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.

Corbin Smith

New England native Corbin Smith played in Major League Rugby between 2025-2026. He represented Anthem RC (2025) and the California Legion (2026).

Corbin Smith grew up in Connecticut, where he played both football and rugby through high school at Trumbull HS. He attended Hartpury University in England for rugby, and was selected for the USA U20 side in 2024, and was named to the USA Extended Player Squad for 2025. On April 28th, 2025 (the 20235 trade/signing deadline), Anthem RC announced the addition of Smith for the remainder of the 2025 season. In his limited time with Anthem, Smith scored a try and 11 points in 5 appearances, starting 3 times and gaining over 200m in possession while recording a pair of assists.

Following the MLR season, Corbin Smith returned to the UK to re-join Hartpury University, once again competing in the BUCS Super Rugby competition for the 2024/25 season and the start of the 2025/26 season. However with Smith hovering on the edge of the USA Eagles squad, he returned to Major League Rugby for the 2026 season, signing with the California Legion who announced his addition on 17th March, 2026. He scored on his California Legion debut in a hard fought win over the Seattle Seawolves, when he was called into the starting lineup just before kick-off. He recorded over 125m made in that game.

achievements
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2026 – Rd 4

NARDB Player #1,571

Alexander Hernandez

Indiana native Alexander Hernandez played in Major League Rugby between 2025-2026. He represented the Chicago Hounds, as well as Anthem RC on loan.

Raised in Indianapolis, IN, Alexander Hernandez played rugby through high school at Warren Central HS, before committing to Marian University and playing rugby during his 5 years there. Hernandez declared for the 2024 MLR Draft and was selected in the 3rd Round, 34th overall by the Chicago Hounds. He played with the Hounds academy side during their fall season in 2024 and impressed enough to earn an MLR contract for the 2025 season.

On April 22nd, 2025, the Hounds loaned Hernandez to Anthem RC for 4 weeks, and he was included in the Anthem RC matchday 23 for their Round 11 clash with the Seattle Seawolves on April 23rd, 2025, on the bench. Hernandez’s loan to Anthem RC was extended until the end of the 2025 season, and he earned 7 appearances for the Rising Stars including his first 4 pro starts. After spending the fall of 2025 back with the Chicago Hounds playing with their Autumn Performance Squad, the Hounds loaned Hernandez to Anthem RC for a second time for the 2026 season. This was confirmed by Anthem on December 16th.

achievements

NARDB Player #1,561

Justus Tavai

California crossover athlete Justus Tavai played in Major league Rugby between 2025-2027. He represented Rugby FC LA (2025), the California Legion (2026), and the Seattle Seawolves (2027).

A native of Inglewood, CA, Justus Tavai grew up playing gridiron football. He played as a defensive tackle at the University of Hawai’i from 2018-2021, and San Diego State in 2022. He entered the 2023 NFL draft but went undrafted, signing with the New England Patriots as an undrafted Free Agent in 2023 joining his brother, Patriots linebacker Jahlani Tavai. Their other brother, J.R. Tavai, also played football through college and has been in both the NFL and CFL. Justus Tavai’s rugby journey started when he joined the American Raptors and was named on their roster for the 2024 Super Rugby Americas season. Following the demise of the Raptors, Tavai continued to play with Belmont Shore RFC in California.

Listed as a tighthead prop, Tavai signed with Rugby FC LA on 20th April, 2025. Brought in to assist in an LA front row that was down 4 props due to injury. Tavai started on the bench for LA’s Rd 11 midweek clash with the New England Free Jacks, earning his debut as a replacement. Tavai would earn 4 appearances and his first career MLR start for RFCLA during the 2025 campaign, scoring 2 tries and 12pts in total. He remained in California following the merger of RFCLA with San Diego, and was confirmed by the new team, the California Legion, on 7th February, 2026. Tavai earned 12 appearances in 2026, appearing in every game for the California Legion that season and scoring a 3rd career MLR try and setting career highs in both Metres Gained (64) and tackles made (43) to help the Legion qualify for the postseason. He came off the bench in both playoff games as the Legion advanced to the Championship final, where they fell to the Chicago Hounds.

On 21st October 2026, Justus Tavai became the first player announced for the 2027 season when the Seattle Seawolves announced that they had signed him.

NARDB Player #1,560

Jake Kinneeveauk

Alaskan back row Jake Kinneeveauk played in Major League Rugby between 2025-2026. He represented the Chicago Hounds for his entire MLR career.

Raised in Anchorage, AK, Jake Kinneeveauk attended the University of Utah, playing rugby through his time there. He was named in the All-Conference team for the 2022/23 season, and graduated in 2024. Kinneeveauk declared for the 2024 MLR Collegiate Draft and was invited to MLR Rising, a combine that gave MLR teams a chance to see 50 of the top college prospects in action. Kinneeveauk clearly impressed at MLR rising, as he was selected in the 2nd Round, 22nd overall by the Chicago Hounds.

