Position: Number 8

Ethan Howard

Californian back row Ethan Howard played in Major League Rugby during the 2025 season. He represented Anthem RC for his entire MLR career.

A native of Huntington Beach, CA, Howard attended Orange Lutheran High School while also playing rugby with the San Clemente Rhinos, where he played from 2013-2018 before joining the Back Bay Sharks youth team from 2019-2020. Howard attended Davenport University between 2020-2024 alongside fellow Anthem player Colin Turner. While playing with the Panthers, Howard was selected to represent the USA U18 and U23 teams, and was named a Collegiate All-American.

Following his graduation, Anthem RC signed Howard to a Homegrown Player Contract for the 2025 season. Ethan Howard’s signing was confirmed when Anthem RC revealed their full 2025 roster on January 21st, 2025.

NARDB Player #1,376

Alejandro Martinez Tapia

Ohio native Alejandro Martinez ‘Alex’ Tapia played in Major League Rugby between 2025-2026. He represented Anthem RC for his entire MLR career.

A native of Hilliard, OH, Tapia attended Davidson High School where he first started playing rugby before attending rugby powerhouse Lindenwood University between 2020-2024. He was invited to a USA Sevens team camp in 2023, and earned First Team All-American honours in 2024. He plays his club rugby with Charlotte Rugby Club’s ARP side, and was signed by Anthem RC on a homegrown player contract. Tapia was included when Anthem revealed their full roster for the 2025 season on January 21st, 2025. In his debut MLR season, Martinez Tapia started 9 of his 12 appearances for the Rising Stars, completing 90 tackles and running for 178m gained in possession.

On November 29th, 2025, Anthem RC announced the return of Alejandro Martinez Tapia for the 2026 season, along with EJ Freeman.

NARDB Player #1,372

Cian Darling

Irish back row Cian Darling played in Major League Rugby between 2024-2025. He represented the NOLA Gold for his entire MLR career.

Born and raised in Dublin, Ireland, Darling attended Colaiste Choilm in Swords, and represented Leinster at U18 & U19 levels while also playing with Skerries RFC with whom he was an All-Ireland U19 finalist. Darling moved to the US in 2018, attending Wheeling Jesuit University until 2019 before transferring to rugby powerhouse Lindenwood University. He attended Lindenwood between 2019-2023 and was a regular starter for the Lions throughout his time there while also serving as lineout coach. In 2021, he won the NCR Collegiate Rugby Championship with the school’s Sevens team.

Darling declared for the 2023 MLR Collegiate Draft and was selected in the first round, 7th overall by the NOLA Gold. He spent 2024 with the NOLA Gold academy side and New Orleans RFC, and on January 8th, 2025 the Gold confirmed the return of Cian Darling for a second MLR season in 2025. In his sophomore year, Darling earned his MLR debut and started 1 of his 3 appearances during a challenging season for the NOLA Gold. He gained 18m in possession and completed 24 tackles.

With the NOLA Gold announcing their withdrawal from MLR in August 2025, Cian Darling’s future in the league is currently unclear.

Achievements
  • 2023 MLR Draftee: 1st Round (7th Overall) – NOLA Gold

NARDB Player #1,363

Matt Carrion

Pennsylvanian back row Matthew Carrion played in Major League Rugby between 2025-2026. He represented the New England Free Jacks (2025) and Anthem RC (2026).

A native of Carlisle, PA, Carrion attended Carlisle high school before enrolling at Life University in 2019. In his first year with the Running Eagles, he helped the team to an ARP title and was selected to represent the USA U18 side. He continued to excel at Life, and was invited to the MLR Rising combine ahead of the 2024 Collegiate Draft, in which he was selected in the 2nd Rd, 14th overall, by the New England Free Jacks.

