South African fly-half Adriaan Carelse played in Major League Rugby between 2021-2024. He has represented Rugby ATL (2021), the Dallas Jackals (2022-2023), Seattle Seawolves (2023), and the Chicago Hounds (2024).

Carelse joined Rugby ATL from the Free State Cheetahs of South Africa’s Currie Cup competition, ahead of the 2021 MLR season. During his debut season in North America, Carelse earned 11 caps with the RATLers (10 starts), scoring 3 tries and leading the team with 63pts total (20/31 from the tee, 64.52%) as Rugby ATL advanced to the Championship Final where they fell to the LA Giltinis 31-17.

Ahead of the 2022 season, Carelse signed with the expansion Dallas Jackals in a relatively high profile move by MLR standards. He was one of the many many Jackals players affected by injury during their inaugural campaign but earned an additional 10 caps (all starts) for the Texas club, adding 42pts from the tee (18/30, 60.00%). Carelse stayed with the Jackals as the 2023 season kicked off, earning 5 more appearances (all starts) and 4pts from the tee (2/9, 22.22%) before being traded to the Seattle Seawolves on April 10th for the remainder of the 2023 season in exchange for 2023 Salary Cap Considerations (unknown). Carelse earned 11 caps with Seattle post-trade, earning 9 starts and scoring 3 tries.

Following the 2023 season, the Chicago Hounds announced the signing of Adriaan Carelse on 7th November, ahead of the 2024 MLR season where he excelled at the back. Carelse scored 77pts in a kicking tandem with Luke Carty, and appeared in all 18 of the Hounds’ games in 2024, including their 2 playoff games where they defeated the NOLA Gold in the Eastern Conference Semifinal before falling to the eventual Champions the New England Free Jacks in the Conference Final. He finished T-8th in MLR scoring that year, with Houston’s Davy Coetzer.

Achievements

• T-8th in MLR Scoring: 2024 (77pts)
• MLR Team of the Week: 2022 – Round 2
• MLR Runner-Up: 2021 (Rugby ATL)
• MLR Team of the Week: 2021 – Round 6