Season: MLR 2026

The 9th season of Major League Rugby saw the merging of the San Diego Legion and Rugby FC LA to form the California Legion, as well as the withdrawal of multiple teams to take the league from 11 sides in 2025, to 6 in 2026.

Alex Lopeti

California native Alex ‘Ale’ Lopeti played in Major League Rugby between 2022-2026. He represented the NOLA Gold (2022-2025) and the California Legion (2026).

The younger brother of Seattle Seawolves player Tavite Lopeti, Ale had been playing with the Austin Gilgronis academy side (the Outlaws) in the fall of 2021 before signing with the Gold ahead of the 2022 MLR season. He earned his MLR debut and a total of 4 caps during his debut season. The Gold re-signed him ahead of the 2023 season, where Lopeti added another 6 caps to his resume including his first MLR start and first MLR try. On the back of his performances through his sophomore seaosn, Lopeti was selected as the Gold’s Most Improved Player for the 2023 season.

On 24th December 2023 (Christmas Eve), the NOLA Gold announced the return of Ale Lopeti for the 2024 MLR season, where he more than doubled his career highs for appearances (from 6 to 14) and tackles completed (38 to 88) while also scoring two tries to bring his career total to 3. He came off the bench during the Gold’s first ever playoff game in 2024, a defeat to the Chicago Hounds in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. On December 26th, 2024, the NOLA Gold announced the return of Ale Lopeti for the 2025 season. Lopeti enjoyed a career year despite a disappointing year for the NOLA Gold in 2025. He earned 11 of his 13 career starts, and earned a career high 15 appearances to take his career total to 39 appearances, all for the Gold. Lopeti scored 4 tries (another career high) on 126m gained, and recorded over 100 tackles made for the first time in his career. Unfortunately, the NOLA Gold missed out on the postseason, and withdrew from MLR completely during the 2025/26 offseason.

Following this withdrawal, Alex Lopeti returned to his home state of California, and on 24th February 2026 he was announced by the California Legion ahead of their inaugural season.

Achievements

Reece Botha

South African fly-half Reece Botha played in Major League Rugby between 2023-2026. He represented the NOLA Gold (2023-2025) and the Chicago Hounds (2026).

Botha is a Lindenwood product and had been playing with the Gold academy during the fall of 2022 before signing with the senior team in September 2022. He made his MLR debut during the 2023 season and was selected as the Gold‘s Rookie of the year, earning 6 appearances (4 starts), scoring 1 try and 14pts total and racking up over 150m gained. On 14th November 2023, the NOLA Gold announced the re-signing of Reece Botha for the 2024 MLR season, where he appeared in all 17 Gold games (starting 4) as the Gold qualified for the MLR Playoffs for the first time in team history, before falling 21-45 to the Chicago Hounds. Botha scored 2 tries and 53pts total in 2024, and was named as the NOLA Gold‘s most improved player for 2024.

On December 21st, 2024, the NOLA Gold announced the return of Reece Botha for his 3rd MLR season in 2025, where he added a further 9 appearances and 3 starts for the Gold, scoring 1 try and 15pts during a disappointing season for NOLA. This took Botha’s career totals to 13 starts in 32 MLR games for the NOLA Gold, scoring 4 tries and 82pts total with just over 500m gained and 88 tackles completed. Following the withdrawal of the NOLA Gold from Major League Rugby after the 2025 season, Reece Botha signed with the Chicago Hounds and was the first player announced in 2026, on January 2nd.

Achievements

  • 2024 NOLA Gold Most Improved Player
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2024 – Rd 13
  • 2023 NOLA Gold Rookie of the Year

Sam Golla

Texas born, Colorado raised lock/flanker Sam Golla played in Major League Rugby between 2023-2026. He represented the Dallas Jackals (2023-2024) and Anthem RC (2025-2026).

