Chris Mattina

New York native Chris Mattina played in Major League Rugby between 2019-2024. He represented Rugby United New York (2019-2021), the Austin Gilgronis (2022), the Chicago Hounds (2023), and the San Diego Legion (2024).

Mattina played under Mike Tolkin (later the USA Eagles head coach and now runs the Premier Rugby 7s) at Xavier High School in NY between 2008-2011. Following high school, Mattina attended the University of Delaware between 2011-2016, captaining the team for 3 years, and was the team president in his final year. He played with NYAC in 2017 as the team advanced to the USA Rugby Division 1 Club XVs National Championship, losing to the Austin Huns, and he also delved into the world of Sevens, touring South America with the USA Falcons and playing in the Punta Del Este Sevens, in Uruguay and the Viña Del Mar Sevens in Chile. He continued his sevens career the following year, making 24 appearances in eight HSBC World Sevens Series Tournaments for the USA after debuting at the Sydney Sevens. He was signed with the San Diego Legion during 2018, but his Sevens commitments took priority. Mattina earned his test debut for the USA in August 2023 against Romania as Eagle #564. He was declared the Player of the Tournament during the La Vila Cup in November 2023.

Mattina signed with his hometown team, Rugby United New York, for their inaugural MLR season in 2019, scoring the first try in club history in the season opener. He earned 12 appearanced (all starts) during his debut season in MLR, scoring 41pts total (18/26 from the tee). Mattina played with New York for 3 seasons, earning 26 caps for the Ironworkers (21 starts), scoring 3 tries and 62pts total (23/36 from the tee). He moved to the Austin Gilgronis for the 2022 season, earning 12 caps with the AGs (7 starts) and scoring 2 tries, 17pts during the regular season. Prior to the 2022 Championship Series, the Austin Gilgronis were disqualified from the season (along with the LA Giltinis) for alleged salary cap violations, and folded shortly after. Mattina was selected by the Chicago Hounds in the subsequent Expansion/Dispersal draft, and represented them during their inaugural season in 2023. He appeared in all 16 games for the Hounds in the regular season (15 starts), scoring another try and 41pts total (15/19 from the tee), including a last minute kick to secure one of the Hounds’ 3 wins. His performance in the 2023 season earned him a place in the USA Eagles squad for their 2023 RWC qualifying campaign, where he earned his test debut and 4 additional caps that year.

Through his first 5 seasons in MLR, Mattina earned 54 caps in the competition, including 43 starts. He scored 6 tries and 120pts total (41/58 – 70.89% from the tee), and earned 5 Team of the Week Selections. On 28th December 2023, the San Diego Legion announced that they had signed Chris Mattina for the 2024 MLR season, where he added two further appearances off the bench. On November 23rd, 2024, Chris Mattina announced his retirement on Instagram after 6 seasons in MLR. He is heavily involved with the United States Rugby Players Association (USRPA) and the Major League Rugby Players Association (MLRPA) so he will still be around the game and the league, but off the field.

achievements

MLR Team of the Week: 2023 – Round 5
MLR Team of the Week: 2022 – Round 10
MLR Team of the Week: 2021 – Round 11
MLR Team of the Week: 2019 – Round 10
MLR Team of the Week: 2019 – Round 7

Julián Domínguez

Argentinian winger Julián Domínguez Widmer played in Major League Rugby between 2020-2025. He represented the NOLA Gold between 2020-2021, the Austin Gilgronis in 2022, and the Chicago Hounds between 2023-2025.

NOLA Gold announced the signing of Julián Domínguez in December of 2019 ahead of the 2020 MLR season. The former Los Pumas Sevens man joined from the Jaguares XV club playing in the Currie Cup First Division. Domínguez started all 5 games of the 2020 season, scoring 2 tries before the season was cancelled due to the global COVID-19 pandemic. He added 9 tries in 14 appearances (all starts) for the Gold in the 2021 season, gaining a PB 972m in possession and earning a selection in the All-MLR First XV that season. On 28th September 2021, the NOLA Gold traded Julián Domínguez to the Austin Gilgronis in exchange for 2022 Salary Cap Considerations (unknown) and Austin’s 1st Rd Draft Pick in 2022 (used to select Chase Jones).

Domínguez scored 6 tries in 12 regular season games (all starts) for the Gilgronis as they finished as the #1 seed in the Western Conference before being disqualified by MLR for alleged breaches related to the salary cap. The Austin Gilgronis would cease operations shortly after the conclusion of the 2022 season, along with the LA Giltinis. In the subsequent dispersal draft, the Chicago Hounds selected Julián Domínguez in the 3rd Rd (27th Overall) and the ferocious runner would represent the Hounds during their inaugural MLR season in 2023. He added 6 more tries to his total in 13 regular season games (all starts) for the Hounds in 2023 including a hattrick in their Rd 17 victory over the Utah Warriors, the very first hattrick in Hounds history.

