Conor Keys has confirmed a two-year extension with Rugby ATL. The Canadian lock joined the Major League Rugby side ahead of their inaugural campaign in 2020, arriving from England where he was playing for Rotherham Titans in National One. The extension runs through the 2023 MLR season.
A member of Canada’s World Cup squad, the 23-year-old Ottawa native started two games in Japan to bring his career total to 18 caps since his test debut against Chile in 2017. At 6’6″ (1.99m) Keys was the tallest player both for Canada and ATL. He appeared in all five MLR matches, starting two.
Rugby ATL are also expected to retain fellow Canadian Matt Heaton. The flanker was co-captain for the club this year, starting all but one match. Canada ‘A’ and Sevens winger Karsten Leitner was in talks to join ATL but did not complete recovery from a serious Achilles injury before the season ended.