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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Graeme Pedegana

South African back row Graeme Pedegana played in Major League Rugby between 2024-2025. He represented Anthem RC for his entire MLR career.

A native of Cape Town in South Africa, Pedegana played rugby for his high school, Rondebosch Boys High School until 2022, representing the Western Province U18 team that same year. Following high school, Pedegana headed to France, joining US Carcassonne in the French third tier, the Nationale. He played with Carcassonne through the 2023/24 season before heading stateside and joining Anthem RC mid-way through the 2024 season.

Pedegana was able to earn 2 appearances for Anthem (1 start) in their tough inaugural season in 2024, and was included in the Anthem RC squad when they revealed their full roster for the 2025 season on January 21st, 2025.

NARDB Player #1267

2024 – RD 9: Rugby FC LA v New England Free Jacks

Rugby FC LA host the New England Free Jacks at Dignity Health Sports Park in a cross conference clash during week 9 of the 2024 MLR season.

RFCLA were able to put pressure on the Free Jacks early as the visitors mishandled the kick-off, but their defence held firm. LA had the majority of the ball early, but where unable to convert. The Free Jacks began to shift the momentum and 15 minutes in, opened the scoring with an Andrew Quattrin 7-pointer as he broke the LA line. The Free Jacks kept on the pressure and extended their lead to 0-17, before the hosts hit back on the stroke of HT through Jack Shaw for a score of 7-17 at the break.

The Free Jacks would open the second half scoring through a remarkable finish by Reece MacDonald, who dived on a loose ball that was basically in the hands of the LA defender in the try zone. After TMO review the try was awarded, securing the Try BP for the visitors. Unfortunately, MacDonald injured himself in the process, and the Free Jacks will hope that he recovers quickly. Semi Kunatani, a stand out for LA despite his yellow card, would claw one back for LA, but the Free Jacks would score a Jayson Potroz penalty and a 5th try in the closing stages to put the game well and truly to bed.

New England take a 12-34 victory back to Quincy, and are back in the win column. LA will limp on after what was a bad day for the home sides at Dignity Health Sports Park, with Canada having beaten the USA 7-50 in the Women’s Pacific Four Series opener prior to this MLR Game.

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2024 – RD 9: Houston SaberCats v San Diego Legion

The San Diego Legion travel to Texas to face Houston at SaberCats Stadium in a western conference clash that could well be a prequel to a playoff match-up.

The Houston SaberCats were the only team to defeat the Legion during their outstanding 15-1 season in 2023, and it seems that they still have San Diego’s number. Ronan Murphy opened the scoring roughly 15 minutes in and the ‘Cats never looked back. They led 14-0 at the half, before a red card to Tiaan Erasmus put them down a man very early in the second half, giving the Legion a golden opportunity to take control of the game. The Legion however, failed to move the scoreboard at all during the 20 minute man advantage, and almost immediately after returning to full strength Ronan Murphy scored his 2nd of the game to extend the ‘Cats lead.

About 8 minutes later, the SaberCats were awarded a penalty try to secure the try BP and pile more woes on the Legion before Seth Smith, the youngest player in MLR history, trundled over behind a rolling maul to score Houston’s 5th of the game and become the youngest try scorer in MLR history! This was the final score of the game, with the SaberCats securing a comfortable 33-0 victory over the San Diego Legion, who suffer their first ever shutout defeat.

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2024 – RD 9: Anthem RC v NOLA Gold

Anthem RC host the NOLA Gold in an Eastern Conference clash during Round 9 of the 2024 season, marking the first time that a MLR game has been held in High Point, NC!

The hosts took the lead early through a David Still try but unfortunately for them, this seemed to wake the Gold up. NOLA scored 6 tries and 40 unanswered points to rout Anthem and get themselves back in the win column with a bonus point victory after a few bad weeks. On the subject of a few bad weeks, Anthem’s ‘baptism by fire’ inaugural season just keeps getting worse.

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2024 – RD 9: Miami Sharks v Dallas Jackals

The Dallas Jackals travel to Florida to face the Miami Sharks at AutoNation Sports Field in a cross conference clash with a heavy Latin American influence.

The Jackals completed dominated the first half, running out to a 0-21 lead in half an hour and leaving the Sharks reeling through tries from Jero Gomez Vara, Makeen Alikhan, and Connor Winchester. They looked to continue this dominance in the 2nd half, with Jason Tidwell scoring early to secure the try BP for Dallas.

Chicago Hounds loanee Michael Hand scored an opportunistic try a few minutes later to get the Sharks on the board, but it was too little too late. The Jackals scored a 5th try minutes later to take the score to 7-33 and all but seal the result. The two sides exchanged tries around the 70 minute mark before Marcos Young scored the final points of the game to make the score a little more respectable for the hosts.

The Dallas Jackals continue their best MLR season to date with a BP victory to stay in a playoff spot, while the Sharks fail to secure any points, but stay within touching distance of the playoffs in the East.

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