New York native John Powers played in Major League Rugby between 2021-2024. He was drafted 7th overall in the inaugural 2020 MLR Collegiate Draft by the Utah Warriors, before representing the Rugby New York Ironworkers (2022-2023) and Old Glory DC (2024).

An Iona College graduate, Powers had been a member of the Ironworkers system prior to getting drafted, having been named the Rugby United New York U23 Development Academy Captain in 2019. He was drafted 7th overall in the first round of the first ever MLR Collegiate Draft by the Utah Warriors, and earned his MLR debut from the bench for the Warriors late in the 2021 season. On 4th January 2022, the Utah Warriors traded John Powers to Rugby New York (Powers’ hometown team) in exchange for NY‘s 3rd Rd Draft Pick in the 2022 draft. This pick was then traded by the Warriors to Rugby ATL (now Rugby FC LA) along with 2022 Cap Considerations in exchange for Coleson Warner. Rugby ATL traded NY’s 3rd Rd pick AGAIN, to the Houston SaberCats along with Marno Redelinghuys for Houston’s 1st Rd pick in 2022 (used to select Matt Gelhaus) and a short term loan for Kian Meadon. The pick involved in the trade for John Powers was eventually used by the SaberCats to select Brandon Karnes 39th overall, the last pick of the 2022 draft.

Powers spent 2 seasons with the Ironworkers between 2022-2023, appearing in 3 MLR games as NY advanced to the MLR Championship Final following a controversial end to the 2022 season, where they defeated the Seattle Seawolves 30-15 to lift the MLR Shield. He followed up his 2022 season with another 3 caps in 2023 before a leg injury ended his season prematurely. He was able to recover and played with NYAC during the American Rugby Premiership in the fall of that year. In early December 2023, the Rugby New York Ironworkers and MLR announced that the club would not take part in the 2024 season due to financial difficulties. In the subsequent Dispersal Draft for NY & Toronto players (the Arrows declared that they would not compete in 2024 a week prior to NY’s announcement), Powers was selected 19th overall by Old Glory DC, a signing which was confirmed by the flags on 20th December, ahead of the 2024 season.

Achievements

• MLR Champion: 2022 (Rugby New York)