Joeli Tikoisuva

California native Joeli Tikoisuva played in Major League Rugby between 2018-2024. He represented the NOLA Gold (2018-2022), San Diego Legion (2023), and Dallas Jackals (2024).

A talented player at both 15s and 7s, Tikoisuva was one of the few players in MLR to play in the short-lived PRO Rugby competition, MLR’s spiritual predecessor with the Sacramento Express. His signing was announced in October 2017, ahead of MLR’s inaugural season in 2018. In his debut season, Tikoisuva featured in all 8 of NOLA’s games, starting 7 and scoring 2 tries. In his 4 seasons with the Gold, Joeli Tikoisuva earned 30 MLR caps (19 starts) and scored 11 tries, including a high of 6 in 2021.

For the 2023 season, Tikoisuva was apparently signed with the San Diego Legion, but this was never announced by the team. He did not earn any additional MLR caps during 2023, helping to hide the fact that he had moved from the Gold. The first most fans heard of Tikoisuva with the San Diego Legion was on September 25th, 2023 when he was traded from the 2023 Runners-up to the Dallas Jackals in exchange for scrum-half Danny Christensen. Tikoisuva earned a further 6 appearances for the Dallas Jackals in 2024, starting twice to take his career total to 21 starts in 36 games, scoring 11 tries with 130 tackles made and over 1,300m gained in possession.

Achievements:
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2021 – Round 16
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2021 – Round 2

Peter Reyes

New York forward Peter Reyes played in Major League Rugby during the 2022 season. He represented the Rugby New York Ironworkers for his entire MLR career.

A Brooklyn native, Reyes attended Wheeling University before transferring to Kutztown University and gratuating there while playing with the Men’s rugby team. Reyes declared for the 2021 MLR Collegiate Draft and was selected in the 3rd Round, 36th Overall by the Rugby New York Ironworkers, his local MLR side.

Reyes earned a contract with the Rugby New York MLR side for his rookie season, and earned his debut off of the bench in May of 2022 against the Toronto Arrows, during New York’s Shield winning season. Although Reyes did tour Columbia with the USA South Panthers, he did not appear at MLR level again after his debut.

Achievements

John Powers

New York native John Powers played in Major League Rugby between 2021-2026. He represented the Utah Warriors (2021), the Rugby New York Ironworkers (2022-2023) and Old Glory DC (2024-2026).

An Iona College graduate, Powers had been a member of the Ironworkers system prior to getting drafted, having been named the Rugby United New York U23 Development Academy Captain in 2019. He was drafted 7th overall in the first round of the first ever MLR Collegiate Draft by the Utah Warriors, and earned his MLR debut from the bench for the Warriors late in the 2021 season. On 4th January 2022, the Utah Warriors traded John Powers to Rugby New York (Powers’ hometown team) in exchange for NY‘s 3rd Rd Draft Pick in the 2022 draft. This pick was then traded by the Warriors to Rugby ATL (now Rugby FC LA) along with 2022 Cap Considerations in exchange for Coleson Warner. Rugby ATL traded NY’s 3rd Rd pick AGAIN, to the Houston SaberCats along with Marno Redelinghuys for Houston’s 1st Rd pick in 2022 (used to select Matt Gelhaus) and a short term loan for Kian Meadon. The pick involved in the trade for John Powers was eventually used by the SaberCats to select Brandon Karnes 39th overall, the last pick of the 2022 draft.

Powers spent 2 seasons with the Ironworkers between 2022-2023, appearing in 3 MLR games as NY advanced to the MLR Championship Final following a controversial end to the 2022 season, where they defeated the Seattle Seawolves 30-15 to lift the MLR Shield. He followed up his 2022 season with another 3 caps in 2023 before a leg injury ended his season prematurely. He was able to recover and played with NYAC during the American Rugby Premiership in the fall of that year. In early December 2023, the Rugby New York Ironworkers and MLR announced that the club would not take part in the 2024 season due to financial difficulties. In the subsequent Dispersal Draft for NY & Toronto players (the Arrows declared that they would not compete in 2024 a week prior to NY’s announcement), Powers was selected 19th overall by Old Glory DC, a signing which was confirmed by the Flags on 20th December, ahead of the 2024 season.

Powers set career highs across the board in 2024, earning his first 9 MLR starts and scoring his first two career tries in 15 appearances for Old Glory DC. He recorded over 50 tackles completed for the first time in his career, completing 7 of those in the Flags’ Eastern Conference Semifinals clash with rivals the New England Free Jacks. On December 11th, 2024, Old Glory DC confirmed the return of John Powers for his 5th season in MLR in 2025. Powers earned another 12 appearances for the Flags in 2025, starting twice, running for 172m gained as a scrum-half, and scoring a conversion to help Old Glory DC qualify for the post-season yet again. On 29th December 2025, Old Glory DC announced the return of John Powers for his 3rd season with the Flags in 2026, his 6th in MLR.

Achievements

Ishmail Shabazz

Oregon Native Ishmail Shabazz played in Major League Rugby between 2022-2024. He represented the Rugby New York Ironworkers (2022-2023), and Old Glory DC (2024).

Shabazz played rugby through his time at the University of Oregon between 2015-2019, and was named as the team’s MVP twice. Following his graduation he travelled to New Zealand to play with Te Awamutu Sports Rugby Club between 2020-2021, before playing with Pathway 404, Rugby ATL’s academy side, in the fall of 2021. Shabazz signed with the Rugby New York Ironworkers head of the 2022 season, and earned 3 appearances (2 starts) as the Ironworkers advanced to the Championship Final (following a controversial playoffs), defeating the Seattle Seawolves 30-15 in New York to lift the 2022 Shield. Shabazz returned for the Ironworkers in 2023, appearing in Round 18 of the regular season, scoring a try and gaining 101m with ball in hand, earning his first MLR Team of the Week selection.

Shabazz was under contract with the Ironworkers for the 2024 season, however in early December 2023, MLR and the club announced that they would not compete in the 2024 season, a week after the Toronto Arrows had announced the same thing. In the subsequent Dispersal Draft, Shabazz was selected 23rd overall by the Miami Sharks before being traded to Old Glory DC in exchange for 2024 Salary Cap Considerations (unknown). On 2nd January 2024, Old Glory DC confirmed the signing of Ishmail Shabazz for the 2024 season.

achievements

  • MLR Team of the Week: 2023 – Round 18
  • MLR Champion: 2022 (Rugby New York)