English-born US-eligible Fly-half Shane Barry played in Major League Rugby between 2023-2024. He represented the Seattle Seawolves (2023) and Anthem RC (2024).

Born and raised in London, Shane Barry had played at county level for Middlesex back in the UK, and was a part of the London Irish Academy system before heading stateside. He attended UCLA, playing with the Bruins during his time there. Upon his graduation, Barry declared for the 2022 MLR Collegiate Draft and was drafted in the 1st Round, 12th overall by the Seattle Seawolves.

Barry was been selected for the USA Men’s Selects in 2021, as well as the USA Falcons in 2022. He was loaned to the newly established USA Hawks development team in March of 2023, returning to the Seattle Seawolves following the Hawks’ 8-game exhibition season. He made his MLR debut in Week 18 of the 2023 season, when he was selected in the starting XV for the Seawolves’ clash against the San Diego Legion, which ultimately ended with a 40-19defeat. The Seawolves fielded a drastically different line up for this game as they had already secured a playoff spot and home field advantage. Head Coach Allan Clarke described it as an opportunity to award members of the Seawolves extended squad that have put in the effort throughout the season.

The following season, Shane Barry was included on the roster for the hastily put together Anthem RC squad, a new MLR team that serves as a national team development tool and is the evolution for the USA Hawks team that Barry represented in 2023. In a promising first season in Charlotte, Barry scored 2 tries and started 5 of his 10 appearances, running for just shy of 300m in possession. Following the MLR season in the fall of 2024, he played with New York Old Blue in the ARP, before returning to England. He has been playing club rugby with Reeds Weybridge RFC on the outskirts of London.

Achievements

• 2022 MLR Draftee: 1st Round (12th Overall) – Seattle Seawolves