US-eligible Irishman Luke Carty played in Major League Rugby between 2021-2025. He represented the LA Giltinis (2021-2022), the Chicago Hounds (2023-2024), and the NOLA Gold (2025).

Carty, an Athlone native who qualifies for the USA through his New York-born grandfather, represented the Ireland U18 side, and the U20s at World Rugby Championship in 2017. He played with the Connacht Academy as well as the ‘A’ side and the Connacht Eagles. He signed with Australian side Gordon in the Shute Shield competition for 2020, but the COVID-19 pandemic meant Carty was unable to travel.

Carty signed with the LA Giltinis ahead of their inaugural season in 2021, earning 15 caps (6 starts) in his first season in North America, scoring 19pts from the tee (8/18 – 44.44%). Carty came off the bench for LA in the MLR Championship Game, where the Giltinis defeated Rugby ATL 31-17 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum to lift the 2021 Shield. Carty was sidelined for much of the following season through injury, earning 3 further appearances (2 starts) late in the season and scoring 29pts from the tee (13/14 – 92.86%), before the LA Giltinis were disqualified from the 2022 season (along with the Austin Gilgronis, their sister team) for alleged breaches of the salary cap. The Giltinis folded in the offseason, and in the subsequent Expansion/Dispersal draft, Carty was selected 2nd overall by the Chicago Hounds expansion side, with whom he signed a multi-year contract prior to the Hounds’ inaugural season in 2023.

Carty appeared in every game for the Hounds during the 2023 season, starting 13 times and scoring a career high 64pts from the tee (25/35 – 71.43%) to take his MLR total to over 100pts. On 3rd January 2024, the Hounds confirmed the return of Luke Carty for the 2024 season where he scored his first MLR try and 58pts in 11 games (10 starts) as the Hounds advanced to the Eastern Conference Final before falling in a nailbiter to the eventual Champions, the New England Free Jacks. On November 22nd, 2024, the NOLA Gold confirmed the signing of Luke Carty for the 2025 season, leaving Chicago after 2 seasons with the Hounds.

achievements:

• 2021 MLR Champion: LA Giltinis