Ontario native Mitch Richardson played in Major League Rugby between 2019-2024. He represented the Toronto Arrows (2019-2023) and the Dallas Jackals (2024).
Richardson has increased his impact every year in his 5 completed MLR seasons. He earned 2 MLR caps (1 start) in his debut MLR season in 2019, before doubling it in 2020 (prior to the season shutdown) and doubling it again in 2021, where he scored his first MLR try and finished with 2 tries in 8 games (5 starts). In 2023, his latest MLR season with the Arrows, Richardson earned 12 further caps (all starts), racking up an enormous 788m gained an a personal best of 4 tries as well as 132 successful tackles on defence. Richardson was selected as the 2023 Players’ Player of the Year for the Arrows for his standout season, and earned his international debut for Canada in the summer of 2023, featuring in both games against Tonga in their 2023 Rugby World Cup warm-up games.
In late November 2023 the Toronto Arrows and MLR announced that the Arrows would not compete in the 2024 season due to financial difficulties. A week later, the Rugby New York Ironworkers announced that they too would not compete in the 2024 season. In the subsequent Dispersal Draft for Toronto & NY players, Richardson was selected 2nd overall by the Dallas Jackals, who confirmed his signing for the 2024 season on 12th January, 2024.
Achievements:
- Toronto Arrows Players’ Player of the Year – 2023
- MLR Team of the Week: 2023 – Round 18