Wikiwand AI

List of 2025–26 Major League Rugby transfers

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is a list of player transfers involving Major League Rugby teams that occurred from the end of the 2025 season and through the 2026 season. Houston SaberCats, Miami Sharks, New Orleans Gold, RFC Los Angeles, San Diego Legion and Utah Warriors have pulled out from the competition for the 2026 season. California Legion was established in July 2025 as a merger between two of the MLR teams.^[1]

Anthem RC

Players In

Luke Carty from New Orleans Gold^[2]
Malacchi Esdale from Seattle Seawolves^[2]
Elias Garza from Chicago Hounds^[2]
Baden Godfrey from Northern Suburbs^[2]
Zion Going from Utah Warriors^[2]
Marques Fuala'au from Miami Sharks^[2]
Ramiro Gurovich from Pampas XV^[2]
Alessandro Heaney from Cornish Pirates^[2]
Campbell Hobb from Central Washington University^[2]
Oliver Kane from San Diego Legion^[2]
Will Leonard from RFC Los Angeles^[2]
Johan Momsen from Houston SaberCats^[2]
Tom Pittman from Chartres^[2]
Julian Roberts from New Orleans Gold^[2]
James Scott from Chicago Hounds^[2]
Will Sherman from University of California, Los Angeles^[2]
Seth Smith from Houston SaberCats^[2]
Payton Telea-Ilalio from San Diego Legion^[2]
Moni Tongaʻuiha from New Orleans Gold^[2]
Jordan Trainor from Utah Warriors^[2]
Dom Akina from Houston SaberCats^[3]

Players Out

Toby Fricker to Bristol Bears^[4]
Line Latu to New England Free Jacks^[5]
Mitch Wilson to New England Free Jacks^[5]
Jake Turnbull to Chicago Hounds^[6]
Jason Tidwell to Chicago Hounds^[7]

California Legion

Players In

Christian Poidevin from San Diego Legion^[8]
Jason Damm from RFC Los Angeles^[9]
Joe Taufete'e from New Orleans Gold^[10]
Ryan James from San Diego Legion^[11]
Cassh Maluia from San Diego Legion^[12]
Bill Meakes from RFC Los Angeles^[13]
Gonzalo Bertranou from RFC Los Angeles^[14]
Ed Timpson from Cambridge^[15]
Ben Sugars from RFC Los Angeles^[16]
Rory van Vugt from RFC Los Angeles^[17]
Ben Houston from RFC Los Angeles^[18]
Justus Tavai from RFC Los Angeles^[19]
Tas Smith from RFC Los Angeles^[20]
Matt Anticev from RFC Los Angeles^[21]
Ma'aki Muti from Miami Sharks^[22]
Steffan Crimp from San Diego Legion^[23]
Lance Williams from Utah Warriors^[24]
Fred Apulu from Utah Warriors^[25]
Cole Semu from Utah Warriors^[26]
Nick Chan from RFC Los Angeles^[27]
Coby Miln from Western Force^[28]
Tonga Kofe from Leicester Tigers^[29]

Players Out

Chicago Hounds

Players In

Tavite Lopeti from San Diego Legion^[30]
Nathan Den Hoedt from Houston SaberCats^[31]
Santiago Videla from Miami Sharks^[32]
Ruben de Haas from New Orleans Gold^[33]
Davy Coetzer from Houston SaberCats^[34]
Malcolm May from New Orleans Gold^[35]
Theo Fourie from Queensland Reds^[36]
Brock Webster from New England Free Jacks^[37]
Tiaan Botha from San Diego Legion^[38]
Jake Turnbull from Anthem RC^[6]
Brandon Harvey from San Diego Legion^[39]
Emmanuel Albert from Houston SaberCats^[40]
Reece Botha from New Orleans Gold^[41]
Tomas Bekerman from Miami Sharks^[42]
Jason Tidwell from Anthem RC^[7]
Wilton Rebolo from Houston SaberCats^[43]
Tomás Casares from Miami Sharks^[44]

Players Out

Bryce Campbell (retired)^[45]
Elias Garza to Anthem RC^[2]
James Scott to Anthem RC^[2]
Nate Augspurger (retired)^[46]
Ignacio Péculo to Seattle Seawolves^[47]
Michael Hand to Seattle Seawolves^[48]

Houston SaberCats

Players In

Players Out

Sam Tuifua to Mont-de-Marsan^[49]
Max Schumacher to Old Glory DC^[50]
Nathan Den Hoedt to Chicago Hounds^[31]
Emmanuel Albert to Chicago Hounds^[40]
Sam Hill (retired)^[51]
Johan Momsen to Anthem RC^[2]
Seth Smith to Anthem RC^[2]
Davy Coetzer to Seattle Seawolves^[34]
Marno Redelinghuys to Seattle Seawolves^[52]
Wilton Rebolo to Chicago Hounds^[43]
Ezekiel Lindenmuth to Seattle Seawolves^[53]
Rufus McLean to Seattle Seawolves^[54]
André Warner to Seattle Seawolves^[55]
LaRome White to Seattle Seawolves^[56]
Dom Akina to Anthem RC^[3]
Drake Davis to Seattle Seawolves^[57]

