Rory van Vugt

New Zealand fullback/wing Rory van Vugt played in Major League Rugby between 2020-2021, and again from 2024-2026. He represented Rugby ATL (2020-2021), Rugby FC LA (2024-2025), and the California Legion (2026).

Van Vugt played international touch rugby for New Zealand between 2017-2018 before turning his focus to the contact game. He joined the Southland Stags in NZ’s National Provincial Championship (NPC) in 2018 and has played with them every year since.

Rugby ATL signed van Vugt ahead of the 2020 season, scoring 1 try in 3 games (all starts) before the COVID-19 pandemic cancelled the season after only 5 rounds. He returned to ATL for the 2021 season, scoring 2 tries in 13 additional appearances (all starts) for the RATLers as they advanced to the MLR Championship Final, falling to the LA Giltinis 31-17. Van Vugt returned to NZ between 2022-2023, playing with the Super Rugby Highlanders in 2022. He returned to MLR ahead of the 2024 season, signing with a rebranded, relocated ATL, now Rugby FC LA. He scored another 2 tries in 9 games (8 starts) for LA in their inaugural season.

On 27th June 2024, the Southland Stags announced that van Vugt would once again be returning to the NPC for their 2024 campaign, and on December 3rd 2024, RFCLA announced the return of van Vugt for his 4th MLR season in 2025. Van Vugt set career highs across the board in 2025, scoring 6 tries and 32pts and starting all 14 of his appearances for Rugby FC LA, helping their to their first ever postseason appearance. Van Vugt completed 69 tackles on defence, and finished 8th League-wide in Meters Gained, with 850m. Rory van Vugt remained in California following Rugby FC LA’s merger with San Diego to form the California Legion, with the team announcing his signing on 3rd February, 2026.

achievements
  • 8th in MLR Meters Gained: 2025 (850m)
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2025 – Rd 5
  • 2021 MLR Runner-Up: Rugby ATL

Cronan Gleeson

Irish prop Cronan Gleeson played in Major League Rugby between 2020-2021, and again in 2025. He represented Rugby ATL (2020), the San Diego Legion (2021), and Rugby FC LA (2025).

Gleeson started playing rugby at the age of 5 in Ireland with Nenagh Ormond. He represented the Munster U18, U19, and U20 sides and also played with the Ireland U18. He played with Shannon RFC between 2012-2014, for their U19, and U21 sides, as well as their senior side in the All-Ireland League. Following this, Gleeson headed to France and joined the Stade Montois academy in the Pro D2. After a year in France Gleeson headed to Australia and played with Perth Palmyra before joining the Newcastle Falcons in the English Premiership for the 2015/16 season. Gleeson ticked Spain off his list in 2017, playing with Gexto Artea before joining Connacht for their 2016/17 season as well as Old Wesley in the All Ireland League first division, before joining Munster and playing there between 2017-2019.

Gleeson began his first MLR stint with Rugby ATL in the truncated 2020 season, starting 2 of his 4 games before the season shut down after 5 rounds. The following year, he joined the San Diego Legion, scoring his first MLR try and starting 4 of his 13 games. Following the 2021 MLR season, Gleeson headed to Romania and played with ACS Tomitanii Constanta before heading back to England, playing with Hartpury College in the Championship. Following his time with Hartpury, he headed back to Australia and joined the Randwick Galloping Greens for their Shut Shield winning 2023 season.

On December 19th, 2024, Rugby FC LA announced the signing of Cronan Gleeson for their 2025 MLR season.

Harley Wheeler

California born, Tennessee raised wing/fullback Harley Wheeler played in Major League Rugby between 2020-2026. He represented the NOLA Gold (2020-2025) and Old Glory DC (2026).

Born in Long Beach, CA and raised in Knoxville, TN, Wheeler followed his brother to the rugby field at the age of 14 for South Doyle High School. He attended Life University, playing for the Running Eagles between 2016-2019, he helped lead the team to three USA Rugby D1A XV National Championships and was a 2019 Rudy Scholz Award Winner.

Wheeler represented the USA U20s against Canada, and played with the USA Falcons on their South American tour in 2019. He signed with the NOLA Gold ahead of the 2020 season, and appeared in 4 games (starting 3) before the season was cancelled after 5 rounds due to COVID-19. After a year out of MLR, he returned to the Gold in 2022, and scored 6 of his 10 career tries in 15 games (13 starts). In total, Wheeler has earned 38 appearances (29 starts) for the Gold through the 2024 season, completing over 150 tackles and gaining just shy of 1,700m gained in possession.

On January 4th, 2025, the NOLA Gold announced the return of Harley Wheeler for his 5th MLR season in 2025, where he started 4 of his 5 appearances in a down year for the NOLA Gold, but still scored 2 tries to take his career total to 10 tries in 43 MLR games, starting 33 times. Following the announcement in August 2025 that the NOLA Gold were withdrawing from Major League Rugby, Harley Wheeler became a free agent and on 30th November 2025, Old Glory DC announced the addition of Wheeler for the 2026 season, his 6th in the competition.

Jeremy Misailegalu

Washington State native Jeremy Misailegalu played in Major League Rugby between 2018-2021, and again between 2024-2025. He represented the Seattle Seawolves (2018), the Utah Warriors (2019), Rugby ATL (2020-2021), and the Houston SaberCats (2024-2025).

