Major League Rugby roster updates

The 2019 Major League Rugby schedule will be released shortly and with confirmation that the upstart league will reach season two, an historic first is taking place at this very second. This officially represents the first off-season in American professional rugby. The realization raises an obvious question – who will be back in 2019, and who won’t be?

Only a couple high profile signings have been made but more are yet to come. Also set to be unveiled are two new franchises. Originally intended to be three, it now seems that only one further team will join Rugby United New York as an official expansion team.

Austin will be a much-changed franchise in 2019, particularly in the forwards. Pedrie Wannenburg hung up the boots for good at the end of the season. Returning to New York are hooker Mike Brown and flanker Ross Deacon, scrumhalf Marcus Walsh also departing after his season-long loan. The status of former Eagles forwards Todd Clever and Louis Stanfill are unconfirmed but it seems unlikely either will be around after playing minor roles in 2018.

Replacing Walsh is Mickaël Romera, a late-season addition from Oyonnax in France. He should give the club three solid halfbacks along with Michael Reid and Knute O’Donnell. Three players missed the entire season with injury and would, in effect, be new additions for 2019.

Loosehead prop Tim Fitzgerald and loose forward Deon Minnaar managed to get in a couple preseason games but did not suit up in the regular season. Eagles hooker Peter Malcolm missed the campaign in its entirety with a knee injury. All three project as starters for the new season.

The Raptors delivered on nearly all of the pundit predictions but fell famously short at the finish line. They will be desperate to right that wrong but will have to rebuild without four of their better players. Dylan Fawsitt has returned to New York as expected while second row Ben Landry and midfielder Bryce Campbell have left for contracts with Ealing and London Irish respectively. Australian dynamo Sam Figg will also not be returning as the two sides reportedly could not come to terms on a second season.

Fawsitt’s departure should mean that Zach Fenoglio sticks to the front row this season though another hooker will be needed to join James Del Bozque on the roster. Academy prospect Lolenisi Veimau is an option if there is no suitable senior players on the market. The centers are reasonably well covered with Chad London and emerging star Mika Kruse, with a promotion to the senior squad expected for physical specimen Siale Maka. A return to fitness for Dustin Croy who missed the season with injury should allow Kruse to concentrate on the midfield.

Replacing Figg is less of a worry with numerous loose forwards available around the country though his class will be missed. Owen Hundt is an academy option who suited up for the Boston Mystics in exhibition matches during the spring. Landry, however, is a major concern with quality second rows very hard to come by in the USA. The Raptors were already short in that department and they will have to lean heavily on Kody O’Neil and academy prospect Max Dacey if the market is bare.

Houston are also a team that have taken a hit in the off-season. Towering second row Justin Allen has left for Rotherham Titans in England while captain Kyle Sumsion has taken on a coaching role at West Point Military Academy. Eagles tighthead Paul Mullen impressed enough in his short time with the team to win a contract with Newcastle Falcons in the Premiership. It is due to expire in January but with Scott Wilson retiring and the Falcons short at No3, the odds aren’t long on Mullen earning a full-time deal.

Returning to help out in the front row is Codi Jones, the former Junior All-American hooker now training as a prop. Enormous football convert Chauntez Jackson could also see game time after being signed as a project player, while former Ireland age-grade rep Jamie Dever’s visa issues were finally cleared up in time for him to make the last week of the 2018 regular season. With Matt Trouville looking like a full-time second row from now on, it’s the back row where the SaberCats will need a big body or two.

No team was hit harder by injuries than NOLA last season. Vince Jobo missed the whole season after tearing an Achilles in preseason action while Sebastián Kalm required surgical repair on his neck after a big collision in Week Two. Both would have been among the top loose forwards in the league but thankfully are expected to be fully fit for the new season. International backs JP Eloff and Tim Maupin also had considerable spells on the sidelines.

Second row remains an area of concern heading towards 2019 with flanker John Sullivan forced to deputize there in several games. The front row was a mixed bag and short-term loan signing Anthony Parry is back with New York. Reserve prop Derrek van Klein has since been playing for Helensvale Hogs on the Gold Coast of Australia and it’s unclear if he will return to New Orleans.

The new kids on the block are well ahead of the curve for an expansion side and New York should enter as favorites for the post-season right from the get-go. Two European pros have already been added with former Leinster flyhalf Cathal Marsh joining England fullback Ben Foden on the first-ever MLR roster. A handful of players – namely Dylan Fawsitt, Mike Brown, Anthony Parry, Ross Deacon, and Marcus Walsh – were loaned to MLR sides in 2018 and return with valuable experience.

Much of their squad is already in place with Seamus Kelly already confirmed and the likes of Nate Brakeley, Alex Schwarz, Luke Hume, and Jack Fitzpatrick certain to follow. Long-time Namibia prop Kees Lensing has been hired as forwards coach to support Mike Tolkin. There will be few weaknesses in the side and with life in the Big Apple as a major selling point, further overseas players can be expected in the coming months.