Sam Golla was drafted 1st Overall in the 2022 Major League Rugby Collegiate Draft by the Dallas Jackals. The UCal Berkeley Golden Bear alum featured in all 16 games during his rookie season in 2023, scoring 3 tries and finished 4th in the league on successful tackles made. His debut season impressed many, and he became a clear frontrunner for the MLR’s 2023 Rookie of the Year, which he was rightfully awarded. On May 15th, 2023 (long before the season was over) the Dallas Jackals announced a 3 year contract extension for Golla, locking him in through the 2026 MLR season. He returned to captain the Dallas Jackals in 2024, scoring 3 tries in 10 games (9 starts) during an injury-affected season, but still managed over 100 tackles as the Jackals recorded an MLR-record 9 losing BPs, qualifying for the Playoffs where they faced their #1 seeded Texas rivals, the Houston SaberCats, emerging as 22-34 victors and stunning the top seeded SaberCats before falling to the Seattle Seawolves in the Western Conference Final.

Following his impressive rookie season in 2023, he was included in the USA Eagles’ player pool for their August 2023 tests, where he earned his test debut in a 31-17 victory over Romania in Bucharest. Golla was again included in the USA squad for their July 2024 tests against Romania and Scotland. Unfortunately, Golla picked up an injury on international duty that ruled him out of the MLR playoffs for the Jackals. He was still named to the All-MLR Honorable Mention XV for his performances in 2024, however. He scored another 3 tries in 10 games (9 starts) and completed another 112 tackles to take his career total to 330 tackles in just 2 seasons.

Shortly after the conclusion of the 2024 season, the Dallas Jackals and MLR announced that the team was being sold and would not compete in the 2025 season. In the subsequent dispersal draft, Golla was selected 1st by Anthem RC, who confirmed his signing when they unveiled their full 2025 roster on January 21st, 2025. He captained the Rising Stars through their 2nd season in MLR, scoring 2 tries and starting all 15 of his appearances, missing just 1 game. Golla put in another 187 tackles to pass 500 career tackles completed (517) in just 3 years in the league. He also passed 1000m gained in possession (1033m). On October 28th, 2025, Anthem RC announced the return of Sam Golla for his 4th MLR campaign in 2026.

Achievements
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2025 – Rd 6
  • 2024 All-MLR Honorable Mention XV
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2024 – Rd 6
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2024 – Rd 3
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2024 – Rd 2
  • 2023 MLR Rookie of the Year
  • 4th in MLR in Tackles: 2023 (218)
  • MLR Draftee: 2022 – 1st overall pick – Dallas Jackals

Karl Keane

Irish born Washington native Karl Keane played in Major League Rugby between 2023-2026. He represented the Seattle Seawolves (2023-2024) and Anthem RC (2025-2026).

Born in Dublin, Ireland, Keane picked up rugby from an early age with Malahide RFC before he moved to Seattle with his family at age 10. He continued to play rugby with the Eastside Lions and Washington Loggers before he attended St. Mary’s College in California, playing for the Gaels while there. Keane has progressed through the USA age grades, playing with the U16, U18, U20, and U23 sides as well as playing with the USA Falcons on their 2022 tour of South America.

He earned 9 MLR caps in his debut MLR season, all of which were from the bench and playing time was limited behind stand-out scrum-half JP Smith. Keane committed to his local MLR side long term, signing a contract to keep him with the Seawolves through the 2025 MLR season, but on July 18th, 2023, Urayasu D-rocks of Japan’s League One D2 announced that they had signed Karl Keane for the upcoming season. The D-rocks season meant that Keane stayed in Japan until May, missing a significant portion of the 2024 MLR season. As a result he did not feature for the Seawolves during their 2024 Runners-Up season. Despite being signed with the Seawolves through 2025, Keane was included in Anthem RC’s squad when they announced their full 2025 roster on January 21st, 2025. Keane set career highs across the board with Anthem RC in 2025, earning his first 11 MLR starts in 11 appearances, and scoring his first MLR try. He also completed 54 tackles and gained 69m in possession.

On December 9th, Anthem RC announced the return of Karl Keane for his 2nd season with the Rising Stars in 2026.

Calixto Martinez

Canadian prop Calixto Martinez played in Major League Rugby between 2023-2025. He represented Old Glory DC for his entire MLR career.

