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.

Rob Evans

Welsh prop Rob Evans played in Major League Rugby during the 2024 MLR season, representing the Miami Sharks in their inaugural season in the competition.

Evans is a fully capped Welsh international, having made his debut against Ireland in the 2015 Six Nations. He has represented his country 39 times in total with his latest cap coming against England in March 2020.

The Miami Sharks released a ‘soft’ announcement of Rob Evans’ signing on 13th October 2023, along with fellow Welshman Kirby Myhill. Evans joined from Dragons RFC in the United Rugby Championship (URC).

 

Dave Kearney

Irish wing/fullback Dave Kearney played in Major League Rugby during the 2024 season. He represented the Chicago Hounds, a team in which he and his brother (fellow Ireland international Rob Kearney) have a minority stake.

Internationally capped 19 times for Ireland, Kearney’s signing was announced by the Hounds on 10th October 2023 following many rumours of the 34yo’s move stateside. He joined the Chicago Hounds from Leinster in the URC, where he made 185 appearances and scored 55 tries across 14 seasons with the Irish province that saw 3 Heineken Cup victories (2011, 2012, 2018), 6 league championships (2013, 2014, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021), and a Challenge Cup victory (2013).

Kearney earned 9 MLR appearances for the Hounds in 2024, starting 8 times and amassing over 350m gained as the Hounds recorded their best MLR season to date, qualifying for the post-season where Kearney started the Hounds’ Eastern Conference Final clash against eventual Champions, the New England Free Jacks. Following the 2024 season, Kearney announced in an interview with the Irish Independent that he was retiring.

Divan Rossouw

Namibian winger/fullback Divan Rossouw played in Major League Rugby between 2024-2026. He represented the Seattle Seawolves for his entire MLR career.

Rossouw played with the Blue Bulls academy in South Africa in 2015, before joining the Currie Cup squad in 2016 and the full Bulls Super Rugby team in 2018, earning 40 caps and scoring 4 tries between 2018-2020. In 2020 he moved to the Lions organisation, representing both the Super Rugby side and the Golden Lions in the Currie Cup between 2020-2022. He returned to Namibia towards the end of 2022 to rejoin the national side, with whom he is a fully capped international.

The Seattle Seawolves announced the signing of Divan Rossouw on 7th October 2023, with Rossouw fresh off of Namibia’s 2023 Rugby World Cup campaign in France. In his debut MLR season in 2024, Rossouw appeared in 18 of Seattle’s 19 games (all starts), scoring 6 tries as the Seawolves qualified for the post-season and defeated the San Diego Legion and Dallas Jackals to advance to the team’s 4th MLR final, in which they fell 11-20 to the New England Free Jacks. Rossouw gained a match-high 142m in the Final, taking his season total to 1,492m putting him 2nd in MLR in this category, just 1m ahead of Utah’s Michael Manson. Rossouw was named to the All-MLR Second XV for his efforts during the 2024 season.

Divan Rossouw returned for the Seattle Seawolves in 2025, and had another great year. He started all 17 of the Seawolves’ games in his sophomore season, scoring a career high 8 tries and finishing 4th League-wide with 995m gained in a down year for metres across the league. He also recorded an even 100 tackles completed on defence. For his efforts, Rossouw was named as the Seattle Seawolves’ 2025 Coaches’ Player of the Year and was named to the All-MLR First XV. On 16th December 2025, the Seattle Seawolves announced the return of Divan Rossouw for a 3rd season in MLR in 2026.

achievements
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2026 – Rd 8
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2026 – Rd 7
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2026 – Rd 3
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2026 – Rd 2
  • 2025 All-MLR First XV Selection
  • 4th in MLR Meters Gained: 2025 (995m)
  • Seattle Seawolves 2025 Coaches’ Player of the Year
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2025 – Rd 15
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2025 – Rd 12
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2025 – Rd 7
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2025 – Rd 5
  • 2024 MLR Runner-Up: Seattle Seawolves
  • 2024 All-MLR Second XV Selection
  • 2nd in MLR Meters Gained: 2024 (1,492m)
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2024 – Rd 13
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2024 – Rd 11

Axel MĂ¼ller

Argentinian winger Axel MĂ¼ller Aranda played in Major League Rugby between 2024-2025. He represented Old Glory DC in the nation’s capital for his entire MLR career.

