Rufus McLean

US-born Scottish winger Rufus McLean played in Major League Rugby between 2025-2026. He represented the Houston SaberCats (2025) and the Seattle Seawolves (2026).

Boston-born Rufus McLean played rugby while at Merchiston Castle School and also played with Watsonian FC in the Scottish Super 6 competition. He entered the Glasgow Warriors system and earned his URC debut at the age of 20 in the 2020/21 season. McLean has represented Scotland at U18 & U20 levels, and scored a pair of tries on his test debut for Scotland against Tonga in October 2021. He continued to represented the Glasgow Warriors until early 2023, when his contract was terminated after McLean was convicted of abusing his girlfriend over a period of two years. He was issued a 10-year non-harassment order and sentenced to 120 hours of community service.

In January 2024, the American Raptors announced the signing of Rufus McLean for the 2024 Super Rugby Americas season, where he was named the Raptors’ Player of the Year. Following the news that the Raptors would not play Pro rugby in 2025, McLean signed with the Houston SaberCats on January 23rd, 2025 for the 2025 season. McLean scored 4 tries and started all 15 of his appearanced for the SaberCats in 2025, gaining 673m in possession to help Houston qualify for the postseason for the 4th season in a row with a 10-6 record, where they earned the first playoff victories in team history. McLean started all of Houston’s playoff games in 2025 as they defeated Rugby FC LA and the Utah Warriors to claim the Western Conference Title, before falling to the New England Free Jacks in the 2025 Championship game in Rhode Island. McLean was an All-MLR Honorable Mention for his 2025 season.

Having been born in Boston, rufus McLean was controversially included in the USA Eagles squad for their July tests. He became US-eligible on July 16th, 2025 and earned his test debut as Eagle #595 on July 19th in a 5-40 defeat against England in Washington DC. Following the surprise withdrawal of the Houston SaberCats from Major League Rugby in the 2025/26 off-season, Rufus McLean became a free agent and on 26th December 2025, the Seattle Seawolves announced that they had added him for their 2026 campaign.

achievements

NARDB Player #1,381

Rhys Mitchell

South African lock Rhys Mitchell played in Major League Rugby during the 2025 season. He represented Anthem RC for his entire MLR career.

A native of Richards Bay in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal, Rhys Mitchell attended Westville Boys High School between 2019-2024, playing rugby throughout. On August 8th, 2024, IPM Rugby announced that 19yo Rhys Mitchell had signed with Anthem RC for the 2025 MLR season. On January 21st, 2025, this was confirmed when Anthem RC revealed their full roster for 2025, including Mitchell.

NARDB Player #1,380

Quinton Tindel

Californian prop Quinton Tindel played in Major League Rugby during the 2025 season. He represented Anthem RC for his entire MLR career.

A native of San Diego, CA, Tindel attended university at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, where he was named a Collegiate All-American twice and was chosen to tour South America with the California Grizzlies in 2022. The year before that, Tindel had attended the Western Province International Rugby Institute in South Africa, aiming to up his game.

On 30th August 2024, the College Rugby Association of America announced that Quinton Tindel had signed with Anthem RC on a Homegrown Player Contract. This was confirmed when Anthem RC revealed their complete 2025 roster on January 21st, 2025

NARDB Player #1,379

Le’Donn Mathis

Ohio native Le’Donn Mathis played in Major League Rugby during the 2025 MLR season. He represented Anthem RC for his entire MLR career.

A native of Cincinnati, OH, Mathis began playing rugby while attending Withrow University High School, thanks to coach Nathan Myers. He played at Withrow for two years before graduating and enrolling at Iowa Central Community College. He played rugby at ICCC for 3 years before switching to rugby powerhouse Lindenwood University, earning CRAA All-American 2nd team honours with the Lions in 2022 & 2024, and helping the team to the 2024 Midwest Rugby Conference title.

Thanks to his play at Lindenwood, Mathis was chosen as one of 50 players to attend MLR Rising, a high performance combine prior to the 2024 MLR Collegiate Draft where he was selected in the 2nd Round, 24th Overall, by Anthem RC. His signing was confirmed when Anthem RC revealed their complete 2025 roster on January 21st, 2025.

NARDB Player #1,378

Ishma-eel Safodien

US-Eligible South African scrum-half Ishma-eel Safodien played in Major League Rugby between 2025-2026. He represented Anthem RC for his entire MLR career.

A native of Cape Town, Safodien attended Rondebosch Boys’ High School, the same school as Anthem RC teammate Graeme Pedegana. He represented his school during the 2019 Craven Week before graduating and enrolling at Life University in the United States. Safodien played for the Running Eagles from 2020 until his graduation in 2024, captaining the team for the 2023/24 season and earning a Rudy Scholz nomination that same year.

Following his graduation from Life U, Anthem RC signed Ishma-eel Safodien to a Homegrown Player Contract for the 2025 MLR season, during which he will become US-eligible on residency. This signing was confirmed when Anthem RC announced their complete 2025 roster on January 21st, 2025. In his debut MLR season, Safodien scored 2 tries in 13 appearances, starting 3 times and gaining over 150m in possession as a 9, completing 38 tackles. On December 9th, 2026, Anthem RC announced the return of Ishma-eel Safodien for his 2nd MLR season in 2026.

