Caleb Strum

Virginia native Caleb Strum played in Major League Rugby between 2022-2025. He represented the Austin Gilgronis (2022), the Chicago Hounds (2023), and Anthem RC (2024-2025).

Marshall, VA winger Caleb Strum attended the University of Alabama, helping them to win the LAI college bracket while there. He declared for the 2021 MLR Collegiate Draft and was selected in the 1st Round, 7th Overall by the Austin Gilgronis. He spent most of his rookie season with the AG Outlaws academy side, but did break through to the MLR level to earn two appearances from the bench.

Following his rookie season, Strum signed with the Chicago Hounds for their inaugural season in MLR. He scored his first MLR try and started 3 of his 6 games during a tough first year for the Hounds, earning 242m gained in possession and completing 27 tackles, both career highs. Ahead of the 2024 MLR campaign, Strum was included in the Anthem RC player pool where his previous club was listed as Rugby FC LA. NARDB is unaware how Strum ended up with RFCLA. He spent the 2024-2025 seasons with the Anthem RC side, but is yet to earn his team debut at the MLR level.

achievements

Asa Carter

Oklahoma back row Asa Carter played in Major League Rugby between 2022-2024. He represented the Austin Gilgronis (2022), the Dallas Jackals (2022), and the Houston SaberCats (2023-2024).

A Tulsa native, Carter played with Arkansas State University and declared for the 2021 MLR Collegiate Draft where he was selected in teh 2nd Round, 20th Overall by the Austin Gilgronis. Carter spent the fall of 2021 with the Austin Gilgronis’ academy side, the Austin Outlaws, earning a full MLR contract for the 2022 season. He earned 2 caps for the AGs before being traded to the Dallas Jackals along with Campbell Robinson, 2022 Cap Considerations (unknown) and Austin’s 2nd Rd pick in 2022 (20th overall, used to select Matias Caramuti). The Jackals had experienced an off-the-field incident and had suddenly found themselves with a large number of injuries, so needed to bring in replacements. Carter earned a further 6 caps for the Jackals, 5 of which were starts.

In late March 2023, a few weeks into that year’s MLR season, the Houston SaberCats announce the signing of Carter for the remainder of the 2023 season. He earned 5 caps for the ‘Cats, joining an elite club of MLR players who have represented all 3 Texas teams in MLR. On 21st December 2023, the Houston SaberCats announced the return of Asa Carter for the 2024 MLR season. Although he made no additional starts in 2024, Carter earned a career high 9 appearances and took his career tackles over 100 for the SaberCats that year. He did not feature in MLR in 2025, and is instead playing with the Austin Blacks in Texas.

AChievements

Ronan Murphy

California native Ronan Murphy played in Major League Rugby during the 2022 season, and again between 2024-2026. He represented the Austin Gilgronis (2022), the Houston SaberCats (2024-2025), and the California Legion (2026).

A former USA U20 player and Rudy Scholz Award nominee, Murphy joined the Austin Gilgronis organisation after playing at Trinity College in Dublin. He earned 3 MLR caps (all starts) with the AGs in 2022 before the team was disqualified from the 2022 MLR season and ceased operations shortly after the season’s conclusion. Murphy signed with the American Raptors crossover team during their Fall season, and toured with the USA Falcons to Uruguay. He stayed with the Raptors for their inaugural season in Super Rugby Americas in 2023, earning a number of SRA Team of the Week selections.

On 5th October 2023, the Houston SaberCats announced the signing of Ronan Murphy for the 2024 MLR season, where he appeared in all 17 SaberCats games, starting 15 of them and scoring 6 tries, as well as gaining over 400m in possession and finishing T-8th in MLR Tackling, with 172 completed. The SaberCats finished as the top MLR team during the regular season with a record of 14-2, but were stunned by the Dallas Jackals in the Western Conference Semifinal, falling 22-34 to their Texas rivals. On November 15th, 2024, the Houston SaberCats announced the return of Ronan Murphy for their 2025 campaign where he scored a 7th MLR try and started 2 of his 6 games in an injury-affected season, helping the Houston SaberCats to a 14-2 regular season record, and finishing the year as a MLR Runner-up with the ‘Cats.

