New Zealand fullback/fly-half Jack Heighton played in Major league Rugby between 2022-2023. He represented the Rugby New York Ironworkers for his entire MLR career.

Fly-half Heighton joined the Ironworkers ahead of the 2022 MLR season from North Bay, where he had played in NZ’s NPC competition since 2020. In his debut season Heighton earned 14 MLR caps including 11 starts, and scored 67pts including a memorable penalty kick with the clock in the red to secure a victory over the San Diego Legion. He was a core piece of the Rugby New York squad that raised the MLR Shield at the end of the 2022 season. Heighton’s 2023 season was heavily impacted by injury, and he only earned an additional 6 caps for New York but still recorded 33pts in total including a hattrick and 22pts in a single game.

On July 17, 2023, Heighton was announced as part of the North Harbour squad for their 2023 NPC season, and following news that the Ironworkers would not compete in the 2024 MLR season, did not return to North American rugby.

Achievements:

• MLR Team of the Week: 2023 – Week 3
• 2022 MLR Champion – Rugby New York
• 10th in MLR Scoring: 2022 (67pts)
• MLR Team of the Week: 2022 – Week 13