Neil Trainor

US-born Canadian hooker Neil Trainor played in Major League Rugby during the 2025 season. He represented Anthem RC for his entire MLR career.

Trainor was born in Columbia, MD and moved to Stratford, Ontario at a young age. He began playing rugby while at Stratford Northwest Secondary School between 2015-2019, also playing with Stratford Blackswans RFC U18s from 2016-2018, and continues to play with the Blackswans senior side at club level (2019- present). Trainor played with the Onatio U18 side before attending Queen’s University in the fall of 2019, playing with the Golden Gaels 2nd XV from 2019-2020, and the 1st XV from 2021-2023. He finished as an Ontario University Athletics (OUA) silver medallist twice with the Gaels, in 2021 & 2023, and played with the Toronto Arrows senior academy in the summer of 2023, lifting the Coast-to-Coast Cup.

Neil Trainor declared for the 2024 MLR Collegiate Draft and was selected 2nd overall by Anthem RC, becoming the highest drafted Canadian in MLR history. Following his graduation from Queen’s, Trainor joined Rugby Canada’s Development Academy, the Pacific Pride, and played there until the MLR Pre-season camps opened, when he reported to Anthem RC, who included him on their full 2025 roster on January 21st, 2025. Having been born in the US and therefore eligible to play for the USA, Anthem’s signing of Trainor have led many to speculate that he may be in Scott Lawrence’s sights for the USA Eagles, rather than the Maple Leaf.

Trainor earned his MLR debut for Anthem RC off of the bench in their Round 11 clash with the Seattle Seawolves. This was his only MLR action during his rookie season

Achievements

2024 MLR Draftee: 1st Round (2nd Overall) – Anthem RC

NARDB Player #1,371

Erich Storti

Californian centre Erich Storti played in Major League Rugby between 2025-2026. He represented Anthem RC for his entire MLR career.

A native of Concord, CA, Storti was a stand-out at high school level at De La Salle HS, and followed in the footsteps of his father Marty by attending St. Mary’s College. Storti played rugby for the Gaels and helped them to a D1A National Championship in the spring of 2024, earning MVP honours in the final. Storti has already had a sniff with the USA National Team when he was called up to the squad in the summer of 2024, but had to wait a few months for his test debut. He became Eagle #582 in November 2024 against Portugal.

Storti declared for the 2024 MLR Collegiate Draft and was selected 1st overall by Anthem RC, who confirmed the signing of Erich Storti when they revealed their full 2025 roster on January 21st, 2025. He was one of six draftees selected from St. Mary’s College in 2024. Storti started the season strongly, scoring two tries in his first 3 games and earning his first MLR Team of the Week selection in Round 3, where Anthem fell to the Miami Sharks in a knife-edge 31-32 game. In his rookie season, Storti started 11 of his 12 appearances and gained over 350m in possession, recording 76 tackles in defence. On 7th November 2025 while Storti was on tour with the USA national team for their November tests, Anthem RC announced the return of Erich Storti for his 2nd MLR campaign in 2026.

achievements

MLR Team of the Week: 2025 – Rd 7
MLR Team of the Week: 2025 – Rd 3
2024 MLR Draftee: 1st Overall Pick – Anthem RC

NARDB Player #1,370

Lone Ika

Utah native Amulone ‘Lone’ Ika played in Major League Rugby during the 2025 season. He represented the Utah Warriors for his entire MLR career.

Born in Spanish Fork, UT, and raised in Tonga, Ika attended Liahona high school in Tonga, and represented the Tonga U20 side in the 2014 World Rugby U20 Trophy, where he played on the wing. In 2016, Ika headed to Australia and joined the Western Sydney Two Blues for the 2016 Shute Shield season. Following this, he dipped his toe into rugby league, playing with the Avondale Wombats in New South Wales between 2017-2018, before heading back to Utah and joining the Provo Steelers as player/coach in 2019. Following the COVID-19 pandemic he returned to Australia, representing the Western Sydney Two Blues once again, for the 2024 Shute Shield season.

