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Despite the failure of both Canada and the USA to qualify, Major League Rugby will be well represented at the Rugby World Cup. Nine players who took part in the 2023 season will compete in France. Those players are spread across four nations, but that’s not the end of MLR’s influence.
Another dozen previously played professionally in North America, with four high profile South Americans already signed up with the expansion Miami Sharks for their inaugural campaign in 2024. All told seven nations feature current, former, or future Major League Rugby athletes.
It’s Uruguay who feature the most with eight capped MLR players and another three set to debut next season. Namibia have six, with Obert Nortjé a late addition to the squad and Dallas prop Herman Agenbag only narrowly missing out. Chile, Samoa, Tonga, and Romania also feature MLR talent while Pumas scrumhalf Tomás Cubelli will join Miami after the tournament.
CURRENT
| NATION | PLAYER | POS | CLUB | MLR CAPS |
| Namibia | Wian Conradie | FL/N8 | New England Free Jacks | 40 |
| Namibia | Adriaan Booysen | N8 | Dallas Jackals | 49 |
| Namibia | Damian Stevens | SH | NOLA Gold | 41 |
| Namibia | Cliven Loubser | FH/FB | Utah Warriors | 27 |
| Namibia | Le Roux Malan | CE | New England Free Jacks | 28 |
| Samoa | Sama Malolo | HO | San Diego Legion | 28 |
| Samoa | Ed Fidow | WI | New York Ironworkers | 28 |
| Tonga | Semisi Paea | LO/FL | New England Free Jacks | 13 |
| Uruguay | Facundo Gattas | LH/HO | Old Glory DC | 16 |
FORMER
| NATION | PLAYER | POS | CLUB | MLR CAPS |
| Chile | Augusto Böhme | HO | Seattle / Dallas | 5 |
| Chile | Marcelo Torrealba | SH | Austin Gilgronis | 21 |
| Namibia | Obert Nortjé | HO | Seattle Seawolves | 6 |
| Romania | Rob Irimescu | HO | New York / DC | 29 |
| Samoa | Sam Slade | LO | Colorado Raptors | 5 |
| Uruguay | Mateo Sanguinetti | LH | Houston SaberCats | 8 |
| Uruguay | Ignacio Dotti | LO | NOLA Gold | 37 |
| Uruguay | Manuel Diana | N8 | Toronto Arrows | 18 |
| Uruguay | Santiago Arata | SH | Houston SaberCats | 3 |
| Uruguay | Andrés Vilaseca | CE | Austin Elite | 10 |
| Uruguay | Gastón Mieres | WI | Toronto Arrows | 36 |
| Uruguay | Rodrigo Silva | FB | Austin Elite | 17 |
FUTURE
| NATION | PLAYER | POS | CLUB | MLR CAPS |
| Argentina | Tomás Cubelli | SH | Miami Sharks | – |
| Uruguay | Manuel Ardao | FL | Miami Sharks | – |
| Uruguay | Felipe Etcheverry | FH/FB | Miami Sharks | – |
| Uruguay | Tomás Inciarte | CE | Miami Sharks | – |