On December 19th, 2024, the New England Free Jacks confirmed the signing of Matt Carrion for their 2025 season. Carrion spent the 2025 season training and in camp with the Free Jacks, but did not appear at MLR level for the team. He was released by the team following the 2025 season but on 5th May 2026, Anthem RC announced that they had picked up Matt Carrion at the signing deadline for the remainder of the 2026 MLR season.

achievements

NARDB Player #1,359

Kaipono Kayoshi

Californian back row Kaipono Kayoshi played in Major League Rugby during the 2025 MLR season. He represented the New England Free Jacks for his entire MLR career.

San Francisco native Kaipono Kayoshi played with Granite Bay, winning a national High School Championship before represented the USA U18s in 2018, and the U20s in 2020. He attended St. Mary’s College in California and was named a CRAA All-American three years running between 2022-2024. He captained the SMC Gaels to a D1A title, and was selected by the New England Free Jacks 4th overall in the 2024 MLR Collegiate Draft.

On December 19th, 2024, the New England Free Jacks confirmed the signing of Kaipono Kayoshi for the 2025 MLR season. He started 1 of his 3 MLR appearances during his rookie season, recording 17 tackles to help the Free Jacks completed the Threepeat with their 3rd Shield in as many seasons. Following the season on December 19th, 2025, NEC Green Rockets Tokatsu in Division 2 of the Japan Rugby League One announced the addition of Kaipono Kayoshi for the 2025/26 seaosn.

achievements

NARDB Player #1,358

Ed Timpson

English back row Ed Timpson played in Major League Rugby between 2025-2026. He represented Rugby FC LA (2025) and the California Legion (2026).

Timpson attended the University of Nottingham in England, playing in the British Universities league, BUCS, until his graduation in 2023, playing alongside fellow RFCLA player Ben Sugars. Following his graduation, Timpson headed down under to Sydney, joining the Northern Suburbs in the Shute Shield. Returning to England following a year in Australia, Timpson signed a short-term contract with the Bristol Bears until early 2025, representing the Bears in the Premiership Rugby Cup.

On December 18th, 2024, Rugby FC LA announced the signing of Ed Timpson for their 2025 MLR season. He scored an impressive 7 tries in 15 games (13 starts) during his debut MLR season, completing 164 tackles as Rugby FC LA finished 3rd in the West and qualified for the postseason for the first time in their history. They fell 27-21 in a hard fought Western Conference Semifinal to the Houston SaberCats, a game in which Timpson played the full 80 minutes. For his efforts, he was named as Rugby FC LA’s 2025 Forward of the Year in their end of season awards. Following the merger of RFCLA with San Diego to form the California Legion, Ed Timpson remained in California, signing with the new iteration of the Legion for the 2026 season. This was announced by the team on 30th January, 2026.

achievements
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2026 – Rd 5
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2026 – Rd 4
  • Rugby FC LA2025 Forward of the Year
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2025 – Rd 7
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2025 – Rd 4

NARDB Player #1,353

Ben Houston

Australian back-rower Ben Houston played in Major League Rugby between 2025-2026. He represented Rugby FC LA (2025) and the California Legion (2026).

A Sydney native, Houston comes from a rugby family with his father and uncle both involved in the game. Houston began playing with the Randwick Galloping Green in 2019, and played with them through the 2022 Shute Shield season until he was given the opportunity to train with the Wests Tigers in 2023. This ultimately led nowhere so Houston returned to Randwick and Captained the side to the 2023 Shute Shield, the club’s first championship since 2004.

On December 17th, 2024, Rugby FC LA announced the signing of Ben Houston for their sophomore season in 2025, re-joining his former Randwick coach Stephen Hoiles in California. Houston enjoyed an excellent debut season in MLR, starting all 14 of his appearances and scoring 8 tries for RFCLA on over 625m gained, and completed an impressive 160 tackles in total. Ben Houston scored one of his 8 tries in their love playoff appearance during the 2025 Western Conference Semifinal. With RFCLA merging with San Diego to form the California Legion for the 2026 season, Houston returned to Randwick during the 2025/26 MLR offseason but returned to California for the 2026 season, and was announced by the Legion on 5th February, 2026.

achievements
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2025 – Rd 16
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2025 – Rd 5

NARDB Player #1,351

Tim Anstee

Australian back rower Tim Anstee played in Major League Rugby during the 2025 season. He represented Rugby FC LA for his entire MLR career.

