Canadian scrum-half Reid Watkins played in Major League Rugby between 2021-2023. He represented the Toronto Arrows (2021) and the Seattle Seawolves (2022-2023).

A native of Okotoks in Alberta, Watkins began playing rugby at Foothill Lions Rugby Club in Calgary, but has played most of his rugby in the Pacific Northwest. He progressed through the Canadian age-grade sides while wrestling at a national and international level before attending Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, where he wrestled at NCAA level. While in BC he represented the BC Bears representative side, Burnaby Lake RFC, Vancouver Island Crimson Tide, and most recently the Vancouver Wave. Watkins has also played rugby across the US, with the South Panthers and the Hartford Harpooners, as well as with the Rugby ATL academy side, Pathway 404.

It was while he was with Pathway 404 that Watkins caught the eyes of the Toronto Arrows, who signed him for the tail end of the 2021 season (which they spent in Atlanta due to COVID-19 related travel restrictions), but he would have to wait to earn his pro debut. In January 2022, the Seattle Seawolves announced that they had signed Watkins to a multi-year contract through 2024. In his debut MLR season Watkins earned 16 appearances for the Seawolves including all 3 playoff games, helping the team advance to the 2022 MLR Championship Game where they fell to the Rugby New York Ironworkers.

Watkins returned for a second year with the Seawolves in 2023, earning another pair of appearances during the season, and his 2nd career pro start. Following the MLR campaign, Watkins was named in the Canada squad for the La Vila Rugby Cup in November 2023. He was named as a reserve against Spain but did not feature, and earned his test debut against Brazil the following week. To date, this is his only international appearance.

achievements

• 2022 MLR Runner-Up: Seattle Seawolves