A BC native and product of the University of British Columbia, Calixto ‘Cali’ Martinez was the highest-drafted Canadian in the 2022 MLR Draft when he was selected in the 1st Round, 3rd overall by Old Glory DC. He was the highest drafted Canadian ever until Neil Trainor went 2nd overall in 2024. He was drafted by Old Glory DC whom he represented for his debut MLR season where he earned 11 MLR caps including his first start in the league as the Flags earned their first post-season appearance in club history. On 28th November 2023, Old Glory DC announced the return of Cali Martinez for the 2024 MLR season. In his sophomore season in MLR, Martinez earned 4 starts in 16 games for the Flags, improving from 54m gained in 2023 to over 200m gained in 2024, while completing over 70 tackles. He was named to the MLR Team of the Week for the first time in his career for his performance in Round 18, and came off the bench during Old Glory DC’s Eastern Conference Semifinal clash with their rivals the New England Free Jacks and although the Flags ran the Free Jacks close, they fell 29-33 to the eventual champions.

Just prior to the 2024 Playoffs, Cali Martinez earned his test debut for Canada in a victory over Romania in Ottawa the July tests, before returning to Old Glory DC for their 2024 playoff run. Following the season, Martinez was included in Canada’s squad for the Pacific Nations Cup, and represented the Maple Leaf in the November tests. On December 4th, 2024, Old Glory DC announced the return of Cali Martinez for his 3rd MLR season in 2025. In that season, Martinez proved to be a genuine talent in the front row. He appeared in all 17 of Old Glory’s games that season as they returned to the playoffs, falling to the Chicago Hounds in the Eastern Conference semifinal. Martinez doubled his career high in starts from 4 to 8, and although his metres gained in possession fell from 203 in 2024 back to around his rookie season level with 45m, he more than doubled his tackles completed from 72 to an impressive 150.

Following the 2025 campaign, Cali Martinez was again a regular in the national team selection. He started every game for Canada both in their July tests and in the Pacific Nations Cup, including a victory over the USA in Calgary that ultimately earned Canada a place at the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia. Martinez became the first Canadian confirmed for the 2026 MLR season when Old Glory DC announced his return on November 3rd, 2025. He started 8 of his 9 appearances for DC during the 2026 season, earning a pair of Team of the Week selections and recording just shy of 100 tackles completed to help the Flags qualify for the postseason where they fell to the Chicago Hounds. Martinez earned his first All-MLR First XV selection for his performance that season before linking up with the Canadian national team for their Nations Cup tests in July.

Achievements:

  • 2026 All-MLR First XV Selection
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2026 – Rd 11
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2026 – Rd 10
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2025 – Rd 6
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2024 – Rd 18
  • 2022 MLR Draftee: 1st Round (3rd Overall) – Old Glory DC

Collin Grosse

Washington State native Collin Grosse played in Major League Rugby between 2023-2026. He was drafted 15th overall in the 2022 MLR Collegiate Draft by Old Glory DC, and has represented DC for his entire MLR career.

Grosse helped Army West Point to a National Championship and D1A Rugby East title, and played with the USA U23 squad in both 2021 and 2022. He also toured Uruguay with the USA Falcons in 2022. In his debut MLR season, Grosse appeared in more games than any MLR prospect, earning 17 caps (11 starts) and scoring 2 tries as Old Glory DC earned their first ever Championship Series appearance, progressing all the way to the Eastern Conference Final where they fell 25-7 to eventual champions, the New England Free Jacks. Although he scored 2 tries, Grosse really impressed on the defensive side, proving a threat around the breakdown and racking up 163 successful tackles during his debut season. Still a career high.

