Ma’ake Muti

US-eligible Tongan prop Ma’ake Muti played in Major League Rugby in 2021 and from 2025-2026. He represented the LA Giltinis (2021), the Miami Sharks (2025), and the California Legion (2026).

A native of Tongatapu, Tonga, Muti and his family moved to Hawaii in 2008. He was a multi-sport athlete while at Leilehua High School, competing in wrestling, captaining the track & field team, and winning the OIA Western Championship competing at shot put while also playing with the football team. During this time he was also playing club rugby with the Kalihi Raiders. He and his family (that includes his brother Netane Muti, currently a guard for the Detroit Lions in the NFL) became US citizens in December 2014. Ma’ake played football while attending Azusa Pacific University from 2014-2019, before returning to rugby following his graduation.

Muti was signed with the Dallas Jackals as a development player ahead of their planned entry into MLR in 2021, but once the Jackals pushed their entry to 2022, he signed with the LA Giltinis. He earned 6 MLR appearances with the Giltinis during their 2021 Shield-winning season, before joining the American Raptors. He played with the Raptors in Super Rugby Americas between 2021-2024. Perhaps because of the announcement that the Raptors would not be playing professional rugby in 2025, the Miami Sharks announced on November 7th, 2024 that they had signed Ma’ake Muti for their 2025 MLR season. He enjoyed a solid 2025 season with the Miami Sharks, starting 12 times and appearing in 16 of Miami’s 17 games in 2025 including the team’s only playoff game against the New England Free Jacks, which he started. He scored his 1st career MLR try that season on 78m gained, and recorded just under 100 tackles (91) to take his career total to 115. Following the withdrawal of the Miami Sharks during the 2025/26 MLR offseason, Ma’ake Muti headed to California and signed with the new-look Legion. He was announced by the team on 17th February, 2026.

achievements

MLR Team of the Week: 2025 – Rd 2
MLR Team of the Week: 2025 – Rd 1
2021 MLR Champion: LA Giltinis

Langilangi Haupeakui

Serupepeli Vularika

Mahe Vailanu

Christian Poidevin

Australian flanker Christian Poidevin played in Major League Rugby between 2021-2026. He represented the LA Giltinis (2021-2022), the San Diego Legion (2023-2025), and the California Legion (2026).

The son of Wallabies legend and 1991 RWC winning Captain Simon Poidevin, Christian’s signing was announced by the LA Giltinis in December of 2020, ahead of their inaugural MLR season in 2021. He joined from Randwick in the Shute Shield competition in Australia, a legendary Rugby club. In his first professional season in North America, Poidevin earned 12 caps with the Giltinis, scoring 2 tries. He started both of LA’s Championship Series games that season including the final, where the Giltinis saw off Rugby ATL (now LA) 31-17 to claim the MLR Shield in their inaugural season. Poidevin would appear in all 16 games of the 2022 regular season for LA, starting 14 times and adding 2 more tries to his total before the franchise was disqualified shortly before the 2022 playoffs, and eventually ceased operations in the offseason. He had completed 200 tackles in 2022 and finished T-10th in MLR in this category

Poidevin was selected by Rugby ATL (now Rugby FC LA) in the subsequent dispersal draft but chose to instead remain in Southern California, signing with the San Diego Legion ahead of the 2023 MLR season. He appeared in a 12 games during the Legion’s record-breaking 15-1 season, scoring 4 tries during the regular season and a 5th in the Championship Series, where he started both games for San Diego as they fell 24-25 to the New England Free Jacks in the Championship Final in Chicago.

On 13th October 2023, the San Diego Legion announced that they had signed Poidevin to a 3yr contract that would see him remain in California through the 2026 MLR season. With links to Chicago through his mother’s side of the family, this has led some to speculate that Poidevin may be eyeing a USA International cap in the future. On November 7th, 2024, the Legion confirmed his return for the 2025 season. Despite the Legion missing out on the postseason by a single point, Poidevin had an excellent 2025 season. He set a new career high with 8 tries scored in his 14 games, starting 11 times. He also added another 170 tackles to his total, and just under 300m gained in possession. For his considerable efforts, he was named as the 2025 San Diego Legion Player’s Player of the Year.

To confirm thoughts that Poidevin was eyeing a career as a USA Eagle, he was included in the USA’s 32-man squad for their July 2025 tests, and earned his debut as Eagle #593 against England. Following the merger of the San Diego Legion with Rugby FC LA to create the California Legion, Poidevin became the first player confirmed by the club for their 2026 campaign on 14th January, 2026.

