Samoa

The LA Giltinis have confirmed the signing of Belmont Shore winger Visesio Leasi for the 2021 Major League Rugby season. An imposing figure at 6’2″ (1.88m) and 240lbs (110kg), it’s the first professional contract for the 23-year-old. Leasi was born in American Samoa and played for Samoa Schools against Australia …

Former Utah Warriors captain Dwayne Polataivao has been selected to play for Moana Pasifika in their historic match against the New Zealand Māori next month. The December 5 match in Hamilton will be the first for the team tipped to join a revamped Super Rugby for the 2022 season. There …

The Utah Warriors have confirmed their initial roster for the 2021 Major League Rugby season. Among the 32 players named are six newcomers, most notably Eagles World Cup selects Paul Mullen and Mike Te’o who make the move to Salt Lake City from the San Diego Legion. Mullen gives the …

Dallas have confirmed a ninth addition from the withdrawn Colorado Raptors. Tighthead prop Marco Fepulea’i has signed with the Jackals for the 2021 Major League Rugby season, following fellow front rowers Kelepi Fifita and Chad Gough to Texas. Fepulea’i, 25, immediately established himself as the first choice No3 at Glendale …

The Rugby Championship is the name used for the Southern Hemisphere’s annual Tier 1 tournament. It is neither a regional nor a continental competition. Instead, it is the four RWC Semi Finalists outside of the UK and France. They happen to all be from south of the equator. South Africa’s …

Some of Major League Rugby’s elite big men will feature for the Asia Pacific Dragons at the inaugural World Tens Series event in Bermuda. Originally set for a Saturday start, the tournament will now begin on Sunday with the finals booked for November 7. US Eagles pair Jamason Fa’anana-Schultz and …

Just a week after one of their own lifted the Ranfurly Shield, a second New England player emerged triumphant at Inglewood. Once again a number players with Major League Rugby links made their marks, some for the wrong reasons. The final match of the weekend featured a remarkable eight players …

The second week of the Mitre 10 Cup season featured less scoring than the first but there were two compelling contests on Saturday including a cracking battle for the Ranfurly Shield in Christchurch. As with the first week there were plenty of Major League Rugby connections, in fact this time …

The first weekend of the 2020 Mitre 10 Cup season is in the books and it was high-flying stuff with plenty of tries on offer. As expected a number of MLR players suited up with a few even getting their name on the scoreboard. NORTH HARBOUR 29 – 43 CANTERBURY …

New Zealand’s provincial competition – the Mitre 10 Cup – is set to kick off on Friday with a full slate of seven games scheduled over the weekend. There are 14 teams competing this season, seven in each of the Premiership and Championship divisions, though there is crossover between the …