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.

Harrison Boyle

US-born, New Zealand raised back three player Harrison Boyle played in Major League Rugby between 2021-2022, and again from 2025-2026. He represented the New England Free Jacks for his entire MLR career.

Born in Boston, MA, Boyle and his family returned to his native New Zealand when he was young. He played rugby while attending St. Patrick’s College, Silverstream between 2013-2017, playing with the 1st XV for two years and co-captained the 2017 team which won the Wellington Schools Championship. He attended a U17 and U18 development camp with the Hurricanes in his final few years at St. Patrick’s College, and represented the Otago U19 academy side in 2018 & 2019, playing in the Jock Hobbs Memorial National Under 19 Tournament which earned him a spot on the New Zealand U20 Development Camp in 2020. He was named to the New Zealand U20 side for the 2020 Junior World Championship before it was cancelled due to COVID.

Boyle was signed by the New England Free Jacks for the 2021 MLR season, returning to the land of his birth. He represented the Free Jacks for two seasons between 2021-2022, starting 16 of his 25 games. He gained over 500m in possession, and completed 105 tackles in total including 88 tackles in 2021. Following the 2022 season, Boyle returned to New Zealand to complete his law degree at the University of Otago. On January 31st, 2025, when the New England Free Jacks revealed their full roster for the 2025 Campaign, fans were surprised to see Harrison Boyle’s name back in the squad, returning to MLR for his 3rd season after 2 years away.

In 2025, Harrison Boyle scored 2 tries in 16 appearances (8 starts) to help the Free Jacks secure their 3rd successive Shield, the first of Boyle’s career. He recorded a career high of 315m gained to take his career total over 800, as well as 39 tackles. On 3rd December 2025, the New England Free Jacks announced the return of Harrison Boyle along with scrumhalf Oscar Lennon.

achievements

Joe Johnston

US-Eligible New Zealand flanker Joe ‘The Mechanic’ Johnston played in Major League Rugby between 2021-2023, and again in 2025. He represented the New England Free Jacks for his entire MLR career.

Nicknamed ‘The Mechanic’, Johnston captained the Bay of Plenty U19 squad in 2017, earning a contract with the Bay of Plenty senior side whom he has played with for every NPC season since 2019. Johnston’s move stateside was announced by the New England Free Jacks in September 2020, ahead of the 2021 MLR season. He was a regular starter in the Free Jacks lineup during his time in New England, earning 48 total caps (37 starts) and scoring 8 tries. He recorded 195 tackles in 2021, finishing 7th in MLR, and improved this in 2022 with a total of 220 tackles, again finishing 7th in MLR. He appeared in 17 games during both 2022 and in 2023, and the final season of his first stint in MLR saw Johnston racking up over 500m gained and completing 161 tackles, and finished as an MLR Champion after defeating the San Diego Legion 24-25 in Chicago.

On 1st December 2023, the New England Free Jacks announced the departure of Joe Johnston, who returned to his native New Zealand to complete his education. He represented Bay of Plenty in the 2024 NPC in New Zealand and following a year out of MLR, the New England Free Jacks announced the return of Joe Johnston on November 7th, 2024, ahead of the 2025 MLR season. Johnston Captained the 2025 Free Jacks team, appearing in all 19 games as New England completed MLR’s first ever Threepeat, securing their 3rd Shield in a row after defeating the Houston SaberCats at Centreville Bank Stadium in Rhode Island. Johnston scored 2 tries and started 17 times, recording his second 200+ tackle season with a career high 224, finishing T-4th League-wide with San Diego Legion Captain, Brad Wilkin. Johnston was an All-MLR Honorable Mention for his 2025 season.

On November 22nd 2025, the New England Free Jacks announced the return of Joe Johnston for his 5th Major League Rugby season in 2026. He started all 7 of his games for the Free Jacks in 2026, missing a chunk of the season due to injury during a disappointing year for the club, finishing 5th with a 3-7 record and missed out on the postseason for the first time since 2021. Johnston Captained the Free Jacks again that year, and averaged a massive 16.9 tackles per game for a total of 118 on the season to take him over 900 in his 74 game MLR career. Following the MLR season, Johnston returned to New Zealand to re-join the Bay of Plenty Steamers for the 2026 NPC season.

Achievements
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2026 – Rd 7
  • 2025 All-MLR Honorable Mention
  • 2025 MLR Champion: New England Free Jacks
  • T-4th in MLR Tackling: 2025 (224)
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2025 – Rd 13
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2025 – Rd 9
  • 2023 MLR Champion: New England Free Jacks
  • 7th in MLR Tackling: 2022 (220)
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2022 – Rd 7
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2022 – Rd 5
  • 7th in MLR Tackling: 2021 (195)
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2021 – Rd 18
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2021 – Rd 13
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2021 – Rd 3

Kyle Ciquera

Connecticut native Kyle Ciquera played in Major League Rugby between 2020-2026. He represented the New England Free Jacks for his entire MLR career.