Achievements:

MLR Team of the Week: 2026 – Rd 2
2025 San Diego Legion’s Player’s Player of the Year
MLR Team of the Week: 2025 – Rd 17
MLR Team of the Week: 2025 – Rd 12
MLR Team of the Week: 2025 – Rd 6
MLR Team of the Week: 2025 – Rd 2
2023 MLR Runner-Up: San Diego Legion
MLR Team of the Week: 2023 – Rd 16
MLR Team of the Week: 2023 – Rd 8
MLR Team of the Week: 2023 – Rd 5
MLR Team of the Week: 2023 – Rd 2
T-10th in MLR Tackling: 2022 (200)
MLR Team of the Week: 2022 – Rd 17
2021 MLR Champion: LA Giltinis

Billy Meakes

Australian centre Billy Meakes played in Major League Rugby between 2021-2026. He represented the LA Giltinis (2021-2022), the Chicago Hounds (2023-2024), Rugby FC LA (2025), and the California Legion (2026).

Billy Meakes’ signing was announced by the Giltinis in December of 2020 ahead of the 2021 season, joining from London Irish in the English Premiership where he was playing as injury cover following a few seasons with the Melbourne Rebels in Super Rugby. Meakes appeared in 10 regular season games and both Championship Series games (all starts) as the Giltinis claimed the MLR Shield in their first season in the competition, prevailing 31-17 over Rugby ATL (now Rugby FC LA) at the LA Coliseum. Meakes gained 913m with ball in hand that season, placing him 10th in MLR. He was selected as MLR Back of the Year for his performance during the 2021 season. Meakes followed up 2021 with 15 appearances (all starts) and 3 tries in the 2022 season, before the LA Giltinis were disqualified along with the Austin Gilgronis prior to the 2022 playoffs. Meakes was again selected MLR Back of the Year for his performance in 2022 and was one of only 2 players (with Rugby ATL‘s Johan Momsen) to earn 5 Team of the Week selections in the 2022 season. He also improved on his meters gained, recording an MLR-leading 1,553m gained with ball in hand.

In the subsequent Dispersal Draft, Meakes was selected 7th by the Chicago Hounds and represented them for the 2023 & 2024 seasons. He joined the Hounds a few weeks into the 2023 season due to visa issues, but still appeared in 14 of 16 games in the Hounds‘ inaugural MLR season and racked up over 1150m gained and over 150 successful tackles, scoring 1 try.

Through his first 3 seasons in MLR, Meakes earned 41 caps (all starts) and scored 6 tries. On 17th October 2023, the Chicago Hounds announced the return of Billy Meakes for the 2024 MLR season, where he would Captain the Hounds to their first ever playoff appearance, a victory over the NOLA Gold before falling to eventual Champions the New England Free Jacks in the Eastern Conference Final. In total, Meakes gained 1.084m in possession (8th in MLR) in 16 games (all starts, a career high) and completing 135 tackles. Meakes was named to the All-MLR Honorable Mention XV for his play in 2024.

On November 19th, 2024, Meakes announced on Instagram that he would not be returning to the Hounds for the 2025 season. Given that he resides in LA, where he co-owns a cafe, and his former Giltinis coach Stephen Hoiles is now the Director of Rugby & Head Coach at Rugby FC LA with his former Giltinis captain Dave Dennis serving as Assistant coach, all signs point to Meakes joining RFCLA for 2025. On December 5th, 2024, Rugby FC LA confirmed the signing of Billy Meakes for the 2025 season. Although LA got off to a rough start with 3 losses in a row, Meakes was instrumental in the team turning around their season, following 3 losses with 3 wins in which Meakes earned 3 MLR Team of the Week selections in a row. In total that season, Meakes earned 5 Team of the Week selections behind only Utah Warriors’ Frank Lochore in 2025. He helped RFCLA to qualify for the postseason for the first time in their history, where they fell 27-21 to the Houston SaberCats in the Western Conference Semifinal. For his efforts, Billy Meakes was names as the Rugby FC LA’s 2025 Back of the Year in their end of season awards, and was named to the 2025 All-MLR 1st XV, his fifth All-MLR selection.

Billy Meakes remained in California following the merger of Rugby FC LA with the San Diego Legion to form the California Legion, and was announced by the team ahead of their inaugural 2026 season on 28th January, 2026.