The Seattle Seawolves have moved quickly to fill the gap left by Andrew Durutalo’s retirement. Former Ireland u20 international Ronan Foley has been signed after spending the past two Major League Rugby campaigns with the Toronto Arrows.
Foley arrived at the Arrows late in the 2021 season and made enough of an impression to earn a return deal in 2022. This past year he secured the starting No8 position, appearing in all but one game, and was voted as the club’s Player of the Year after finishing among the league’s top ball carriers.
With club captain Riekert Hattingh firmly established at the back of the scrum for the Seawolves, it’s likely that Foley will find himself at flanker for Seattle. The 24-year-old could form a loose forward trio with Hattingh and Canadian flanker Nakai Penny. Other loose forward acquisitions are Collegiate Draft pick Neal Moylett, an Ireland u19 cap, and former Utah flanker Mike Gieselman.
In exchange for Foley’s rights, the Arrows received salary cap considerations for the upcoming season. The agreement mimics that of Canadian back row Travis Larsen, who moved in the opposite direction under identical conditions in September.