With the surprise withdrawal of the Houston SaberCats from MLR during the 2025/26 off-season, Murphy returned to his native California to sign with the California Legion ahead of their inaugural season in 2026. The team announced the addition of Ronan Murphy on 9th February, 2026.

Achievements:

  • 2025 MLR Runner-Up: Houston SaberCats
  • T-8th in MLR Tackling: 2024 (172)
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2024 – Rd 1

Payton Telea-Ilalio

California native Payton Telea-Ilalio played in Major League Rugby during the 2022 season, and again between 2024-2026. He represented the Austin Gilgronis (2022), the San Diego Legion (2024-2025), and Anthem RC (2026).

While playing with St. Mary’s College, the American prop won the Rudy Scholtz award during the 2019/20 season, recognising the best collegiate rugby player in the US. He was signed by the Austin Gilgronis in April 2022 for the remainder of that year’s MLR season, and earned 5 appearances (2 starts), scoring 2 tries. Following Austin’s disqualification and subsequent cessation of operations following the 2022 season, Telea signed with the American Raptors for their inaugural season in Super Rugby Americas in 2023.

Telea-Ilalio earned 12 appearances (8 starts) and scored 2 tries for the Raptors in the predominantly South American competition. Following his season with the Raptors, a then-25yo Payton Telea-Ilalio returned to MLR and signed with the San Diego Legion ahead of the 2024 season. This signing was announced by the Legion on 3rd November 2023. Telea scored 1 try in 14 games (10 starts) for San Diego in 2024 as the Legion qualified for the playoffs with a 11-5 record, where he earned a MLR Team of the Week selection for his performance in Round 10. He started their Western Conference Semifinal clash with the Seattle Seawolves, as they fell 30-28 to their MLR rivals.

Following the 2024 MLR season, Telea was included in the USA Eagles squad for their 2024 PNC campaign, and earned his debut as Eagle #580 off the bench in the PNC 3rd place playoff, as the USA fell 18-13 to Samoa in a tight game in Japan. On 1st November 2024, the San Diego Legion announced the return of Payton Telea-Ilalio for the 2025 MLR season. He earned a career high 13 starts for the Legion in 2025, scoring 1 try and recording 133 tackles to more than double his career total. Telea-Ilalio earned 3 MLR Team of the Week nominations in 2025 despite a disappointing season for the San Diego Legion as a whole, who missed out on the postseason by a single point. Following the Legion merging with Rugby FC LA in the 2025 offseason to create the California Legion, Telea-Ilalio tested the market as a free agent and on 15th November 2025, Anthem RC announced his signing for their 2026 season.

achievements

  • MLR Team of the Week: 2025 – Rd 11
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2025 – Rd 9
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2025 – Rd 3
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2024 – Rd 10

Luke Beauchamp

Australian Flanker Luke Beauchamp played in Major League Rugby from 2019-2023, representing the Houston SaberCats (2019-2021), Austin Gilgronis (2022) and Chicago Hounds (2023). He captained the SaberCats for most of the 2021 season, and was named Vice-Captain of the Chicago Hounds ahead of their inaugural 2023 season.

A former Australia u19 player, Beauchamp earned 32 MLR caps in his 3 seasons with the SaberCats, before moving to Texas rivals Austin for what would turn out to be the Gilgronis’ last season in MLR, as they were disqualified along with LA prior to the 2022 Championship Series. Beauchamp was selected by expansion side Chicago in the subsequent dispersal draft, and signed there for the Hounds’ inaugural MLR season in 2023.

On 14th July, 2023, Beauchamp announed the end of his professional playing career. He earned 49 MLR caps in his 5 seasons in the competition.