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The Dallas Jackals and NOLA Gold have swapped players ahead of the 2023 Major League Rugby season. Heading from Texas to Louisiana is USA Selects three-quarter Cael Hodgson, and moving in the opposite direction is once-capped Eagles scrumhalf Devereaux Ferris.
Hodgson, 23, was initially selected by the New England Free Jacks in the 2021 Collegiate Draft. Before making an appearance for the club he was traded to Dallas, where he immediately secured a place in the starting backline as a hard-running wing or center. Prior to making his MLR debut Hodgson represented the USA at the 2021 Americas Pacific Challenge.
Ferris joins his fourth MLR team having previously lined up for San Diego and Seattle. The 27-year-old played 14 games for the Gold in 2022, largely in a reserve role behind Damian Stevens. Born in New Zealand, he is US-qualified on residency and one a test cap as a replacement against Samoa in 2018.
Both players appear to have been deemed surplus to requirements by their club. Dallas picked five backs in this year’s draft and are set to roll out a much-changed squad next season. NOLA have retained Stevens while adding Luke Campbell and 2nd-overall pick Sebastiano Villani at scrumhalf.
