Anthem RC

background & History

Anthem Rugby Carolina were founded in early 2024, and announced on January 19th, 2024, six weeks before the start of the 2024 MLR season in which they would compete for the first time. The team came to be thanks to a partnership between Major League Rugby, USA Rugby, and World Rugby, the goal of which was to expand upon the USA Hawks Development Pathway and have a professional team made up of US talent to compete year in, year out at the highest level of rugby in North America. The long term goal of this team is to provide a clear pathway to the USA Eagles national team ahead of the Rugby World Cups in 2027 and, more importantly, 2031 on home soil.

The introduction of Anthem RC brought the number of teams competing in the 2024 season back to 12 (following the withdrawal of the Toronto Arrows and Rugby New York Ironworkers) and allowed the league to move back to a 2 conference system. MLR had released the 2024 schedule in mid December 2023, and had to re-launch a schedule on January 19th to accommodate Anthem’s introduction.


records & Record Holders

All Time:

Top Scorer: Cliven Loubser (51pts)
Top Try Scorer: Te Rangatira Waitokia (7)
Most Appearances: Te Rangatira Waitokia (15)
Most Starts: Te Rangatira Waitokia (14)
Top Tackler: Jake Turnbull (153)
Top Meter Eater: Te Rangatira Waitokia (1,246m)

Single Season:

Top Scorer: Cliven Loubser (51pts)
Top Try Scorer: Te Rangatira Waitokia (7)
Top Tackler: Jake Turnbull (153)
Top Meter Eater: Te Rangatira Waitokia (1,246m)

Historical Performance

2024: 0-16 (-353) – 7pts: 6th in Eastern Conference

Overall Regular Season Record: 0-0-16
Overall Championship Series Record: N/A
Championship Series Appearances: 0

Head coach & captain

Head Coach:
Captain:

logo

2024

The style of Anthem RC’s ‘A’ logo is intended as a nod to the military history of the city, and the star is an homage to that. The cross of the A is also intended to symbolise a ‘rising star’, as the team is made up of many of the USA’s ‘rising stars’ in the game of Rugby.

Venue

Anthem RC play out of the American Legion Memorial Stadium, in Charlotte, NC. A 10,500 seater turf field owned by the City of Charlotte.

American Legion Memorial Stadium

 

Results

19 - 33

2025 - RD 15: Anthem RC v Chicago Hounds

19 - 41

2025 - RD 14: Anthem RC v Old Glory DC

45 - 17

2025 - RD 13: Rugby FC LA v Anthem RC

31 - 5

2025 - RD 11: Miami Sharks v Anthem RC

19 - 60

2025 - RD 11: Anthem RC v Seattle Seawolves

6 - 26

2025 - RD 10: Anthem RC v New England Free Jacks

28 - 20

2025 - RD 9: Chicago Hounds v Anthem RC

19 - 33

2025 - RD 8: Anthem RC v NOLA Gold

25 - 17

2025 - RD 7: Seattle Seawolves v Anthem RC

45 - 46

2025 - RD 6: Anthem RC v Houston SaberCats

26 - 22

2025 - RD 4: Old Glory DC v Anthem RC

31 - 32

2025 - RD 3: Anthem RC v Miami Sharks

5 - 52

2025 - RD 2: Anthem RC v San Diego Legion

35 - 14

2025 - RD 1: NOLA Gold v Anthem RC

40 - 7

2024 - RD 18: New England Free Jacks v Anthem RC

29 - 38

2024 - RD 17: Anthem RC v Chicago Hounds

14 - 30

2024 - RD 16: Anthem RC v Miami Sharks

34 - 24

2024 - RD 15: San Diego Legion v Anthem RC

47 - 29

2024 - RD 14: Old Glory DC v Anthem RC

29 - 33

2024 - RD 12: Anthem RC v Rugby FC LA

15 - 38

2024 - RD 11: Anthem RC v Houston SaberCats

29 - 13

2024 - RD 10: Seattle Seawolves v Anthem RC

5 - 40

2024 - RD 9: Anthem RC v NOLA Gold

59 - 26

2024 - RD 7: Chicago Hounds v Anthem RC

44 - 19

2024 - RD 6: Utah Warriors v Anthem RC

32 - 46

2024 - RD 5: Anthem RC v Old Glory DC

50 - 21

2024 - RD 4: Miami Sharks v Anthem RC

28 - 68

2024 - RD 3: Anthem RC v Dallas Jackals

34 - 19

2024 - RD 2: NOLA Gold v Anthem RC

13 - 46

2024 - RD 1: Anthem RC v New England Free Jacks

All-Time MLR Standings

PosTeamPWLDPFPAPDTBLBPts
111471421329427385566223371
211970472337829494296024368
38963260250318606434610308
41094660330583127-695732279
51105258027963026-2305218278
61085057127042934-2305323278
77546290200017862144113238
8863646422302545-3154617215
9702939217711884-1132716163
105630251140512651402710159
1161253511457142136249135
123425901036618418205125
13482126112121252-401811115
1431171228568015517392
153012162792890-9820577
1650941010171710-693191772
173013170662757-9510769
183003005811189-6088412

2025 Overall MLR Standings

PosTeamPWLDPFPAPDTBLBPts
114950420336849348
2149504504005010248
314950367294738246
414761425417812345
514950369324456244
6148604013851610244
714761388368209342
8147704083882010341
914770327368-416337
10144100394414-208731
11140140258513-255235

2024 MLR Standings

PosTeamPWLDPFPAPDTBLBPts
116142047834713111067
216115049837312511457
3161150421374477556
41611504633441198355
5161060410349618250
616871454387678445
716610048245032111043
816772394416-226442
9165110424471-477835
10166100335389-544432
11165101367473-1068232
12160160323676-353617

