MLR Notes: New owners for NOLA, Suspensions and Signings

NOLA Gold have new majority owners. Intervalle Capital is joined by a group of local investors and current Clermont Auvergne GM Benoît Vaz. Among the new investment group are former majority owner Tim Falcon and fellow founding partners Michael and Brook Kerrigan and Robert Israel. Falcon will retain one of three executive positions on the board, with the other two filled by Intervalle representatives.

It remains to be seen what changes will come. Their current home on Airline Drive is set to undergo a multi-million dollar facelift paid for by Jefferson Parish Council. Intervalle already have a link to MLR – one of the firm’s partners is former Austin Elite CEO Thierry Daupin.

One of NOLA’s standouts in recent weeks has put pen-to-paper on a new three-year-deal with the club. Taniela Filimone has committed through the 2027 Major League Rugby campaign. The Tongan winger was a late addition to the Gold squad after departing the Free Jacks during the off-season.

Two players have received suspensions for yellow card accumulation. Tevita Naqali had two yellows – the second an automatic red – in DC’s loss to Seattle. He will sit out one week, and it’s two for Manuel Ardao. The back row star earned a yellow in the second half of Miami’s win over New England. MLR have clarified that Ardao’s suspension is longer due to an additional citing for stamping during the match.

The duo make it five players who have sat out for card accumulation this season, which has been a busy one for the judiciary. Four other players will sit out this coming weekend due to foul play: LA center Jason Emery (returns June 8), Sharks prop Reinaldo Piussi (June 16), Anthem winger David Still (June 16), and Utah back row Dylan Nel (June 28).

Seattle’s injury woes got a little worse on the weekend when Olive Kilifi and Tevita Kuridrani were both stretchered off with lower leg injuries. Kilifi’s loss is particularly significant given the severe shortage of front rowers now at Allen Clarke’s disposal. Peter Malcolm and Mason Pedersen were already ruled out for the season, while Joe Taufete’e and Sam Matenga missed Friday’s game against Old Glory.

The club have also confirmed that back row trio Riekert Hattingh, Charles Elton, and Kara Pryor will play no further part this campaign. Helping to alleviate that situation is the arrival of former New York flanker Monate Akuei, who debuted against DC, and ex-NOLA and San Diego standout Devin Short. The latter was acquired from the Gold in the off-season but has been on personal leave for several months.

Chicago have moved to fill their front row shortage with loosehead prop Nicolas Revol on loan from Dallas. The former Argentina XV select played the season opener for the Jackals but was then absent for several weeks with injury. He effectively takes the lineup spot of Georgian international Zura Zhvania, who injured his leg against Seattle in March.

Adding a little more depth are loosehead Alu Taito and tighthead Juan Pen. Taito is a cousin of Hounds center Cassh Maluia and spent some time with the American Raptors, while Pen was initially drafted by Chicago before moving to Anthem just before the campaign started. Both are uncapped in MLR.

The Free Jacks have confirmed three significant additions heading into the business end of the campaign. North Harbour flanker Jed Melvin could debut this weekend having already arrived in Boston. The 23-year-old New Zealander had agreed a move to New York before their untimely demise.

Set to arrive from the UK are a pair of US-eligible backs. Bristol Bears scrumhalf Oscar Lennon, a former USA u20 select, gives New England a pair of scrumhalf options with English Premiership experience. The 23-year-old grew up in Wales but qualifies for the Eagles through his Cleveland-born father.

Ospreys winger Toby Fricker was a surprise addition to the most recent Eagles training squad. He owes his US eligibility to his mother who was born in New Orleans. The 28-year-old represented Wales at the 2018 Rugby Europe 7s in Paris, and this past August suited up for the Barbarians against Samoa.

First choice No8 Wian Conradie and scrumhalf John Poland have had their seasons ended early because of injury, while off-season signing Jaco Bezuidenhout will miss a second straight campaign with a recurring hamstring problem. There is better news with fullback Reece MacDonald and captain Mitch Jacobson both close to a full return having missed the past three games.