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Rugby New York have added another World Champion to their ranks. Nehe Milner-Skudder has departed New Zealand and will join up with the team this week. The 31-year-old won 13 caps for the All Blacks, notably scoring New Zealand’s first try in the 2015 World Cup Final victory over Australia.
Injuries have disrupted his career since but a strong showing with Manawatu in the Bunnings NPC led to a Super Rugby contract with the Hurricanes. Playing time did not emerge with the Wellington-based side and Milner-Skudder has now accepted the offer extended by New York earlier this year to make the move to Major League Rugby.
Milner-Skudder reunites with fellow 2015 World Cup-winning All Black Waisake Naholo in New York. The duo are set to partner up in the outside backs with Milner-Skudder likely to step in at fullback in place of the injured Troy Lockyear. Naholo should make his debut against Seattle this weekend.
Monday’s trade and signing deadline did not spark heaps of action but there was one other notable move with Canadian international Cole Davis moving from Austin to Atlanta. It’s not immediately clear if the AG’s received any compensation in return or if the 24-year-old was simply released having not made any appearances with the team this season. He joins fellow Canucks Matt Heaton, Conor Keys, and George Barton at ATL and gives the team a powerful ball carrying option on the wing.
Late last week NOLA Gold acquired the rights to Sam Klimkowski from LA. The 24-year-old loosehead prop was selected 13th overall in the 2021 Collegiate Draft but left the Giltinis for personal reasons earlier this year. Also heading to the Gold are 1st and 3rd round picks in the 2022 Draft, with salary cap considerations going to LA.
NOLA were also involved in another deal this past weekend. Scrumhalf Cian Barry has gone to the Jackals, with the Gold getting salary cap considerations in return. Also joining Dallas is Free Jacks academy back row Jack Paloucek, who was a previously unannounced arrival from the deal that sent an extra international player slot to New England.
Two players have returned to the Free Jacks for the final run-in to the playoffs. Terrell Peita and Mika Lomano each left the side for personal reasons but are now back in training. Peita started six matches at No8 before leaving for New Zealand, while Lomano, a center, had one replacement appearance before heading back to California.
The Toronto Arrows signed 19-year-old Sam Reimer last week, the seventh scrumhalf on their roster this season. He was a second half replacement for fellow debutant Cole Brown against New York, becoming the third teenager to feature for the Arrows. Reimer has represented Canada under-18 and had been part of the Pacific Pride program in Langford.
The 2022 Collegiate Draft has now been announced, along with a series of opportunities for potential selections to show their talent to MLR scouts. One of those is the Collegiate Rugby Shield, an invitational All-Star game that will be played on July 2 at Zions Bank Stadium, home of the Utah Warriors. The two former USA internationals have been named as coaches – St. Bonaventure’s Tui Osborne and Harvard’s Mel Denham. Also notable is confirmation that the game will air nationwide on Fox Sports 1.
