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Canadian prop Nik Hildebrand will join the Houston SaberCats for the 2021 Major League Rugby season. The 25-year-old confirmed the move on the most recent edition of the Cat Chronicles podcast. He has obtained visa clearance, having planned initially to arrive in March prior to the COVID-19 suspension.
Hildebrand is uncapped but has been on Rugby Canada’s radar for some time. He was a trialist with the National under-20 side and played for the BC Bears in the 2016 and 2018 Canadian Rugby Championships. The Nanaimo, BC, native has played club rugby abroad in Wales, New Zealand, and Ireland, notably winning the Munster Cup with Garryowen in 2017.
A graduate of the prestigious Shawnigan Lake School, Hildebrand has played for Burnaby Lake in the BC Premiership. Most recently he has been a part of the Pacific Pride national development program in Langford. Hildebrand is primarily a loosehead prop but has experience on both sides of the scrum.
Houston acquired international Robbie Povey in a trade from Utah in May and could yet have further Canadian representatives. Former Burnaby Lake center Max Tacket has been with the SaberCats for the past two seasons though he did not make an appearance in 2020.
