PRO Rugby Roster Updates

While major details about PRO Rugby Season Two continue to be shrouded in mystery, there were blips of life from the fledgling organization in recent days with the unveiling of a new playing venue for the Ohio Aviators and a joint identification camp with USA Rugby set for this weekend in Santa Barbara. Confirmation of expansion teams and even continuation of existing franchises has yet to be made, and with pre-season training tentatively scheduled to begin in mid-February playing rosters are again subject to great speculation.

Various names have been mentioned in passing though none of the notables appear to have any substance behind them. French fullback Clement Poitrenaud spoke of having interest in California but has now signed with the Sharks of Super Rugby. Giant Samoan prop Census Johnston was said to have been approached after falling out with the management at Toulouse, but now looks to be joining Racing 92 next season. His clubmate – Argentine lock Patricio Albacete – may be worth a look with his contract set to expire at the end of the season.

In recent days reports have claimed that an offer had been made to Japanese winger Akihito Yamada, though it seems more likely that he will soon re-sign with the Sunwolves with a roster spot left open for him in the squad announcement this week. Former England prop Alex Corbisiero, currently on a playing sabbatical, had also expressed interest while acting as a studio analyst for NBC. Whether that interest has any substance to it has yet to be seen.

One name who seems particularly interested is former Tasman Makos fullback Robbie Malneek. The 33-year-old has already made the move state-side to Boston club Mystic River and has been vocal about his desire to get involved in the professional competition, with his five-year visa application already underway. Of course the sticking point is that there is no East Coast team as of yet – at least officially, though Boston and New York appear to be likely additions should the league expand as advertised.

Another name that has today emerged in the press is Australian flyhalf Sam Windsor, who has been granted an early release from his contract with Ulster to move to the USA where his fiancée currently resides. It’s not clear which part of the country he is headed to, but he has also made it clear he hopes to continue his rugby career in his new home. Windsor has seen limited action with Ulster since arriving in November of 2015 but enjoyed a strong 2014 season with the NSW Country Eagles and narrowly missed out on a Super Rugby contract having previously been part of the Brumbies academy.

In the meantime there has been plenty of movement of players who participated during the 2016 season, with a team-by-team rundown of player movements and sightings below.

 

DENVER STAMPEDE

With the Pacific Rugby Premiership on hiatus and Glendale opting not to participate in the California Cup, most of the 2016 Champions roster has been on ice since the end of the PRO Season. Four players found their way to tropical waters with the Eagles entry in the Bermuda Classic in November. Second row Casey Rock, flanker Peter Dahl, midfielder Ata Malifa were all part of the side while scrumhalf Mose Timoteo was named captain.

Two players – Jake Turnbull and Hanco Germishuys – were included in the USA Selects side that traveled to Uruguay for the Americas Pacific Challenge in August. Turnbull has now moved to New York to prop for NYAC and looks set to stay there should an East Coast franchise come to fruition. Germishuys is continuing his conversion to hooker from the back row and made his first competitive start in his new position in the match against Canada ‘A’.

Tighthead prop Chris Baumann spent the Mitre 10 Cup season with Wellington Lions before joining the Eagles in Chicago. Leading points scorer Will Magie played one match for Ealing Trailfinders in the British & Irish Cup before heading south to train with the Western Force in an attempt to earn Americas Rugby Championship selection. Australian winger Timana Tahu has just recently moved to San Antonio where he will be an ‘operations consultant’, which looks likely to rule him out of future Denver involvement.

 

OHIO AVIATORS

The runners-up have lost three of their import players to overseas contracts. English midfielder Dom Waldouck was the first to go when he joined Premiership side Newcastle Falcons. Former All Blacks prop Jamie Mackintosh has shipped off to France where he is currently on contract with Top 14 club Pau. Italian flanker Filippo Ferrarini has returned home to play for Mogliano in the Eccellenza and was called up by Benetton Treviso for their Pro 12 match against Munster on November 26.

Four players were selected for the APC in Uruguay. Props Demecus Beach and Angus MacLellan were joined by JP Eloff, the flyhalf now recovered from his broken leg, and outside back Ahmad Harajly. Beach has pitched up in New York with Old Blue, like Turnbull seemingly positioning himself to play for an East Coast team. MacLellan and Eloff were included on the USA’s November tour to Europe while Harajly was invited to Eagles 7s trials.

Oversized wing pair Alex Elkins and Spike Davis were also at the 7s trials though neither made the final cut for Dubai and Cape Town. Davis spent a few weeks in New Zealand playing for the Tasman Griffins. Second row Kyle Baillie was another APC participant but for Canada and is now in their centralized athlete program in Langford.

 

SACRAMENTO EXPRESS

The Express have also lost three key players to Europe. Most notably breakout star Langi Haupeakui was snapped up by the Glasgow Warriors with the powerful no8 signing a two-year Pro 12 contract. Eric Fry joined the team half way through the season after being let go by Newcastle. The Eagles prop played a handful of games for Saint-Nazaire in Fédérale 1 before signing for RC Vannes in the Pro D2. Both players were part of the Eagles group in Europe. Goal kicker Mirco Bergamasco has opted to return home and try to land a spot in the Italian National Rugby League side ahead of the Rugby League World Cup set to begin in October 2017.