Ika returned to Utah following the Shute Shield season in 2024, where he took up a position as Assistant Coach with the Utah Valley University (UVU) rugby team, in the Rocky Mountain Conference D1A. On January 20th, 2025, the Utah Warriors announced the signing of Lone Ika for their 2025 MLR campaign, his first in the competition. His signing was announced alongside 2023 MLR draftee Ronnie McElligott.

NARDB Player #1,369

Blake Makiri

New Zealand winger Blake Makiri played in Major League Rugby during the 2025 season. He represented the Utah Warriors for his entire MLR career.

A native of Auckland, Makiri played rugby through his time at Sacred Heart College, also playing for club side Manurewa. He joined the Counties Manukau NPC side in 2023 and earned his NPC debut that year at the age of 21. Makiri has played in the NPC with Counties Manukau for two seasons, in 2023 & 2024.

The Utah Warriors announced the signing of Blake Makiri for the 2025 season on 16th January 2025, 10 days after pre-season training camps opened.

NARDB Player #1,368

Aidan King

Australian back row Aidan King played in Major League Rugby between 2025-2026. He represented the NOLA Gold (2025) and Old Glory DC (2026).

Hailing from Brisbane, King attended The Anglican Church Grammar School which boasts alumni such as David Pocock and Quade Cooper, and played rugby for ‘Churchie’ before enrolling at Penn State University and heading to the US. King attended for his undergraduate degree between 2020-2024, and declared for the 2024 MLR Collegiate Draft where he was selected in the 1st round, 6th Overall, by the NOLA Gold. The Gold confirmed the signing of King, as well as Penn State teammate Dalton Musselman, when they released their full roster for the 2025 season on January 10th, 2025.

Despite a disappointing season for the NOLA Gold as a whole, Aidan King recorded a solid, arguably Rookie of the Year calibre season. He started 9 of his 14 appearances, scoring 1 try and recording 122m gained in possession with a very impressive 166 tackles. While undoubtedly on the shortlist, King missed out on Rookie of the Year to Chicago’s Peyton Wall.

Following the MLR season in August 2025, the NOLA Gold announced their withdrawal from the League and as a result, Aidan King explored the open market. On 9th November 2025, Old Glory DC announced the signing of Aidan King for his sophomore season in 2026.

achievements:

MLR Team of the Week: 2025 – Rd 11
MLR Team of the Week: 2025 – Rd 7
2024 MLR Draftee: 6th Overall – NOLA Gold

Dalton Musselman

Pennsylvania native Dalton Musselman played in Major League Rugby during the 2025 season. He represented the NOLA Gold for his entire MLR career.

A native of Coatesville, Musselman attended Bishop Shanahan High School, captaining the school team prior to his graduation in 2019, after which he attended Penn State University. During his time there, he also Captained the Penn State team and played with the USA Sevens team. He declared for the 2024 MLR Collegiate Draft and was selected in the 2nd round, 18th Overall, by the NOLA Gold. The Gold confirmed Musselman’s signing when they released their full roster for the 2025 season on January 10th, 2025.

Musselman earned his MLR debut off the bench during the Gold’s Round 12 clash with the San Diego Legion in California.

Achievements:

2024 MLR Draftee: 18th Overall – NOLA Gold

NARDB Player #1,366

Isikeli Kava

Hawaiian flanker/prop Isikeli Kava played in Major League Rugby during the 2025 season. He represented Old Glory DC for his entire MLR career.

A native of Honolulu, HI, Kava played football and volleyball while at Liahona High School making him a perfect candidate for the American Raptors crossover program, which he joined in 2021. Although listed as a flanker, Kava had been making the transition to the front row while with the Raptors, and earned a spot in their 2024 Super Rugby Americas squad. Following the 2024 SRA season, Kava travelled to Australia and played with the Gungahlin eagles in the ACTRU Premier Division and, after the news that the Raptors would not play professional rugby in 2025, he joined Old Glory DC for the 2025 season, with the Flags confirming the signing on January 9th, 2025.