San Diego had buckets of talent in 2018 but rarely had them all on the pitch at the same time. Their relationship with the Eagles Sevens squad based in Chula Vista was likely necessary in their first year but the lack of consistency probably didn’t help them in the long-run. Nailing down a regular full-time roster should be a priority this season and there have already been changes to the leadership with GM Matt Hawkins and assistant coach Chris Cracknell departing, and Scott Murray arriving as the new man in charge of the forwards.

The only confirmed departures at the moment are a couple flankers who didn’t end up playing a minute for the team. Andrew Durutalo was a late withdrawal after being named as a reserve for one game, while Mungo Mason couldn’t solve apparent visa problems. Durutalo is now with Ealing Trailfinders in England while Mason has signed a Scotland Sevens contract. Tony Lamborn is currently playing for Southland Stags in the Mitre 10 Cup but should return after its completion with a Super Rugby deal unlikely.

New arrivals late in the season were former Saracens Academy prop Faka’osi Pifeleti, of Tongan extract but previously a USA resident, and former Connacht hooker Pat O’Toole. A pair of fullbacks also joined in Oxford University captain Conor Kearns and South African Sevens cap Joe Pietersen. Fitting both on the roster seems unlikely with Mike Te’o and Dylan Audsley also on the books. Whichever does not stay will be highly sought-after by other teams.

An interesting name that turned up on the roster page but did not feature during the season is scrumhalf Devereaux Ferris. The New Zealander now qualifies for the Eagles on residency but with Nate Augspurger and Nick Boyer already in the squad his future looks to be elsewhere, with Utah in particular need for help in that department.

Seattle‘s roster moves this past season were largely completed before the season started. Nick Wallace called it quits due to a recurring injury, and Garrett Bender packed his bags for Minneapolis. Canadian coach Tony Healy and second row Connor Weyell were unable to secure visas. South Korean international Andre Coquillard stepped into the gap and reinforcements from the Seattle Saracens came in the form of hooker Dan Trierweiler, flanker Cole van Harn, and winger Sequoyah Burke-Combs.

Curry Hitchborn has left his role as Director of Rugby Development, taking up the Head Coach position at the UBC Thunderbirds. Seattle-based rugby development group ATAVUS has taken over management of the rugby side though specific roles have yet to be revealed. At least one assistant is expected for Phil Mack, who will continue as Head Coach, while on the playing side a backup scrumhalf is also high on the shopping list.

The Warriors are feeling the pain with their three highest-profile players heading off to pastures new. Captain and talisman Paul Lasike has joined Harlequins in the Premiership, flyhalf and goal kicker Kurt Morath is now at Doncaster, and bullocking No8 David Tameilau has signed on with Glasgow Warriors. Morath’s understudy Jonny Linehan has opted to re-retire leaving the team with only the Nicholls brothers to cover both halfback positions. Heavy recruitment will be required there.

On the plus side three players are set to return from long-term injury. USA Select XV flanker Jackson Kaka will be back from a shoulder injury suffered in the preeason, while the broken legs of twin brothers Jared and Josh Whippy should be fully healed. All three will be significant boosts to the squad.

More will be asked of Lance Williams after Tameilau’s departure while Saia Uhila could also return to his favored position at the back of the scrum with Eagles pair Matt Jensen and John Cullen strong options at lock. Replacing Lasike will be impossible but there is midfield cover with AJ Tu’ineau and Iniki Fa’amausili available and potentially Fetu’u Vainikolo. The front row will also need help with two props required and possibly a hooker if Alex Vorster does not commit for a full season.

They’re not in yet… but it’s worth having a look at where the Arrows squad is headed… just in case. Of those who appeared during the spring campaign at least four won’t be returning. Hooker Martial Lagain has opted to hang up his high performance boots, and veteran prop Tom Dolezel is expected to do the same. Scrumhalf Alex Gliksten has returned to England with Saracens and flyhalf Will Kelly has signed an academy deal with Dragons in the Guinness Pro 14. Utility back Josh Campbell was left out of the squad to face the Raptors and fullback Aaron McLelland is set to stay in BC with the UBCOB Ravens.

Some new names have already arrived, however, and they are all noteworthy. A pair of international bookends will play against Glendale this weekend in the form of loosehead prop Djustice Sears-Duru and tighthead Cole Keith. BC Bears hooker Steven Ng makes it three national u20 grads available along with AJ Quattrin and Jack McRogers. Tall English-born second row Ben Jones arrives via Balmy Beach, as does Canada flanker Lucas Rumball. Former No8 Mike Mullins is attempting to restart his XVs career this weekend after playing sevens exclusively for the past three seasons.

The backs welcome Patrick Parfrey from the Canadian camp, the versatile back having last played in their inaugural match against Glendale in 2017. Another English product in chunky flyhalf Kieron Martin brings a bit of x-factor to the squad and there are two more Canada Sevens arrivals in Andrew Coe and Lucas Hammond, the former a utility outside back and the latter a fullback who could potentially also trial as a scrumhalf where he plays in the shortened game.