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.

Dane Zander

Australian prop Dane Zander played in Major League Rugby between 2024-2025. He represented Rugby FC LA for his entire MLR career.

Playing rugby through high school, Zander joined the Northern Suburbs Colts side and progressed to their Shute Shield premier side. Zander also played with Brisbane City in the Australian National Rugby Championship from 2018-2019. Zander earned his Super Rugby debut with the Queensland Reds, where he played between 2019-2023 and earned just shy of 50 Super Rugby appearances.

Zander signed with Rugby FC LA ahead of their first season since relocating from Atlanta and rebranding under a new ownership group. He appeared in all 16 games of RFCLA’s competitive 2024 season, starting 12 times and completing just under 100 tackles while running for just over 200m gained as a prop. He was named to the MLR Team of the Week for Rounds 6 & 11 for his performance in 2024. On December 12th, 2024, Rugby FC LA announced the return of Dane Zander for their sophomore season in 2025.

achievements

MLR Team of the Week: 2024 – Rd 12
MLR Team of the Week: 2024 – Rd 6

2024 – RD 1: Seattle Seawolves v San Diego Legion

The San Diego Legion travel up the west coast to face long-time rivals, the Seattle Seawolves in the first game of the 2024 season for both sides.

The game proved to be a battle of attrition. both teams trading penalties for the first half, with Mack Mason scoring the first points of the campaign for Seattle, and Josh Henderson doing the same for the Legion. The hosts led 12-9 at the half, with the scoring coming entirely from the boots of Mason and Henderson.

The Seawolves stretched their lead to 18-9 through 2 more penalties, before the Legion fought their way back into the game as Henderson dotted down for a try which he them converted himself. Shortly afterwards, the Seawolves conceded a penalty just inside the Legion half and Henderosn stepped up once again, just about slotting it and shushed the crowd having given the Legion a late 18-19 lead. Fortunately for the hosts, they struck back with the clock winding down, and Tavite Lopeti broke through a gap to score Seattle’s first try of the season and snatching the victory for the Seawolves. Mason added the conversion to bring his total to 20pts on the night as the Seawolves defeat the San Diego Legion 25-19 in front of a home crowd.

Seawolves

25 v 19

Legion

Rick Rose

Ohio native Rick Rose played in Major League Rugby between 2024-2026. He represented the Miami Sharks (2024-2025), and Old Glory DC (2026).

6’7″ Rose helped Saint Ignatius to the Ohio 1B Rugby Championship and the 1A Championship during his time there between 2015-2019, and captained the Celtic Elite from 2017-2019. He then attended St. Bonaventure University between 2019-2023, captaining the side in his junior & senior years. He played with the Canyons at the 2023 Collegiate Rugby Shield and on the back of his performance there and his solid resume, Rose was drafted 1st overall in the 2023 MLR Collegiate Draft by the Miami Sharks expansion side.

Rose was named to the bench for the Sharks‘ first ever Matchday 23 against the Chicago Hounds and appeared in every single game during the Sharks’ inaugural season in MLR, starting 12 times and completing over 115 tackles in his rookie season. On 30th October 2024, the Miami Sharks announced the return of Rick Rose for their 2025 MLR campaign. His sophomore season was affected by injury, but Rose still managed to earn 9 appearances for the Sharks, starting twice and earning a Team of the Week selection in Round 11 to help them to their first ever playoff appearance.

Following the 2025 season, the Miami Sharks announced their withdrawal from MLR and as a result, Rose moved on from the team. On 5th November 2025, Old Glory DC announced the signing of Rick Rose for the 2026 MLR Campaign.

achievements

MLR Team of the Week: 2026 – Rd 3
MLR Team of the Week: 2026 – Rd 2
MLR Team of the Week: 2025 – Rd 11
MLR Team of the Week: 2024 – Rd 14
2023 MLR Draftee: 1st Round (1st Overall) – Miami Sharks

Tomás Bekerman

Miami-born Argentinian front row Tomás Bekerman played in Major League Rugby between 2023-2026. He represented the Dallas Jackals (2023-2024), the Miami Sharks (2025), and the Chicago Hounds (2026).

A University of Mendoza alum, Bekerman played with Marista Rugby Club between 2006-2021. He then moved to France to play with USAP Espoirs and with the Castres Academy in 2022. In 2019 and 2021 he was on the long list for the Argentina U20 side, and although he was signed with the Jackals for the 2023 season, the then-20yo did not see match time.

