Papa Matelau

Utah back rower Papa Matelau played in Major League Rugby during the 2025 season. He represented the Utah Warriors for his entire MLR career.

A native of Salt Lake City, Matelau played rugby through high school at East High School before joining the Utah Warriors Academy in 2021. Matelau is a USA U18 player, touring with the age-grade side to face Uruguay and Argentina in South America. Matelau was one of the first additions announced by the Utah Warriors ahead of their 2025 season.

NARDB Player #1,295

Tielu Sagala

California born, Utah raised center/wing Ammon Tielu Sagala played in Major League Rugby during the 2025 season. He represented the Utah Warriors for his entire MLR career.

Sagala is a native of Herriman, UT and was an All-State rugby player for 3 years during high school, winning 3 State 7s Championships and 3 State 15s Championships. He attended Brigham Young University and finished as national Runners-up. Sagala was drafted 16th overall out of BYU in the 2024 MLR Collegiate Draft by the Utah Warriors, and was among the first new additions announced by the Warriors for their 2025 campaign.

achievements

 

NARDB Player #1,294

Cole Semu

New Zealand born Center Cole Semu played in Major League Rugby between 2025-2026. He represented the Utah Warriors (2025) and the California Legion (2026).

Born in Auckland, Semu moved to Washington at the age of 8 where he discovered rugby when he was 12, playing with Chuckanut Bay RFC. He travelled to Chile with the California Grizzlies U23 team and has played with the USA u18, u20, and u23 teams.

Semu was drafted 28th overall in the 2024 MLR Collegiate Draft out of Brigham Young University by the Utah Warriors, and attended the Utah Warriors Pro ID camp in early October 2024. Semu was among the first new additions announced by Utah ahead of their 2025 season. In his rookie season, Semu started 8 of his 10 appearances and scored his first career MLR try during their Round 16 victory over Anthem RC, for which he was named to the MLR Team of the Week. Semu helped the Warriors finish the regular season as the top team in MLR. Following the withdrawal of the Utah Warriors in late 2025, Semu joined a number of former Warriors in California, signing with the Legion who confirmed this addition on 6th March, 2026.

achievements
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2025 – Rd 16
  • MLR Draftee: 28th Overall (3rd Rd), 2024 – Utah Warriors

 

NARDB Player #1,293

Steffan Hughes

Welsh center Steffan Hughes played in Major League Rugby during the 2025 season. He represented Old Glory DC for his entire MLR career.

Having played his club rugby with Llanelli RFC since 2011, Hughes was recruited by his local Pro 12 (now the URC) team, the Scarlets where he began playing in 2013, the same year he began representing the Wales u20 side, which he earned 21 caps with and reached the 2013 Junior World Cup Final before captaining the side into the Junior Six Nations & Junior World Cup in 2014. Hughes represented the Scarlets over 100 times between 2013 & 2022, securing the Pro 14 title in 2017 and first captained the side in the 2017/18 season. Hughes was named full captain of the Scarlets for the 2019/20 & 2020/21 seasons. He moved from the Scarlets to the Dragons as short-term injury cover for the 2022/23 URC season, but was signed to a full contract after impressing in Newport. He was named as Captain of the Dragons for the 2023/24 URC season, after which he made the move to MLR.

Old Glory DC announced the signing of Hughes on 8th October 2024, ahead of their 2025 campaign. He was the first new addition confirmed by OGDC for the 2025 season. Old Glory DC Head Coach Simon Cross had previously worked with Hughes at the Scarlets. He started all 15 of his appearances for Old Glory DC during his debut MLR season in 2025, scoring a try and racking up just under 400m gained in the centre while completing 88 tackles as the Flags earned their 3rd successive post-season appearance, falling to the Chicago Hounds in the Eastern Conference Semifinals in which Steff Hughes played a full 80 minutes.

Following the 2025 MLR season on 12th November 2025, Steff Hughes announced on Instagram that he was hanging up the boots. Hughes remained in MLR however, and was named as the Old Glory DC Attack and Backs Coach for the 2026 season on the same day. His NARDB Staff Profile can be found here.

NARDB Player #1,292

Malembe Mpofu

South African lock Malembe Mpofu played in Major League Rugby during the 2025 season. He represented the Seattle Seawolves for his entire MLR career.

Mpofu attended The King’s School West Rand in Johannesburg, South Africa before joining the Leopards for the 2021 Currie Cup Premier Division season. Mpofu moved from the Leopards to the Airlink Pumas where he made his Currie Cup debut in Round 1 of the 2022 season, where the Pumas would ultimately win their first Currie Cup title. He returned for the Pumas the following season, helping them return to the Final in 2023 where they finished as runners-up.

The Seattle Seawolves announced the signing of Mpofu on 28th September 2024 ahead of the 2025 season. He was one of the first new signings announced for 2025. Mpofu scored 3 tries in 10 games (all starts) for the Seawolves during his debut MLR season, helping Seattle to squeeze into the postseason, where they fell to the Utah Warriors in a game that Mpofu started. For his efforts, Mpofu was named as the Seattle Seawolves’ Breakthrough Player of the Year for 2025. On 8th July 2025, the Suzuki Griquas in South Africa’s Currie Cup announced the signing of Mpofu for the 2025 season. The following day, the Seattle Seawolves congratulated Mpofu and confirmed that this was a 3-month contract, keeping the possibility open that Mpofu may return to Seattle for the 2026 MLR season.

achievements
  • Seattle Seawolves 2025 Breakthrough Player of the Year
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2025 – Rd 13

NARDB Player #1,291

Rhys Jones

California native Rhys Jones played in Major League Rugby between 2024-2025. He represented the Seattle Seawolves for his entire MLR career.

