Paul Mullen

US-capped Irishman Paul Mullen has played in Major League Rugby since 2018. He has represented the Houston SaberCats (2018-2019), the San Diego Legion (2020), the Utah Warriors (2021-2024), NOLA Gold (2025), and Old Glory DC (2026) during his MLR career.

From the Aran Islands off the west coast of Ireland, Mullen played age-grade rugby for Munster under-18s, 19s, and 20s, as well as for Ireland under-19s before moving to Texas in 2011, completing both his undergradate and Master’s degrees at Texas A&M University. He was signed by the Houston SaberCats ahead of MLR’s inaugural season in 2018, earning 3 caps (all starts) with the ‘Cats and impressed enough for a USA Eagles selection, for whom he qualified on residency, and earned his debut as Eagle #525. Mullen has earned 39 caps for the national team in his career so far.

He returned for the SaberCats in 2019, earning 7 further caps (4 starts) before joining the San Diego Legion for the truncated 2020 season, where he started all 5 games before the season’s cancellation. Mullen then joined the Utah Warriors whom he represented between 2021-2024. Mullen was the 43rd player in MLR history to achieve 50 caps in the competition. On 13th November 2023, the Utah Warriors announced the return of Paul Mullen for the 2024 MLR season, where he earned a further 15 appearances (11 starts) to take his career total to 49 starts in 72 MLR games for 3 teams across 7 seasons. On October 2nd, 2024, Mullen was included in an announcement by the Utah Warriors, bidding farewell to 17 players who would not return for the 2025 season. On October 30th 2024, the NOLA Gold announced the signing of Mullen for their 2025 campaign, where he started 11 of his 16 appearances and recorded a career high 115 tackles, the 2nd 100+ tackle season of his career took his career total well over 500.

Following the NOLA Gold’s withdrawal from MLR in August 2025, Mullen became a free agent. On 7th December, Old Glory DC announced the addition of Paul Mullen for his 9th MLR season in 2026, with the Flags serving as Mullen’s 5th team.

Achievements:

MLR Team of the Week: 2022 – Round 11
All-MLR First XV: 2018
MLR Team of the Week: 2018 – Round 7
MLR Team of the Week: 2018 – Round 5

Born in American Samoa and raised in Samoa, Pagopagohokma Taeaomua ‘Pago’ Haini, played in Major League Rugby between 2018-2025. He represented the Houston SaberCats (2018), the New England Free Jacks (2019-2020), the LA Giltinis (2021), the Rugby New York Ironworkers (2022-2023), and the Seattle Seawolves (2024-2025).

Haini played with the Samoa U19 side in 2010, and the Wellington U20s in New Zealand in 2011. Born on American Samoa and so US-Eligible, Haini represented the USA at the Wellington Sevens in 2017 and played at the HSBC Sevens Series in Sydney. Haini signed with the Houston SaberCats ahead of MLR’s inaugural season in 2018, earning 4 caps from the bench. He moved to the New England Free Jacks for their exhibition season in 2019, and was signed with them for their inaugural season in 2020, but did not make an appearance before the COVID-19 pandemic cancelled the season after only 5 rounds. Haini signed with the LA Giltinis prior to the 2021 season, and earned a career best 13 appearances for LA, including his first 5 MLR starts, as the Giltinis advanced to the MLR Championship Final, defeating Rugby ATL 31-17 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

Haini signed with Rugby New York ahead of the 2022 season, and earned 3 appearanced before injury forced him to the sidelines, during which time he featured as a sideline reporter for New York home games. That season, NY advanced to the MLR Championship Final and defeated the Seattle Seawolves 30-15 in New York, giving Haini his 2nd Championship in as many seasons. He returned for the Ironworkers in 2023, earning an additional 8 caps (7 starts) and racking up over 370m gained with ball in hand. Through 5 seasons in MLR (not counting the Free Jacks’ exhibition season), Haini earned 28 MLR caps (14 starts) and scored 5 tries.

Following the announcement in early December 2023 that the Rugby New York Ironworkers would not compete in the 2024 season due to financial difficulties, Haini opted in to the Dispersal Draft for NY and Toronto players (the Arrows had announced a week prior to NY that they would also not be competing in the 2024 season) and was selected 20th overall by the Seattle Seawolves. His signing was then confirmed by Seattle on 16th December 2023, ahead of the 2024 season. Haini scored 1 try in 8 games for the Seawolves (7 starts), racking up a PB 371m gained as the Seawolves advanced through the San Diego Legion and Dallas Jackals on their way to their 4th (and Haini’s 3rd) MLR Championship game, where Haini came off the bench in a 11-20 defeat to the New England Free Jacks.

Pago Haini returned for a second season with the Seattle Seawolves in 2025 after being included on their complete roster when it was announced on January 14th, 2025.