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Rugby United New York have confirmed the signatures of four more returning players for the 2020 Major League Rugby season. US Eagles front rowers Dylan Fawsitt and Paddy Ryan are joined by openside flanker James Denise and midfielder Quentin Pradère.
Irish-born Fawsitt capped an excellent 2019 with selection to his first Rugby World Cup. He played three matches for the Eagles as backup to first choice Joe Taufete’e. The 29-year-old was rated by many the best hooker during the 2019 MLR season, matching with Colorado winger John Ryberg as the league’s top try scorer with 13 in 15 matches.
Ryan, also 29, was also in fine form for RUNY this season, starting a dozen matches and earning a recall to the Eagles for the Pacific Nations Cup. Though he narrowly missed out on a World Cup spot, his scrummaging prowess and barging runs will be important assets for his side in 2020.
After flirting with retirement following a serious hip operation, Denise enjoyed a remarkable first season in professional rugby. He would play 9 matches and scored 7 tries, missing the last chunk of the season with injury. At 34 he is part of the senior citizen club at RUNY along with Mike Petri and Ben Foden.
Pradère, 27, didn’t see much action in 2019, playing only two games. Born and raised in England, he had a four-year stint in Canada with McGill University, captaining the Redmen in his final season. He joins an already overflowing back division that may or may not include Mathieu Bastareaud – the giant Frenchman a possible candidate to play at the vacant No8 position instead.
