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.

Alexis Glover

Alexis ‘Alex’ Glover played in Major League Rugby between 2023-2024. He represented the Seattle Seawolves (2023) and the Miami Sharks (2024).

The Oakland, California native was a trialist with the USA u20 side in 2017, and spent time in New Zealand plying his trade with Rotorua. He spent 2021 playing with the LA Giltinis academy before being signed by the Seawolves in 2022.

Glover earned his MLR debut off the bench in 2023, during Seattle’s Week 18 clash with the San Diego Legion which the Seawolves ultimately lost 40-19. The Seawolves fielded a drastically different line up for this game as they had already secured a playoff spot and home field advantage. Head Coach Allan Clarke described it as an opportunity to award members of the Seawolves extended squad that have put in the effort throughout the season. On 29th December 2023, the Miami Sharks announced the signing of Alex Glover for their inaugural MLR season in 2024, when he earned 9 further appearances off the bench during the Sharks’ admirable first season.

On 21st August 2024, Glover announced his retirement from professional rugby on Instagram.

Shane Barry

English-born US-eligible Fly-half Shane Barry played in Major League Rugby between 2023-2024. He represented the Seattle Seawolves (2023) and Anthem RC (2024).

Born and raised in London, Shane Barry had played at county level for Middlesex back in the UK, and was a part of the London Irish Academy system before heading stateside. He attended UCLA, playing with the Bruins during his time there. Upon his graduation, Barry declared for the 2022 MLR Collegiate Draft and was drafted in the 1st Round, 12th overall by the Seattle Seawolves.

Barry was been selected for the USA Men’s Selects in 2021, as well as the USA Falcons in 2022. He was loaned to the newly established USA Hawks development team in March of 2023, returning to the Seattle Seawolves following the Hawks’ 8-game exhibition season. He made his MLR debut in Week 18 of the 2023 season, when he was selected in the starting XV for the Seawolves’ clash against the San Diego Legion, which ultimately ended with a 40-19defeat. The Seawolves fielded a drastically different line up for this game as they had already secured a playoff spot and home field advantage. Head Coach Allan Clarke described it as an opportunity to award members of the Seawolves extended squad that have put in the effort throughout the season.

The following season, Shane Barry was included on the roster for the hastily put together Anthem RC squad, a new MLR team that serves as a national team development tool and is the evolution for the USA Hawks team that Barry represented in 2023. In a promising first season in Charlotte, Barry scored 2 tries and started 5 of his 10 appearances, running for just shy of 300m in possession. Following the MLR season in the fall of 2024, he played with New York Old Blue in the ARP, before returning to England. He has been playing club rugby with Reeds Weybridge RFC on the outskirts of London.

Achievements

Jeremiah Sio

South Seattle native Jeremiah Sio played in Major League Rugby between 2023-2025. He represented the Seattle Seawolves for his entire MLR career.

Sio has been playing with Seattle Rugby Club since his high school graduation in 2018, and has been a part of the Seawolves organisation for a number of years, having attended their first talent ID camp in July 2021. Impressing at the ID camp, he was invited to take part in preseason training in November of 2021 as a development player and was activated onto the 2022 MLR roster, appearing in a preseason game against his club, Seattle RFC.

Sio earned his MLR debut in Week 18 of the 2023 MLR season, having been named to the starting XV for Seattle’s week 18 clash with the San Diego Legion that the Seawolves ultimately lost 40-19. The Seawolves fielded a drastically different line up for this game as they had already secured a playoff spot and home field advantage. Head Coach Allan Clarke described it as an opportunity to award members of the Seawolves extended squad that have put in the effort throughout the season. Following his MLR debut, Sio appeared off the bench in both of the team’s 2023 playoff games. He returned for a second MLR season in 2024, earning another 3 appearances and scoring 2 tries as the Seawolves finished as MLR Runners-Up, having fallen 11-20 to the New England Free Jacks.

