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.

Tautalatasi Tasi

New Zealand born, Australian raised centre Tautalatasi Tasi played in Major League Rugby between 2023-2025. He represented the Toronto Arrows (2023) and the Houston SaberCats (2024-2025).

Tasi has played both Rugby Union and Rugby League professionally, starting with league with his hometown Ipswich Jets in the Queensland Cup for the 2013/14 season before moving to the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs in NSW for 2014/15. He earned his NRL debut with the Rabbitohs in 2016 while also playing with the North Sydney Bears, before switching his focus to rugby union in 2018.

Having adapted to the union game, Tasi played with Brisbane City in the NRC in 2019 before signing with the Melbourne Rebels for the Super Rugby Pre-season, and earned his Super Rugby debut with the NSW Waratahs later that year. He moved to Japan in 2020 to play with the Sunwolves as well as Gordon in the Australian Shute Shield later in the year, claiming the Championship. Tasi returned to Japan to play with the Tokyo Gas before making the move to MLR.

Tasi signed with the Toronto Arrows for the 2023 MLR season and proved to be a standout performer. He racked up over 700m gained with ball in hand and completed 99 tackles in 10 appearances (8 starts) in his debut MLR season. In late November 2023, MLR and the Toronto Arrows announced that the Arrows would not compete in the 2024 MLR season and a week later, the Rugby New York Ironworkers announced that they would also not compete in 2024. It is unknown if Tasi opted into the subsequent dispersal draft but on 7th January 2024, the Houston SaberCats announced the signing of Tautalatasi Tasi ahead of the 2024 MLR season. If Tasi opted in to the Dispersal Draft, his 2024 salary would not count towards the SaberCats’ cap hit. Tasi scored 2 tries in 10 games (all starts) for the SaberCats as they finished with the best regular season record that season, on 14-2. Tasi started the SaberCats’ only playoff game of 2024, where they were stunned by their Texas rivals the Dallas Jackals.

On November 6th, 2024, the Houston SaberCats announced the return of Tautalatasi Tasi for the 2025 MLR season, his 3rd in the competition. Tasi started all 14 of his appearances for the SaberCats in 2025, and more than tripled his career high in tries from 2 in 2023 & 2024, to 7 in 2025. He completed just shy of 100 tackles and now sits at just over 1,700m gained in his 34 career MLR games. Tasi was integral in helping the Houston SaberCats qualify for the postseason for the 4th season in a row, and started all 3 playoff games as Houston earned their first ever playoff victories as they defeated Rugby FC LA and the Utah Warriors to claim the Western Conference Title, before falling to the New England Free Jacks in the 2025 Championship game in Rhode Island. For his performance in 2025, Tautalatasi Tasi earned his first All-MLR selection when he was included in the All-MLR Second XV.

achievements

Nic Benn

Canada-eligible Australian Nic Benn played in Major League Rugby between 2023-2025. He represented the Toronto Arrows (2023), the Dallas Jackals (2024), and the Utah Warriors (2025).

Born in Newcastle, Australia to an Aussie father and a Canadian mother, Benn lived in British Columbia (where his mother was born and raised) between the ages of 4-9. He played with the Australia Sevens U18 side at the World School 7s in Auckland, New Zealand in 2019. Benn played with the Manly Marlins U20 side between 2020-2021, and represented the senior side in the 2022 Shute Shield competition in Australia. His initial move to MLR was announced by the Arrows in August 2022 ahead of the 2023 MLR season.

His debut season in North America was cut cruelly short by a shoulder injury in the Arrows’ season opener which ruled him out for the entire 2023 campaign. On 9th November 2023, the Toronto Arrows announced the return of Nic Benn for the 2024 MLR season, however in late November 2023 the Toronto Arrows and MLR announced that the Arrows would not compete in the 2024 season due to financial difficulties. A week later, the Rugby New York Ironworkers announced that they too would not compete in the 2024 season. In the subsequent Dispersal Draft for Toronto & NY players, Benn was selected 13th overall by the Dallas Jackals, who confirmed his signing for the 2024 season on 12th January, 2024.

Finally given a chance to play uninjured, Benn scored 5 tries in 16 games (15 starts) for the Jackals, racking up over 750m gained as they qualified for the post season for the first time in team history. Benn started both of their Playoff games in 2024 including their shock victory over the 14-2 Houston SaberCats, and scored 2 tries in the Western Conference Final against the Seattle Seawolves, as the Jackals fell in the final few minutes. Although Benn did earn his test debut with Canada in the summer of 2024, his luck in MLR did not improve. The Dallas Jackals announced that they would withdraw from the league shortly after the conclusion of the 2024 season, and Benn declared for the dispersal draft, his 2nd in as many seasons. He was selected 4th by the Utah Warriors, who confirmed Benn’s signing for 2025 on the 28th October, 2024.

achievements

  • MLR Team of the Week: 2025 – Rd 10
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2024 – Rd 6

Micaiah Torrance-Read

New Zealander Micaiah Torrance-Read represented the Toronto Arrows during the 2023 Major League Rugby season.

Toronto announced the signing of Torrance-Read in September 2022, joining from the Manawatu Turbos in New Zealand’s NPC competition, where ‘MTR’ has played since 2020. His debut MLR season was cut very short due to injury, a problem that mired Toronto’s 2023 season. He earned 2 MLR caps (both starts) before his season-ending injury, and headed back to New Zealand for reconstructive surgery in March of 2023.

Torrance-Read was announced as part of the Manawatu squad for their 2023 NPC season. It is unknown if he will return to MLR for 2024.