Jones has played with the NAI 7s at various tournaments throughout the USA, and has represented the Eagle Impact Rugby Academy in both Ontario and BC, Canada. He attended Central Washington University between 2019-2023, playing D1A rugby while there and graduating with a Bachelor of Business Administration Degree.

He was signed by the Seattle Seawolves as a depth piece in February 2024, and appeared in his first matchday 23 for RD18 of the regular season, earning his MLR debut in a 45-33 away loss to the San Diego Legion. Jones was included when the Seawolves confirmed their full 2025 roster on January 14th, 2025, where he will be playing behind capped USA Eagle JP Smith and capped Canadian international Brock Gallagher.

NARDB Player #1290

Sean Nolan

California native Sean Nolan played in Major League Rugby between 2024-2025. He represented Rugby FC LA for his entire MLR career.

Although representing his high school as a wide receiver and safety on the gridiron, Nolan also played rugby, representing Back Bay RFC and the Eagle Impact Rugby Academy during high school. He is a graduate of Davenport University (2021-2023), playing rugby throughout his time there, before playing with Belmont Shore RFC prior to his jump to MLR.

Although RFCLA did not formally announce Nolan’s signing, he was included in the matchday roster for their 2024 RD 16 clash with the NOLA Gold in June 2024, where he started in the 10 jersey. He started both of his MLR appearances in 2024, and was included on RFCLA’s ‘Extended’ roster for the 2025 season when they announced it on February 6th, 2025.

NARDB Player #1,289

Abe Turpen

Idaho native Abe Turpen played in major League Rugby between 2024-2025 season. he represented the Utah Warriors (2024) and the NOLA Gold (2024-2025).

A multi-sport athlete growing up, Turpen played gridiron football and rugby, while also wrestling. He earned three state championships in wrestling and was an all-conference football player while attending Capital High School. He attended the University of Arizona and played rugby throughout his time there, also participating in the 2023 Collegiate Rugby Shield in Utah, where he caught the eye of the Warriors organisation.

In the 2023 MLR Collegiate Draft, the Utah Warriors selected Turpen in the 2nd Rd (22nd Overall) using a pick acquired via trade with the Houston SaberCats. He spent time in the Warriors system but did not feature for the MLR side. On 11th May 2024, the Warriors traded Turpen to the NOLA Gold in exchange for 2024 Salary Cap Considerations (unknown). Although he did not feature in MLR during 2024, on 8th January 2025 the NOLA Gold announced the return of Abe Turpen for a 2nd season in New Orleans in 2025 where he earned his MLR debut and 4 appearances for the Gold off of the bench. Turpen recorded 27m gained in possession and 11 tackles completed.

Following the 2025 MLR season in August 2025, the NOLA Gold announced their withdrawal from the League. With this, Abe Turpen’s future in rugby is unclear.

achievements

Matias Caramuti

Argentina-born fly-half Matias Caramuti played in Major League Rugby during the latter half of the 2024 season. He represented the Dallas Jackals (2023-2024) and the Miami Sharks (2024).

A native of Rio Cuarto, Caramuti began playing at a local club in Argentina, Uru Cure Rugby Club at the age of 6. By 2019 he was representing the club’s first team, and that same year he trained with Merewether Carlton Rugby Club in Australia. Caramuti moved to the USA in 2020 to attend Thomas More University in Kentucky where he enjoyed plenty of success, helping the Saints win the NCR Division II National Championship while being the DII top scorer, an All-American, and the team’s co-captain. Caramuti declared for the 2022 MLR Collegiate Draft and was selected in the 2nd Round, 20th Overall by the Dallas Jackals.

Possibly because he was still classed as an international player, Caramuti did not appear in an MLR game for the Jackals during his rookie season. Still classed as an international player for the following season, Caramuti remained with the Dallas Jackals for the first half of the 2024 MLR season. On 11th June 2024, Doug Coil revealed that the Miami Sharks had signed Caramuti for their 2024 stretch run, but he did not feature for the Sharks at MLR level.

achievements

NARDB Player #1,287

Koby Baker

North Carolina native Koby Baker played in Major League Rugby between 2024-2026. He represented the Seattle Seawolves (2024), and the Chicago Hounds (2025-2026).

Baker played rugby through high school, representing the SA Rugby Boys High School All-Americans Sevens Team in his senior year in 2019. He then moved to Wales to attend Cardiff Metropolitan University (which has produced a number of MLR-ers) between 2019-2022, during which time he played rugby in the BUCS league in the UK. He then went to play in Australia for the 2023/24 season, before returning to the US to play with the American Raptors for their 2024 Super Rugby Americas season.

Once the Raptors’ 2024 SRA season concluded, Baker signed with the Seattle Seawolves for their 2024 MLR Playoff push. He earned 5 appearances off the bench for the Seawolves, appearing in all three Seawolves playoff games including the 2024 Championship Final, finishing as runners-up to the New England Free Jacks. On January 6th, 2025, the Chicago Hounds announced the signing of Koby Baker for the 2025 MLR season after playing with their academy side in the fall of 2024. He earned an additional two appearances for the Hounds off the bench that year to take his career total to 7, while continuing to play with the Hounds academy side.

Following an impressive fall season with the Chicago Hounds’ Autumn Performance Squad, with whom he started games against the Midwest Thunderbirds and Canada’s Pacific Pride, the Chicago Hounds announced the return of Koby Baker to the MLR squad on 13th January, 2026.

Achievements

NARDB Player #1,286