Kenyan back row Monate Akuei played in Major League Rugby between 2023-2024. He represented the Rugby New York Ironworkers (2023) and the Seattle Seawolves (2024).

Born in South Sudan, Akuei moved to Kenya as a refugee at a young age. He began playing Rugby for a U13 side in Kenya where he worked through to the senior side and played 3 years of both 15s and 7s. Akuei has 2 caps with the Shujaa, Kenya’s National Sevens side, and 6 caps with the Simbas, the national 15s side. He moved to the United States in 2020 and played with New York’s Old Blue in the ARP since 2021.

In April 2023, the Rugby New York Ironworkers announced the addition of Akuei at the signing deadline for the remainder of the 2023 season. He earned 6 starts and 8 caps during the back half of the season, completing almost 100 tackles and gaining over 250m as a real impact player for the Ironworkers. Following the announcement in December 2023 that the Ironworkers would not compete in the 2024 MLR season, Akuei found himself out of contract and travelled to Texas to play with the Austin Blacks, before returning to Captain NY Old Blue in early 2024.

On 23rd May 2024, ARN’s Bryan Ray announced that the Seattle Seawolves had signed Akuei prior to the 2024 signing deadline (May 16th) for the remainder of the 2024 season to prop up the Seawolves‘ ailing back row. He joined a large contingent of ex-Ironworkers including Sam Windsor, Kara Pryor, and DaQuan Perry. Akuei scored 2 tries in 5 games for the Seawolves (all starts), earning 2 MLR Team of the Week selections and racking up over 150m gained and completing over 65 tackles to help the Seawolves lock down a playoffs spot. Akuei did not feature in the MLR post-season in 2024 as Seattle advanced to the Championship game, finishing as runners-up.

achievements

• 2024 MLR Runner-Up: Seattle Seawolves
• MLR Team of the Week: 2024 – Rd 18
• MLR Team of the Week: 2024 – Rd 13