AustraliaAustralian 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. Charlie Abel started 8 of his 10 appearances with the Chicago Hounds that year, tying his career high with 3 tries scored. Abel earned 4 Team of the Week selections during the 2026 season and was named to the All-MLR First XV for his performance. He beat 14 defenders on over 175m gained and completed 87 tackles in defence during a dominant season for the Hounds. 16 of those tackles came in the Championship game, where the Hounds defeated the California Legion 35-17 to lift their first Shield and complete a perfect 12-0 season. Following the 2026 campaign, Abel was a late addition to the USA Squad for the July portion of the World Rugby Nations Cup, and earned his test debut as USA Eagle #604 against Spain on the 3rd and final weekend. Although he played with Auckland in the NPC in 2022, NARDB understands that USAR was granted an exemption for Abel to be made US Eligible as he only featured in 2 games for Auckland, both as a replacement.
achievements:
- 2026 All-MLR First XV Selection
- 2026 MLR Champion: Chicago Hounds
- MLR Player of the Week: 2026 – Rd 4
- MLR Team of the Week: 2026 – Rd 4
- MLR Team of the Week: 2026 – Rd 3
- MLR Team of the Week: 2026 – Rd 2
- 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