Noah Brown

Indiana native Noah Brown played in Major League Rugby between 2024-2026. He represented the Chicago Hounds for his entire MLR career.

Brown began playing rugby at Penn High School, graduating in 2019 and attending Indiana University through 2023 and thrived at the Sevens game, winning a Club 7s National Championship with the Chicago Lions in 2021 which landed him a trip to Chula Vista to attend the 2022 Men’s Sevens High-Performance Camp before being named as Captain of the USA U23s and Falcons, touring most recently with the Falcons to the Coral Coast Sevens in Fiji.

Brown declared for the 2023 MLR draft and was selected in the 1st Rd, 4th overall by the Chicago Hounds. He played with the Hounds academy team in their fall season before earning a spot with the MLR squad for the 2024 season. He made an impact in MLR almost immediately. After a couple of appearances off the bench, he earned his first MLR start in RD 5 against the Seattle Seawolves where, despite losing the game, Brown scored 2 tries and gained over 140m in possession, earning a MLR First XV selection in his first start. Brown would score 4 tries in 13 appearances (7 starts) during his rookie season, racking up over 500m gained on the wing. He was named as the Chicago Hounds Rookie of the Year for his performance and on October 16th, 2024, the Chicago Hounds announced the return of Brown for the 2025 season.

In 2025, Noah Brown more than doubled his career high in starts, starting 15 of his 16 appearances and scoring 3 tries as the Chicago Hounds finished 2nd in the Eastern Conference before defeating Old Glory DC to advance to the Eastern Conference Final where they fell to the New England Free Jacks by a single point in a nailbiter. Brown set a new career high with 565m gained in possession, and raised his career high in tackles from 48 in 2024 to 123 tackles in 2025. For his sophomore season performance, Noah Brown was named to the All-MLR Second XV. On 8th December 2025, the Chicago Hounds announced the return of Noah Brown for his 3rd MLR season in 2026.

achievements

Makeen Alikhan

US-Eligible English back row Makeen Alikhan played in Major League Rugby between 2024-2026. He represented the Dallas Jackals (2024) and Anthem RC (2025-2026).

Makeen Alikhan was born in Canada but raised in England to a US-born mother (granting him eligibility for the USA) and English/Pakistani father who lived in Australia for a decade, for whom Alikhan is also eligible. He attended Epsom college in England between 2015-2020, captaining the school side before attending the University of Bristol since 2020, the same year he was named to the USA U20s side. In 2021 he was dual registered with Harlequins of the English Premiership, and Worthing RFC in the English lower divisions. Alikhan earned his Harlequins debut against Saracens in the Premiership Rugby Cup that same year.

Alikhan was loaned from Harlequins to the Dallas Jackals for the 2024 MLR season, where he proved to be an elusive and abrasive back row, scoring 3 tries in 13 games (10 starts) for the Jackals, running for over 300m gained and completing just under 150 tackles as the Jackals qualified for the playoffs for the first time in team history. Alikhan started both of the Jackals‘ playoff games that season, including their stunning victory over the 14-2 Houston SaberCats, before falling to the Seattle Seawolves in the final few minutes of the Western Conference Final.

Shortly after the conclusion of the 2024 season, MLR and the Dallas Jackals announced that the team would not compete in the 2025 season. Alikhan declared for the subsequent dispersal draft and was selected 2nd by Anthem RC after they acquired the pick from Rugby FC LA. His signing was confirmed when Anthem RC announced their complete 2025 roster on January 21st, 2025. Alikhan would start all 14 of his appearances for Anthem RC in 2025, equaling his career high of 3 tries scored. He also set a new career high in tackles made, completing 172. For his efforts, Alikhan was included in the USA Eagles squad for their July tests, and earned his test debut as Eagle #589 when he came off the bench for the USA in a 36-17 victory over Belgium on July 5th, 2025.

On October 29th, 2025, Anthem RC announced the return of Makeen Alikhan for his 2nd season with the team and 3rd in MLR in 2026.

achievements

  • MLR Team of the Week: 2024 – Rd 12
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2024 – Rd 6

Sam Klimkowski

Ohio native Sam Klimkowski played in Major League Rugby between 2022-2024. He played with the LA Giltinis (2022) and the NOLA Gold (2023-2024).

Klimkowski played varsity football at Avon Lake High School in Ohio, before picking up rugby in his Senior year and winning the State Championship. He continued to play rugby while at Notre Dame College, winning a National Championship in 2017 before delcaring for the 2021 MLR draft, where he was selected by the LA Giltinis in the first round, 13th overall. The Giltinis signed Klimkowski for the 2022 season but he did not feature, instead playing with the NOLA Gold academy side during the ARP Fall season that year after NOLA GM Ryan Fitzgerald noticed his talent while at The Rugby Showcase in Connecticut in 2021.

