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Austin Elite have entered the Canadian market for the 2019 Major League Rugby season. Loose forward Travis Larsen will head south to Texas to take part in the newest American professional competition, and he will find a familiar face when he gets there. Younger brother Josh has also signed up, the second row moving stateside from New Zealand.
The brothers were born in Nanaimo, BC, but grew up in New Zealand after moving to their father’s home at a young age. Travis would represent New Zealand Universities while Josh would play for Otago University. Despite being only three years apart, the two have never shared the field together before.
Travis played professionally for two years in Italy with Lyons Piacenza and Petrarca Padova. He then opted to move to Canada first with Meralomas, then to James Bay in the hopes of catching the eye of Canadian selectors. He earned a call-up to the Canada ‘A’ squad for their UK tour in August 2016 and then the senior side for their European tour in November of that year though he is still to make his first test appearance.
In 2017 Travis was a standout for the BC Bears in their Canadian Rugby Championship title-winning campaign and most recently he suited up for Canada ‘A’ in the Americas Pacific Challenge. At 1.91m (6’3″) the 27-year-old has the size and ability to play across the back row and is a useful jumper in the lineout.
Josh, 24, started his international career with Canada’s u20 side at the World Junior Trophy in 2014. He then returned to New Zealand, winning a Mitre 10 Cup contract with Northland two years later. His national senior men’s team debut came against the Māori in Vancouver last November, and Josh has won nine caps since all as a starter.
The taller of the two at 1.97m (6’5″), Josh is a primary lineout target and is known for his high work rate around the pitch. He was part of Otago’s team in this year’s Mitre 10 Cup, playing in four games after missing the first half of the season with an elbow injury.
Signings confirmed by Austin are French prop Simon Courcoul and Teros midfielder Andrés Vilaseca. Still to be formally announced is another Uruguayan, prop Juan Echeverría, and they are strongly rumored to be adding Racing 92 midfielder Simon Bienvenu.
Departing the team are several players including back row trio Ross Deacon, Hanco Germishuys, and now-retired Pedrie Wannenburg.