On 7th November 2023, Old Glory DC announced the return of Collin Grosse for the 2024 season. He earned an additional 14 appearances (7 starts) and scored a 3rd career try that year, setting a career high 342m gained and again completing well over 100 tackles. On December 7th, 2024, Old Glory DC announced the return of Collin Grosse for a 3rd MLR season in 2025. Grosse remained a regular in the Old Glory DC lineup in 2025, starting 6 of his 16 appearances for the Flags and scoring a career high 3 tries to help the team qualify for the post-season for the 3rd year in a row, where they fell to the Chicago Hounds in the Eastern Conference Semifinal. Grosse has completed well over 100 tackles in each of his 3 seasons and has an even 400 in his career as well as over 800m gained in possession.

On 7th November 2025, Old Glory DC announced the return of Collin Grosse for his 4th MLR campaign with the Flags in 2026.

Achievements:
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2025 – Rd 8
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2023 – Rd 1
  • 2022 MLR Draftee – 2nd Round (15th Overall) – Old Glory DC

Joel Hodgson

English fly-half Joel Hodgson played in Major League Rugby between 2023-2026. He represented the Utah Warriors (2023-2025) and the New England Free Jacks (2026).

A Newcastle native, Hodgson played rugby through High School, representing the England U18s as a scrum-half, and the England U19s as a fly-half. He joined the Newcastle Falcons in 2010 in the English Premiership, earning over 100 appearances with his local Premiership club across two stints, 2010-2014, and 2016-2022. He played with the Northampton Saints for the 2015/16 season. He also spent some time in the English Championship early in his career, playing with the Rotherham Titans in 2013/14, and the Yorkshire Carnegie in 2015/16. He was loaned to the Glasgow Warriors on a short term basis in 2022, before making the move to MLR.

Hodgson signed with the Utah Warriors ahead of their 2023 campaign, and started all 16 games as the Warriors missed out on the playoffs by just 3pts. Hodgson scored 122pts including 5 tries, finishing 3rd in MLR scoring that season and carried for a remarkable 868m gained as a fly-half. He returned for the Warriors’ 2024 season and again appeared in all 16 games (15 starts), finishing with another 100pt+ season but the Warriors missed out on the post-season once again. Through the 2024 MLR season, Hodgson has scored 233pts in 32 games, including 5 tries. He finished 4th in MLR scoring in 2024. On January 22nd, 2025, the Utah Warriors announced the return of Joel Hodgson for a third season with the team and in MLR in 2025. Hodgson’s 2025 began with him playing behind surprise standout D’Angelo Leuila for the 10 jersey, but when Leuila shifted to 12, Hodgson quickly re-took the flyhalf spot and made it his own. Hodgson started 15 of his 17 appearances for the Warriors, scoring 7 tries and 96pts to help them end their postseason drought, and started both of Utah’s playoff games, helping them earn their first ever postseaon victory over the Seattle Seawolves in the Western Conference Semifinal, before falling to the Houston SaberCats in the Western Conference Final. For his performance in 2025, Joel Hodgson was named to the All-MLR Second XV. He now sits with just over 2,000m gained, and just under 300 tackles made.

On 26th November, 2025, the New England Free Jacks announced that they had signed Joel Hodgson for the 2026 Major League Rugby season. NARDB understands that this move was made before the Utah Warriors announced their withdrawal from MLR earlier that month. Having moved from Utah to New England, Hodgson picked up exactly where he left off with the Warriors. He was given the mammoth task of filling the boots of outgoing Free Jacks fly-half Jayson Potroz and did so superbly. Hodgson started all 10 games for the Free Jacks during a disappointing season where they missed out on the playoffs, but scored 75pts in total with a 75% success rate from the tee and recorded over 400m gained, beating 23 defenders while contributing 3 try assists. For his efforts, Hodgson was named as the New England Free Jacks’ Back of the Year for 2026.

achievements
  • 2026 New England Free Jacks Back of the Year
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2026 – Rd 7
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2026 – Rd 5
  • 2025 All-MLR Second XV Selection
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2025 – Rd 15
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2025 – Rd 13
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2025 – Rd 6
  • 4th in MLR Scoring: 2024 (111pts)
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2024 – Rd 8
  • 2023 All-MLR Honorable Mention
  • 3rd in MLR Scoring: 2023 (122pts)

Jordan Jackson-Hope

Australian Centre/Fly-half Jordan Jackson-Hope played in Major League Rugby between 2023-2024, and again in 2026. He represented the NOLA Gold (2023-2024) and Old Glory DC (2026).

