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Just a week after confirming the signing of Jeff Hassler, the Seattle Seawolves have announced the addition of another Canadian international. Tighthead prop Jake Ilnicki has joined the club for the remainder of the 2019 Major League Rugby season and is set to debut in Saturday’s match against the Glendale Raptors.
In the prime of his career At 27 years old, Ilnicki already boasts extensive professional experience on three different continents. A starter for the San Diego Breakers in PRO Rugby, he has since played for NSW Country Eagles in Australia, Manawatu Turbos in New Zealand, and has spent the past three seasons in England with Northampton, Newcastle, and most recently Yorkshire Carnegie.
After playing a key role for Canada during the World Cup Repechage competition in November, a knee injury ruled Ilnicki out of the second half of the RFU Championship season with Carnegie. Financial problems have seen the bulk of their roster depart and it’s in Seattle where the Canadian will look to get valuable game time before adding to his 33 test caps in the run-in to the World Cup.
Ilnicki makes it eight Canucks based at the Seawolves, the most at any professional club aside from the Toronto Arrows. Among them is fellow prop Djustice Sears-Duru, himself a relatively recent addition to the squad after gaining visa clearance last month.