Kinneeveauk spent the fall season with the Chicago Lions club side, as well as the Hounds Academy team where he earned a MLR roster spot for the 2025 season. He appeared in his first matchday 23 during Round 10, starting on the bench as the league-leading Hounds faced the Seattle Seawolves on the road. This was his only MLR appearance of his rookie season, however he spent the fall of 2025 with the Chicago Hounds Autumn Performance Squad and on 5th January, 2026, the team announced his return for the 2026 MLR season. In his sophomore season, Kinneeveauk was a standout. He started 4 of his 9 appearances for the team, scoring 3 tries and beating 5 defenders on over 100m gained in possession and completing over 60 tackles to help the team to their first MLR title. He started both of Chicago’s playoff games in 2026 and scored a try in their Semifinal clash with Old Glory DC, and was named as the Chicago Hounds Breakthrough Player of the Year for his performance.

Following the 2026 MLR Season on 4th August, the Chicago Hounds announced a high-performance partnership with Waikato in New Zealand’s National Provincial Championship (NPC). As part of this partnership, Kinneeveauk headed to New Zealand with fellow Hounds Koby Baker and Jackson Zabierek to spend 3 months with the NPC side.

achievements

NARDB Player #1,554

Cameron Gerlach

US-Eligible New Zealander Cameron Gerlach played in Major League Rugby between 2025-2026. He represented Rugby FC LA (2025), Anthem RC (2025), and the New England Free Jacks (2026).

Gerlach earned 2 MLR appearances for RFCLA, starting his MLR debut in Rd 1, before being traded to Anthem RC on 7th March 2025 along with salary cap space in exchange for a 2025 international player slot. Following this trade, Gerlach earned 7 further appearances for the Rising Stars, ending the 2025 season with 7 starts in 9 games along with nearly 250m gained in possession.

Gerlach was not signed to any MLR roster ahead of the start of the 2026 season, but appeared on the New England Free Jacks’ Availability Report ahead of Rd 6, suggesting that the defending champs had signed him for the rest of the campaign.

NARDB Player #1,386

Patrick Beattie

Californian prop Patrick Beattie played in Major League Rugby between 2025-2026. He represented Rugby FC LA (2025) and Old Glory DC (2026).

A native of Santa Monica, CA, Beattie began playing rugby locally with Santa Monica Rugby Club. He attended Long Beach State University between 2019-2024, where he was named a Collegiate All-American in 2024. While at Long Beach State, Beattie toured with the California Grizzlies in 2023, and also played with Tauranga Sports Club and Poneke RFC in New Zealand (2019-2021) as well as Billericay RFC in England (2022). He toured with the California Grizzlies to Chile in 2023, and declared for the 2024 MLR Collegiate Draft.

In the 2024 MLR Draft, Beattie was selected in the 3rd Round, 26th Overall, by Rugby FC LA. When RFCLA announced their full 2025 Roster on February 6th, Beattie was included on their ‘Extended’ squad. Beattie spent the 2025 season with Rugby FC LA but did not appear at MLR level for the team. He played club rugby with Santa Monica RC before heading across the country to play with Old Blue RFC in the ARP. On 14th December 2025, Old Glory DC announced that they had added Patrick Beattie to their roster for the 2026 MLR season but once again did not earn his MLR debut.

On 1st July, shortly after the end of the 2026 season, English Championship side London Scottish announced the addition of Patrick Beattie for their 2026/27 campaign.

achievements
  • 2024 MLR Draftee: 26th Overall (3rd Rd) – Rugby FC LA

NARDB Player #1,385

Maliu Niuafe

US-born New Zealander Maliu Niuafe played in Major League Rugby between 2025-2026. He represented Rugby FC LA (2025) and the New England Free Jacks (2026).

Born in Sacramento, CA and raised in Auckland, New Zealand, Niuafe represented Auckland at U19 level in 2022 before representing New Zealand at U20 level in 2023. He played in the Auckland NPC Contenders squad for the 2024 season and the Moana Pasifika wider squad in late 2024, before joining Rugby FC LA in February 2025.

RFCLA‘s signing of Maliu Niuafe was announced when they revealed their full 2025 roster on February 6th, 2025. He started 12 of his 15 appearances for RFCLA in 2025, completing over 100 tackles to help the team qualify for their first postseason appearance, falling in the Western Conference Semifinal to the Houston SaberCats. He headed back to New Zealand following the MLR season, and represented Auckland in the NPC before being called up to the USA National team squad for their Pacific Nations Cup Campaign, earning his debut as Eagle #596 in the USA’s victory over Samoa that clinched the Eagles a spot at the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia.

Following Rugby FC LA’s merger with San Diego Legion to create the California Legion, Maliu Niuafe became a free agent. On 8th December, the New England Free Jacks announced the addition of the 22yo prop for the 2026 Major League Rugby campaign.

achievements
  • MLR Team of the Week: 2025 – Rd 14

NARDB Player #1,383

Rufus McLean

US-born Scottish winger Rufus McLean played in Major League Rugby between 2025-2026. He represented the Houston SaberCats (2025) and the Seattle Seawolves (2026).