Achievements:

 

Seth Purdey

Canadian centre Seth Purdey played in Major League Rugby between 2023-2025. He represented Rugby ATL (2023) and Rugby FC LA (2024-2025).

A British Columbia native, Purdey attended Shawnigan Lake School with fellow MLR-er and RFCLA player Jack Shaw, playing hockey and rugby, captaining the school rugby side in 2017 and winning multiple Triple-A Boys Championships while there. Purdey travelled to the US for university, attending UC-Berkeley between 2017-2022, playing with the Cal Varsity rugby side while there and representing the Canada U19s and U20s in 2017 & 2018, respectively. He declared for the 2022 MLR Collegiate Draft and was selected in the 1st Round, 4th overall by Rugby ATL, who signed him for the 2023 season.

Purdey earned 7 appearances and 2 starts with Rugby ATL in his rookie season before a change in ownership saw the RATLers relocate to Los Angeles. Now Rugby FC LA, Purdey followed the side to California and scored his first MLR try in 2024, adding 10 appearances and 6 starts during RFCLA’s inaugural season. On December 6th, 2024, Rugby FC LA confirmed the signing of Seth Purdey for the 2025 MLR season. He enjoyed another productive season in LA in 2025, starting 4 of his 11 appearances and scoring a further two tries with 246m gained to help RFCLA qualify for the postseason for the first time in league history, where they fell to the Houston SaberCats in the Western Conference Semifinal. With RFCLA merging with the San Diego Legion to create the California Legion following the 2025 MLR season, it is not yet known if Seth Purdey will return to MLR for 2026.

Although Purdey has represented Canada at various age-grade levels, he is yet to earn his test debut. He was invited to train with the Canadian national side ahead of their 2024 Pacific Nations Cup campaign.

achievements
  • 2022 MLR Draftee: 1st Round (4th Overall) – Rugby ATL

Jordan Brown

Australian lock Jordan Brown represented Rugby ATL in Major League Rugby during their final season in Atlanta in 2023. He also represented the Toronto Arrows during the 2024 season.

Rugby ATL announced the signing of the 6’7 Brown in November 2022 ahead of the 2023 season. The then-21yo served mainly a reserve role in the Rugby ATL squad, earning 6 caps and 3 starts in his debut MLR season, scoring 1 try. On 31st July 2023, just days before Rugby ATL announced that a new onwership group had taken over and the team would be leaving Atlanta for Los Angeles, Jordan Brown was traded to the Toronto Arrows along with ATL standout Rewita Biddle in exchange for a 2024 International Player slot and 2024 Salary Cap Considerations (undisclosed). Toronto had a good relationship with Rugby ATL having spent the entire 2021 MLR season camped in Georgia, and picked up a number of players from ATL when their relocation was announced.

Contract Status: Signed through 2024

Achievements:

Ben Strang

New Zealand hooker Ben Strang played in Major League Rugby between 2023-2025. He represented Rugby ATL (2023) and Rugby FC LA (2024-2025).

He was signed by ATL in November 2022 on a long term deal that would have seen him in Atlanta through the 2025 MLR season. He has previously represented Manawatu in New Zealand’s NPC but on 30th June 2023 the Southland Stags announced Strang’s signing for their 2023 NPC season. Strang was born in Maryland and so qualifies as a domestic player in Major League Rugby.

He scored 1 try in 4 appearances (1 start) during 2023, gaining over 100m and completing 24 tackles in limited game time. Following the 2023 season, MLR and Rugby ATL announced that the ownership of the team had changed, and that the new ownership group would be relocating to Los Angeles (who had been without a team since the demise of the LA Giltinis) for the 2024 season, and the identity of Rugby FC LA was revealed in December 2023. Strang followed the team to Los Angeles and enjoyed a solid 2024 season, appearing in all 16 of RFCLA’s games, earning 11 starts and scoring 5 tries. He ran for just under 500m gained and finished 10th in MLR tackling, with 170 tackles completed. RFCLA missed the playoffs, but enjoyed solid performances for their inaugural season.

Strang had a contract through the 2025 MLR season with Rugby ATL, and it’s unclear if that contract has transferred to RFCLA, or if they had signed a new contract for the 2024 season. Regardless, on December 12th, 2024, Rugby FC LA confirmed the return of Ben Strang for their sophomore season in 2025.

achievements

  • 10th in MLR Tackling: 2024 (170)
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2024 – Rd 18
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2024 – Rd 12

Rewita Biddle

New Zealand born Fly-half/Fullback Rewita Biddle represented Rugby ATL during their final season in Atlanta, in 2023. He currently represents the Toronto Arrows, with whom he is signed through 2025.

Biddle’s signing was announced by ATL in October 2022 on a 3yr contract, relatively long for the fledgling MLR. He joined from Palmyra RFC in Australia having spent 2021-2022 playing with Slava Moscow in Russia. Biddle proved to be a breakout star for Atlanta during his debut MLR season, earning 13 caps and impressing almost immediately with an excellent try during the season-opening Fire and Ice Cup against the Toronto Arrows. In total, he scored 4 tries and 32pts in his debut year, gaining close to 1000m.

On 31st July 2023, just days before Rugby ATL announced that a new onwership group had taken over and the team would be leaving Atlanta for Los Angeles, Rewita Biddle was traded along with promising Australian lock Jordan Brown to the Toronto Arrows in exchange for an International Player slot and Salary Cap Considerations in 2024. Toronto had a good relationship with Rugby ATL having spent the entire 2021 MLR season camped in Georgia, and picked up a number of players from ATL when their relocation was announced.

Contract Status: Signed through 2025

Achievements:

  • MLR Team of the Week: 2023 – Week 10
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2023 – Week 1