Ciquera took up rugby mid-way through his time at Bishop Hendricken High School while also playing football and hockey. He attended St. Bonaventure University between 2015-2019, playing rugby throughout where he was named a three-time 1st team D1A Rugby East All-Conference and a three-time Collegiate All-American. Ciquera played with the New England Free Jacks during their ‘Cara Cup’ exhibition season where they faced the ‘A’ sides of all four Irish Provinces.

Ciquera began his MLR career as a reserve prop, earning 12 appearances from the bench between 2020-2021, but came into his own during the 2022 where he earned his first 10 starts in MLR and 14 appearances. He has represented the Free Jacks for 5 MLR seasons, and has been a regular starter since 2022, earning a total of 56 appearances, and 33 starts since 2022. His only MLR try to date came in 2023. He was a significant contributor to the Free Jacks’ back-to-back Shield campaigns in 2023 & 2024, coming off the bench in the 2023 Final against the San Diego Legion. Ciquera is one of the few founding Free Jacks remaining with the team.

On October 16th, 2024, the Free Jacks announced the return of Kyle Ciquera for the 2025 MLR season where he had relatively limited involvement during New England’s successful threepeat, starting 2 of his 7 appearances to help the team lift their (and Ciquera’s) 3rd successive Shield and scoring just his 2nd career try in 63 MLR appearances for the New England Free Jacks.

achievements

Mitch Wilson

US-Eligible Australian wing/fullback Mitch Wilson played in Major League Rugby between 2020-2026. He represented the New England Free Jacks (2020-2024, 2026) and Anthem RC (2025).

Wilson began playing rugby at a young age in his native Australia, beginning with Rugby League up until the age of 14, when he made the switch to rugby union. At age 15, he and his family moved from Australia to Florida where he played with the Orlando Rugby U19s. He graduated from Oviedo High School ion 2015, and enrolled at rugby powerhouse Life University between 2015-2019. While at Life, Wilson won three D1A National Championships with the Running Eagles in 2016, 2018, & 2019, and captained the team between 2017-2019. Wilson represented the USA at U20 level in 2016, the USA Selects in 2017 & 2018 APC tournaments, and earned his full test debut as USA Eagle #555 against Kenya in November 2022.

Wilson entered MLR in 2020 with the New England Free Jacks expansion side, and represented them for 5 seasons between 2020-2024. He earned a total of 57 MLR caps in New England including a high of 16 in 2024, starting 51 times (PB of 14 in 2022) and scoring 17 tries total, 7 of which came in 2022, and 104pts. He recorded almost 2,900m gained in possession and over 325 tackles as a Free Jack, and was a key part of the Free Jacks team that won back-to-back MLR Shields in 2023 & 2024, starting the 2023 Final and coming off the bench in the 2024 Final.

On October 11th 2024, the New England Free Jacks announced the departure of Mitch Wilson after 5 seasons with the club. While Wilson’s next team is not yet public, NARDB can confirm he will return to MLR for 2025. On October 15th 2024, USA Rugby included Wilson in their Squad for the 2024 End-of-year tests against Portugal, Tonga, and Spain. On this list, Wilson was listed as an Anthem RC player, unintentionally leaking Wilson’s destination for MLR 2025. This was confirmed when Anthem RC revealed their full 2025 roster on January 21st, 2025. In his lone season with the Rising Stars, Wilson added an 18th MLR try and 47pts in his 11 appearances (10 starts), pushing his career total points scored over 150pts (151). He also stayed consistent in metres gained, recording over 700m for the 4th season in a row to take his career total there to 3,614m.

Following the restructuring of the league in the 2025/26 offseason, Mitch Wilson returned to the New England Free Jacks ahead of the 2026 season, which was confirmed by the team on 13th November, 2025. NARDB understands that this move was the reason why Free Jacks GM Tom Kindley was cited for violating MLR’s Anti-Tampering policy, which cost New England their 2026 1st Round Draft Pick (sent to Anthem RC) and a salary cap deduction.

Achievements

Fred Apulu

Samoan born prop Fred Apulu played in Major League Rugby between 2022-2026. He represented the LA Giltinis (2022), the Chicago Hounds (2023-2024), the Utah Warriors (2025), and the California Legion (2026).

