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Just one week into the new season and the Major League Rugby disciplinary panel has already been called into action. New England Free Jacks fullback Dougie Fife has been suspended for three games after taking out NOLA Gold center Juan Cappiello off the ball in the 71st minute of Saturday’s contest.
The incident was not seen by on-field officials or the TMO during the game, instead identified by the citing officer on Sunday. As a result Fife will miss the upcoming games against Old Glory, LA, and New York and will be clear to return for the home opener against the Toronto Arrows on March 12.
New England meanwhile have made two trades in recent days, both to acquire extra import slots. The first was a straight swap for salary cap considerations with the Arrows. Salary cap considerations and a 1st round pick in the 2022 Collegiate Draft were traded to the Utah Warriors, with a 2nd round pick sent the other way. The Free Jacks can now field 12 players not qualified for Canada or the USA in their match day 23 for the remainder of the season.
Toronto and Utah also made a deal in January, making Hank Stevenson‘s move a permanent one. The former Canada u20 lock was loaned to the Arrows late in the 2021 season. Utah receives a conditional 3rd round pick in the 2022 Draft in return.
EDIT: The Arrows have today announced the signing of former Cambridge University scrumhalf Chris Bell. He provides immediate cover with Andrew Ferguson and Cole Brown both injured. Bell is 24 years old, has played for England Studens Sevens, and arrives from Blackheath in England’s third division, National One. He is Canadian-eligible through his Montreal-born father.
Another transaction for the Warriors sees All-American Sevens select Coleson Warner acquired from Rugby ATL in return for salary cap considerations and a 3rd round pick in the 2022 Draft. The 23-year-old flyhalf was selected by the Ratlers in the 2nd round of the 2021 Draft and is understood to be a player of interest to Mike Friday for his Eagles Sevens camp in Chula Vista.
San Diego swooped in to sign tighthead prop Paddy Ryan last week. Not to be confused with the Australia international of the same name who played for the Legion in 2021, Ryan was initially due to join NOLA but made a last minute decision to head for the Pacific coast instead.
The Legion have also acquired an extra import slot from the Jackals, raising San Diego’s match day limit to 12 non-domestic players which matches that of New England and New York. Dallas receives a 1st round pick in the 2022 Draft and salary cap considerations.
NOLA have traded versatile halfback Carmen Consolino, their 3rd round pick in 2021, to the Jackals in return for salary cap considerations. Dallas have also signed hooker Luke Rizzo from the Woodlands RFC in Texas. He was a member of the USA u23 High Performance training group.
The Gold have also completed the free agent signings of loosehead prop Alex Lopeti and second or back row Charlie Hola. Both have previously been included in USA u20 squads with Lopeti lining up for the USA Selects in the 2021 Americas Pacific Challenge. Hola was named in one match day squad for Utah during the 2020 season but is yet to make his regular season MLR debut.
