US-eligible Zimbabwean back row Tinashe Muchena played in Major League Rugby between 2022-2025, representing the Houston SaberCats (2022, 2025), and the Chicago Hounds (2023-2024).

Muchena became the first Zimbabwean ever selected in the MLR Collegiate draft when he was picked 15th overall by the Houston SaberCats in the 2021 Draft. The 2021 Rudy Scholtz Award nominee was not considered US-eligible during the 2022 MLR season and with international slots a commodity in MLR, he played with Houston‘s academy team Rugby HTX. The Lindenwood product signed with the Chicago Hounds expansion side in February 2023 and earned 5 MLR caps during the 2023 season, earning 2 starts and a Team of the Week selection in Round 17.

On October 30th 2023, the Chicago Hounds announced the return of Tinashe Muchena for the 2024 MLR season where he earned an additional 2 MLR appearances including 1 start. On March 11th, 2025, 4 rounds into the 2025 MLR season, the Houston SaberCats announced the signing of Tinashe Muchena for the remainder of the 2025 season, returning full circle to the team that drafted him. In his second stint with the ‘Cats, Muchena earned a 4th career MLR start and 4 further appearances to take his career total to 11 in 3 seasons. He also completed 27 tackles to help the SaberCats secure a post-season spot, eventually advancing to the 2025 MLR Championship game, where they fell to the New England Free Jacks.

Achievements:

• 2025 Western Conference Champion – Houston SaberCats
• MLR Team of the Week: 2023 – Round 17
• MLR Draftee: 2021 – 2nd Round (15th Overall) – Houston SaberCats