Misailegalu attended New Mexico Highlands University, where his rugby career took off. He represented the University at National Small College Rugby Organization (NSCRO) 7s National Championships in 2015 & 2016, where they were victorious both years. He also played at Rugbytown 7s for Denver 7s Selects. In 2017, Misailegalu headed to New Zealand to hone his game at teh 7s level with Canterbury & Christchurch, before returning to the USA to take part in the inaugural MLR season.

Misailegalu represented the Seattle Seawolves during the 2018 season, earning 4 appearances (3 starts) in the regular season as the Seawolves finished 2nd in the league with a 6-2 record, before advancing to the Championship Final and defeating the Glendale Raptors 19-23 to lift the first ever MLR Shield. Misailegalu signed with the Utah Warriors for his 2nd season in MLR, earning 11 appearances (8 starts) and scoring his first MLR try. Following his season with the Warriors, Misailegalu signed with Rugby ATL where he played for 2 seasons, earning 4 appearances (all starts) in 2020 before the seasonw as cancelled after 5 rounds. He had an excellent 2021 season with the RATLers and was the only player in the league to appear in the maximum possible 18 games, 16 in the regular season and both of Rugby ATL’s Championship Series games as they made the Championship Final before falling to the LA Giltinis 31-17 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

Misailegalu was let go by Rugby ATL prior to the 2022 season, and played with Old Blue in the ARP as well as the Experts in the PR7s and the NAV 7s side. He returned to MLR ahead of the 2024 season, signing with the Houston SaberCats where he scored 4 tries in 13 games (11 starts) as the SaberCats recorded a league-best 14-2 regular season that year. Misailegalu did not feature for Houston in the post season, but was confirmed as returning for the SaberCats on December 4th, 2024. In his sophomore season with the ‘Cats, Jeremy Misailegalu scored another 2 tries in 11 appearances, helping the SaberCats to qualify for the postseason for the 4th consecutive year. He finished as a MLR Runner-Up for the 2nd time in his career after the ‘Cats fell to the New England Free Jacks in the 2025 Championship.

Jeremy Misailegalu spent the 2025/26 offseason playing professionally in Poland, where he represented RC Arka Gdynia in the Ekstraliga.

achievements

Matt Heaton

Quebec native Matt Heaton played in Major League Rugby between 2020-2025. He represented Rugby ATL (2020-2023) and followed the franchise when a new ownership group relocated the team to Los Angeles to represent Rugby FC LA (2024-2025).

Heaton played rugby through High School in Canada, and played club rugby with Saint-Anne-De-Bellevue Rugby Club, the Dog River Howlers, and the Atlantic Rock. He represented the Canadian U20 side at the World Rugby Trophy competition and the IRB Americas Rugby Championship in 2013, and earned his full test debut for Canada against Japan in June 2016. Heaton earned 31 caps between 2016-2021, and represented Canada at the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan. At club level, Heaton played in the lower tiers of English rugby between 2015-2019, Captaining Nat 1 side Darlington Mowden Park in their 2018/19 season, before returning to North America.

Heaton signed with Rugby ATL ahead of their inaugural season in 2020, appear in 4 of ATL’s 5 games before the season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. He had completed 70 tackles in those 4 games, and was tied for 3rd in MLR with teammate Johan Momsen at the time the season shut down. Across his 4 MLR seasons with the RATLers, Heaton earned 44 caps (all starts) for the team, tied for 4th in team history. This includes the 2021 MLR Championship Final, when ATL fell to the LA Giltinis 31-17 at the famous Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. He scored 6 tries in total but his real value was as a formidable tackler. He completed 635 tackles as a member of ATL and was regularly an MLR Top 10 Tackler, passing 200 tackles in a season once, in 2023 when he finished 5th in MLR tackling.

As with Rugby ATL, Heaton was a member of the Leadership group for Rugby FC LA in their inaugural MLR season under new ownership, and earned his 50th MLR cap in the first half of the 2024 campaign. He scored 1 try in 12 games for RFCLA during their inaugural season, completing 166 tackles to take his career total to over 800. On December 16th, 2024, Rugby FC LA confirmed the return of Matt Heaton for their sophomore season in 2025.

Contract Status: Signed through 2026

achievements
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2025 – Rd 14
  • 50 MLR Caps – 2024 – RD 9
  • 5th in MLR Tackles: 2023 (215)
  • 2021 MLR Runner-Up: Rugby ATL
  • T-8th in MLR Tackling: 2021 (184)
  • T-3rd in MLR Tackling: 2020 (70)

Stefan Willemse

South African lock/back row Stefan Willemse played in Major League Rugby during the 2020 season. He represented Rugby ATL for his entire MLR career.

Willemse came up through the domestic system in his native South Africa, playing with the Blue Bulls U19 side in 2011, the Sharks U21 side in 2012, and the Eastern Province U21 side in 2013. He played senior rugby with the Eastern Province in the Vodacom Cup between 2013-2014. He is a bit of journeyman, having represented the Southern Kings, Western Province, Eastern Province, and the Pumas between 2016-2019.

Willemse signed with Rugby ATL ahead of their inaugural season in MLR in 2020, appearing in all 5 games before the COVID-19 pandemic cancelled the season, starting 4 of them. He finished 10th in MLR for tackling at the time the season shut down. He did not return to MLR for 2021, instead playing with the Griquas back in the Currie Cup in South Africa.

achievements
  • 10th in League Tackling: 2020 (59)