To date, Domínguez has scored 31 tries in his 55 MLR caps (53 starts) across 5 seasons, including a high of 9 in 2021 when he finished T-5th League-wide. On 21st October 2023, the Chicago Hounds announced the return of Julián Domínguez for the 2024 MLR season, where he scored 8 tries in 11 games (9 starts) as the Hounds finished 3rd in the Eastern Conference and qualify for the MLR Playoffs for the first time in their history, where they defeated Dominguez’s former team the NOLA Gold en route to the Eastern Conference Final, where they fell to the eventual champions, the New England Free Jacks. Dominguez earned his 3rd All-MLR selection in 2024, as he was named to the Second XV. On January 9th, 2025, the Chicago Hounds confirmed the return of Julián Domínguez for a third season with the team in 2025, his 6th in Major league Rugby

Achievements:

2024 All-MLR Second XV
T-9th in MLR Try Scoring: 2024 (8)
MLR Team of the Week: 2024 – Rd 18
MLR Team of the Week: 2024 – Rd 17
MLR Team of the Week: 2024 – Rd 12
MLR Team of the Week: 2023 – Rd 17
Hattrick: 2023 – Round 17 (Chicago Hounds – 1st in club history)
2022 All-MLR Second XV
MLR Team of the Week: 2022 – Rd 9
MLR Team of the Week: 2022 – Rd 4
MLR Team of the Week: 2022 – Rd 1
T-5th in MLR Try Scoring: 2021 (9)
7th in MLR Meters Gained: 2021 (972m)
2021 All-MLR First XV
MLR Team of the Week: 2021 – Rd 14
MLR Team of the Week: 2021 – Rd 10
MLR Team of the Week: 2021 – Rd 7
5th in League Meters Gained: 2020 (380)
MLR Team of the Week: 2020 – Rd 3

Faka’osi Pifeleti

California-born front row Faka’osi Pifeleti played in Major League Rugby between 2018-2026. He represented the San Diego Legion (2018-2021, 2023-2024) the Austin Gilgronis (2022), and the Chicago Hounds (2025-2026).

Of Tongan heritage, Pifeleti moved to England at an early age. He played with the Saracens Storm with younger brother Kapeli Pifeleti, and they played together for the Legion in 2019 before Kapeli returned to Saracens in the English Premiership. Faka’osi spent his first 4 season in MLR with the San Diego Legion, earning 39 caps (26 starts) between 2018-2021 and scoring 4 tries. He was one of only two players in all 18 games for the Legion during their 2019 campaign (with Paddy Ryan), in which they advanced to the Championship Final, falling 23-26 to the Seattle Seawolves on the last play of the game. Following the 2021 season, Pifeleti earned his test debut for the United States in October, against the All Blacks.

Pifeleti signed with the Austin Gilgronis ahead of the 2022 season, earning 13 caps (7 starts) for the AGs during the regular season. Despite finishing at the top of the Western Conference, the Gilgronis were disqualified from the 2022 season (along with the LA Giltinis) prior to the Championship Series due to alleged salary Cap violations, and folded shortly afterwards. Pifeleti returned to the Legion for the 2023 season, earning another 15 appearances as they again advanced to the Championship Final, this time falling 24-25 to the New England Free Jacks in Chicago. Through the 2023 season, Pifeleti had earned 67 caps in Major League Rugby (46 starts), 54 of them with the Legion, and scored 8 tries total. Despite an impressive career in MLR, Pifeleti only earned his first Team of the Week selection in 2023

On 27th December 2023, the San Diego Legion announced the return of Faka’osi Pifeleti for the 2024 MLR season, where he added 5 further appearances (3 starts) during an injury-affected season. On 1st November 2024, the Chicago Hounds announced the signing of Faka’osi Pifeleti for the 2025 MLR season. It is unclear if the Hounds acquired Pifeleti via a trade, or if he signed as a free agent. Pifeleti earned a career high 15 starts in 2025, starting all of his appearances for the Hounds and recording his first 100+ tackle season with 110, taking his career total over 500. On 17th December 2025, the Chicago Hounds announced the return of Faka’osi Pifeleti for his 2nd season with the Hounds, and 9th in Major League Rugby

achievements

MLR Team of the Week: 2025 – Rd 16
2023 MLR Runner-Up: San Diego Legion
MLR Team of the Week: 2023 – Rd 15
17th Player in MLR history to reach 50 caps (May 21, 2022)
2019 MLR Runner-Up: San Diego Legion

Marcel Brache

California born utility back Marcel Brache played in Major League Rugby between 2022-2025. He represented the Austin Gilgronis (2022) and the San Diego Legion (2023-2025).