NARDB Player #1,377

Ethan Howard

Californian back row Ethan Howard played in Major League Rugby during the 2025 season. He represented Anthem RC for his entire MLR career.

A native of Huntington Beach, CA, Howard attended Orange Lutheran High School while also playing rugby with the San Clemente Rhinos, where he played from 2013-2018 before joining the Back Bay Sharks youth team from 2019-2020. Howard attended Davenport University between 2020-2024 alongside fellow Anthem player Colin Turner. While playing with the Panthers, Howard was selected to represent the USA U18 and U23 teams, and was named a Collegiate All-American.

Following his graduation, Anthem RC signed Howard to a Homegrown Player Contract for the 2025 season. Ethan Howard’s signing was confirmed when Anthem RC revealed their full 2025 roster on January 21st, 2025.

NARDB Player #1,376

EJ Freeman

Georgia native Ernest ‘EJ’ Freeman played in Major League Rugby between 2025-2026. He represented Anthem RC for his entire MLR career.

Born in Marietta, GA to Liberian parents, EJ Freeman moved to Frankfurt, Germany when he was 13 where he discovered rugby in the non-traditional rugby nation. Freeman picked up German quickly and progressed through the German age-grade sides, playing with the German U18 Sevens team as well as the German U18 & U20 XV sides. After a number of years in Germany, Freeman headed to England, attending Sedbergh Boarding School in Cumbria where he was moved from the center to the back row. Following his time in England, Freeman headed back to the United States, enrolling at the University of Arizona where he represented the Wildcats from 2020-2024.

While at UofA, Freeman was selected for the USA U20 side and was nominated for the Rudy Scholz award twice. He declared for the 2024 MLR Collegiate Draft and was selected with the 1st pick of the 2nd Round, 13th Overall by Anthem RC. His signing was confirmed by Anthem when they revealed their full roster for 2025. In his debut professional season, Freeman started 7 of his 13 appearances and scored his first professional try, racking up over 125m gained in possession and completing 72 tackles on defence. On 29th November 2025, Anthem RC announced the return of EJ Freeman for their 2026 campaign, alongside Alejandro Martinez Tapia.

achievements
  • 2024 MLR Draftee: 13th Overall (2nd Rd) – Anthem RC

 

Colin Turner

Californian flanker Colin Turner played in Major League Rugby during the 2025 season. He represented Anthem RC for his entire MLR career.

A native of Irvine, CA, Turner attended Woodbridge High School before enrolling with Davenport University, where he played with the Panthers between 2020-2024. While at Davenport, Turner was included in the USA Selects squad for the 2021 Americas Pacific Challenge competition. Following his graduation from Davenport, Anthem RC signed Colin Turner to a Homegrown Player contract, and included him when they released their full roster for 2025 on January 21st, 2025.

NARDB Player #1,374

Ashawnty Staples-Flowers

Ohio native Ashawnty Staples-Flowers played in Major League Rugby during the 2025 season. He represented Anthem RC for his entire MLR career.

A native of Toledo, OH, Staples-Flowers attended Calvin M. Woodward High School, playing club rugby with the Toledo Junior Celtics. He was named Mr. Rugby Ohio in 2019 before enrolling at Notre Dame College, which he attended from 2019-2024. He helped the Falcons to a 2023 NCR D1 Championship and was included on the Goff Report’s D1 Hot 100 list in 2024. Staples-Flowers delcared for the 2024 MLR Collegiate Draft and was selected with the 1st pick of the 3rd Round (25th Overall) by Anthem RC, becoming just the 3rd player to have been drafted out of Notre Dame College.

On January 21st, 2025, Anthem RC included Ashawnty Staples-Flowers when their revealed their full roster for 2025.

achievements
  • 2024 MLR Draftee: 25th Overall (3rd Rd) – Anthem RC

NARDB Player #1,373

Alejandro Martinez Tapia

Ohio native Alejandro Martinez ‘Alex’ Tapia played in Major League Rugby between 2025-2026. He represented Anthem RC for his entire MLR career.

A native of Hilliard, OH, Tapia attended Davidson High School where he first started playing rugby before attending rugby powerhouse Lindenwood University between 2020-2024. He was invited to a USA Sevens team camp in 2023, and earned First Team All-American honours in 2024. He plays his club rugby with Charlotte Rugby Club’s ARP side, and was signed by Anthem RC on a homegrown player contract. Tapia was included when Anthem revealed their full roster for the 2025 season on January 21st, 2025. In his debut MLR season, Martinez Tapia started 9 of his 12 appearances for the Rising Stars, completing 90 tackles and running for 178m gained in possession.

On November 29th, 2025, Anthem RC announced the return of Alejandro Martinez Tapia for the 2026 season, along with EJ Freeman.

NARDB Player #1,372