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A trio of US Eagles backs are set to join the ranks of Major League Rugby. Andrew Suniula and Alex Elkins have signed for Austin Elite and the Houston SaberCats, respectively, while Takudzwa Ngwenya has been linked to the San Diego Legion after being spotted at their recent training sessions. All three took part in the 2016 PRO Rugby season, with Suniula and Ngwenya teammates at the San Diego Breakers while Elkins starred for the Ohio Aviators.
Suniula becomes the second of three brothers capped by the Eagles to sign up for the new domestic professional competition. The 35-year-old midfielder, born in American Samoa, made the last of his 39 international appearances against Brazil in the 2016 Americas Rugby Championship. His extensive overseas experience includes stints with Taranaki in New Zealand, Cornish Pirates and Wasps in England, and CSM Bucuresti in Romania.
Most recently Suniula was spotted playing for the Chicago Lions side that faced the SaberCats in Houston on Saturday. His brother Shalom Suniula, at 29 the youngest of the trio, has already signed for the Seattle Seawolves while Roland, 31, is currently playing for Reggio in Italy.
Houston have bolstered their backs division with the addition of Elkins, who joins from the USA Sevens program. The 1.93m (6’4″) physical specimen formed a brutal wing partnership with Spike Davis for Ohio in 2016 before training with the Eagles Sevens group at Chula Vista. In January he was part of the USA Falcons development side that took part in the Sudamérica Sevens circuit and was subsequently added to the Eagles squad for the ARC.
Before making his mark with the Aviators, Elkins was a highly regarded collegiate football player before returning to the sport he played in high school. After impressing as a linebacker at Oklahoma State he was an undrafted free agent signing by the Detroit Lions in 2013 though he did not ultimately make the regular season NFL roster.
The 27-year-old Elkins isn’t the only football standout to put pen to paper with the SaberCats. Chris Coyle, 26, and Chauntez Jackson, 23, have already joined up with the team and were in action during the match against Chicago on the weekend.
Coyle spent time with the Houston Texans before injuries ended his NFL dream. The loose forward then spent two years in Australia in the Brumbies development system. Jackson is a rugby neophyte whose massive 132kg (290lbs) frame has him earmarked as a tighthead prop. He was a defensive end with the University of Houston Cougars before making the switch.
Undoubtedly the highest profile of the lot is Ngwenya. Rumors of a potential move to MLR began circulating after his departure from Top 14 club Brive in November. While confirmation is yet to come from the Legion, the 32-year-old speedster has been in attendance at San Diego training sessions with an official move to the franchise now seemingly imminent.
Ngwenya spent the best part of a decade with Biarritz Olympique following his breakout performance at the 2007 World Cup. Born in Zimbabwe, he moved to the USA as a teenager and has gone on to win 36 caps for his adopted country. His international future remains up in the air with his most recent Eagles appearance coming against Italy in June 2016. It remains to be seen if Gary Gold will approach Ngwenya about a possible return to test rugby.
