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The San Diego Legion have confirmed that Ben Mitchell is staying with the team for the 2021 Major League Rugby season. It’s the second year of his contract signed in August of last year after the big second row opted to depart Austin Elite for the West Coast.
Mitchell has been one of the top performing locks in MLR since the inaugural 2018 campaign. He captained the Elite in 2019 and between the two seasons started all but one match for Austin. In 2020 Mitchell played four matches for the star-studded Legion, starting the last two games of the season.
Born in England but raised in Ireland, the 26-year-old will qualify for the USA on three-year residency in December of this year. With World Rugby delaying the Regulation 8 amendment to January of 2022, Mitchell will be eligible to represent the Eagles at any point in 2021.
The announcement follows the team’s re-signing of twice-capped USA international Siaosi Mahoni. At 6’8″ (2.03m) Mahoni just shades the 6’7″ (2.01m) Mitchell in height with the duo forming one of the most physically intimidating second row pairings in the league.
