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.

Jay Tuivaiti

New Zealand lock/flanker Jay Tuivaiti played in Major League Rugby between 2024-2025. He represented the San Diego Legion (2024) and the NOLA Gold (2025).

Tuivaiti’s career has been hampered by serious injuries, including a broken leg in 2018 that necessitated rehabilitation and in 2019 another Fibula injury happened in rugby 7s. He played in the Hawke’s Bay system between 2020-2021, and was part of the Manu Samoa’s 7s Traveling Team to Dubai. He was the Auckland B captain and his performance led him to being named Auckland B Player of the Year in 2022. He moved stateside prior to entering MLR, and helped the Austin Blacks win the USA Rugby Division 1 National Championship in 2023, before his signing was announced by the San Diego Legion on 10th November 2023, ahead of the 2024 MLR season.

Tuivaiti scored 2 tries in 8 games (all starts) for the San Diego Legion in his debut MLR season, helping them secure a solid 11-5 regular season standing. He was named to the MLR Team of the Week for his performance in Round 18, but did not feature for the Legion in the post-season. On November 6th, 2024, the San Diego Legion announced the return of Jay Tuivaiti for the 2025 MLR campaign. To the confusion of many, however, Tuivaiti’s first involvement of the 2025 season was on the NOLA Gold bench for their Round 8 clash with Anthem RC. The details of Tuivaiti’s move to New Orleans is not known.

Following his move from the Legion to the NOLA Gold, Tuivaiti earned a career high 9 appearances in New Orleans, starting 5 times and scoring 1 try as the Gold would finish the season outside of the playoffs, 5th in the Eastern Conference. On 2nd July 2025, French ProD2 side Stade Montois announced the signing of Jay Tuivaiti through 2027. He scored 3 tries and started 13 of his 17 games across 2 seasons in MLR, running for 249m gained and completing 86 tackles.

achievements

  • MLR Team of the Week: 2024 – Rd 18

Ronnie McElligott

California native Ronnie McElligott played in Major League Rugby between 2024-2025. He represented the Dallas Jackals (2024) and the Utah Warriors (2025).

The Dallas Jackals drafted McElligott out of St. Mary’s College with the 32nd overall pick in the 2023 MLR Collegiate draft. This pick was traded to the Jackals from the NOLA Gold on 5th December 2022 along with James Vaifale in exchange for 2023 Salary Cap Considerations (unknown). The Dallas Jackals announced the official signing of Ronnie McElligott on 9th November 2023, ahead of the 2024 MLR season.

Ronnie McElligott earned 7 MLR appearances during his debut MLR season, all from the bench. Unfortunately for him and the rest of the Dallas Jackals players, the team announced shortly after the conclusion of the season that it was up for sale, and would not compete in the 2025 MLR season. A dispersal draft took place in which McElligott was not selected, but on January 20th, 2025, the Utah Warriors announced the signing of Ronnie McElligott alongside new addition Lone Ika. McElligott earned his Warriors debut in 2025, starting his lone appearance and completing 9 tackles in their mid-season defeat against Old Glory DC in Round 12.

achievements:

Louis Conradie

South African lock Louis Conradie played in Major League Rugby during the 2024 season. He represented the Utah Warriors for his entire MLR career.

Conradie has played professionally all over the world, starting in South Africa where he played with the Cheetahs in the Currie Cup in 2017-2018. In 2019 he played with the Asia Pacific Dragons in the short-lived Global Rapid Rugby competition, as well as Otago in the NZ’s Mitre 10 (now the NPC). He was playing with Peñarol in SLAR when COVID-19 hit, and headed to Japan to play with the NTT Shining Arcs in Tokyo. He returned to South Africa in 2021 to play with the Blue Bulls, before heading back to Japan between 2021-2023 representing the Toyota Verblitz.

The Utah Warriors announced the signing of Louis Conradie on 8th November 2023, ahead of the 2024 MLR season. He earned 8 appearances in his debut MLR season, starting 3 times. Following the conclusion of the 2024 season, Conradie was included in an announcement from the Utah Warriors confirming that 17 players would not be returning for the team in 2025. On 1st November, 2024, he announced his retirement on Instagram at the age of 28. It is unclear if he had decided to retire prior to the Warriors announcement, or because of it.

