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:
- Alama Ieremia (2024)
Captain:
- Jake Turnbull (2024)
logo
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.
Anthem RC - Active
| Player | Position | GP | GS | T | C | P | AC | DG | MG | Tackles | KS/KA | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albert O’Shannessey | Flanker, Number 8 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Alejandro Martinez Tapia | Lock, Number 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 34 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Alex Maughan | Hooker, Prop | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ashawnty Staples-Flowers | Wing | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Carlo de Nysschen | Scrum-half | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cliven Loubser | Fly-half | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Colin Turner | Flanker | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Conner Mooneyham | Fullback, Wing | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Connor Robinson | Hooker | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Dan Hanson | Prop | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Declan Moore | Hooker | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Dylan Fortune | Number 8 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 11 | 0 | 0 |
| EJ Freeman | Centre | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Erich Storti | Centre | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 62 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Ethan Howard | Number 8 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| Graeme Pedegana | Flanker | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ishma-eel Safodien | Scrum-half | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jake Turnbull | Prop | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Jason Tidwell | Fullback, Wing | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 35 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Joe Apikotoa | Prop | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Junior Gafa | Centre | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 64 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Karl Keane | Scrum-half | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 39 | 8 | 0 | 7 |
| Le’Donn Mathis | Flanker, Lock | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Line Latu | Fly-half, Fullback | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Makeen Alikhan | Flanker | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 17 | 0 | 5 |
| Mateo Gadsden | Centre, Wing | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mikey Grandy | Lock | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mitch Wilson | Fullback, Wing | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 32 | 5 | 1 | 2 |
| Neil Trainor | Hooker | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Puna Vuli | Lock | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Quinton Tindel | Prop | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Rhys Mitchell | Lock | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sam Golla | Flanker, Lock | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Shawn Clark | Lock, Wing | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Stephan Bernal-Wendt | Prop | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Tomalati Ma’afu | Lock, Number 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Watson Filikitonga | Centre | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
Anthem RC – All
| Player | Position | GP | GS | T | C | P | AC | DG | MG | Tackles | KS/KA | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albert O’Shannessey | Flanker, Number 8 | 13 | 13 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 223 | 154 | 0 | 10 |
| Alejandro Martinez Tapia | Lock, Number 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 34 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Alex Maughan | Hooker, Prop | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ashawnty Staples-Flowers | Wing | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Braemar Murray | Flanker, Number 8 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 42 | 48 | 0 | 0 |
| Cael Hodgson | Centre, Wing | 13 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 359 | 86 | 0 | 5 |
| Carlo de Nysschen | Scrum-half | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Chase Suznevich | Fly-half, Scrum-half | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 46 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Cliven Loubser | Fly-half | 9 | 8 | 3 | 12 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 699 | 39 | 16 | 51 |
| Colin Turner | Flanker | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Conner Mooneyham | Fullback, Wing | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Connor Robinson | Hooker | 13 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 173 | 133 | 0 | 10 |
| Conor McManus | Scrum-half | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 139 | 35 | 0 | 0 |
| Dan Hanson | Prop | 16 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 62 | 49 | 0 | 0 |
| David Still | Centre, Wing | 5 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 336 | 16 | 0 | 15 |
| Declan Moore | Hooker | 6 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 322 | 52 | 0 | 0 |
| Dominick Iacovino | Fullback, Wing | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 76 | 12 | 0 | 5 |
| Dylan Fortune | Number 8 | 8 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 208 | 65 | 0 | 5 |
| EJ Freeman | Centre | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Erich Storti | Centre | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 62 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Ethan Howard | Number 8 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| Graeme Pedegana | Flanker | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 32 | 16 | 0 | 0 |
| Ishma-eel Safodien | Scrum-half | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ivan Pula | Prop | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 38 | 23 | 0 | 0 |
| Jack Manzo | Hooker | 11 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 110 | 62 | 0 | 0 |
| Jake Turnbull | Prop | 15 | 14 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 438 | 161 | 0 | 10 |
| James Rivers | Lock | 13 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 155 | 132 | 0 | 0 |
| Jason Tidwell | Fullback, Wing | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 35 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Joe Apikotoa | Prop | 12 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 337 | 118 | 0 | 12 |
| Joe Basser | Flanker | 12 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 216 | 129 | 0 | 7 |
| Josh Shetler | Fullback | 5 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 125 | 14 | 0 | 15 |
| Juan Pen | Prop | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Junior Gafa | Centre | 14 | 14 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1126 | 133 | 0 | 20 |
| Karl Keane | Scrum-half | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 39 | 8 | 0 | 7 |
| Le’Donn Mathis | Flanker, Lock | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Line Latu | Fly-half, Fullback | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Logan Weidner | Flanker, Lock, Number 8 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 75 | 81 | 0 | 0 |
| Lucas Gramlick | Lock | 11 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 135 | 86 | 0 | 0 |
| Makeen Alikhan | Flanker | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 17 | 0 | 5 |
| Mateo Gadsden | Centre, Wing | 9 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 242 | 76 | 0 | 5 |
| Mika Felix | Prop | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 14 | 0 | 0 |
| Mikey Grandy | Lock | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mitch Wilson | Fullback, Wing | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 32 | 5 | 1 | 2 |
| Neil Trainor | Hooker | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Oscar Koller | Fly-half, Fullback | 13 | 11 | 2 | 13 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 644 | 87 | 16 | 47 |
| Penalty Try | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | |
| Puna Vuli | Lock | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Quinton Tindel | Prop | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Reagan Leslie | Lock | 9 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 190 | 92 | 0 | 0 |
| Rheno Taito’a | Scrum-half | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Rhys Mitchell | Lock | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sam Golla | Flanker, Lock | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Sean Yacoubian | Scrum-half | 9 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 156 | 42 | 0 | 0 |
| Sebastien Zaridze | Centre | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 202 | 35 | 0 | 0 |
| Shane Barry | Fly-half, Fullback | 10 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 298 | 24 | 0 | 10 |
| Shawn Clark | Lock, Wing | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Shneil Singh | Flanker, Lock | 13 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 395 | 117 | 0 | 5 |
| Siaosi Nai | Scrum-half | 11 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 357 | 48 | 0 | 17 |
| Sione Latu | Flanker | 8 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 180 | 77 | 0 | 0 |
| Steffan Crimp | Fly-half, Fullback | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 90 | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| Stephan Bernal-Wendt | Prop | 13 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 95 | 40 | 0 | 0 |
| Te Rangatira Waitokia | Centre, Fullback, Wing | 15 | 14 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1246 | 115 | 2 | 42 |
| Tomalati Ma’afu | Lock, Number 8 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 284 | 55 | 0 | 0 |
| Tomasi Alosio | Wing | 8 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 584 | 15 | 0 | 10 |
| Tyren Al-Jiboori | Wing | 10 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 222 | 52 | 0 | 15 |
| Uluamu Niutupuivaha | Wing | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 81 | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| Watson Filikitonga | Centre | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 2 | 0 | 0 |