Jackson-Hope represented the Wallabies during the 2016 Junior World Championship, and made his Super Rugby debut with the Brumbies that same year, representing them between 2016-2019. He moved to Japan in 2019, representing the Toyko Shokki Shuttles in Division 2 of the Japanese Top League (now League One) before returning to Super Rugby in 2020 with the Sunwolves. He stayed in Japan until 2022, representing Tokyo Gas between 2020-2022. He joined the Gold via the Eastern Suburbs in Australia’s Shute Shield competition.

Jackson-Hope earned 12 MLR caps with the Gold in his debut season in North America (all starts), scoring 2 tries and 16pts (2/3 from the tee) and racking up over 800m gained with ball in hand while completing 126 successful tackles. He earned a MLR Team of the Week selection during Round 3. For his standout performance through the 2023 season, he was named both the Back of the Year and Player of the Year at NOLA Gold’s end of season awards. On 11th December 2023, NOLA Gold announced that they had extended their contract with Jordan Jackson-Hope through the 2025 MLR season. In his sophomore MLR season he scored 6 tries in 13 games including a stunning try in NOLA Gold’s first ever playoff game, a 21-45 loss to the Chicago Hounds. For his efforts in 2024, he was named as the NOLA Gold MVP for that season and earned a spot on the All-MLR First XV team.

Following the 2024 MLR season Jackson-Hope seems to have stepped away from rugby to focus on training and coaching. However, after a year away from Major League Rugby in 2025, he returned to North America for the 2026 season, signing with Old Glory DC on 10th February, 2026.

Achievements
  • 2024 All-MLR First XV
  • 2024 NOLA Gold Player of the Year
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2024 – Rd 17
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2024 – Rd 12
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2024 – Rd 11
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2024 – Rd 3
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2024 – Rd 1
  • 2023 NOLA Gold Player of the Year
  • 2023 NOLA Gold Back of the Year
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2023 – Rd 3

Chicago Hounds

Background & History

The Chicago Hounds were announced as a Major League Rugby expansion side on November 17, 2022 and played in their inaugural MLR season in 2023, with SeatGeek Stadium hosting their home games. The team is co-owned by a small group of investors including majority owner Peter Bernick and part-owners Matt Satchwell and Phil Groves. Also among the ownership group are former Ireland internationals Dave & Rob Kearney with Dave also representing the team during the 2024 season, and chef Art Smith.

The inaugural Hounds roster was primarily created through an expansion/dispersal draft of players from Austin & LA after the two franchises ceased operations following their disqualification from the 2022 MLR season. Former Austin Head Coach Sam Harris moved to Chicago to take the reigns as Hounds HC, along with many of his AG players. Harris remained in charge of the Hounds from 2023 to the tail end of the 2024 season, when he was let go following a 4 game skid and a playoff spot on the line. Forwards Coach Rob Webber, former England international and Jersey Reds head coach, was promoted to interim head coach and went on a 3 game win streak to lock in the Hounds’ first ever Playoff appearance, where they defeated the higher seeded NOLA Gold, but fell to the New England Free Jacks in a close contest in Quincy, MA. Shortly after Webber‘s promotion to interim HC, English Premiership side Saracens announced that Webber would be joining them as Assistant Forwards Coach for their 2024/25 season, leaving the Chicago Hounds to find his replacement for the 2025 season. They did so on 11th September 2024, when they announced Wallabies legend Chris Latham as their head coach for 2025. The Hounds’ first season under Latham was their best to date. They finished 2nd in the East with an 11-5 record and 53pts, just 2 behind the 1st placed New England Free Jacks. This secured their first home playoff game against Old Glory DC in which they were victorious, and they advanced to the Eastern Conference Final for a replay of the 2024 ECF against the Free Jacks in Quincy. The Hounds led 0-17 at the 50 minute mark before New England began to pile on the pressure, and trailed 21-20 as the clock turned red. Chris Hilsenbeck lined up a penalty kick in the last play of the game, which rang off the post to hand the Free Jacks the victory.

