South African fullback Duncan Matthews played in Major League Rugby between 2022-2025. He represented the Seattle Seawolves for his entire MLR career.

The Atlantis, Western Cape native played with the U16 Boland Cavaliers in the 2010 Grant Khomo Week, as well as the Springboks U16s. Upon leaving high school Matthews joined the Blue Bulls academy system, playing in the U19s Provincial Championship in 2013 and the U21s the following year, when he also played with the Springboks U20 side. He played in the U21 Provincial Championship again in 2016 before spending 2016-2018 between the Blue Bulls XV and the Blue Bulls Currie Cup side, and also played with the Super Rugby side between 2017-2018. In 2019 Matthews made the move to the Lions, playing with the Golden Lions in the Currie Cup from 2019-2021, and the Lions Super Rugby Side between 2020-2021.

Ahead of their 2022 season, the Seattle Seawolves announced the signing of Matthews, and he impressed in his debut season in North America. He earned 16 appearances (all starts), scoring 7 tries and accumulating 1,489m gained in possession, finishing 3rd in MLR as the Seawolves advanced through a dramatic playoffs to the Championship Final, falling 30-15 to Rugby New York in New York. Through his first 3 seasons with Seattle, Matthews has earned 34 MLR caps (all starts), scoring 11 tries and running for over 3,000m gained. He returned to Seattle for the 2025 season, and made his first start of the season in Rd 3 against the Houston SaberCats. Matthews’ 2025 was excellent. He scored 6 tries in 13 games (all starts) his 4th MLR season in Seattle and finished as 2025’s top Meter Eater with 1,152m gained, recording his 2nd season with over 1,000m. This pushes him over 4,000m gained in his MLR career. For his great 2025 season, Duncan Matthews was named as the Seattle Seawolves’ 2025 Back of the Year and Players’ Player of the Year, and was also named to the All-MLR Second XV, his 2nd All-MLR nod.

achievements

• 2025 All-MLR Second XV Selection
• 1st in MLR Meters Gained: 2025 (1,152m)
• Seattle Seawolves 2025 Players’ Player of the Year
• Seattle Seawolves 2025 Back of the Year
• MLR Team of the Week: 2025 – Rd 17
• MLR Player of the Week: 2025 – Rd 14
• MLR Team of the Week: 2025 – Rd 14
• 2022 All-MLR First XV Selection
• 2022 MLR Runner-Up: Seattle Seawolves
• 3rd in MLR Meters Gained: 2022 (1,489m)