The Jackals would be first over the whitwash however, as Jason Tidwell tore down the wing and finished in the corner to give the Jackals their first lead of the game. The Hounds would hit back through Mason Flesch to restore a narrow 3pt lead for the guests at the first water break. Both sides struggled with discipline over the next 20 and neither was able to shift the scoreboard before the half time whistle.

Minutes into the 2nd half, the hosts turned on the gas and Sam Tuifua rampaged through for a 2nd Dallas score, a 7-pointer! This was followed 3 minutes later by another cracking try, finished by Juan-Dee Oliver to suddenly give the Jackals a 19-8 lead early in the 2nd half, which was extended through a Martin Elias penalty! The Hounds, slightly shellshocked and now down 22-8, were able to compose themselves and get back into the game, halting the Jackals onslaught before hitting back with a try of their own through Charlie Abel from close range shortly before the 2nd half water break.

The game bogged down at this point, with both sides struggling in the heat and humidity, and unable to make anything happen to change the scoreboard until, with 5 minutes to go and seemingly out of nowhere, MLR rookie Noah Brown crashed through a number of would-be tacklers to bring the Hounds within 4. Adriaan Carelse nailed the conversion to narrow that gap to 2pts with minutes to play. The Hounds tried twice to get Carelse in a position for a drop goal, but both times the Jackals chargers forced him to abort, eventually forcing a knock-on that would end the game.

This win is a huge step for the Jackals’ playoff aspirations, especially given that Utah and LA both lost in the West. In the East, the Hounds are still sat in 3rd and in a playoff spot, but it’s an uneasy one with DC right behind and the Miami Sharks still lurking.

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