Americas Rugby News Rugby news from across the Americas!
Rugby New York have confirmed the signing of former All Blacks winger Waisake Naholo for the remainder of the 2022 Major League Rugby season. The 30-year-old was most recently training with the Crusaders though he did not ultimately sign with the Super Rugby team.
Originally from Fiji, Naholo won 26 caps for New Zealand between 2015 and 2018 including two pool matches at Rugby World Cup 2015. He signed for London Irish in 2020 but a knee injury derailed his time in the English Premiership and he instead suited up for Canterbury in the NPC.
New York will also welcome back Eagles lock Nick Civetta after his Varsity Cup success with Oxford. The club are dealing with a spate of injuries and it appears Naholo and Civetta aren’t the only reinforcements on the way. Rumors suggest another Tier 1 international could be arriving soon.
Austin have added two collegiate standouts to their roster. Loosehead prop Payton Telea-Ilalio and loose forward Ronan Murphy have officially signed, both products of Saint Mary’s. Telea-Ilalio won the Rudy Scholz Award in 2021 as the best player in college rugby but then opted out of the MLR Draft. Murphy was also a 1st team Collegiate All-American selection.
The Jackals have made some roste roster moves. Seawolves hooker Augusto Böhme will now stay on for the remainder of the season, while former ATL scrumhalf Kurtis Werner has also been acquired. Evidently he had also been on Seattle’s extended roster. Joining from local Dallas RFC, aka the Reds, is midfielder Hayden Hill. Reportedly spotted at training is former SaberCats dynamo Veramu Dikidikilati. The center or wing was trialing for the Fijian Drua after the 2021 MLR season.
Speaking of injuries… Old Glory have been hit with a massive blow. Star playmaker Mike Dabulas will play no further part in 2022 after suffering a knee injury against the Arrows. Facundo Gattas is also gone, the Uruguayan hooker breaking his foot the week before in his first start for the team. Winger Jack Russell makes it three with season-ending injuries while flanker Dom Bailey hurt his shoulder on the weekend. The good news is that Felix Kalapu and Jamason Fa’anana-Schultz are back from suspension this week.
Departing the Giltinis is hooker Sean McNulty, who has been traded to another MLR team. Full terms are yet to be unveiled but sources indicate that Seattle is his destination, hence Böhme’s season-long loan to Dallas. Unlike the Chilean, McNulty is classified as domestic – being US-eligible on 10-year residency – which means the Seawolves do not have to leave out one of their numerous import players in order to fit him in the match day roster.
Two players joined the 50-cap club in MLR appearances this past weekend. Both are veteran scrumhalves. Holden Yungert achieved the mark while playing for the Free Jacks against the Seawolves on Saturday, and later that day Nick Boyer followed for the SaberCats against the Jackals. Yungert previously played four seasons for NOLA while Boyer has suited up for San Diego and Colorado in the past. They are the 5th and 6th players respectively to reach the half-century mark following Angus MacLellan, Tim Metcher, Sam Windsor, and Dylan Fawsitt.
