Australian ex-player Stephen Hoiles featured in MLR between 2021-2022, and again between 2025-2026. He served as Defence Coach, then Head Coach of the LA Giltinis (2021-2022), and as both Head Coach and Director of Rugby for Rugby FC LA (2025), and Head Coach of the California Legion (2026).

As a player, Hoiles played with the famous Randwick Galloping Green at club level before joining the Australia 7s team in 2001, and earned his 15s test debut for the Wallabies against Scotland in 2004. That same year he played with the NSW Waratahs in Super Rugby, where he played until he joined the Brumbies in between 2007-2011. In 2012 he returned to the Waratahs where he played until 2015, when he retired. Hoiles then started a role as a commentator and presenter for FOX Sports, before starting his coaching career in 2018.

Hoiles serves as Forwards and Defence Coach of the LA Giltinis when they entered MLR in 2021, when they lifted the Shield in their debut season. Hoiles returned with the Giltinis as Head Coach in 2022, but following the fallout of ‘Gilly-Gate’, the Disqualification from the 2022 MLR Playoffs of the LA Giltinis and Austin Gilgronis, he returned to Australia. Hoiles then took up the role of Head Coach of his former club, the Randwick Galloping Green. He coached Randwick to the 2023 Shute Shield title, the club’s first since 2004, Hoiles’ first season playing with Randwick. The following season he was named as the 2024 Shute Shield Coach of the Year.

On 4th October 2024, Rugby FC LA announced that they had hired Stephen Hoiles as Head Coach and Director of Rugby for the 2025 & 2026 MLR seasons. This was Hoiles’ first role as DoR. In his first season as RFCLA Head Coach, he led the team to a 8-1-7 record and 3rd Place in the Western Conference to qualify for the postseason for the first (and only) time in team history. They fell to the Houston SaberCats in the Western Conference Semifinal. Immediately following the 2025 season, Rugby FC LA and the San Diego Legion announced that they would be merging to form a single franchise for the 2026 season, the California Legion. On 12th January 2026, the team announced their coaching staff, with Stephen Hoiles named as Head Coach. In the Legion’s very first game they fell to Anthem RC, giving the Rising Stars their first ever victory in 3 seasons, and one of only 2 wins that they would earn before folding. Despite this, Hoiles steered the Legion to a 3rd place finish and a 5-5 record that included huge victories over the defending champion New England Free Jacks and Old Glory DC, and some of the most entertaining rugby of the season. Their 3rd place finish was good enough to qualify for the postseason and in the semifinals, Hoiles coached the Legion to an upset road victory over the Seattle Seawolves to qualify for the Championship Game. Unfortunately for the Legion, they had struggled in the rain all year and the Championship was a torrential downpour against the juggernaut Chicago Hounds in Chicago. They put up a valiant fight, but fell to the Hounds and had to settle for Runners-Up in their first year.

On 17th September 2026, the California Legion announced that Steve Hoiles was leaving his role as Legion Head Coach with immediate effect in order to join his former club, Super Rugby’s NSW Waratahs, as an Assistant Coach for 2027.

Achievements:

2026 MLR Runner Up: California Legion

Head Coach Record:

Overall: 25-1-19
Playoffs: 1-2
LA Giltinis (2022): 11-5
Rugby FC LA (2025): 8-1-8
California Legion (2026): 6-6