Cameron Orr

Australian prop Cameron Orr played in Major League Rugby between 2024-2025. He represented the Seattle Seawolves for his entire MLR career.

Cameron Orr is a former Australia U20 player, representing the age-grade side in 2014 and again in 2015. He played with West Harbour in Australia’s Shute Shield between 2014-2016, and again between 2021-2022. Between his two stints in the Shute Shield, Orr played with Gloucester in the English Premiership for 2 seasons, before returning to Australia and playing with the Western Force between 2018-2019, and the Melbourne Rebels in Super Rugby from 2019-2023. He also played with Wellington in NZ’s NPC competition in 2023.

The Seattle Seawolves announced the signing of then-28yo Cam Orr on 8th November 2023, ahead of the 2024 MLR season. Orr made 15 starts in 16 appearances during the 2024 season, proving a strong scrummager and gaining just under 500m in possession as a prop. He also completed over 130 tackles as the Seawolves qualified for the playoffs as the 2nd team in the Western Conference, and defeated the San Diego Legion and Dallas Jackals on the way to their 4th MLR Final, and Orr’s first. The Seawolves fell 11-20 to the New England Free Jacks in the final, a game that Orr started and was the subject of some controversy regarding the Seattle Seawolves substitutions from the MLR officials, forcing them to play the final 10 minutes down a man. Orr earned an All-MLR First XV selection for his performance in 2024.

Cam Orr’s return to MLR was confirmed when the Seattle Seawolves confirmed their 2025 roster on January 14th, 2025. He was one of the very few players in the league to start every single game for his team, starting all 17 of the Seattle Seawolves games in 2025, setting career highs in both appearances and starts, as well as tries scored (3) and tackles (161). For his considerable efforts, Orr was named as the Seattle Seawolves Supporters’ Player of the Year. He was also named to the All-MLR Second XV for his performance in the 2025 season. Following the MLR campaign, Orr returned to Australia and suited up for the Brumbies against none other than the British & Irish Lions in their tour of Australia, before announcing his retirement from the professional game on 27th August, 2025.

AChievements

Danyon Morgan-Puterangi

New Zealand born Danyon Morgan-Puterangi played in Major League Rugby during the 2024 season. He represented the New England Free Jacks for his entire MLR career.

One of 11 siblings and of Samoan, Māori, and New Zealand descent, Morgan-Puterangi was a ‘late bloomer’ to professional rugby, playing his first professional season with North Harbour in New Zealand’s NPC in 2023. The New England Free Jacks announced the signing of Danyon Morgan-Puterangi on 8th November 2023, alongside Seta Baker and ahead of the 2024 MLR season.

In his debut MLR season, Morgan-Puterangi scored 2 tries and 21pts in 12 games (8 starts), helping the reigning Champion Free Jacks qualify for the postseason as the top seed in the Eastern Conference, although he did not appear in the playoffs as the Free Jacks returned to the MLR Championship Game, defeating the Seattle Seawolves 11-20 to capture back-to-back MLR Shields.

achievements

 

Seta Baker

New Zealand born flanker Setaleki ‘Seta’ Baker played in Major League Rugby during the 2024 season. He represented the New England Free Jacks for his entire MLR career.

Of Tongan descent, Baker played with Counties Manukau U19s before moving to the Crusaders U20 squad in 2021. He joined the Tasman Mako senior side in 2022, competing in New Zealand’s NPC. The New England Free Jacks announced the signing of then-22yo Baker on 8th November 2023, ahead of the 2024 MLR season. He ran for over 500m gained in possession, scoring 4 tries in his 14 appearances (10 starts) as the Free Jacks finished at the top of the Eastern Conference for the 3rd season in a row, and defeated Old Glory DC and the Chicago Hounds to advance to their 2nd final in a row, defeating the Seattle Seawolves 11-20 in San Diego to claim their second Shield in as many seasons. Baker started the 2024 Championship game for the Free Jacks at number 8, gaining over 50m and completing 15 tackles.