Canadian hooker Ray Barkwill traveled to Uruguay and then Europe with the national side and is now looking for contract offers. Speedy winger Cody Jerabek earned a spot at the Eagles 7s trials, and two squad members are currently playing in the California Cup. Second row Rich Knight, who also appeared for the San Francisco Rush, is now wearing Life West colors while little-used winger Fatai Vailala is now suiting up for SFGG.

 

SAN DIEGO BREAKERS

Fan-favorite Canadian captain Phil Mackenzie has made no bones about his disappointment in the failure of his home union to come to a deal that would have brought two franchises north of the border. After opting out of the June test series for personal reasons, ‘Diego Dragon’ was concussed in training during the APC which ruled him out of rugby for the rest of the year. Teammate Hubert Buydens was already laid low by a serious knee injury while on Breakers duty, with his Mitre 10 Cup contract with Manawatu Turbos instead going to Jake Ilnicki. The latter enjoyed a solid European tour with Canada and has established himself as first choice tighthead prop for Canada.

Another injury victim in scrumhalf Tom Bliss has been training with RFU Championship club Richmond but now appears to be focusing on his personal training career, with his Twitter account describing him as an ‘ex professional rugby player’. League-leading goal kicker Kurt Morath was overlooked by Tonga for their European tour and is now in New Zealand currently without a contract, though a return to PRO looks likely. Heavyweight loose forward Nikola Bursic returned to his native Chile where he started both tests against South Korea in November.

Flying winger Taku Ngwenya returned to France as expected, signing for Brive in the Top 14. He was due to join the Eagles in November but for reasons unknown did not join the team for either test. Two Breakers did play on the European tour, front row Joe Taufete’e and utility back Mike Te’o. ‘Big Joe’ has won himself an Aviva Premiership contract with Worcester Warriors.

Te’o and Taufete’e led the USA Selects during the APC with four other Breakers also on the trip to Uruguay. Loose forward duo Cecil Garber and Sione Tu’ihalamaka were handed their first international honors. Young prop Mason Pedersen started against Fiji before dropping out with injury. He has since recovered and is playing in the California Cup with Belmont Shore. Pat Blair went south as a flanker but has now committed to a switch to hooker, earning an Eagles call-up for the match in Chicago and subsequently the European tour. He is now getting front row experience with Old Aztecs.

The new California Cup is heavily populated with PRO reps including a further eight players who wore a Breakers jersey during the 2016 season. Versatile backs Kalei Konrad and Zach Pangelinan are now playing for OMBAC along with forwards Brian Doyle, Tai Tuisamoa, and Chris Turori. The latter has also been training with the Eagles 7s squad in Chula Vista. Rolling out with Belmont Shore are part-timers Brice Schilling, Sam Lilley, and Ian Carpenter. Schilling and Carpenter joined Andrew Suniula in the Classic Eagles team for the Bermuda tournament in November.

 

SAN FRANCISCO RUSH

Outstanding utility back Orene Ai’i has opted to hang up the boots while it’s not yet clear whether fellow New Zealander Mils Muliaina will continue after making only four appearances for the team. Nick Blevins toured Europe with Canada and is another in search of a new contract. Massive teenage second row Siaosi Mahoni managed only a handful of outings as he struggled with injury but it was enough to see him selected to the APC and the Eagles squad for Chicago. Amazingly he remains eligible to represent the Junior All-Americans in 2017.

Alec Gletzer‘s PRO season ended almost as quickly as it started with injury knocking him out in Week Two, but he has rebounded with the Eagles 7s squad in the opening rounds of the HSBC Sevens Series. Two other loose forwards have been making a splash elsewhere. Bill Fukofuka was a constant on the side of the scrum for the Southland Stags during the Mitre 10 Cup and was then selected for Tonga’s European tour but withdrew from the squad before the trip. David Tameilau has played well for Narbonne since joining the Pro D2 side and looks set for a move to the Top 14 in the near future after his proposed move to Newcastle Falcons fell through.

The California Cup squads of Golden Gate and Life West have been boosted by the presence of several Rush players. SFGG are led by standout forward Brendan Daly and flyhalf Volney Rouse. Loose forward Isaac Helu has opted to switch from Olympic to SFGG. Veteran front rowers Saimone Laulaupea’alu and Neil Barrett, second row Nick Grass, and winger Pila Huihui have all appeared in the opening rounds of the new tournament.

Life West have not had a great relationship with PRO supremo Doug Schoninger but appear to have improved the situation somewhat in recent weeks. Eagles 7s trainee Junior Helu, try-scoring hooker Jay Finau, and Tongan international Pila Iongi have all been cleared to play for the club after missing the opening round match against Belmont Shore. Hard working loose forward Siupeli Sakalia is also at Life West as are short-term Rush fill-ins Naibuka Tawake and Holo Mo’ungaloa.

Eagles ARC fullback Jake Anderson is the lone PRO representative at the Olympic club, with midfielder Michael Haley currently injured and Gletzer tied up with the 7s program. Second row Alex Bowman is still recovering from an injury suffered early in his PRO debut against San Diego in May.