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With Major League Rugby currently on hiatus until the new year, many players are staying sharp during the off-season by playing club rugby. Well over 50 current MLR athletes are based in the American Rugby Premiership, which operates on the Atlantic coast. Another 20-odd are suiting up in the Midwest Premiership, with both competitions featuring several formerly contracted players.
Academy sides from NOLA and ATL formerly competed in the ARP, but the only team currently with a formal affiliation to an MLR side is Charlotte Rugby Club. Their roster is adorned with Anthem RC talent, including several new signings and college draft picks. Long-standing Boston club Mystic River has proved an effective source of talent for the New England Free Jacks though it currently players spread across a handful of MLR teams in 2024.
The Miami Tridents should be a natural fit for developing Sharks but only one is active. Meanwhile New York remains a hotbed of American talent despite losing their MLR franchise. NYAC, Old Blue, and White Plains offer playing opportunities for a range of athletes, with Old Blue in particular able to field nearly a full starting lineup of professionals under coaches Sam Windsor, Trevor Cassidy, and Kara Pryor.
Over in the Midwest Premiership, Chicago’s Griffins and Lions feature several Hounds and Hound Academy athletes. Traditional heavyweights Metropolis and Kansas City are not as heavily adorned. The St. Louis Bombers lean heavily on ex-Lindenwood University talent while the Wolfhounds of Cincinnati feature MLR halfback pairing Evan Conlon and Matías Caramuti.
Below is a chart of MLR players currently active in the ARP and Midwest Premiership. The list may not be exhaustive but is a summary of publicly available rosters to the best of our ability. NOTE: Current/former club represents most recent affiliation, * indicates new signing or college draft pick.
AMERICAN RUGBY PREMIERSHIP
CHARLOTTE RUGBY CLUB
| POS | PLAYER | CURRENT | FORMER |
| LH | Quinton Tindel | Anthem RC* | |
| HO | Ethan Howard | Anthem RC* | |
| HO | Alex Lopeti | NOLA Gold | |
| TH | Stephan Bernal-Wendt | Anthem RC | |
| LO | Mikey Grandy | Anthem RC* | |
| LO | Le’Donn Mathis | Anthem RC* | |
| LO/FL | Alejandro Martinez-Tapia | Anthem RC* | |
| FL | Alby O’Shannessey | Anthem RC | |
| FL | Colin Turner | Anthem RC* | |
| N8 | Dylan Fortune | Anthem RC | |
| N8 | Michael Ma’afu | Anthem RC | |
| SH | Ishma-eel Safodien | Anthem RC* | |
| FH | Line Latu | Anthem RC | |
| CE | Watson Filikitonga | LA Giltinis | |
| CE | EJ Freeman | Anthem RC* | |
| CE | Junior Gafa | Anthem RC | |
| WI | Conner Mooneyham | Anthem RC | |
| WI | Ashawnty Staples | Anthem RC* |
LIFE RUNNING EAGLES
| POS | PLAYER | CURRENT | FORMER |
| HO | Seth Smith | Houston SaberCats | |
| TH | Alex Maughan | RFC Los Angeles | |
| FL | Matthew Carrion | New England Free Jacks* | |
| N8 | Ross Deacon | Rugby ATL | |
| FH | Julian Roberts | NOLA Gold | |
| CE | Harley Davidson | Rugby ATL | |
| CE | Darius Law | San Diego Legion* | |
| FB | Jeron Pantor | Anthem RC* |
MIAMI TRIDENTS
| POS | PLAYER | CURRENT | FORMER |
| FL | Chase Schor-Haskin | Miami Sharks | |
| FL/N8 | Osaiasi Tonga’uiha | NOLA Gold |
MYSTIC RIVER
| POS | PLAYER | CURRENT | FORMER |
| LH | Tevita Sole | New England Free Jacks | |
| HO | Connor Robinson | Anthem RC | |
