Rugby ATL have signed former Colorado Raptors back row Connor Cook for the 2021 Major League Rugby season. The 29-year-old adds experience to an already impressive Rattlers loose forward contingent that features Canadian international Matt Heaton and powerful No8 Ross Deacon. Cook was an invaluable member of the Raptors squad …

This past weekend saw limited action with most competitions ground to a halt, no thanks again to the raging pandemic. The Top 14 did manage to fit in some make-up dates from previously postponed matches, and in fact all of our candidates come from France. In the Pro D2, Biarritz …

Riekert Hattingh will play for the Seattle Seawolves in the 2021 Major League Rugby season. Confirmation comes at last of the team captain and star eightman who has been a talismanic figure for the club since the inaugural 2018 campaign. This past season, though brief, was one of frustration for …

The 2021 Junior World Championship will not take place. For the second year in a row World Rugby’s annual u20 World Cup has been cancelled. It is a major blow to all competing teams, none more so than the Tier 2 countries involved. In 2020 they were to be Fiji, …

The year 2020 saw a player exodus from Argentina abroad. The pandemic effect caused players left in droves. This came in the form of an exodus from Los Jaguares and another exodus from Los Ceibos. The outcome saw an influx of players into a number of markets. The leading two …

The Dallas Jackals will not compete in the 2021 Major League Rugby season. The club confirmed the decision on the website. The Dallas Jackals were to make their debut in the upcoming 2021 MLR season as an expansion team. Dallas were named as an expansion team in 2020. The team …

Toulouse have signed Juan Cruz Mallía from Los Jaguares. The 24-year-old joins the French giants as a medical joker. The move will be Mallía’s first overseas contract. He joins after featuring for Los Jaguares in Super Rugby from 2018-2020. Toulouse have lost Romain Ntamack, Lucas Tauzin and Arthur Bonneval to …

Up and Under is a weekly exclusive on Americas Rugby News. It covers the best and worst from games involving the Americas players and teams over the previous week.   UP Rugby United New York A busy week saw Rugby United New York confirming four significant signings. First, Giant second-rower …

Castres completed an away win over Montpellier on Sunday. The 21-19 victory saw the Tarns coming back from 19-11 to seal an important road victory. Benjamín Urdapilleta had a busy match. The Argentine play-maker scored 11 points in the win. Urdapilleta started outside Santiago Arata. In doing so, the Rio …

Recent Major League Rugby signings have revealed several players eligible for the USA that may have been previously unknown. Players like Gordon Fullerton, Thomas Morani, and Zack Godfrey were signed up in 2020. In 2021 we can add James King, Luke Carty, Joe Johnston, Harrison Boyle, Harry Barlow, Joel Miranda, …

Germán Kessler scored a second half try on Friday. The Uruguayan hooker did so for Charente who played away against Grenoble. The home side won the match 25-20 to add to the pressure on the Pro D2 basement team. Kessler was Charente’s replacement hooker. He came on early for Wayne …

Rugby United New York have confirmed their fourth significant signing of the week. Argentine age-grade international Benjamín Bonasso has signed on for the 2021 Major League Rugby season, following earlier announcements of Nick Civetta, Andy Ellis, and Dan Hollinshead. Bonasso is the 18th Argentine confirmed for the 2021 MLR season. …

Ealing produced a 27-26 upset win over Saracens in the first match of the Trailfinders Challenge Cup on Saturday. The six-match series which also includes Doncaster was created to provide meaningful competition for the three sides as they await the start of the RFU Championship regular season. Played at Ealing’s …

Rugby United New York have signed Bay of Plenty flyhalf Dan Hollinshead for the 2021 Major League Rugby season. The 25-year-old New Zealander recently completed his fifth Mitre 10 Cup campaign with the Steamers, and also boasts professional experience in France and Japan. Hollinshead made his senior provincial debut as …

The Utah Warriors have announced the signing of Namibia flyhalf Cliven Loubser for the 2021 Major League Rugby season. A starting player for the Welwitschias at Rugby World Cup 2019, he arrives having most recently played for Yorkshire Carnegie (now Leeds Tykes) in the RFU Championship. Loubser, 23, made his …

Former Houston SaberCats hooker Pat O’Toole will return to Major League Rugby in 2021, signing a two-year deal with the NOLA Gold. The 25-year-old did not play in the 2020 season, opting to pursue an opportunity with Glasgow Warriors, subsequently turning out with All-Ireland League side Garryowen. Irish-born but Eagles-eligible, …

Chris Latham has stepped down as Head Coach of the Utah Warriors. The 45-year-old former Wallabies fullback has cited personal reasons for his departure. He will be replaced in an initial interim capacity by former US Eagles prop Shawn Pittman, who was Forwards Coach in the 2020 season. Latham released …

The San Diego Legion have snapped up one of Canada’s top loose forward prospects for the 2021 Major League Rugby season. Michael Smith has signed on from the UBC Thunderbirds after a decorated university career and graduation through the national age-grade ranks. Smith, 22, helped the Thunderbirds capture back-to-back Canadian …

The Houston SaberCats have announced the signing of winger Paula Balekana for the 2021 Major League Rugby season. Originally from Fiji, he follows countrymate Apisai Tauyavuca in making the move from Italian side Zebre and the Guinness Pro 14 to Texas. Balekana, 27, set a remarkable pace in the Shute …

Taylor Krumrei will play a fourth season with the Seattle Seawolves. The 28-year-old has re-signed for the 2021 Major League Rugby campaign, joining Brad Tucker and FP Pelser as returning locks. After making the jump to MLR from Seattle’s BC Premier League side, Krumrei played an integral role in the …