The former Argentina U20 player represented the Los Pumas Sevens side between 2013-2016, including at the 2016 Olympics in Rio, before moving to ply his trade in France, representing Toulon, Oyonnax, and CA Brive in the Top 14 between 2017-2023.

MĂ¼ller’s move to MLR was announced by Old Glory DC on 5th October 2023, joining from CA Perigueux in the French Nationale Division. He scored 5 tries in 11 games (all starts) for the Flags in the 2024 MLR season, but did not feature in Old Glory DC‘s 1 playoff game that year, a narrow defeat to eventual Champions, the New England Free Jacks. On December 16th, 2024, Old Glory DC announced the return of Axel Muller for their 2025 season. He opened his 2025 season with MLR’s first ever hat trick in a Season Opening game, as Old Glory DC fought back from a 29-10 deficit to claim a 29-31 victory over the Miami Sharks with the clock in the red. In total, MĂ¼ller would score 8 tries in 13 appearances (all starts) for Old Glory DC, helping them to secure a playoff appearance for the 3rd season in a row. He set a new career high with 918m gained in possession, finishing 6th League-wide. Axel MĂ¼ller was named to the All-MLR Second XV for the 2025 season.

On 2nd September 2025, RC Narbonne in the French Nationale (3rd Tier) announced the signing of Axel MĂ¼ller for their 2025/26 campaign.

achievements

  • 2025 All-MLR Second XV
  • 6th in MLR Meters Gained: 2025 (918m)
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2025 – Rd 15
  • MLR Player of the Week: 2025 – Rd 1
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2025 – Rd 1
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2024 – Rd 3

Nick McCarthy

Born in Ann Arbor, Michigan but raised in Ireland, Nick McCarthy played in Major League Rugby during the 2024 season. He represented the Chicago Hounds for his entire MLR career.

McCarthy represented Ireland at U18 & U20 level, but earned his senior international debut with the USA in 2023, earning 3 caps and scoring a try on his debut, a 31-17 victory over Romania as a RWC warm-up for the Oaks. Having represented both Leinster and Munster in the URC, McCarthy’s move to MLR was rumoured since his move to represent the Eagles, and the signing was announced by the Chicago Hounds on 2nd October 2023. He was the first player announced by the Hounds during the 2023/24 offseason.

In his debut season in North America, McCarthy earned 16 MLR appearances and 13 starts, the regular first-choice scrum-half during the Chicago Hounds’ best MLR season to date, where they qualified for the post-season as the 3rd seed in the Eastern Conference. McCarthy started the Hounds’ first ever playoff game, a convincing road victory over the NOLA Gold in the Eastern Conference Semifinal, as well as their Eastern Conference Final clash with the eventual champions, the New England Free Jacks. Following the 2024 season, McCarthy announced his retirement on instagram at the age of 29.

 

Damien Hoyland

Scottish wing/fullback Damien Hoyland played in major League Rugby between 2024-2026. He represented Old Glory DC for his entire MLR career.

Hoyland is a former Scotland u20 player and has represented Scotland at senior level in both 7s and 15s. He played in 11 tournaments for the 7s side, and earned 5 caps for the 15s between 2015-2022.