Clearly not wanting to experience that heartbreak again, the Chicago Hounds put together a fearsome roster for the 2026 season, recruiting the likes of 2025 Finals MVP Brock Webster, Chilean international Santiago Videla, and super rugby hooker Theo Fourie to replace outgoing MLR legend Dylan Fawsitt. In fact, to date the 2025 Eastern Conference Final is the last time the Hounds lost a game. They recorded the first perfect season in MLR history in 2026, going 10-0 against all challengers and averaging 46.1pts per game for a bonus point victory in all 10 games. Having earned home advantage through the playoffs with their own SeatGeek Stadium chosen as the venue for the 2026 Championship, the Hounds demolished Old Glory DC in the Semifinals before defeating the California Legion in the pouring rain on 21st June 2026 to claim their first ever Shield. The 2026 Chicago Hounds were the most dominant team that MLR has ever seen, completing a 12-0 season and holding on to The Old Mate for an 11-game run from Round 3 all the way through to the end of the season.

Records & Record Holders

All-Time

Top Scorer: Chris Hilsenbeck (213pts)
Top Try Scorer: Dylan Fawsitt (23)
Top Playoff Scorer: Chris Hilsenbeck (52pts)
Most Appearances: Maclean Jones (57)
Most Starts: Maclean Jones (54)
Top Tackler: Maclean Jones (716)
Top Meter Eater: Billy Meakes (2,238m)

Single Season:

Top Scorer: Chris Hilsenbeck (109pts) – 2025
Top Try Scorer: Dylan Fawsitt (14) – 2024
Top Tackler: Maclean Jones (204) – 2025
Top Meter Eater: Billy Meakes (1,154m) – 2023

historical performance

2023: 3-0-13 (-170) – 20pts: 5th in Western Conference
2024: 8-1-7 (+67) – 45pts: 3rd in Eastern Conference (Conference Finalist)
2025: 11-0-5 (+69) – 53pts: 2nd in Eastern Conference (Conference Finalist)
2026: 10-0-0 (+209) – 50pts: 1st (Champions)

All-Time Regular Season Record: 32-1-25
All-Time Playoff Record: 4-2
Championship Series Appearances: 3 (2024, 2025, 2-26)

The Old Mate

Total Possessions: 14
Longest Streak: 8 Games (Active)
First Possession: 2025 – Rd 3
Last Possession: 2026 – Rd 10 (Current Holder!)
Successful Challenges: 2
Failed Challenges: 6
Challenge Success Rate: 25.00%
Successful Defences: 12
Failed Defences: 1
Defence Success Rate: 92.31%

Head coach & captain

Head Coach:
Captain:

Logo & Jersey

The Chicago Hounds logo features a white Medieval-esque hounds head reminiscent of House Stark from Game of Thrones. This Hounds head sits within a green shield. This shield is in turn within two circles, the outer of which features ‘Chicago Hounds Rugby’ and 4 light blue stars, a nod to the flag of Chicago.

2023-2025

The Chicago Hounds have traditionally played in green and white. Typically green has featured as an accent colour, with some exceptions such as the 2023 St. Patrick’s Day kit which was dark green with a white collar. In 2023, their home jersey was primarily white with gray accents, and their away jersey a black version of the same jersey. For 2024, they switched their primary jersey for a white and green hooped jersey featuring a collar, which was used as a one-off in 2023 and went down extremely well then, as it did for the 2024 season.

 

venue

The Chicago Hounds have played their home games out of Seatgeek Stadium, the 20,000 seater home of the Chicago Fire of the MLS. Seatgeek Stadium was also used as the venue for the 2023 MLR Championship Final between the San Diego Legion and the New England Free Jacks.

Seatgeek Stadium

 

Penalty Try

This is a placeholder page for Penalty Tries.

While this page does show the number of penalty tries in each season of MLR & WER across all teams, it’s main purpose is to ensure box scores are correct.