Beaudein Waaka

Former All-Blacks 7s player Beaudein Waaka Played in Major League Rugby between 2020-2023. He represented the New England Free Jacks for his entire MLR career.

Waaka was a near-unanimous choice for league MVP in 2022 following his switch from full-back to fly-half, and finished as the 2nd highest MLR points scorer with 151 (135 regular season), behind only Seattle Seawolves fly-half, AJ Alatimu.

2022 was Waaka’s 2nd 100+ pt season, finishing with 105 in 2021 (4th overall). He was the New England Franchise leader for Points Scored (270), Playoff Points Scored (16), Penalties Scored (27), and Conversions Scored (65) until Jayson Potroz surpassed him in 2024. Additionally, at the conclusion of the 2022 season he was part of a 3-way tie for 2nd highest try scorer for the Free Jacks, on 11 along with John Poland & Dougie Fife. Waaka’s overall kicking success rate in MLR is 73.98% (92/125).

On July 1st, 2022, it was announced that Waaka would be joining the Kobelco Kobe Steelers in Japan. With his contract in Japan expiring at the end of April 2023, Waaka re-committed to the New England Free Jacks through the 2025 MLR season and re-joined the Free Jacks ahead of their 2023 Championship Series campaign, lifting the shield as MLR Champions after defeating the San Diego Legion 24-25 in Chicago. On May 31st 2023, Manawatu announced that they had signed Waaka for the 2023 & 2024 Bunnings NPC seasons. Despite signing a contract with the Free Jacks through the 2025 season, Waaka joined the Mazda Skyactivs Hiroshima in Japan’s League One Division Three which rules him out for the majority of the 2024 MLR season, although he could return for a playoff push.

Achievements:
  • 2023 MLR Champion: New England Free Jacks
  • All-MLR 1st XV: 2022 (New England Free Jacks)
  • 2022 MLR Player of the Year
  • 2nd in MLR Scoring: 2022 (151)
  • 2022 Team of the Week – Round 1
  • 2022 Team of the Week – Round 3
  • 2022 Team of the Week – Round 5
  • 2022 Team of the Week – Round 12
  • 2020 Team of the Week – Round 1
  • 4th in MLR Scoring: 2021 (105)
  • 2021 Team of the Week – Round 16

Tadhg Leader

Irish fly-half Tadhg Leader played in major League Rugby between 2018-2020. He represented the San Diego Legion (2018), the NOLA Gold (2019), and the New England Free Jacks (2020).

 

Kyle Ciquera

Connecticut native Kyle Ciquera played in Major League Rugby between 2020-2026. He represented the New England Free Jacks for his entire MLR career.

Ciquera took up rugby mid-way through his time at Bishop Hendricken High School while also playing football and hockey. He attended St. Bonaventure University between 2015-2019, playing rugby throughout where he was named a three-time 1st team D1A Rugby East All-Conference and a three-time Collegiate All-American. Ciquera played with the New England Free Jacks during their ‘Cara Cup’ exhibition season where they faced the ‘A’ sides of all four Irish Provinces.

Ciquera began his MLR career as a reserve prop, earning 12 appearances from the bench between 2020-2021, but came into his own during the 2022 where he earned his first 10 starts in MLR and 14 appearances. He has represented the Free Jacks for 5 MLR seasons, and has been a regular starter since 2022, earning a total of 56 appearances, and 33 starts since 2022. His only MLR try to date came in 2023. He was a significant contributor to the Free Jacks’ back-to-back Shield campaigns in 2023 & 2024, coming off the bench in the 2023 Final against the San Diego Legion. Ciquera is one of the few founding Free Jacks remaining with the team.

On October 16th, 2024, the Free Jacks announced the return of Kyle Ciquera for the 2025 MLR season where he had relatively limited involvement during New England’s successful threepeat, starting 2 of his 7 appearances to help the team lift their (and Ciquera’s) 3rd successive Shield and scoring just his 2nd career try in 63 MLR appearances for the New England Free Jacks.

achievements

Jackson Thiebes

Montana native Jackson Thiebes played in Major League Rugby between 2020-2021, and again between 2024-2025. He represented the New England Free Jacks for his entire MLR career.

The Oregon-born lock attended the University of Montana between 2013-2017, excelling at both gridiron Football and Rugby. He is a member of Mystic River Rugby Club in New England and represented the New England Free Jacks during their exhibition season in 2019. He stuck with the Free Jacks for their inaugural MLR season in 2020, earning 3 appearances (all starts) through the first 5 games before the season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. When the league returned Thiebes started all 16 of the Free Jacks’ games during the regular season as they fell short of a playoff spot in 2021, and was signed through the 2022 season but opted to step away from the game to focus on his career outside of rugby. He finished T-8th in MLR for tackles completed during the 2021 season, tying with Rugby ATL’s Matt Heaton on 184.

On 20th December 2023, the New England Free Jacks announced the return of Jackson Thiebes for the 2024 MLR season, where he served as a depth player earning 3 starts and 8 further appearances, helping the Free Jacks to the 2024 playoffs where they lifted their second of back-to-back MLR Shields, Thiebes’ first. On October 29th, 2024, the Free Jacks announced the return of Thiebes for the 2025 season.

achievements:

  • 2024 MLR Champion: New England Free Jacks
  • T-8th in MLR Tackling: 2021 (184)
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2021 – Round 7
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2021 – Round 5

Quentin Newcomer

Virgina native Quentin Newcomer played in Major League Rugby from 2020-2025. He represented the New England Free Jacks (2020-2022) and Old Glory DC (2023-2025).

A native of Fairfax, VA, Newcomer attended Oakton High School before attending Virginia Commonwealth University from 2015-2018. Newcomer began playing rugby while at college, playing with Steamboat Springs Rugby Club for two seasons and also joining the James River Rugby Club. Newcomer can play both loosehead and tighthead prop, and played with the New England Free Jacks in their exhibition season, the Cara Cup, in 2019. He remained with the Free Jacks as they entered MLR, earning 24 appearances (9 starts) for New England between 2020-2022.

In September 2022, the New England Free Jacks traded Newcomer to their rivals Old Glory DC in exchange for 2023 Salary Cap Space, and Old Glory’s 2nd Rd Pick in the 2023 MLR Collegiate Draft, which the Free Jacks used to select 2024 Rookie of the Year Junior Gafa. Newcomer has earned 27 appearances (6 starts) in his first two seasons with the Flags, scoring a try each season as Old Glory DC qualified for the post-season both years, falling to Newcomers former team, the Free Jacks, both years. To date Newcomer has 51 MLR appearances (15 starts), scoring 3 tries and completing 170 tackles to date. On December 1st, 2024, Old Glory DC announced the return of Quentin Newcomer for his 6th MLR season in 2025.