At test level, Marcel Brache earned his debut for the USA in November 2016, and is Eagle #503. He represented the USA at the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan, and played with the Eagles through their qualifying campaign for the 2023 RWC in France. Raised in South Africa, Brache attended the University of Cape Town and played in the 2010-2011 Varsity Cup. He played with Western Province between 2010-2013 in the Currie Cup and Vodacom Cup, and made his Super Rugby debut with the Stormers in 2012. Brache moved to Australia and played with the Perth Spirit in the Western Force system between 2014-2017, and the Western Force itself between 2014-2021.

Following his time with the Western Force, Brache signed with the Austin Gilgronis ahead of the 2022 MLR season. He appeared in 13 regular season games for the AGs, starting 12 and scoring 1 try. The Gilgronis finished the regular season as the #1 team in the Western Conference, but prior to the Championship Series, both the Gilgronis and their sister team, the LA Giltinis, were disqualified due to alleged Salary Cap violations. Following these announcements and the subsequent folding of both franchises, Brache signed with the San Diego Legion ahead of the 2023 MLR season. He earned a career high 14 appearances (all starts) in the Legion’s record 15-1 season as they advanced to the Championship Final, where they fell 24-25 to the New England Free Jacks.

On 23rd December 2023, the San Diego Legion announced the return of then-36yo Marcel Brache for the 2024 MLR season where he added another 2 tries in 14 games (13 starts) and recorded over 750m gained to take his career total over 2,300m. On November 13th, 2024, the San Diego Legion announced the return of Marcel Brache for his 4th MLR season in 2025, his 3rd with the Legion. Brache earned his 50th MLR appearance during the 2025 season, starting 5 of his 12 appearances and adding 2pts with his first successful MLR place kick. The Legion fell short of playoff qualification that season by a single point, finishing with an 8-8 record.

Following the Legion’s elimination from the 2025 season, the San Diego Legion and Brache announced his retirement from rugby. The USA Eagle finished with 5 tries scored and 33pts, starting 44 of his 53 MLR appearances. He completed over 300 tackles and gained just shy of 2,500m in possession in his MLR career.

achievements

2023 MLR Runner-Up: San Diego Legion
MLR Team of the Week: 2022 – Round 2

Ryan Louwrens

South African scrum-half Ryan Louwrens represented the Austin Gilgronis in Major League Rugby’s 2022 season.

One of the stand-out scrum-halves of the 2022 season, Louwrens earned 14 caps for the AGs (12 starts), recording 633 passes for a success rate of 88.78% and earning 2 Team of the Week nods.

On 30th June, 2022 it was announced that Louwrens had signed with the Melbourne Rebels in Super Rugby, on a 2yr deal.

MLR Honours:

2022 Team of the Week – Round 5
2022 Team of the Week – Round 17
2022 Honourable Mention XV

Mark O’Keeffe

Irish centre/wing Mark O’Keeffe played in Major League Rugby between 2019-2026. He represented Rugby United New York (2019-2020), Rugby ATL (2021), the Austin Gilgronis (2022), and the Chicago Hounds (2023-2026).

Prior to MLR, O’Keeffe played with Lansdowne FC in Division 1A of the Ulster Bank All-Ireland League. He had also played with the Leinster U19s and Connacht U20s in his youth. His initial move stateside was announced by Rugby United New York in January 2019 ahead of their inaugural season in MLR that year. He earned 14 caps in his debut season (13 starts), scoring 4 tries as the Roosters made the playoffs in their first season. O’Keeffe remained in New York for the 2020 season, earning 3 more caps (all starts) and another try before COVID-19 shut the season down after only 5 rounds.

O’Keeffe has been a stalwart in the starting lineups of every team he has been in, earning a total of 67 caps (61 starts) across 4 MLR franchises through the 2024 regular season, and has played in the inaugural seasons of 2 of those clubs, Rugby United New York in 2019, and the Chicago Hounds in 2023. While representing Rugby ATL in the 2021 season, O’Keeffe earned 4 MLR Team of the Week selections, only NY’s Nate Brakeley received more (5). For his performance in 2021, he was awarded an All-MLR 2nd XV selection. O’Keeffe has scored over 5 tries in 2 seasons, with a high of 8 in 14 games (all starts) for the Austin Gilgronis in 2022 when he finished T-7th league-wide in try scoring and 9th league-wide for Meters Gained, with 1,215m, bettering his effort from 2021 earning an All-MLR 1st XV selection. As of the conclusion of the 2024 season, O’Keeffe had scored 25 tries in MLR, placing him T-9th All-Time.

