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NOLA Gold have wasted no time securing their top draft pick for the foreseeable future. Sebastiano Villani, the 2nd-overall selection in the Collegiate Draft, has signed a two-year deal with the club through the 2024 Major League Rugby season.
Italian-born but US-eligible, Villani was a standout with St. Bonaventure and then starred in the Collegiate Rugby Shield in Utah prior to the draft. The 22-year-old immediately joined the Gold Academy side for the American Rugby Premiership campaign and featured in all six games, starting four.
Villani officially joins Namibian international Damian Stevens and new addition Luke Campbell as the scrumhalf options for NOLA this coming season. Cian Barry was traded to Dallas late in the 2022 season and then joined the Tel Aviv Heat. Devereaux Ferris was traded to Dallas, and Christian Alvarez was initially traded to Austin and then selected by Chicago in the Dispersal Draft.