Boston-born Rufus McLean played rugby while at Merchiston Castle School and also played with Watsonian FC in the Scottish Super 6 competition. He entered the Glasgow Warriors system and earned his URC debut at the age of 20 in the 2020/21 season. McLean has represented Scotland at U18 & U20 levels, and scored a pair of tries on his test debut for Scotland against Tonga in October 2021. He continued to represented the Glasgow Warriors until early 2023, when his contract was terminated after McLean was convicted of abusing his girlfriend over a period of two years. He was issued a 10-year non-harassment order and sentenced to 120 hours of community service.

In January 2024, the American Raptors announced the signing of Rufus McLean for the 2024 Super Rugby Americas season, where he was named the Raptors’ Player of the Year. Following the news that the Raptors would not play Pro rugby in 2025, McLean signed with the Houston SaberCats on January 23rd, 2025 for the 2025 season. McLean scored 4 tries and started all 15 of his appearanced for the SaberCats in 2025, gaining 673m in possession to help Houston qualify for the postseason for the 4th season in a row with a 10-6 record, where they earned the first playoff victories in team history. McLean started all of Houston’s playoff games in 2025 as they defeated Rugby FC LA and the Utah Warriors to claim the Western Conference Title, before falling to the New England Free Jacks in the 2025 Championship game in Rhode Island. McLean was an All-MLR Honorable Mention for his 2025 season.

Having been born in Boston, rufus McLean was controversially included in the USA Eagles squad for their July tests. He became US-eligible on July 16th, 2025 and earned his test debut as Eagle #595 on July 19th in a 5-40 defeat against England in Washington DC. Following the surprise withdrawal of the Houston SaberCats from Major League Rugby in the 2025/26 off-season, Rufus McLean became a free agent and on 26th December 2025, the Seattle Seawolves announced that they had added him for their 2026 campaign. Before the 2026 MLR season had even kicked off however, an article came out stating that French Top14 side Stade Francais had signed him for their 2026/27 season. He spent most of the MLR season that year sidelined with injury, but managed to earn his Seawolves debut off the bench in their last game of the regular season, a victory over the California Legion. McLean then started Seattle’s Semifinal match also against the Legion, where they fell 34-43 at home. Sure enough, the day after the 2026 MLR season concluded on 21st June, Stade Francais announced McLean’s signing.

achievements

NARDB Player #1,381

Ishma-eel Safodien

US-Eligible South African scrum-half Ishma-eel Safodien played in Major League Rugby between 2025-2026. He represented Anthem RC for his entire MLR career.

A native of Cape Town, Safodien attended Rondebosch Boys’ High School, the same school as Anthem RC teammate Graeme Pedegana. He represented his school during the 2019 Craven Week before graduating and enrolling at Life University in the United States. Safodien played for the Running Eagles from 2020 until his graduation in 2024, captaining the team for the 2023/24 season and earning a Rudy Scholz nomination that same year.

Following his graduation from Life U, Anthem RC signed Ishma-eel Safodien to a Homegrown Player Contract for the 2025 MLR season, during which he will become US-eligible on residency. This signing was confirmed when Anthem RC announced their complete 2025 roster on January 21st, 2025. In his debut MLR season, Safodien scored 2 tries in 13 appearances, starting 3 times and gaining over 150m in possession as a 9, completing 38 tackles. On December 9th, 2026, Anthem RC announced the return of Ishma-eel Safodien for his 2nd MLR season in 2026.

NARDB Player #1,377

EJ Freeman

Georgia native Ernest ‘EJ’ Freeman played in Major League Rugby between 2025-2026. He represented Anthem RC for his entire MLR career.

Born in Marietta, GA to Liberian parents, EJ Freeman moved to Frankfurt, Germany when he was 13 where he discovered rugby in the non-traditional rugby nation. Freeman picked up German quickly and progressed through the German age-grade sides, playing with the German U18 Sevens team as well as the German U18 & U20 XV sides. After a number of years in Germany, Freeman headed to England, attending Sedbergh Boarding School in Cumbria where he was moved from the center to the back row. Following his time in England, Freeman headed back to the United States, enrolling at the University of Arizona where he represented the Wildcats from 2020-2024.

While at UofA, Freeman was selected for the USA U20 side and was nominated for the Rudy Scholz award twice. He declared for the 2024 MLR Collegiate Draft and was selected with the 1st pick of the 2nd Round, 13th Overall by Anthem RC. His signing was confirmed by Anthem when they revealed their full roster for 2025. In his debut professional season, Freeman started 7 of his 13 appearances and scored his first professional try, racking up over 125m gained in possession and completing 72 tackles on defence. On 29th November 2025, Anthem RC announced the return of EJ Freeman for their 2026 campaign, alongside Alejandro Martinez Tapia.

achievements
  • 2024 MLR Draftee: 13th Overall (2nd Rd) – Anthem RC