Following his play with the Academy side in 2022, the NOLA Gold signed Klimkowski for the 2023 MLR season, which he spent playing with New Orleans RFC and the Gold academy side once again, earning another MLR contract for 2024. In 2024, Klimkowski finally earned his MLR debut, earning 4 MLR appearances including 1 start for the Gold, helping them to finally end their playoff drought that year. On October 12th 2024, the NOLA Gold announced the departure of Klimkowski, and it is unclear if he will be returning to MLR for 2025.

achievements:
  • 2021 MLR Draftee: 1st Rd (13th Overall) – LA Giltinis

Shneil Singh

New Zealand flanker/lock Shneil Singh played in Major league Rugby during the 2024 season. He represented Anthem RC for his entire MLR career.

Singh played for rugby for the First XV at St. Paul’s Collegiate School in Hamilton, NZ before playing with the Waikato Juniors in the 2016 Jack Hobbs Memorial Tournament, which they won. His performance at the tournament earned him a selection in Craig Philpott’s first New Zealand under-20s squad. Singh has also played in Japan with Toyota Verblitz in Japan’s Top League, before joining the Southland Stags in NZ’s National Provincial Championship (NPC) in 2023.

Singh was announced as part of the Anthem RC squad for their inaugural MLR season in 2024,

On June 16th, 2024, the Southland Stags announced that Singh would be returning for their 2024 NPC campaign following the conclusion of the MLR season.

 

Declan Moore

New Zealand born Australian hooker Declan Moore played in Major League Rugby between 2024-2025. He represented Anthem RC for his entire MLR career.

Although born in New Zealand, Moore moved to Australia with his family at a young age. He played for the Sydney University rugby team in the Shute Shield between 2015-2021, also playing with the Sydney Stars in 2015, and the Sydney Rays in 2019, both in the National Rugby Championship (NRC). He was included in the Melbourne Rebels squad for the 2019/20 Super Rugby and Super Rugby AU seasons, but did not feature. Following his time with Sydney University, Moore headed to Ireland, joining Munster in the 2021/22 URC & Champions Cup seasons. Ireland-eligible through his paternal grandfather, Moore was loaned to Ulster, who offered him a full contract for the 2022/23 season, where he was also loaned to Connacht. Having played with 3 of the four Irish provinces during his stint in Ireland, Moore then signed with the newly established Anthem RC for the 2024 MLR season.

Declan Moore started 4 of his 5 games for the MLR, USA Rugby, and World Rugby partnership team, completing 51 tackles and running for over 300m in possession as a hooker. Anthem RC put in improving performances in their inaugural season despite finishing with a 0-16 record. Declan Moore’s return for a second MLR season was confirmed when Anthem RC announced their full 2025 roster on January 21st, 2025.

James Stokes

English utility back James Stokes played in Major League Rugby between 2024-2025. He represented Rugby FC LA (2024) and the Chicago Hounds for the latter half of the 2025 season.

Stokes began playing rugby while at high school in Nottingham and continued to play through his time at Nottingham Trent University. he set a National League One record during the 2017/18 season when he scored 21 tries for Coventry as they earned promotion to the English Championship, where he continued to represent them until moving to London Irish in 2019. Stokes played with Exiles from 2019 until they fell into administration in 2023, scoring tries in the Gallagher Premiership, Premiership Rugby Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup.

Stokes signed with Rugby FC LA ahead of their first season under new ownership and relocating from Atlanta, and scored 1 try in 11 games (10 starts) for RFCLA in an admirable first MLR season. Stockes gained over 600m in possession and was named to the MLR Team of the Week in Round 3. While Stokes did not appear on an MLR roster to start the 2025 season, on April 30th, the Chicago Hounds announced that they had added James Stokes for the remainder of the season. He signed before the signing deadline on April 28th.

achievements

  • MLR Team of the Week: 2024 – Rd 3

Matt Anticev

New York native Matt Anticev played in Major League Rugby between 2024-2026. He represented Rugby FC LA (2024-2025) and the California Legion (2026).

Anticev grew up on Staten Island, NY and played rugby through high school at Xavier, where he was coached by former Rugby New York scrum-half and capped USA Eagle Mike Petri. Anticev earned his undergraduate degree from the College of the Holy Cross, graduating in 2021 before attending Dartmouth College between 2021-2023 and earning a Masters degree in Creative Writing and playing rugby throughout.

Anticev declared for the 2023 MLR Collegiate Draft and was selected 5th overall by Rugby ATL, the sale of which had already been announced by MLR. The new owners relocated the franchise to Los Angeles and rebranded the team as Rugby FC LA. Signing for his rookie season, Anticev earned 6 MLR appearances including 2 starts at fly-half, a position relatively thin for the USA Eagles and so Anticev had plenty of eyes watching him, and performed admirably. On December 6th, 2024, Rugby FC LA announced the return of Matt Anticev for the 2025 MLR season where he earned an additional 2 appearances for RFCLA as they earned their first ever postseason appearance.

Matt Anticev remained in California following Rugby FC LA merging with the San Diego Legion to form the California Legion at the conclusion of the 2025 season, and was announced by the team on 19th February, 2026

achievements

  • 2023 MLR Draftee: 1st Round (5th Overall) – Rugby ATL