Born and raised in Sydney, Australia, Anstee came into his own on the Sevens circuit, representing the national Sevens team at 24 tournaments between 2016-2020, when he switched from sevens to 15s, joining the Western Force for the Super Rugby AU season. Anstee earned 45 Super Rugby appearances for Western Force between 2021-2024, and represented the Australia A side in the Pacific Nations Cup in 2022. Anstee also played with Eastwood in the Shute Shield.

On December 1st, 2024, Rugby FC LA announced the signing of Tim Anstee on a 2yr contract through the 2026 season. RFCLA DoR Stephen Hoiles previous coached Anstee while he was with the national sevens program in Australia. Anstee had a great 2025 season, scoring 5 tries and starting 15 of his 16 appearances to help RFCLA qualify for the postseason for the first time in club history. He completed over 150 tackles and ran for over 400m gained in possession, and was unlucky to miss out on an All-MLR selection during his debut season in MLR.

Although he signed a 2yr contract with RFCLA through the 2026 season, in May 2025 (while the MLR season was in full swing), the Worcester Warriors announced the addition of Tim Anstee for their 2025/236 Champ rugby campaign. Once LA merged with the San Diego Legion to form the California Legion, Anstee’s contract was voided regardless, however.

achievements:
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2025 – Rd 16
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2025 – Rd 15

NARDB Player #1,338

Jimmy Hokafonu

Australian back row Jimmy Hokafonu played in Major League Rugby during the 2025 season. He represented the San Diego Legion for his entire MLR career.

Hokafonu has played with the Sydney-based Eastwood Rugby Club in the Australian Shute Shield competition since 2022, earning his debut for the first grade team in April 2023. He’s since been named as the Easts Player of the Week in the 2024 season.

On November 8th 2024, the San Diego Legion announced the signing of Jimmy Hokafonu for their 2025 campaign. He scored 1 try in his debut MLR season, starting 12 of his 13 appearances and completing 123 tackles while gaining 355m in possession. For his efforts, Jimmy Hokafonu was named as the San Diego Legion Newcomer of the Year for 2025.

achievements
  • 2025 San Diego Legion Newcomer of the Year

NARDB Player #1,324

Matt Oworu

Canadian born back row Matt Oworu played in Major League Rugby between 2025-2026. He represented the Chicago Hounds for his entire MLR career.

Born in Canada, Oworu and his family moved to Zimbabwe when he was a child, where he was introduced to rugby while at Lewisam Primary College in Harare. Oworu returned to Canada for University, and was invited to join the Pacific Pride high performance pathway program, eventually joining the Canadian 7s team. He made his debut for the Canadian 7s side in Vancouver in 2021 and have since earned over 100 caps with the 7s side. His performance for the national sevens team drew the attention of the 15s, and he was included in the squad for Canada’s 2022 summer tests, where he earned his test debut off the bench against Belgium. He has been a regular in the 15s squad when not representing the 7s team, and featured in the La Vila Cup in Spain in 2023, the Pacific Nations Cup in 2024, and was included in the Canada squad for their November 2024 internationals against Romania and Chile.

On 4th November, 2024, the Chicago Hounds announced the signing of Matt Oworu for their 2025 MLR season, joining a number of Canadian internationals in the Hounds squad. Oworu started 3 of his 13 games, gaining 130m in possession and completing 93 tackles to help the Hounds take the defending champions right to the edge in the Eastern Conference Final, where he came off the bench. On 12th December, the Chicago Hounds announced the return of Matt Oworu for the 2026 MLR season. He was the 4th Canadian player announced by the Hounds, and the 8th league-wide.

achievements
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2026 – Rd 5

NARDB Player #1,317