For his performance in 2024, Baker was named to the All-MLR Honorable Mention XV.

achievements

  • 2024 MLR Champion: New England Free Jacks
  • 2024 All-MLR Honorable Mention XV
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2024 – Rd 18

Alesana Pohla

Australian centre/wing Alesana Pohla played in Major League Rugby between 2024-2025. He represented the Utah Warriors (2024) and the San Diego Legion (2025).

A former Samoa U20 player, Pohla’s signing was announced by the Utah Warriors on 7th November 2023 when he joined them from the Hunter Wildfires of the Shute Shield competition in Australia. Prior to the Wildfires, Pohla represented Gordon between 2020-2022. He earned 6 MLR appearances for the Warriors in 2024, starting twice and earning just shy of 200m gained in possession. On January 16th, 2025, ten days into pre-season camps for the 2025 MLR season, the MLR Trade Wire revealed that Alesana Pohla had been traded from the Utah Warriors to the San Diego Legion in exchange for 2025 Salary Cap Considerations (unknown).

Connor Winchester

Australian fly-half/fullback Connor Winchester played in Major League Rugby during the 2024 MLR season. He represented the Dallas Jackals for his entire MLR career.

An accurate goal kicker, Winchester’s signing was announced by the Jackals on 7th November 2023, when the then-25yo joined the Texas club from the Hunter Wildfires in Australia’s Shute Shield competition, where he has spend the last 2 seasons having previously represented the Norths with the previous 3 seasons. Winchester signed with the Dallas Jackals on a 2yr contract through the 2025 MLR season.

Winchester scored 2 tries and 23pts for the Jackals in 11 games (all starts) during their 2024 season, racking up over 500m gained in possession and starting both their Western Conference Semifinal where they stunned the #1 seeded Houston SaberCats, and the Western Conference Final, where the Dallas Jackals fell in the final few minutes to the Seattle Seawolves.

achievements

  • MLR Team of the Week: 2024 – Rd 15

OJ Noa

New Zealand born Samoan back row Olajuwon ‘OJ’ Noa played in Major League Rugby between 2024-2025. He represented the NOLA Gold (2024) and the Seattle Seawolves (2025).

Noa began his pro career with the Melbourne Rising in Australia’s National Rugby Championship (NRC) between 2014-15, before moving to the Canberra Vikings between 2016-17. He played in Spain for Silverstorm El Salvador between 2018-19 before returning to Australia with the Hunter Wildfires in the Shute Shield between 2020-21. OJ Noa joined the Gold from Aviron Bayonnais in the French Top 14, having previously played with the Sharks in both the URC and Currie Cup between 2021-22. He earned his first test caps for Manu Samoa between 2021-22, making 5 appearances.

The NOLA Gold announced the signing of OJ Noa on 3rd November 2023, ahead of the 2024 MLR season. He earned 9 MLR appearances for the Gold (all starts) and gained over 500m with ball in hand as the Gold finally ended their playoff drought, falling to the Chicago Hounds in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. On 10th October 2024, the NOLA Gold announced the departure of Noa from the team, and on November 21st, the Seattle Seawolves announced the signing of OJ Noa for the 2025 season, joining his NOLA teammate Rodney Iona. His agency, BSMI Rugby, later confirmed that Noa had signed a 2yr contract through the 2026 season.

achievements
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2025 – Rd 1

Kevin Brou

US-eligible Ivorian Kevin Brou played in Major League Rugby during the 2024 season. He represented Old Glory DC for his entire MLR career. He is the first Ivorian player to play in MLR.

Born in New York and raised in Atlanta, Brou left the US and reunited with his mother in the Ivory Coast at the age of 21. This is where he discovered rugby, and he has earned 7 caps for the Ivorian national team (the Elephants) since 2015. He most recently represented the Ivory Coast during the World Cup qualifiers in 2021, so therefore won’t be eligible to use the Union Transfer regulation until July 2024 if he wishes to represent the US. He will be classed as a domestic player in MLR, however.

Kevin Brou joined Old Glory DC from SC Albigeois in the French Nationale division, having played with Stade Dijonnais in the 2021/22 season. He played in France at various levels from 2016 until he returned stateside for the 2024 MLR season. Old Glory DC announced the signing of Kevin Brou on 3rd November 2023.