NARDB Player #1,365

Chase Jones

Californian lock/flanker Chase Jones played in Major League Rugby between 2023-2026. He represented the NOLA Gold (2023-2025) and the California Legion (2026).

A native of Davis, CA, Jones was a High School All-American in 2017 while playing rugby at Dixon High, before attending St. Mary’s College of California between 2017-2021. In 2019 Jones was selected for the USA U20s, and played with the Gaels when they finished as D1A Runners-Up in 2022 while studying for his Masters degree. He declared for the 2022 MLR Collegiate Draft and was selected in the 1st Round, 6th overall by the NOLA Gold, signing with them ahead of the 2023 season and playing with their Academy side in the Fall.

Unfortunately for Jones, he suffered an Achilles injury that ruled him out of the entire 2023 MLR season, and the rehab of which sidelined him for much of the 2024 season as well. On January 8th, 2025, the NOLA Gold announced the return of Chase Jones for 2025, where he finally earned his Pro debut. Jones scored his first MLR try in Round 8 against Anthem RC, and was selected for the MLR Team of the Week for his performance. In total, Jones started 8 of his 11 appearances for the Gold, delivering 91 tackles completed and running for 72m in possession.

Jones’ bad luck continued following the 2025 MLR campaign, as the NOLA Gold announced that they would not participate in the League’s 2026 season. On 28th February 2026, the California Legion announced the addition of Chase Jones for the 2026 campaign.

Achievements:

MLR Team of the Week: 2025 – Rd 8
2022 MLR Draftee: 1st Round (6th Overall) – NOLA Gold

NARDB Player #1,364

Cian Darling

Irish back row Cian Darling played in Major League Rugby between 2024-2025. He represented the NOLA Gold for his entire MLR career.

Born and raised in Dublin, Ireland, Darling attended Colaiste Choilm in Swords, and represented Leinster at U18 & U19 levels while also playing with Skerries RFC with whom he was an All-Ireland U19 finalist. Darling moved to the US in 2018, attending Wheeling Jesuit University until 2019 before transferring to rugby powerhouse Lindenwood University. He attended Lindenwood between 2019-2023 and was a regular starter for the Lions throughout his time there while also serving as lineout coach. In 2021, he won the NCR Collegiate Rugby Championship with the school’s Sevens team.

Darling declared for the 2023 MLR Collegiate Draft and was selected in the first round, 7th overall by the NOLA Gold. He spent 2024 with the NOLA Gold academy side and New Orleans RFC, and on January 8th, 2025 the Gold confirmed the return of Cian Darling for a second MLR season in 2025. In his sophomore year, Darling earned his MLR debut and started 1 of his 3 appearances during a challenging season for the NOLA Gold. He gained 18m in possession and completed 24 tackles.

With the NOLA Gold announcing their withdrawal from MLR in August 2025, Cian Darling’s future in the league is currently unclear.

Achievements

2023 MLR Draftee: 1st Round (7th Overall) – NOLA Gold

NARDB Player #1,363

Tavius Sykora-Matthess

Iowa native Tavius Sykora-Matthess played in Major League Rugby during the 2025 season. He represented the Chicago Hounds for his entire MLR career.

A multi-sport athlete, Sykora-Matthess played football and 7s while at Washington High School, as well as wrestling (a sport with valuable transferrable skills to rugby). He played football at college level at Missouri Southern State University before transferring to Iowa Central Community College and focussing on rugby. He was named a Collegiate All-American in 2022, the same year he represented the USA U23 team.

Tavius Sykora-Matthess also toured South America with the USA Falcons in a busy 2022 before joining the American Raptors for their Super Rugby Americas season in 2023, where he played for two seasons. Following the announcement that the Raptors would not operate in 2025, Sykora-Matthess played with the Chicago Hounds academy side during the fall of 2024 and, on January 6th, 2025, the Hounds announced the signing of Tavius Sykora-Matthess for their 2025 MLR season. He first appeared in a matchday 23 during Round 12, when he started on the bench during the Hounds’ home clash with the Miami Sharks, a 14-7 victory in which Sykora-Matthess earned his MLR debut.