US-eligible Bekerman returned for the Jackals in 2024, and saw a significant increase in playing time, earning his MLR debut in Rd 1 and totalled 14 appearances for the Dallas Jackals in 2024, including 2 starts and scoring 5 tries in total to help the Jackals to qualify for the 2024 post-season, where Bekerman came off the bench in both of Dallas’ playoff matches, the only 2 in team history. The Jackals announced that they were withdrawing from MLR shortly after the 2024 season concluded, and Bekerman was selected 12th in the subsequent Dispersal Draft by Anthem RC. On 9th October 2024, Anthem RC traded Bekerman to the Miami Sharks for the 2025 MLR season where he scored 4 tries in 15 games (3 starts) to help the Sharks qualify for the postseason, completing over 50 tackles for the first time in his career. Bekerman came off the bench in the Sharks’ first and only postseason game, before the team withdrew from MLR in the tumultuous 2025/26 offseason.

On 7th January 2026, the Chicago Hounds announced that they had added the domestic-qualified hooker Tomás Bekerman to their roster for 2026.

Marques Fuala’au

Washington native Marques Fuala’au played in Major League Rugby between 2024-2026. He represented the Dallas Jackals (2024) the Miami Sharks (2025), and Anthem RC (2026).

A football and rugby player through high school, Marques Fuala’au attended Central Washington University between 2018-2022, captaining the D1A side. He played with the Canyons during the 2023 Collegiate Rugby Shield and attended the USA Rugby Academy in Charlotte (now Anthem RC) in the fall of 2023. Following his graduation from Central Washington University, Fuala’au declared for the 2023 MLR Collegiate Draft where he was selected in the 1st Round, 3rd Overall by the Dallas Jackals, who signed him for the upcoming 2024 MLR season.

Fuala’au appeared in all 16 games for the Dallas Jackals during his rookie year, earning his debut in the Jackals’ Rd 1 match against Rugby FC LA. He started 3 of his 16 appearances, scoring 1 try while completing 81 tackles. Following the announcement that the Dallas Jackals would not compete in the 2025 MLR season, Fuala’au was selected 3rd in the subsequent dispersal draft by the Miami Sharks. The Sharks confirmed the signing of Marques Fuala’au on December 4th, 2024. He enjoyed a solid season with the Miami Sharks in 2025, starting 8 of his 15 appearances and recording consistent numbers to his rookie season in both metres gained and tackles made to help the Sharks to their first ever postseason appearance.

In August 2025 following the conclusion of the MLR season, the Miami Sharks announced their withdrawal from MLR and as a result, Marques Fuala’au became a Free Agent. On December 29th, 2025, Anthem RC announced that they had added Fuala’au to their roster for the 2026 season.

achievements:

MLR Draftee: 3rd Overall (1st Rd) in 2023 – Dallas Jackals

2024 – RD 1: Houston SaberCats v Utah Warriors

The first game of the Western Conference in the 2024 season saw the Utah Warriors travel to Texas to face the SaberCats. Both teams finished with the same 10-6 record in 2023, but Utah missed out on the post-season while Houston did not. The Warriors won both 2023 match-ups in the growing rivalry.

The action didn’t take long to start, with a fearsome SaberCats maul bundling over to score just 4 minutes in, Ronan Murphy scoring for the first points and first try of 2024 for the ‘Cats. Despite Joel Hodgson slotting a pen for the Warriors’ first points of 2024, Houston dominated the first half and led 15-3 at the break. Utah managed to get back into the game thanks in part to a yellow card to Johan Momsen, allowing Spencer Jones to exploit a gap for the first Warriors’ try of the season, and the first try by a Canadian in 2024.

The Warriors were on top for much of the 2nd half but a beautiful Tautalatasi Tasi interception allowed Houston to extend their lead to 22-8. The ‘Cats continued to absorb the pressure but could not hold, with Bailey Wilson dotting down for another try and Hodgson nailing the conversion to bring the Warriors within 7 and secure the losing Bonus Point, final score 22-15 to the hosts.

SaberCats

22 v 15

Warriors

2024 MLR Players

The below table contains a list of all players to appear in a starting lineup, or a game, during the 2024 MLR season.

This table includes players that appeared in matchday 23s, but did not necessarily get on the field. In such a case, ‘GP’ should show as ‘0’, along with all other stats. The table is interactive in that clicking the column head will sort the table by that category, based on highest to lowest. Each player name serves as a link to the player page, where you can find more information about that player.

2023 MLR Players

A list of all players that appeared in starting lineups or games during the 2023 MLR season.

This table includes players that appeared in matchday 23s, but did not necessarily get on the field, as well as players listed as being on a MLR team roster but did not feature in any matchday. In such a case, ‘GP’ should show as ‘0’, along with all other stats. The table is interactive in that clicking the column head will sort the table by that category, based on highest to lowest. Each player name serves as a link to the player page, where you can find more information about that player.