Anthem RC - Active

PlayerPositionGPGSTCPACDGMGTacklesKS/KAPts
Albert O’ShannesseyFlanker, Number 810600000519200
Alejandro Martinez TapiaLock, Number 8118000001578700
Alex MaughanHooker, Prop9800000207300
Alexander HernandezProp530000093100
Ashawnty Staples-FlowersWing320000039700
Carlo de NysschenScrum-half73000001211900
Cliven LoubserFly-half76030003224036
Colin TurnerFlanker9410000666005
Conner MooneyhamFullback, Wing983000032053015
Connor RobinsonHooker10103000011297015
Corbin SmithFullback3200000792100
Dan HansonProp14500000235900
Declan MooreHooker10000003100
Dylan FortuneNumber 88610010768007
EJ FreemanCenter115100001115705
Erich StortiCenter12112000035576010
Ethan HowardNumber 8142200008266010
Graeme PedeganaFlanker6200000963800
Ishma-eel SafodienScrum-half1132000013835010
Jake TurnbullProp12930000139100015
Jason TidwellFullback, Wing993000030829015
Joe ApikotoaProp74200006540010
Junior GafaCenter10102000037777010
Karl KeaneScrum-half9910010474707
Le’Donn MathisFlanker, Lock00000000000
Line LatuFly-half, Fullback751410039923516
Makeen AlikhanFlanker121230000171153015
Mateo GadsdenCenter, Wing401000034805
Mikey GrandyLock6610000436305
Mitch WilsonFullback, Wing98113300573281640
Neil TrainorHooker10000000400
Penalty Try00000000000
Puna VuliLock10710000807805
Quinton TindelProp10000000200
Rhys MitchellLock30000003200
Sam GollaFlanker, Lock131320000142169010
Shawn ClarkLock, Wing4200000122200
Stephan Bernal-WendtProp10100000262500
Toby FrickerWing882000038535010
Tomalati Ma’afuLock, Number 84310000542305
Watson FilikitongaCenter74000001324500

Anthem RC – All

PlayerPositionGPGSTCPACDGMGTacklesKS/KAPts
Albert O’ShannesseyFlanker, Number 8221820000271240010
Alejandro Martinez TapiaLock, Number 8118000001578700
Alex MaughanHooker, Prop9800000207300
Alexander HernandezProp530000093100
Ashawnty Staples-FlowersWing320000039700
Braemar MurrayFlanker, Lock, Number 87300000424800
Cael HodgsonCenter, Wing1311100003598605
Cameron GerlachFullback65021001233237
Carlo de NysschenScrum-half73000001211900
Chase SuznevichFly-half, Scrum-half110000046400
Cliven LoubserFly-half16143154001021791957
Colin TurnerFlanker9410000666005
Conner MooneyhamFullback, Wing983000032053015
Connor RobinsonHooker231950000285230025
Conor McManusScrum-half65000001393500
Corbin SmithFullback3200000792100
Dan HansonProp298000008510700
David StillCenter, Wing553000033616015
Declan MooreHooker64000003225200
Dominick IacovinoFullback, Wing3210000761205
Dylan FortuneNumber 8151320010281134012
EJ FreemanCenter115100001115705
Erich StortiCenter12112000035576010
Ethan HowardNumber 8142200008266010
Graeme PedeganaFlanker83000001285400
Ishma-eel SafodienScrum-half1132000013835010
Ivan PulaProp7000000382300
Jack ManzoHooker113000001106200
Jake TurnbullProp262250000568253025
James RiversLock13110000015513200
Jason TidwellFullback, Wing993000030829015
Javon Camp-VillalovosLock310000012700
Joe ApikotoaProp181540010397152022
Joe BasserFlanker1271001021612907
Josh ShetlerFullback533000012514015
Juan PenProp00000000000
Junior GafaCenter2323600001439204030
Karl KeaneScrum-half9910010474707
Le’Donn MathisFlanker, Lock00000000000
Line LatuFly-half, Fullback751410039923516
Logan WeidnerFlanker, Lock, Number 812200000758100
Lucas GramlickLock119000001358600
Makeen AlikhanFlanker121230000171153015
Mateo GadsdenCenter, Wing1352000027684010
Mika FelixProp5300000231400
Mikey GrandyLock6610000436305
Mitch WilsonFullback, Wing98113300573281640
Neil TrainorHooker10000000400
Oscar KollerFly-half, Fullback1311213310644871647
Penalty Try11100100007
Puna VuliLock10710000807805
Quinton TindelProp10000000200
Reagan LeslieLock99000001909200
Rheno Taito’aScrum-half10000000100
Rhys MitchellLock30000003200
Sam GollaFlanker, Lock131320000142169010
Sean YacoubianScrum-half95000001564200
Sebastien ZaridzeCenter53000002023500
Shane BarryFly-half, Fullback1052000029824010
Shawn ClarkLock, Wing4200000122200
Shneil SinghFlanker, Lock13111000039511705
Siaosi NaiScrum-half1153001035748017
Sione LatuFlanker83000001807700
Steffan CrimpFly-half, Fullback4300000901000
Stephan Bernal-WendtProp223000001216300
Te Rangatira WaitokiaCenter, Fullback, Wing1514711101246115242
Toby FrickerWing882000038535010
Tom PittmanFly-half00000000000
Tomalati Ma’afuLock, Number 8108100003387805
Tomasi AlosioWing852000058415010
Tyren Al-JibooriWing1073000022252015
Uluamu NiutupuivahaWing710000081900
Watson FilikitongaCenter74000001324500