Old Glory DC announced the signing of Hoyland on 28th September, 2023. He joined The Flags from Edinburgh Rugby, where he had earned over 100 caps for his hometown side since 2014. Hoyland gained over 1000m in 12 games (all starts) for Old Glory DC in his debut season in MLR, helping the Flags to qualify for the post-season for the 2nd season in a row. Hoyland started their Eastern Conference Semifinal clash with rivals the New England Free Jacks, but Old Glory fell just short to the eventual Champions, with a 29-33 defeat in Quincy. On December 17th, 2024, Old Glory DC announced the return of Damien Hoyland for a 2nd MLR season in 2025.

Hoyland’s sophomore season in Major League Rugby was just as impactful as his first. He avoided serious injury and started all 13 of his appearances for Old Glory DC, helping them to qualify for the postseason for the 3rd straight year. He scored his first MLR try and bettered his career high with 1,073m gained in possession, his 2nd season in a row with over 1,000m gained. He finished as MLR’s 3rd highest Meter Eater, and one of only 3 players to gain over 1,000m in 2025, averaging 82.5m per game.

On October 15th, 2025, Scottish Rugby announced the creation of a full-time Scotland men’s sevens programme, with Damien Hoyland named as one of 6 contracted players for the squad. Many thought that this spelled the end of Hoyland’s time in Major League Rugby, however on 28th November 2025, Old Glory DC announced the return of Damien Hoyland for the 2026 season.

Achievements:

  • 3rd in MLR Meters Gained: 2025 (1,073m)
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2025 – Rd 1
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2024 – Rd 16

Rob Harley

English-born Scottish forward Rob Harley played in Major League Rugby between 2024-2026. He represented Old Glory DC for his entire MLR career.

Harley is a capped Scottish international, having represented his country 23 times between 2012-2020. He played for the Glasgow Warriors between 2010-2022, and is the Scottish club’s most capped player, earning 267 caps for the URC club. Follow his 12 years with the Warriors, Harley moved to France, representing Carcassonne and Colomiers in the Pro D2 competition.

Old Glory DC announced the signing of Harley on September 19th 2023 from Colomiers, ahead of the 2024 MLR season. He earned 15 appearances and 14 starts for the Flags in his debut MLR season, finishing 5th in MLR for tackles completed with 189. Old Glory DC qualified for the playoffs for the 2nd year in a row in 2024, and for the 2nd year in a row were defeated by the New England Free Jacks, running them close in a 29-33 game in the Eastern Conference Semifinal, in which Harley started and completed 17 tackles. For his performance in 2024, Harley was named as the Old Glory DC Player’s Player of the Year for 2024.

On December 21st, 2024, Old Glory DC announced the return of Rob Harley for his 2nd season in 2025, for which he was named Captain. He started all 14 of his games during his sophomore season in Major League Rugby, earning a pair of Team of the Week selections and helping the Flags back to the post-season for the 3rd straight season. Harley recorded another 150+ tackles season with 181 to bring his career total to 370, and passed 250m gained in possession. On 17th December 2025, Old Glory DC announced the return of Rob Harley for a 3rd season with the team in 2026.

Achievements

Vaughen Isaacs

South African fly-half/fullback Vaughen Isaacs played in Major League Rugby between 2024-2025. He represented the Dallas Jackals (2024) and Rugby FC LA (2025).

In September 2023 Wasserman, the agency representing the former Springboks u20 player, announced in a (since deleted) Instagram post that Isaacs had signed with Dallas for the 2024 MLR season, joining from the Lions’ Currie Cup side in South Africa. In his debut season in North America, Isaacs scored 3 tries and 32pts in 8 games (all starts) for the Jackals before picking up an injury that ruled him out for a large chunk of the season, including the Jackals’ first every playoff run where they made it to the Western Conference Finals. Despite playing only half a season, Isaacs made a big impact with over 600m gained, and was named to the MLR Team of the Week for Round 4.