Former Samoa U20 player Apulu moved to Hawaii to be with his now-wife, and played for the Hawaii Marist Rugby Club. He made his MLR debut off the bench for the LA Giltinis during the 2022 season, prior to the LA Giltinis’ disqualification before the 2022 Championship Series along with the Austin Gilgronis due to alleged salary cap breaches. Both LA and Austin folded in the offseason and despite not being selected in the subsequent dispersal/expansion draft, Apulu found a home with the San Diego Legion squad for the first half of the 2023 season before signing with the  Chicago Hounds ahead of week 10 of their inaugural season in 2023. He earned 4 appearances for the Hounds in the 2023 season, all from the bench.

On 1st January, 2024 (New Year’s Day), the Chicago Hounds announced the return of Fred Apulu for the 2024 season. He was the first MLR player announced in 2024 and earned his first career MLR start as well as a career-high 14 appearances for the Hounds in 2024, including coming off the bench during both of Chicago’s playoff games that season, the first in team history. On 28th October 2024, the Utah Warriors announced the signing of Fred Apulu for their 2025 campaign. The Warriors had acquired Apulu from the Hounds in exchange for 2025 Salary Cap Considerations (unknown) on that same day. Apulu scored his first MLR try as a Utah Warrior, and started 3 of his 8 appearances to help the Warriors finish as the top team in MLR during the regular season. With the Utah Warriors withdrawing from the competition in late 2025, Apulu headed west to sign with the California Legion, who confirmed his signing on 4th March, 2026.

Joe Taufete’e

Born in American Samoa, front rower Joe Taufete’e played in Major League Rugby between 2022-2025. He represented the LA Giltinis (2022), the Houston SaberCats (2023), the Seattle Seawolves (2024), the NOLA Gold (2025), and the California Legion (2026).

The LA Giltinis announced the signing of Taufete’e on 11th March 2022, joining from Lyon in the French Top 14 having previously represented the Worcester Warriors in the English Premiership. While with Worcester in 2019, Taufete’e became the first (and to date, only) men’s player from a ‘Tier 2’ nation to ever be nominated for World Rugby Player of the Year. He made 8 appearances during the 2022 regular season, scoring one try. Following the Giltinis’ suspension from the 2022 MLR season and subsequent collapse, Taufete’e returned to the English Premiership with the Leicester Tigers.

On 28th April 2023, the Houston SaberCats announce the signing of then-30yo Taufete’e for the remainder of the 2023 season. He scored 4 tries in 7 games (6 starts) for Houston to finish out the 2023 season, and featured in the Western Eliminator as a replacement as the SaberCats fell to the Seattle Seawolves by a score of 37-26. In September of 2023, the SaberCats traded Taufete’e to Seattle in exchange for star fly-half AJ Alatimu. He scored a career-high 8 MLR tries in 14 games (12 starts) for Seattle in 2024 as they defeated the San Diego Legion and Dallas Jackals to advance to their 4th MLR final, falling to the New England Free Jacks 11-20 in a game where Taufete’e scored the Seawolves’ only try, his 8th of the season to take him to T-9th in MLR that year.

On November 6th 2024, the Seattle Seawolves thanked Joe Taufete’e for his time with the club, and shortly after the NOLA Gold announced the signing of Joe Taufete’e for their 2025 season. Taufete’e earned 10 appearances (3 starts) in New Orleans, adding another 2 tries to take his career total to 16 MLR scores. He recorded over 60 tackles made and 100m gained in a rough year for the NOLA Gold, who withdrew from Major League Rugby during the 2025/26 offseason. After becoming a free agent at the withdrawal of the Gold, the California Legion announced the addition of Joe Taufete’e for their inaugural season in 2026.

Achievements:

  • MLR Team of the Week: 2026 – Rd 2
  • 2024 MLR Runner-Up: Seattle Seawolves
  • T-9th in MLR Try Scoring: 2024 (8)
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2024 – Rd 15
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2024 – Rd 8
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2024 – Rd 4
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2024 – Rd 3
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2023 – Rd 11

Ben LeSage

Alberta native Ben LeSage played in Major League Rugby between 2020-2026. He represented the Toronto Arrows (2020-2021), the LA Giltinis (2022), and the New England Free Jacks (2023-2026).

Born and raised in Calgary, Ben LeSage played football and swam for his high school Dr. E.P. Scarlett High, while also playing rugby with a neighboring school, Henry Wise Wood High School. He also played for the Calgary Canucks before attending the University of British Columbia between 2013-2019, playing with the Thunderbirds during his time there, winning 3 Rounsfell Cups in the BC Premier League. LeSage represented the Canadian U18 side in 2013 and the U20s in 2014, before earning his full test debut for Canada against Romania in November 2016. He represented Canada at the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan and has been a stalwart in the Canada squad since his debut.