With 3 tries in his 6 games for the team (2 starts), Jeremiah Sio was included when the Seattle Seawolves confirmed their full roster for the 2025 season on January 14th, 2025.

achievements

Adam Page

PNW native Adam Page represented the Seattle Seawolves in the 2023 Major League Rugby Season.

a University of Colorado, Boulder graduate, Page has also spent time in Ireland while studying at University College Dublin, where he was a member of the UCD Force Rugby Team. Page is a Seattle Rugby Club player and was selected as the Forward of the year for their 2021/22 season.

Page featured in the starting XV for the Seattle Seawolves in Week 18 of the 2023 MLR season in their clash with the San Diego Legion. The Seawolves fielded a drastically different line up for this game as they had already secured a playoff spot and home field advantage. Head Coach Allan Clarke described it as an opportunity to award members of the Seawolves extended squad that have put in the effort throughout the season.

Oliver Kane

Nashville, Tennesse native Oliver Kane played in Major League Rugby between 2023-2026. He represented the San Diego Legion (2023-2025) and Anthem RC (2026).

The 6’4, 270lbs prop was drafted out of the University of San Diego in the 2nd Round of the 2022 MLR Collegiate Draft (21st Overall) by the San Diego Legion. On 8th February 2023, the Legion announced that they had signed Oli Kane for the 2023 season. Kane spent the first half of the season with the newly formed USA Hawks development team for their 8-week exhibition season, and made his MLR debut for the Legion in Week 18 of the 2023 Major League Rugby season against long-time rivals Seattle Seawolves. A game that the Legion won 40-19, securing a 15-1 season record, the best record in the history of Major League Rugby. The Legion would advance to the MLR Championship Final in 2023, where they fell to the New England Free Jacks by a score of 24-25.

On 23rd December 2023, the San Diego Legion announced the return of Oli Kane for the 2024 MLR season, where he earned 3 further MLR appearances and gained his first MLR meters in possession. Continuing to prove himself a reliable front row, the San Diego Legion announced the return of Oli Kane for their 2025 season on 3rd November, 2024. Now in his 3rd MLR campaign, Kane would triple his appearances from the previous season, earning 9 caps off the bench for the Legion and completing 23 tackles. The Legion would miss out on the postseason to their rivals the Seattle Seawolves by a single point that year, and merged with Rugby FC LA in the offseason to form the California Legion. Upon this merger, Oli Kane became a free agent and on 5th December 2025, Anthem RC announced the addition of the 28yo prop for the 2026 MLR season.

achievements

Jesse Hamilton

San Bernardino, California native Jesse Hamilton played in MLR between 2023-2024. He represented the Utah Warriors for his entire MLR career.

Hamilton, a winger, played with the San Diego Legion academy in 2022 and with the senior team for the 2022 pre-season, featuring in a warm up game against the Austin Gilgronis. The Utah Warriors announced the signing of a 22yo Hamilton on 17th June 2023, just before their Round 18 clash away against the Rugby New York Ironworkers.

Hamilton was named in the starting 15 in the Warriors‘ last game of the season against the Rugby New York Ironworkers in 2023, and put in an impressive performance. To top his MLR debut off, he scored a try to seal the victory as the Warriors ended their season with a 33-43 win against the reigning MLR champions.

On 11th October 2023, the Utah Warriors announced the return of Jesse Hamilton for the 2024 MLR season, along with fellow Utah pathway graduate Takaji Young Yen. Hamilton scored an additional 2 tries in 6 games (4 starts) during the Warriors tough 2024 season. He was named to the MLR Team of the Week during Rd 2.

achievements

  • MLR Team of the Week: 2024 – Rd 2

 

Rory Edwards

American born Rory Edwards represented the NOLA Gold briefly during the 2023 Major League Rugby Season.

Although born in the US, Edwards moved to Australia when he was 12, growing up in Perth where he played rugby with the University of Western Australia. The 29yo relocated to New Orleans for business and on June 17, 2023 Doug Coil reported that Edwards had signed with the Gold (https://djcoilrugby.com/2023/06/17/nola-gold-rory-edwards/)

Edwards earning his first MLR cap in NOLA’s final game of the 2023 regular season away against Toronto. A game which the Gold won 24-26.

