The Austin Gilgronis have confirmed the signing of Canadian winger Jeff Hassler for the 2021 Major League Rugby season. He arrives after spending the last season-and-a-half with the Seattle Seawolves, whom he joined part-way through the 2019 campaign.
Hassler, 28, lifted the MLR Shield with the Seawolves in his first season with the club but was limited to just a single appearance in the shortened 2020 season due to injury. In between he represented Canada at Rugby World Cup 2019 in Japan, starting all three matches to bring his career total to 27 caps.
There are now two Canadians signed up at Austin with Halifax, Nova Scotia, flanker Moe Abdelmonem joining the Okotoks, Alberta, winger. A third is set to arrive in the form of Vancouver, BC, native Reegan O’Gorman. The big second row will join the Gilgronis after several seasons playing in New Zealand.