Australian prop Charlie Abel played in Major League Rugby between 2021-2026. He represented the LA Giltinis (2021-2022) and the Chicago Hounds (2023-2026).

Abel played with CS Beaune in the French regional leagues for the 2016/17 season, before returning the Australia to play for the Manly Marlins in the 2017/18 Shute Shield, and Gordon in the 2019/20 Shute Shield, which they won. His 2 seasons in the Shute Shield sandwiched a season in the NRC with the NSW Country Eagles. Abel signed with the Melbourne Rebels for Super Rugby Australia during the COVID-19 pandemic. He is the brother of Robbie Abel, who is a member of the Utah Warriors coaching staff

Abel signed with the LA Giltinis ahead of their inaugural season in MLR. He earned 16 appearances (14 starts) as the Giltinis advanced to the 2021 Championship Final, defeating Rugby ATL 31-17 at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum to lift the Shield in their first season in the competition. Abel earned 4 MLR Team of the Week selections during the 2023 season, bested only by Rugby New York Ironworkers’ Nate Brakeley with 5. Abel was recognised with All-MLR honours, being included in an Honourable Mention XV for the 2021 season. He earned a further 15 appearances (8 starts) during the regular season the following year, scoring 3 tries before the Giltinis, along with the Austin Gilgronis (LA’s sister team), were disqualified from the 2022 season prior to the Championship Series. Both LA & Austin folded following the season’s conclusion. In the subsequent expansion/dispersal draft, Charlie Abel was selected 15th overall by the Chicago Hounds expansion side, and signed there on a multi-year contract for their inaugural season in 2023 and beyond. He appeared in 15 of the Hounds’ 16 regular season games in 2023, starting 7 and scoring 2 tries. He racked up 300m gained with ball in hand and completed 127 tackles.

Through his first 3 seasons in MLR, Abel earned 46 MLR caps (29 starts) and scored 6 tries. His return was confirmed by the Chicago Hounds on 3rd January, 2024 where he earned another 10 starts in 16 appearances, scoring another try and completing over 100 tackles for a 4th straight season. He came off the bench in both of the Hounds’ MLR Playoff games in 2024, as they dispatched the NOLA Gold in the Eastern Conference Semifinal, before falling to the eventual Champions the New England Free Jacks in the Eastern Conference Final, where Abel made 15 tackles off the bench. On January 9th, 2025, the Chicago Hounds confirmed the return of Charlie Abel for the 2025 season, his 3rd with Chicago and 5th in MLR. Abel earned 3 MLR Team of the week selections in his 13 games during the 2025 season, starting 12 times including both of the Chicago Hounds playoff games that year, playing a full 80 minutes during their heartbreaking Eastern Conference Final defeat to the New England Free Jacks for the 2nd year in a row. He recorded 132 that year, marking the 5th successive season with over 100 tackles, and he now sits on 645 tackles in his 75 career MLR appearances (51 starts).

On November 18th, 2025, the Chicago Hounds announced the return of Charlie Abel for his 4th season with the team and 6th in Major League Rugby in 2026.

achievements:

• MLR Team of the Week: 2025 – Rd 15
• MLR Team of the Week: 2025 – Rd 12
• MLR Team of the Week: 2025 – Rd 8
• MLR Team of the Week: 2024 – Rd 15
• MLR Team of the Week: 2023 – Rd 3
• MLR Team of the Week: 2022 – Rd 17
• MLR Champion: 2021 (LA Giltinis)
• MLR Team of the Week: 2021 – Rd 11
• MLR Team of the Week: 2021 – Rd 10
• MLR Team of the Week: 2021 – Rd 4
• MLR Team of the Week: 2021 – Rd 1