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.

Kianu Kereru-Symes

New Zealand hooker Kianu Kereru-Symes represented the New England Free Jacks during the 2023 Major League Rugby Season.

Kereru-Symes joined the Free Jacks from Hawke’s Bay, where he has plied his trade since 2018. He also featured for the Hurricanes in a handful of Super Rugby games. During his debut MLR season he fought for playing time with Canadian international Andrew Quattrin and fellow New Zealander Mills Sanerivi. Kereru-Symes earned 5 starts and 11 MLR caps, gaining 188m and completing 59 tackles. He became a MLR Champion as part of the NE Free Jacks squad that lifted the Shield in 2023.

Kereru-Symes was named on Hawke’s Bay’s roster for their 2023 NPC season, and did not return to MLR for 2024. He signed with the Urayasu D-Rocks in Japan in November 2024.

Achievements:

Owain Ruttan

Canadian back rower Owain Ruttan played in Major League Rugby during the 2023 season. He represented the Toronto Arrows for his entire MLR career.

A native of Cobourg, ON along with fellow Arrow Mason Flesch and his brother Noah Flesch, Owain Ruttan attended the University of British Columbia where he played with the Thunderbirds and represented the Canada U19 side in 2017, and the U20 side in 2018. In 2021, he also Captained the UBC Thunderbirds to the Canadian University Men’s Rugby Championship (CUMRC) title. Ruttan declared for the 2022 MLR Collegiate Draft and was selected in the 1st Round, 5th Overall by the Toronto Arrows, who promptly signed him. Owain Ruttan earned his test debut for Canada in the Fall of 2022, coming off the bench in a 37-43 loss to Namibia in Amsterdam in November. To date, this is his only international appearance.

In his rookie MLR season, Owain Ruttan stood out on a struggling Toronto Arrows side. He scored 2 tries and started 5 of his 11 appearances, completing almost as many tackles (83) as metres gained in possession (88). Unfortunately for both Toronto and for Ruttan, the Arrows withdrew from MLR during the 2023/24 offseason following the passing of founder Bill Webb, and neither the Arrows nor Ruttan have returned to MLR.

Since the withdrawal of the Arrows, Ruttan has been playing at club level for his local side, the Cobourg Saxons.

Achievements

Will Grant

Australian born Canada-eligible scrum-half Will Grant played in Major League Rugby between 2023-2024. He represented the Toronto Arrows for his entire MLR career, MLR’s only Canadian franchise.

Classified as a domestic player through his British Columbia born & raised mother, Grant’s signing was announced by the Toronto Arrows in November 2022, joining from West Harbour in the Australian Shute Shield competition. He earned 12 appearances (4 starts) during his debut season in North America, adding 1 try.

On  18th October 2023, the Arrows announced the return of Will Grant for the 2024 MLR season. Unfortunately, the Arrows unexpectedly withdrew from MLR in late November 2023, and Will Grant as not returned to MLR.

Noel Reid

Irish fly-half/centre Noel Reid played in Major League Rugby between 2023-2024. He represented the Toronto Arrows for his entire MLR career.

Reid’s signing was announced by the Arrows in October 2022, ahead of the 2023 season. the then-33yo Dubliner joined from English Premiership side London Irish, having previously played with Leicester Tigers, Agen in the French Top 14, and Leinster between 2012-2018, earning over 100 caps in the Pro12/14 (now URC).

Despite missing parts of his debut MLR season with injury, Reid earned 7 appearances (all starts) for the Arrows in 2023, also scoring 1 try. On 25th October 2023, the Toronto Arrows announced the return of Noel Reid for the 2024 MLR season but announced, along with MLR, that they would not compete in the 2024 season at the end of November 2023. Reid stayed in Toronto for 2024, coaching with the Arrows Academy that year alongside Canadian international Jamie Cudmore, and Arrows legend Sam Malcolm.

On 2nd October 2024, the Chicago Hounds announced the addition of Noel Reid as their backs coach for the 2025 season. Reid would join up with his former Leinster teammate Dave Kearney, a co-owner of the Hounds. Reid’s NARDB Staff Profile can be found here.

2023 – RD 3: Houston SaberCats v San Diego Legion

The San Diego Legion travel to Texas to face the Houston SaberCats at SaberCat Stadium during Round 3 of the 2023 season.

The home side prevailed with a 31-26 victory in what would turn out to be the San Diego Legion’s only loss during the 2023 regular season, finishing with an historic 15-1 record. This game would be the 1, as they fell victim to the ‘Cats. Following this game, the San Diego Legion would go on an MLR-record 13 game win streak during the regular season.

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Henry Bell

New Zealand hooker Henry Bell played in Major League Rugby during the 2023 season. He represented the Utah Warriors for his entire MLR career.

Bell joined the Warriors in October 2022 from Otago, whom he has represented in the NPC since 2020 and had a breakout season with them in 2022. He earned 9 MLR caps in his debut season (all starts), racking up 140 tackles and scoring 2 tries.

Otago announced their 2023 NPC roster in July 2023 and Bell was included, and he was also included in the Highlanders squad for their 2024 MLR season alongside former MLR alum Will Tucker. This ruled him out of the 2024 MLR season.

Achievements:

  • MLR Team of the Week: 2023 – Week 3
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