LeSage joined the Toronto Arrows (at the time, Canada’s only professional rugby team) ahead of the 2020 season, and started all 5 games as the Arrows went 4-1 before the COVID-19 pandemic cancelled the season. He returned in 2021 and scored a PB 5 tries in 13 games (all starts) for the Arrows, carrying for just under 800m gained. Despite representing Toronto for 2 seasons, LeSage never represented the Arrows in Toronto, due to restrictions resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.

On 9th November 2021, the Toronto Arrows traded LeSage to the LA Giltinis in return for MLR Draftee James O’Neill, LA’s 2022 3rd Rd Pick (Denver Fatt), and 2022 Salary Cap Considerations (unknown). In his lone season on the west coast, LeSage scored 4 tries in 12 games (11 starts) as the Giltinis finished 2nd in the Western Conference before being disqualified shortly before the MLR playoffs, along with sister team the Austin Gilgronis. During the 2022/23 offseason, both the LA & Austin franchises folded, and a dispersal draft was held for players. The New England Free Jacks selected LeSage 11th.

LeSage has been a regular in the Free Jacks lineup since joining, earning 34 appearances (23 starts) and scoring 5 tries across his 2 seasons in Quincy, lifting the shield in back to back seasons following a 24-25 victory over the San Diego Legion in Chicago in 2023, and a 11-20 victory over the Seattle Seawolves in San Diego in 2024. LeSage featured in both Free Jacks’ final victories, starting in 2023 and coming off the bench in 2024. . He was named as the 2024 Free Jacks Minuteman Award recipient, awarded to the player who best embodies the Minuteman spirit, putting the team first, and demonstrating reliability, selflessness, and leading through their actions for the good of the team and community. On October 22nd, 2024, the New England Free Jacks announced the return of LeSage for the 2025 season, the same day he was named to the Rugby Canada squad for their 2024 end of year tests. LeSage started all 9 of his appearances during the 2025 season, scoring a 15th MLR try and passing 500 tackles made in his career to help the Free Jacks complete the Threepeat, securing their (and LeSage’s) third successive MLR Shield. Following the season, he featured in Canada’s PNC squad for 2025, starting their 34-20 victory over the USA that secured Canada their spot at the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia.

On 17th November 2025, the New England Free Jacks confirmed the return of Ben LeSage for his 7th MLR season and 4th with the Free Jacks in 2026. That season proved difficult for both the Free Jacks as a team and LeSage himself. New England missed out on the playoffs for the first time since 2021, and LeSage received 2 red cards that kept him sidelined for a large chunk of the MLR season and Canada’s Nations Cup campaign. Nevertheless, he started all 6 of his appearances for New England that year, adding 2 tries scored and beat 12 defenders on over 200m gained, also contributing a try assist and just shy of 50 tackles completed on defence. For his contributions both on and off the field, LeSage received his 2nd New England Free Jacks Minuteman Award for the 2026 season.

achievements

Jordan Trainor

New Zealander Jordan Trainor played in Major League Rugby in two stints between 2022-2026. He represented the LA Giltinis in their controversial 2022 season, the NOLA Gold (2023), the Utah Warriors (2025), and Anthem RC (2026).

Auckland native Trainor has been a regular in New Zealand’s NPC competition since 2015. He represented Waikato (2015-2016) and his home side of Auckland (2017-2022) as well as a stint with the Blues in Super Rugby. His entrance into Major League Rugby was announced by the LA Giltinis in December 2021.

Jordan Trainor earned 13 MLR caps (all starts) and scored 3 tries with LA during their 2022 season until their disqualification shortly before the beginning of the Championship Series. This proved to be the last season for both LA and Austin and as of the conclusion of the 2023 MLR season, teams have not returned for those cities. Nevertheless, Trainor earned a pair of MLR Team of the Week selections in his debut MLR season, and was chosen by the NOLA Gold in the subsequent dispersal draft in November 2022. He signed with the Gold for the 2023 MLR season a few weeks later.

Jordan Trainor added another 10 caps and 2 tries for the Gold in the 2023 MLR season, racking up over 1000m gained. He was selected for the MLR Team of the Week 3 times for his strong performances. On July 23rd 2023, Trainor was included in the Northland squad for their 2023 NPC season. Trainor’s contract with the Gold ran through 2024 but he did not return to MLR that season, instead staying in New Zealand with Northland in the NPC. On October 28th, 2024, the Utah Warriors announced the signing of Trainor for the 2025 season, marking his return to the league after not featuring in 2024. Trainor was a standout at the back for the Utah Warriors during their best-ever season in 2025. They finished as the top regular season team and earned their first ever postseason victory to advance to the Western Conference Final, where they fell to the Houston SaberCats. Trainor started all 16 of his appearances in 2025 including both playoff games, setting career highs across the board. He recorded his 2nd 1000m+ season with a career high 1,117m gained and 8 tries scored, while completing over 50 tackles on defence. Trainor finished as MLR’s 2nd highest Meter Eater for 2025, and was one of only 3 players to gain over 1000m.