Along with his 2021 All-MLR 2nd XV and 2022 All-MLR 1st XV selections O’Keeffe has earned 11 Team of the Week selections, at least two for every team he has represented. On 22nd November 2023, the Chicago Hounds announced the return of Mark O’Keeffe for the 2024 MLR season, just before the start of which it came out that World Rugby had granted O’Keeffe US-eligibility along with fellow Irishman and former New York and ATL teammate Will Leonard. This means that for matchday rosters, O’Keeffe will count as a domestic player rather than against the team’s international count. On November 16th, 2024, O’Keeffe earned his international debut for the USA as Eagle #584 in a dominant 36-17 victory over Tonga in France.

On January 9th, 2025, the Chicago Hounds announced the return of Mark O’Keeffe for a third season with the team, and 7th in Major League Rugby. That year, he added a 26th career MLR try, starting 7 of his 12 appearances after suffering an injury early in the year. He passed 400 career tackles completed and added 231m gained for 4770m in his career, the 6th highest MGained total in MLR history. On 28th October 2025, the Chicago Hounds announced the return of O’Keeffe for a 4th season as a Hound, and 8th in MLR.

Achievements:

MLR Team of the Week: 2026 – Rd 3
MLR Team of the Week: 2023 – Rd 5
MLR Team of the Week: 2023 – Rd 1
T-7th in MLR Try Scoring: 2022 (8)
9th in MLR Meters Gained: 2022 (1,215m)
2022 All-MLR 1st XV Selection: 2022 Austin Gilgronis
MLR Team of the Week: 2022 – Rd 11
MLR Team of the Week: 2022 – Rd 3
MLR Team of the Week: 2022 – Rd 1
2021 MLR Runner-Up: Rugby ATL
2021 All-MLR 2nd XV Selection: Rugby ATL
MLR Team of the Week: 2021 – Rd 9
MLR Team of the Week: 2021 – Rd 8
MLR Team of the Week: 2021 – Rd 5
MLR Team of the Week: 2021 – Rd 3
MLR Team of the Week: 2019 – Rd 9
MLR Team of the Week: 2019 – Rd 7

Lui Sitama

Samoa-born utility back Lui Sitama played in Major League Rugby between 2021-2023. He represented the Austin Gilronis (2021), Rugby ATL (2022), and the Dallas Jackals (2022-2023).

A product of American International College, US-eligible Samoan Lui Sitama was selected 4th overall by the Austin Gilgronis in the inaugural MLR Collegiate Draft in 2020. He earned his MLR debut in his rookie season with 1 appearance off the bench, gaining 40m in possession. Sitama signed with Rugby ATL ahead of the 2022 season, and earned 6 appearances with the RATLers including his first 3 MLR starts, scoring 2 tries before being traded to the Dallas Jackals on 3rd May 2022 along with Jalen Tatum in exchange for Salary Cap Considerations. Sitama would score a 3rd try for the Jackals in 3 games (all starts) in 2022.

Sitama stayed with the Dallas Jackals for their 2023 campaign, scoring a 4th career try and starting 7 of his career high 12 appearances, completing over 50 tackles for the second season in a row.

achievements

MLR Draftee: 2020 – 1st Round (4th overall) – Austin Gilgronis

Sidney Shoop

Indiana native Sidney Shoop played in MLR between 2021-2024. He represented the Austin Gilgronis (2021-2022) and the Chicago Hounds (2023-2024).

Shoop went to AC Reynolds High School in North Carolina, playing football to the school while also travelling to South Carolina to play rugby with South Greenville RFC. Between 2017-2018 he attended 2 Eagle Impact Rugby Academy, before being recruited by the University of Arizona in 2018 and attending a Rugby Americas North Combine in 2019 in Glendale, Colorado. Later that year, Shoop headed to the PNW to play with Seattle RFC in the BC Premier League for the 2019/20 season. In the fall of 2020 he played with Rugby ATL’s academy side, Pathway 404.

Shoop earned a MLR contract with the Austin Gilgronis ahead of the 2021 season, earning 4 appearances for the AGs in his debut season, followed up by another 6 appearances for Austin in 2022, scoring his 1^st MLR try. The Gilgronis finished as the #1 seed in the Western Conference but were disqualified from the 2022 season (along with their sister team, the LA Giltinis) for alleged salary cap violations. Following the 2022 season, both the Gilgronis and the Giltinis folded and in the subsequent dispersal/expansion draft, Shoop was selected 39^th overall by the Chicago Hounds expansion side. Shoop signed with the Hounds for their inaugural MLR season in 2023, adding 7 appearances to his resume including his first 5 MLR starts.