Following the 2024 season, the Dallas Jackals withdrew from MLR and would not compete in 2025. In the subsequent dispersal draft, Isaacs was selected 5th by Rugby FC LA, who confirmed his signing on 9th December 2024, alongside Jackals teammate Lucas Bur. Isaacs scored a further 10pts in 5 games for RFCLA, starting 4 times and gaining over 250m in possession to help the team qualify for their first and only post-season appearance. Rugby FC LA merged with the San Diego Legion during the 2025/26 offseason and as the league shifted to a larger focus on domestic talent, Isaacs did not return for the 2026 season. Instead, he headed to Romania to join CSA Steaua București, the most successful club in the Liga Națională de Rugby.

Achievements:

  • MLR Team of the Week: 2024 – Rd 4

Orrin Bizer

Texas native Orrin Bizer was drafted in the 1st Round of the 2023 Major League Rugby Collegiate Draft, 9th overall by the Houston SaberCats.

A native of The Woodlands, TX, Orrin Bizer grew up playing rugby at The Woodlands High School, before attending Life University and playing with the 2x National Champion Life University 7s squad, also representing the USA National Team age grade side at RugbyTown 7s in 2021 and 2023, also playing at the PamAm games in 2023, and with the Locals in the PR7s the same year that he was named the 2023 Rudy Scholz award winner, recognising the best college rugby player in the country each year.

Bizer declared for the 2023 MLR Collegiate Draft and was selected in the 1st Round by the Houston SaberCats, who promptly signed him to an MLR contract in September 2023 ahead of the 2024 season. However, earned his senior Men’s Team debut in Dubai in December 2023 and decided to continue his 7s journey rather than participating in the 2024 MLR season. Bizer earned a place in the USA Olympic 7s squad for the 2024 games in Paris.

Achievements:

Max Schumacher

UC – Berkeley alum Max Schumacher played in Major League Rugby between 2024-2026. He represented the Houston SaberCats (2024-2025), and Old Glory DC (2026)

A native of Carmichael, CA, Max Schumacher was a stand out for the Golden Bears while enrolled at UC-Berkeley. He was named a D1A Collegiate All-American in 2022, before beind selected as a Rudy Scholz Award Finalist in his senior year in 2023. Following his graduation, Schumacher declared for the 2023 Major League Rugby Collegiate Draft where he was selected in the 1st Round, 2nd Overall by the Houston SaberCats using a pick acquired via trade with the Toronto Arrows. The SaberCats did not wait long to sign Schumacher, doing so in September 2023, joining fellow UCal alumni Christian Dyer in Houston. In his debut MLR season Schumacher earned 14 appearances from the bench, running for over 100m gained in limited game time for the Houston SaberCats as they finished as the top team in MLR during the regular season, with a record of 14-2. On December 11th, 2024, the Houston SaberCats announced the return of Max Schumacher for the 2025 season.

Although Schumacher earned 14 appearances in his rookie season in 2024, the 2025 season was a real break out for him. He made his first MLR start, scored his first MLR try, and surpassed his career highs in both tackles and meters made before the half-way point of the regular season. Schumacher appeared in every game during the regular season and earned his first 13 pro starts, helping the ‘Cats to finally earn their first playoff victory over Rugby FC LA. The SaberCats would go on to defeat the Utah Warriors to claim the Western Conference Title, before falling to the New England Free Jacks in the 2025 MLR Championship Game. Schumacher featured in all 3 playoff games for Houston in 2025, even scoring a pair of tries in the Championship Game.

In total, Max Schumacher started 13 of his 19 appearances for the Houston SaberCats in 2025, scoring 5 tries and gaining over 500m in possession during a stand-out season. In September 2025 following the end of the MLR season, the Houston SaberCats announced their withdrawal from the competition, forcing Schumacher to look for professional opportunities elsewhere. On october 25th, Old Glory DC announced the addition of Max Schumacher for their 2026 season, his 3rd in the competition.

Achievements:

  • 2025 Western Conference Champion: Houston SaberCats
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2025 – Rd 11
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2025 – Rd 7
  • 2023 Draftee: 2nd Overall – Houston SaberCats