Following the withdrawal of the Utah Warriors from Major League Rugby after failing to secure additional funding, Jordan Trainor headed east and signed with Anthem RC on 30th December, 2025. Trainor was one of Anthem RC’s biggest attacking threats during the 2026 season and despite not scoring a try he beat 17 defenders and gained over 500m in possession, contributing a pair of assists. Following the end of Anthem’s season after missing the playoffs, Trainor returned to New Zealand and on 19th June 2026, Northland announced that he was re-joining their side for the 2026 NPC season.

Achievements:
  • 2nd in MLR Meters Gained: 2025 (1,117m)
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2023 – Rd 17
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2023 – Rd 6
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2023 – Rd 4
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2022 – Rd 13
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2022 – Rd 8

Tasman Smith

US born Australian scrum-half Tasman Smith played in Major League Rugby in 2022, and again between 2024-2025. He represented the LA Giltinis (2022), Rugby FC LA (2024-2025), and the California Legion (2026).

Born in New York while his parents were working there, Smith was raised in Australia where he captained the Cranbrook High School first XV while also playing cricket. He was selected for the USA U20s in May 2020, as well as an Australia U20s camp in early 2021, but both were cancelled due to the global COVID-19 pandemic. Smith attended the University of Sydney from 2020-2023, earning 6 starts in 14 games for the LA Giltinis during the 2022 MLR season in between his studies. Smith returned to MLR and to a newly established LA franchise following the relocation of Rugby ATL for the 2024 season, appearing in all 16 games (8 starts) for Rugby FC LA during their inaugural MLR season. On December 6th, 2024, RFCLA announced the return of Tasman Smith for 2025, alongside four other players. In his 2nd season with RFCLA, Tas Smith earned an additional 16 appearances (2 starts) and scored his 3rd career MLR try, recording over 200m gained and passing 550m gained in his career.

Having played under Stephen Hoiles at both the Giltinis and later at Rugby FC LA, it is no surprise that on 15th February the California Legion, with Stephen Hoiles as Head Coach, announced the addition of Tas Smith for his 4th season in the competition in 2026.

Cyrille Cama

Fijian born US-eligible back row/hooker Cyrille Cama played in Major League Rugby between 2021-2022, and again between 2024-2026. He represented the LA Giltinis (2021-2022), the San Diego Legion (2024-2025), the New England Free Jacks (2026), and the California Legion (2026).

Born and raised in Fiji, Cama moved to the US in 2013. He has represented the USA U20s as well as the Rhinos Rugby Academy in Sacramento, California, with whom he played in the World Tens Series in Bermuda in 2020, and in the Rugby Tens Championship (R10C) in South Africa in 2022.

Cama signed with the LA Giltinis on a short term contract as injury/Olympics coverage, earning his MLR debut during the regular season as the Giltinis were crowned MLR champions in their inaugural season following a 31-17 victory over Rugby ATL in the final. Cama re-signed with the Giltinis for the 2022 season, earning an additional 12 appearances and scoring 1 try. Following the disqualification of the Giltinis prior to the 2022 playoffs, and their subsequent cessation of operations post-season, Cama moved to Australia to play with the prestigious Randwick club in the Shute Shield competition.

On 8th November 2023, the San Diego Legion announced the signing of Cyrille Cama ahead of the 2024 MLR season. In his first season with Legion, Cama set career highs across the board, earning his first two MLR starts and appearing in 16 games, scoring 3 tries for 17pts and running for almost 300m gained while completing 60 tackles. On November 21st, 2024, the San Diego Legion announced the return of Cyrille Cama for their 2025 MLR season, although he did not feature at MLR level. Following the 2025 season, the San Diego Legion and Rugby FC LA announced that the two sides were merging to create the California Legion for the 2026 season. Following this news, Cyrille Cama headed to the East Coast, and signed with the reigning Champion New England Free Jacks on 19th November 2025. Cama did not feature for the Free Jacks through the first half of the 2026 season however, and on 5th May 2026 the California Legion announced that they had signed him for the remainder of the season. This was later confirmed to be the only trade of the 2026 season, with New England receiving the Legion’s 3rd Rd pick (13th overall) in return.

Achievements: