Marcos Young

Texas-born Florida native Marcos Young played in Major League Rugby between 2023-2025. He represented Old Glory DC (2023) and the Miami Sharks (2024-2025).

Young played for Key Biscayne RFC in Florida, a club founded by South American immigrants. Young himself has strong Argentinian roots. He played with the USA U19 team in 2016 and the Eagle Impact Rugby Academy. He played with Pathway 404, the academy side of Rugby ATL, in 2020 before heading to Argentina to play with CUBA in the URBA Top 13 competition between 2020-2022.

Young earned a MLR contract with Old Glory DC for the 2023 season, where he earned 11 caps (7 starts) during the regular season and scored 4 tries. He also started both of DC’s Championship Series games that season, the first playoff games in the club’s history. He returned to the URBA Top 13 with CUBA in the MLR offseason, and on 5^th January, 2024, the Miami Sharks expansion side announced the signing of Marcos Young for their inaugural season in 2024, allowing him to play professional rugby in his home state. Young scored 2 tries in 15 games (14 starts) for the Sharks in 2024, gaining over 650m in possession and completing a career high 82 tackles. On December 1st, 2024, the Miami Sharks confirmed the return of Marcos Young for the 2025 season.

achievements:

MLR Team of the Week: 2025 – Rd 14
MLR Team of the Week: 2025 – Rd 11
MLR Team of the Week: 2023 – Rd 6

Gradyn Bowd

Alberta native Gradyn Bowd played in Major League Rugby between 2023-2024. He represented Old Glory DC for his entire MLR career.

Old Glory DC announced the signing of a then-30yo Bowd in November of 2022, ahead of the 2023 MLR season. This was the first professional contract of Bowd’s career, depite earning his debut international cap for Canada in 2017. Bowd had an impressive debut MLR season, earning 12 appearances (9 starts) and scoring 30pts from the tee (14/28 – 50.00%) as the Flags earned their first post-season appearance in club history, and made it to the Eastern Conference Final before falling 25-7 to the eventual Champions, the New England Free Jacks.

Bowd’s performance clearly impressed Rugby Canada, as he was selected for their tour of Tonga before the Rugby World Cup in 2023, and was again selected for the November test series in Spain. On 24th October 2023, Old Glory DC announced the return of Gradyn Bowd for the 2024 MLR season.

Achievements:

Alejo Daireaux

Calixto Martinez

Canadian prop Calixto Martinez played in Major League Rugby between 2023-2025. He represented Old Glory DC for his entire MLR career.

A BC native and product of the University of British Columbia, Calixto ‘Cali’ Martinez was the highest-drafted Canadian in the 2022 MLR Draft when he was selected in the 1st Round, 3rd overall by Old Glory DC. He was the highest drafted Canadian ever until Neil Trainor went 2nd overall in 2024. He was drafted by Old Glory DC whom he represented for his debut MLR season where he earned 11 MLR caps including his first start in the league as the Flags earned their first post-season appearance in club history. On 28th November 2023, Old Glory DC announced the return of Cali Martinez for the 2024 MLR season. In his sophomore season in MLR, Martinez earned 4 starts in 16 games for the Flags, improving from 54m gained in 2023 to over 200m gained in 2024, while completing over 70 tackles. He was named to the MLR Team of the Week for the first time in his career for his performance in Round 18, and came off the bench during Old Glory DC’s Eastern Conference Semifinal clash with their rivals the New England Free Jacks and although the Flags ran the Free Jacks close, they fell 29-33 to the eventual champions.

Just prior to the 2024 Playoffs, Cali Martinez earned his test debut for Canada in a victory over Romania in Ottawa the July tests, before returning to Old Glory DC for their 2024 playoff run. Following the season, Martinez was included in Canada’s squad for the Pacific Nations Cup, and represented the Maple Leaf in the November tests. On December 4th, 2024, Old Glory DC announced the return of Cali Martinez for his 3rd MLR season in 2025. In that season, Martinez proved to be a genuine talent in the front row. He appeared in all 17 of Old Glory’s games that season as they returned to the playoffs, falling to the Chicago Hounds in the Eastern Conference semifinal. Martinez doubled his career high in starts from 4 to 8, and although his metres gained in possession fell from 203 in 2024 back to around his rookie season level with 45m, he more than doubled his tackles completed from 72 to an impressive 150.

Following the 2025 campaign, Cali Martinez was again a regular in the national team selection. He started every game for Canada both in their July tests and in the Pacific Nations Cup, including a victory over the USA in Calgary that ultimately earned Canada a place at the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia. Martinez became the first Canadian confirmed for the 2026 MLR season when Old Glory DC announced his return on November 3rd, 2025.

Achievements:

MLR Team of the Week: 2025 – Rd 6
MLR Team of the Week: 2024 – Rd 18
2022 MLR Draftee: 1st Round (3rd Overall) – Old Glory DC

Kurt Baker

New Zealand Fullback and All Blacks Sevens legend Kurt Baker played in Major League Rugby during the 2023 MLR season. He represented Old Glory DC for his entire MLR career.

Baker, a former New Zealand U20 player, made his New Zealand Sevens debut in Dubai in 2008 and played the following series in South Africa that year. He would go on to play in 233 games at 53 HSBC World Sevens Series Tournaments, winning 5 Series titles and 12 tournaments, with his final tournament being the 2022 Dubai Sevens. He played in three Rugby Sevens World Cups, winning Gold in 2013 in Russia and in 2018 in San Francisco, and a silver medal Cape Town in 2022. He also won a silver medal at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. On the XV side of the game, he has played for the Manawatu Turbos in NZs NPC between 2007-2008 and again in 2017, and played for both Taranaki (also in the NPC) and the Highlanders (in Super Rugby) between 2012-2015. He played in the PRO 12 for Zebre for the 2016/17 season before returning to New Zealand with the Hawke’s Bay Magpies in 2020.

Baker’s initial move stateside was announced by Old Glory DC in December 2022, joining as Player/Coach for the 2023 MLR season. He earned 10 MLR caps (all starts) for the Flags, scoring 2 tries as they earned their first ever Championship Series berth. On 23rd November 2023, Old Glory DC announced that Baker was leaning into coaching full time, and would return for the Flags in the 2024 MLR season as Attack Coach.

Achievements:

MLR Team of the Week: 2023 – Round 9

Fermin Martinez

Tito Díaz Bonilla

Argentinian fly-half Joaquín “Tito” Díaz Bonilla played in Major League Rugby during the 2023 season. He represented Old Glory DC for his entire MLR career.

The Buenos Aires native played club rugby with Hindú Club in Argentina’s domestic URBA Top 14 competition between 2010-2017, before joining Argentina’s entry into Super Rugby, the Jaguares, where he played between 2017-2020, earning nearly 30 Super Rugby appearances including starting the 2019 Super Rugby Final. In 2021 Bonilla moved to the English Premiership, representing the Leicester Tigers a handful of times before joining the Sharks in South Africa, playing in both the URC and the Currie Cup.

Early in his career, Bonilla represented the Argentina U20 side at the 2009 World Junior Championship and played for an Argentina XV side 15 times between 2013-2018 as well as earning his full test debut with Los Pumas in 2016, narrowly missing out on selection for the 2019 Rugby World Cup, during which he played as cover at Racing 92 in the French Top 14. Bonilla also represented Argentina Sevens at 12 tournaments on the World Sevens Series from 2016.

Bonilla joined MLR for the 2023 season, signing with Old Glory DC and appearing in 17 games for the Flags that year (14 starts) as they qualified for the playoffs for the first time in their history, progressing to the Eastern Conference Final before falling to eventual Champions, the New England Free Jacks. Bonilla scored 3 tries and 90pts that season, finishing 5th in MLR scoring and gained over 500m with ball in hand as a fly-half.

Following the 2023 MLR season, Bonilla returned to Argentina to rejoin Hindú Club in Argentina’s URBA Top 14.

achievements

5th in MLR Scoring: 2023 (90pts)

Lautaro Bavaro

Argentinian back row Lautaro Bavaro played in Major League Rugby between 2023-2025, representing Old Glory DC for his entire MLR career.

Prior to his move to MLR, Bavaro had already captained the Argentina XV side in the Americas Rugby Championship between 2016-2019, and had earned 2 caps with Los Pumas, earning his full international debut against Uruguay in 2016. At club level, he represented the Jaguares XV in the Currie Cup and Super Liga de Americano (now Super Rugby Americas), as well as Ceibos in SLAR in 2019. He has also played with Hindú Club in the URBA since 2012.

His initial signing was announced by Old Glory DC in September 2022, ahead of the 2023 MLR season. In his debut season in North America, Bavaro appeared in 17 of DC’s 18 games (all starts), including both Championship Series games as the Flags earned their first post-season berth in club history, making it to the Eastern Conference Final before falling to eventual Champions, the New England Free Jacks, 25-7. Bavaro scored 3 tries, gained over 400m and racked up 173 successful tackles in a very impressive first season in MLR.

On 31st October 2023, Old Glory DC announced the return of Lautaro Bavaro for the 2024 MLR season, where he added 16 appearances (all starts) to his stats and bettered his tackle total, finishing 7th in the league with 183 tackles completed as Old Glory DC once again qualified for the post-season with a 7-7-2 record, where they met the New England Free Jacks once again, falling 29-33 in the Eastern Conference Semifinal, a game which Bavaro started and made 11 tackles. On December 23rd, 2024, Old Glory DC announced the return of Lautaro Bavaro for his 3rd MLR season with the Flags in 2025.

Achievements:

7th in MLR Tackling: 2024 (183)
MLR Team of the Week: 2023 – Round 9

Collin Grosse

Washington State native Collin Grosse played in Major League Rugby between 2023-2026. He was drafted 15th overall in the 2022 MLR Collegiate Draft by Old Glory DC, and has represented DC for his entire MLR career.

Grosse helped Army West Point to a National Championship and D1A Rugby East title, and played with the USA U23 squad in both 2021 and 2022. He also toured Uruguay with the USA Falcons in 2022. In his debut MLR season, Grosse appeared in more games than any MLR prospect, earning 17 caps (11 starts) and scoring 2 tries as Old Glory DC earned their first ever Championship Series appearance, progressing all the way to the Eastern Conference Final where they fell 25-7 to eventual champions, the New England Free Jacks. Although he scored 2 tries, Grosse really impressed on the defensive side, proving a threat around the breakdown and racking up 163 successful tackles during his debut season. Still a career high.

On 7th November 2023, Old Glory DC announced the return of Collin Grosse for the 2024 season. He earned an additional 14 appearances (7 starts) and scored a 3rd career try that year, setting a career high 342m gained and again completing well over 100 tackles. On December 7th, 2024, Old Glory DC announced the return of Collin Grosse for a 3rd MLR season in 2025. Grosse remained a regular in the Old Glory DC lineup in 2025, starting 6 of his 16 appearances for the Flags and scoring a career high 3 tries to help the team qualify for the post-season for the 3rd year in a row, where they fell to the Chicago Hounds in the Eastern Conference Semifinal. Grosse has completed well over 100 tackles in each of his 3 seasons and has an even 400 in his career as well as over 800m gained in possession.

On 7th November 2025, Old Glory DC announced the return of Collin Grosse for his 4th MLR campaign with the Flags in 2026.

Achievements:

MLR Team of the Week: 2025 – Rd 8
MLR Team of the Week: 2023 – Rd 1
2022 MLR Draftee – 2nd Round (15th Overall) – Old Glory DC

Nic Souchon

New Zealand hooker Nic Souchon played in Major League Rugby between 2023-2024. He represented Old Glory DC in his debut season in North America (2023), and the Utah Warriors (2024).

Sochon played rugby throughout his time at Hamilton Boys High School in New Zealand, before attending Lincoln University on an undergraduate and graduate rugby scholarship and helped the team win two championships and captained the side to a third final in 2019.

Old Glory DC announced the original signing of Souchon in December 2022, joining from Bay of Plenty in New Zealand’s NPC competition, where he had also previously represented Otago (2019) and Canterbury (2018). He appeared in all 16 regular season games of the Flags in 2023, scoring 6 tries to help Old Glory DC qualify for their first ever Championship Series appearance, where they made it to the Eastern Conference Final before falling to the eventual Champions, the New England Free Jacks, 25-7. Souchon appeared in both playoff games for DC in 2023, and totalled 174 successful tackles between playoffs and regular season.

On 13th October 2023, the Utah Warriors announced that they had signed Nic Souchon for the 2024 MLR season. Now in the Western Conference, Souchon scored another 4 tries in 15 games (10 starts) for Utah, taking his career total to 10 tries in two seasons, and ran for another 314m gained while completing 88 tackles. On 25th June 2024, the Southland Stags announced that they had signed Souchon for their 2024 NPC campaign, following the conclusion of the MLR season. In late January 2025, Nic Souchon was included in the Hurricanes line-up for their Super Rugby pre-season game against the Chiefs.