Paul Mullen has found a new home. The Eagles World Cup prop will play for the San Diego Legion in the 2020 Major League Rugby season. Mullen, 28, departs the Houston SaberCats where he spent the last two MLR campaigns, with stints at the Newcastle Falcons and Doncaster Knights in between.
It’s a direct replacement for Paddy Ryan, The Legion had previously announced the signing of Chris Eves to fill that gap, but the former Hurricanes prop will no longer be joining the team. That’s the third player who has dropped out of the picture before playing a game for the team in the off-season, with Steffon Armitage instead going to France and Dom Day opting to retire.
In Mullen, however, the Legion have perhaps a more suitable replacement for Paddy Ryan. The Australian international returned to the Sanix Blues in Japan after a stellar season with San Diego in 2019. Eves was primarily a loosehead in recent years while Mullen is a specialist tighthead.
San Diego have confirmed an initial 26-man roster for the upcoming campaign with Mullen and Canadian utility back Josh Thiel their latest signings. Several more are to be confirmed with training camp to resume in the first week of January.