Canadian prop Jake Ilnicki played in Major League Rugby between 2019-2022. He represented the Seattle Seawolves (2019-2021) and Old Glory DC (2022).

A native of Williams Lake, BC, Ilnicki earned his test debut for Canada against Georgia in November 2013, a close 19-15 affair that is remembered for a mass brawl rather than for the game itself. After playing with the NSW County Eagles in Australia, Ilnicki represented the San Diego Breakers in the short-lived PRO Rugby competition in 2016 before heading back to the Southern Hemisphere and playing with Manuwatu in New Zealand’s NPC. Following a season with the Turbos, Ilnicki headed to the UK where he played between 2016-2018 representing the Northampton Saints, Newcastle Falcons (now the Red Bulls) and Yorkshire Carnegie (now Leeds Tykes).

Jake Ilnicki entered Major League Rugby towards the end of the 2019 season, joining the Seattle Seawolves and helping them to their 2nd Shield in as many seasons, and featuring in the 2019 MLR Final against the San Diego Legion. Ilnicki earned a total of 21 appearances across 3 seasons with the Seawolves, starting 6 times from 2019-2021. Ahead of the 2022 season, he moved from Seattle to Washington to join Old Glory DC, where he earned 5 starts in 15 appearances and completed 81 tackles, all three of which are career highs. Across his 31-game career in MLR, Jake Ilnicki recorded more tackles than metres gained in possession, 197 to 196 respectively.

Ilnicki did not return to MLR for the 2023 season, and earned his final of 44 test caps for Canada against Spain in July of 2022.

Achievements:

• 2019 MLR Champion: Seattle Seawolves