Evan Conlon

Texas native Evan Conlon played in Major League Rugby between 2023-2025. He represented Rugby ATL (2023), the Dallas Jackals (2024), and the Houston SaberCats (2025).

Born and raised in Woodlands, Texas, Conlon began playing rugby with Woodlands Youth Rugby Club, winning the Junior Varsity State Championship in 2016, and the Varsity state title the following year. Conlon was a high school All-American and three time All-State selection. Attending Lindenwood from 2018, the Lindenwood Lions scrum-half declared for the 2022 MLR Collegiate Draft where he was selected in the 3rd Round, 35th Overall, by Rugby ATL. Having signed with the RATLers, Conlon first appeared in a MLR matchday 23 for Rugby ATL in the final round of the 2023 season for their clash with Old Glory DC at Segra Field to earn his MLR debut in a 28-36 road loss.

Conlon represented the Texas Team during the 2023 PR7s, and following the announcement that Rugby ATL had come under new ownership and was relocating to Los Angeles for the 2024 MLR season, Conlon was traded to the Dallas Jackals in exchange for the Jackals’ 3rd Round pick in the 2024 MLR Collegiate Draft (Traded to Rugby FC LA and used to select Lleyton Delzell 33rd), and he made his Jackals debut off the bench in their first ever playoff game against the Houston SaberCats, stunning the regular season leaders in the Western Conference Semifinals. Following the Jackals’ withdrawal from MLR in September 2024, Conlon was selected 19th in the subsequent dispersal draft by the Houston SaberCats. His signing was confirmed by his hometown MLR team on December 2nd, 2024.

Conlon did not feature at MLR level for the SaberCats. He represented Gorilla Rugby at the RugbyTown 7s in both 2024 and 2025 (when he was Captain), as well as Cincinnati RFC. With the Houston SaberCats announcing their withdrawal from MLR in September 2025, his future in the competition is unclear.

Achievements:
  • 2022 MLR Draftee – 3rd Round (35th Overall) – Rugby ATL

2023 – RD 18: San Diego Legion v Seattle Seawolves

The Seattle Seawolves travel to California to face the league-leading San Diego Legion at Snapdragon Stadium during the final Round of the 2023 season.

With both sides already locked into the playoffs, the visiting Seawolves fielded a drastically different roster to finish their regular season, including the addition of a number of Seattle Rugby Club names. Clearly the mind games have begun, because the Seawolves rested almost all of their big names. The Legion seemed to rest a few names as well, but still fielded a very strong roster, perhaps because they know they have a bye to the Conference Finals in a couple of weeks.

A concern for the Legion will be the red card to Blair Cowan for a high tackle with direct contact to the head. The league-leaders could see their captain and one of their strongest tacklers issued with a ban that would suspend him for the entire Championship Series.

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2023 – RD 18: Rugby New York Ironworkers v Utah Warriors

The Utah Warriors travel to Mount Vernon to face the Reigning MLR Champion Rugby New York Ironworkers in the final Round of the 2023 season.

The Ironworkers have already clinched their playoff spot, but would need just a single point to secure home field advantage for the Eliminator Round against Old Glory DC. The Utah Warriors were playing for nothing but pride, having been eliminated from playoff contention despite holding an impressive 9-6 record going into this game.

The game was a back and forth affair through the first half. With the two sides alternating try scoring with 3 tries each and NY holding a narrow 19-14 lead going into the break. The Warriors exploded into the second half, however. Joel Hodgson and Calvin Whiting dotted down in the 42nd and 45th minutes respectively to give Utah a healthy lead before NY stabilised and Ishmail Shabazz grounds in the corner in his first game of 2023 to give NY the try BP and clinch home field advantage for the Eliminator Round before Jurie van Vuuren restored the Warriors’ buffer.

DaQuan Perry scored his 1st MLR try at the 70th minute to bring NY back to within 5, before new Utah signing Jesse Hamilton grabbed a try on his debut with seconds remaining to seal the deal for Utah. They finish the 2023 season with a 10-6 record and 50pts. This is the 2nd best record to NOT qualify for the playoffs, and the 3rd best points total to miss.

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