Americas Rugby News Rugby news from across the Americas!
The Houston Strikers have swooped again, this time announcing the addition of London Irish scrumhalf Connor Murphy to the squad for the 2018 Major League Rugby season. At just 21 years old the signing is reminiscent of another recent addition, Worcester lock Charlie Hewitt, in grabbing a young player with potential and his best years ahead of him. A classic-style halfback with a solid build and low center of gravity, Murphy leaves the club he has been part of since the age of 14 just hours removed from the team’s winning performance over Yorkshire Carnegie to restore their place in the Aviva Premiership.
This past season he split his time between Irish and a dual-registration deal with Rotherham Titans, he has also been loaned out in the past to Henley Hawks to get valuable game time. With his first team chances blocked by the presence of former Scotland u20 star Scott Steele – hotly tipped for senior Scottish honors – and Waratahs export Brendan McKibbin and another Australia Super Rugby scrumhalf rumored to be on the way, Murphy will instead chance his arm at the newest professional competition in the Americas set to arrive in the new year.
Houston’s tally now stands at six players following the additions of props Adam Macklin and Jake Turnbull last week, and preceded by Hewitt. Arriving from Seattle Saracens are Head Coach Justin Fitzpatrick and a pair of player-coaches in eightman Matt Trouville and flyhalf Sam Windsor. More overseas signings are expected to be announced in the months to follow before the inaugural season kicks off in spring of 2018.
