Position: Number 8

Jamason Fa’anana-Schultz

US-Eligible Australian back row Jamason Fa’anana-Schultz played in Major League Rugby between 2019-2026. He represented the Houston SaberCats (2019), Old Glory DC (2020-2025), and the New England Free Jacks (2026).

The Houston SaberCats announced the signing of Jamason Fa’anana-Schulz from the NTT Docomo Red Hurricanes in Japan’s Top League in March 2019 a few weeks into the 2019 MLR season. He scored 3 tries in 8 games (7 starts) during his debut season in North America and shortly after the season ended, earned his first international cap with the USA Eagles, for whom he is eligible for through his US-born father, against Canada in Glendale during the Pacific Nations Cup. Ahead of their inaugural MLR season in 2020, Old Glory DC signed Fa’anana-Schultz who started all 5 games before the season was cancelled due to the global COVID-19 pandemic.

Over his first 4 seasons in the nation’s capital, ‘JFS’ earned 38 MLR caps (36 starts) and scored 7 tries, bringing his MLR totals to 46 caps (43 starts) and 10 tries. Following a less than desirable disciplinary record in 2022 that saw him pick up 2 citings from the league an a total of 15 weeks (5+10) suspension, Old Glory DC elected Fa’anana-Schultz as club captain for 2023. He proved to have grown and matured, captaining the Flags 13 times and picking up 0 cards in a 2023 season that saw Old Glory DC clinch the playoffs for the first time ever, and make it through to the Eastern Conference final, where they fell 25-7 to the eventual Champions, the New England Free Jacks. That year, ‘JFS’ completed 187 tackles to finish 9th in MLR for tackles completed.

On 3rd October 2023, Old Glory DC announced the return of Jamason Fa’anana-Schultz for the 2024 MLR season. He started all 10 of his games in 2024 as the Flags qualified for the playoffs for the 2nd season in a row, facing the New England Free Jacks once again, in the Eastern Conference Semifinals and, unfortunately for JFS and the Flags, history repeated itself and Old Glory DC fell to the Free Jacks after pushing them all the way, 29-33. On December 24th, 2024, Old Glory DC confirmed the return of Jamason Fa’anana-Schultz for the 2025 season, where he scored a career high 4 tries in 13 games for the Flags (all starts once again) to help them secure a 3rd successive postseason appearance. Jamason Fa’anana-Schultz recorded another 91 tackles that season to pass 600 in his career (679 in 70 games). Despite his 6 seasons with Old Glory DC, on 28th October 2025 the team announced that they would be parting ways with Fa’anana-Schultz, and the former DC captain would not be returning for their 2026 campaign.

A month later on 26th November, the New England Free Jacks announced that they had signed Jamason Fa’anana-Schultz for the 2026 MLR season. Fa’anana-Schultz took the scenic route from DC to New England however. On 11th December French 3rd Tier (Nationale) side RC Narbonnais announced that Fa’anana-Schultz was joining them as injury cover from January 2026 until the end of the 2025/26 Nationale season, scheduled for the end of April, 2026. As a result, he may miss the start of the 2026 MLR season.

Achievements

  • MLR Team of the Week: 2024 – Rd 13
  • 9th in MLR Tackling: 2023 (187)
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2023 – Rd 10
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2023 – Rd 5
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2019 – Rd 18

Pago Haini

Born in American Samoa and raised in Samoa, Pagopagohokma Taeaomua ‘Pago’ Haini, played in Major League Rugby between 2018-2025. He represented the Houston SaberCats (2018), the New England Free Jacks (2019-2020), the LA Giltinis (2021), the Rugby New York Ironworkers (2022-2023), and the Seattle Seawolves (2024-2025).

Haini played with the Samoa U19 side in 2010, and the Wellington U20s in New Zealand in 2011. Born on American Samoa and so US-Eligible, Haini represented the USA at the Wellington Sevens in 2017 and played at the HSBC Sevens Series in Sydney. Haini signed with the Houston SaberCats ahead of MLR’s inaugural season in 2018, earning 4 caps from the bench. He moved to the New England Free Jacks for their exhibition season in 2019, and was signed with them for their inaugural season in 2020, but did not make an appearance before the COVID-19 pandemic cancelled the season after only 5 rounds. Haini signed with the LA Giltinis prior to the 2021 season, and earned a career best 13 appearances for LA, including his first 5 MLR starts, as the Giltinis advanced to the MLR Championship Final, defeating Rugby ATL 31-17 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

Haini signed with Rugby New York ahead of the 2022 season, and earned 3 appearanced before injury forced him to the sidelines, during which time he featured as a sideline reporter for New York home games. That season, NY advanced to the MLR Championship Final and defeated the Seattle Seawolves 30-15 in New York, giving Haini his 2nd Championship in as many seasons. He returned for the Ironworkers in 2023, earning an additional 8 caps (7 starts) and racking up over 370m gained with ball in hand. Through 5 seasons in MLR (not counting the Free Jacks’ exhibition season), Haini  earned 28 MLR caps (14 starts) and scored 5 tries.

Following the announcement in early December 2023 that the Rugby New York Ironworkers would not compete in the 2024 season due to financial difficulties, Haini opted in to the Dispersal Draft for NY and Toronto players (the Arrows had announced a week prior to NY that they would also not be competing in the 2024 season) and was selected 20th overall by the Seattle Seawolves. His signing was then confirmed by Seattle on 16th December 2023, ahead of the 2024 season. Haini scored 1 try in 8 games for the Seawolves (7 starts), racking up a PB 371m gained as the Seawolves advanced through the San Diego Legion and Dallas Jackals on their way to their 4th (and Haini’s 3rd) MLR Championship game,  where Haini came off the bench in a 11-20 defeat to the New England Free Jacks.

Pago Haini returned for a second season with the Seattle Seawolves in 2025 after being included on their complete roster when it was announced on January 14th, 2025.

achievements

Adriaan Booysen

Namibian back rower Adriaan Booysen played in Major League Rugby between 2020-2024. He represented the Houston SaberCats (2020-2021) and the Dallas Jackals (2022-2023).

Born and raised in Gobabis, Namibia, Booysen attended the University of the Free State in South Africa, studying Law. Between 2016-2017 he played with the Wanderers Rugby Club and, between 2017-2020, the Welwitschias, Namibia’s representation in the Supersport Rugby Challenge, primarily in South Africa. That same year, 2017, Booysen earned his test debut for Namibia against Senegal, and has since represented his country (also nicknamed the Welwitschias) at two Rugby World Cups, in Japan in 2019 and in France in 2023.

Booysen entered MLR in 2020 with the Houston SaberCats, appearing in all 5 games (4 starts) for the ‘Cats, scoring 1 try before the COVID-19 pandemic cancelled the season. He returned for Houston the following year, appearing in all 16 games of their 2023 season (8 starts) scoring 3 tries. Booysen moved down the I-45 for 2022, joining the Dallas Jackals for their tumultuous inaugural MLR season, scoring his 5th career MLR try and earning 12 appearances. Booysen’s standout season came in 2023. He started all 16 games for the Jackals, scoring a PB 4 tries and carrying for 676m gained, also a PB. He finished 2nd in MLR tackling with 257 completed tackles, almost 120 more than his previous best of 138 in 2021.

achievements
  • 2nd in MLR Tackling: 2023 (257)