| FL | Justin Johnson | New England Free Jacks | |
| FL/N8 | Cam Davidowicz | New England Free Jacks | |
| FL/N8 | Neil Moylett | Seattle Seawolves | |
| FL/N8 | Carson Shoemaker | Anthem RC | |
| SH | Emanuel Lai | New England Free Jacks* | |
| FH | Matt Anticev | RFC Los Angeles | |
| CE | Tavite Lopeti | Seattle Seawolves | |
| CE | Isaac Olson | New England Free Jacks |
NEW YORK ATHLETIC CLUB
| POS | PLAYER | CURRENT | FORMER |
| LH | Payton Telea | San Diego Legion | |
| FL | Brady Daniel | Old Glory DC | |
| FL | Nick Lapponese | New York Ironworkers | |
| CE | John Powers | Old Glory DC |
OLD BLUE
| POS | PLAYER | CURRENT | FORMER |
| LH/HO | Amro Gouda | Rugby ATL | |
| HO | Diego Maquieira | New York Ironworkers | |
| HO | DaQuan Perry | Seattle Seawolves | |
| TH | Koby Baker | Seattle Seawolves | |
| LO | Charlie Overton | Old Glory DC | |
| LO | Bill Whiteside | Old Glory DC | |
| FL | Monate Akuei | Seattle Seawolves | |
| FL | Shawn Clark | Dallas Jackals | |
| N8 | Joe Basser | Anthem RC | |
| SH | Karl Keane | Seattle Seawolves | |
| FH | Shane Barry | Anthem RC | |
| CE | Jordan Jackson-Hope | NOLA Gold | |
| CE/WI | Jeremy Misailegalu | Houston SaberCats | |
| CE/WI | Seimou Smith | Houston SaberCats | |
| WI | Jeremiah Sio | Seattle Seawolves | |
| FB | Connor Wallace-Sims | New York Ironworkers |
WHITE PLAINS WARPIGS
| POS | PLAYER | CURRENT | FORMER |
| HO | Tuvere Vugakoto | Utah Warriors | |
| LO | Tevita Naqali | Old Glory DC | |
| LO | Jale Railala | San Diego Legion | |
| FL | Jasa Veremalua | San Diego Legion | |
| FL/N8 | Naulia Dawai | Seattle Seawolves | |
| SH | Sebastiano Villani | NOLA Gold | |
| CE | Veramu Dikidikilati | Dallas Jackals | |
| CE | Filimoni Waqainabete | San Diego Legion | |
| WI | Eric Naposki | Miami Sharks |
MIDWEST PREMIERSHIP
CHICAGO GRIFFINS
| POS | PLAYER | CURRENT | FORMER |
| LH | Timmy Ohlwein | Chicago Hounds | |
| LH | Alu Taito | Chicago Hounds | |
| HO | Brian Flamenco | Houston SaberCats** | |
| TH | Juan Pen | Chicago Hounds | |
| LO | Sam Peri | Chicago Hounds | |
| SH | Tai Kauwe | Utah Warriors** | |
| SH | Sid Shoop | Chicago Hounds | |
| FH | Carmen Consolino | Dallas Jackals** | |
| CE | Cassh Maluia | Chicago Hounds | |
| CE | Mark O’Keeffe | Chicago Hounds | |
| WI | Michael Hand | Chicago Hounds |
** – now part of Hounds Academy
CHICAGO LIONS
| POS | PLAYER | CURRENT | FORMER |
| TH | Jeff Steele | Houston SaberCats | |
| TH | LaRome White | Houston SaberCats | |
| FL/N8 | Anton Viera | Houston SaberCats** | |
| N8 | Jake Kinneeveauk | Chicago Hounds* | |
| CE | Shane Fata | New England Free Jacks** | |
| CE | Peyton Wall | Chicago Hounds* | |
| WI | Nate Augspurger | Chicago Hounds | |
| WI | Jax Hidalgo | Houston SaberCats | |
| FB | Willis Goodwin | Chicago Hounds |
** now part of Hounds Academy
CINCINNATI WOLFHOUNDS
| POS | PLAYER | CURRENT | FORMER |
| TH | Trent Rogers | NOLA Gold | |
| SH | Evan Conlon | Houston SaberCats | |
| FH | Matías Caramuti | Miami Sharks |
KANSAS CITY BLUES
| POS | PLAYER | CURRENT | FORMER |
| LO | Matt Wirken | New York Ironworkers | |
| CE | Siaosi Nauer | Utah Warriors |
ST. LOUIS BOMBERS
| POS | PLAYER | CURRENT | FORMER |
| HO/FL | Abe Turpen | NOLA Gold | |
| TH | Sam Buckley | RFC Los Angeles | |
| FL | Calvin Ihrig | Miami Sharks* | |
| FL/N8 | Cian Darling | NOLA Gold | |
| N8 | Tinashe Muchena | Chicago Hounds | |
| FH | Nick Feakes | NOLA Gold |