Los Angeles

Players In

Players Out

Tim Anstee to Worcester Warriors^[58]
Reece MacDonald to Green Rockets Tokatsu^[59]
Alessandro Heaney to Cornish Pirates^[60]
Christian Leali'ifano to Toyota Industries Shuttles Aichi^[61]
Christian Dyer (retired)^[62]
Will Leonard to Anthem RC^[2]
Paddy Beattie to Old Glory DC^[63]
Semi Kunatani to Old Glory DC^[64]
Maliu Niuafe to New England Free Jacks^[5]
Jason Damm to California Legion^[9]
Bill Meakes to California Legion^[13]
Gonzalo Bertranou to California Legion^[14]
Ben Sugars to California Legion^[16]
Rory van Vugt to California Legion^[17]
Ben Houston to California Legion^[18]
Justus Tavai to California Legion^[19]
Tas Smith to California Legion^[20]
Matt Anticev to California Legion^[21]
Nick Chan to California Legion^[27]

Miami Sharks

Players In

Players Out

Benjamín Bonasso to Old Glory DC^[65]
Rick Rose to Old Glory DC^[66]
Santiago Videla to Chicago Hounds^[32]
Marques Fuala'au to Anthem RC^[2]
Tomas Bekerman to Chicago Hounds^[42]
Tomás Casares to Chicago Hounds^[44]
Braemar Murray to New England Free Jacks^[5]
Sean McNulty to Seattle Seawolves^[67]
Manuel Ardao to Peñarol^[68]
Ma'aki Muti to California Legion^[22]

New England Free Jacks

Players In

Ollie Aylmer from ACT Brumbies^[5]
Cyrille Cama from San Diego Legion^[5]
Tayne Hemopo from Tasman^[5]
Kienan Higgins from Edinburgh^[5]
Joel Hodgson from Utah Warriors^[5]
Line Latu from Anthem RC^[5]
Max Lehmann from Wests Tigers (Rugby League)^[5]
Alex Mackenzie from Urayasu D-Rocks^[5]
Ethan McVeigh from Old Glory DC^[5]
Braemar Murray from Miami Sharks^[5]
Maliu Niuafe from RFC Los Angeles^[5]
Jacob Norris from Bay of Plenty^[5]
Reuben Palmer from Dunedin Sharks^[5]
Nathan Salmon from Northland^[5]
Nathan Sylvia from San Diego Legion^[5]
Sione Tupou from Bay of Plenty^[5]
Filipe Vakasiuola from Bay of Plenty^[5]
Bailey Wilson from Utah Warriors^[5]
Mitch Wilson from Anthem RC^[5]
Andrew Quattrin from Valence Romans^[69]

Players Out

Andrew Quattrin to Valence Romans^[70]
Sam Caird to Yokohama Canon Eagles^[71]
Oscar Lennon to Bristol Bears^[72]
Le Roux Malan to Sharks^[73]
Faletoi Peni to Moana Pasifika^[74]
Brock Webster to Chicago Hounds^[37]
Cameron Nordli-Kelemeti to Doncaster Knights^[75]
Kaipono Kayoshi to Green Rockets Tokatsu^[76]
Jack Reeves to Coventry^[77]
John Poland to Young Munster^[78]
Cole Keith to Doncaster Knights^[79]

New Orleans Gold

Players In

Players Out

Jay Tuivaiti to Mont-de-Marsan^[80]
Pat O'Toole (retired)^[81]
Xavier Mignot to Valence Romans^[82]
Malcolm May to Chicago Hounds^[35]
Ruben de Haas to Chicago Hounds^[33]
Aidan King to Old Glory DC^[83]
Bart Vermeulen to Old Glory DC^[84]
Luke Carty to Anthem RC^[2]
Moni Tongaʻuiha to Anthem RC^[2]
Julian Roberts to Anthem RC^[2]
Harley Wheeler to Old Glory DC^[85]
Paul Mullen to Old Glory DC^[86]
Reece Botha to Chicago Hounds^[41]
Joe Taufete'e to California Legion^[10]
Callum Botchar to Seattle Seawolves^[87]
Tupou Afungia to Moana Pasifika^[74]
Dorian Jones to Seattle Seawolves^[88]

Old Glory DC

Players In

Max Schumacher from Houston SaberCats^[50]
Benjamín Bonasso from Miami Sharks^[65]
Rick Rose from Miami Sharks^[66]
Aidan King from New Orleans Gold^[83]
Bart Vermeulen from New Orleans Gold^[84]
Harley Wheeler from New Orleans Gold^[85]
Paul Mullen from New Orleans Gold^[86]
Paddy Beattie from RFC Los Angeles^[63]
Semi Kunatani from RFC Los Angeles^[64]

Players Out

Axel Muller to Narbonne^[89]
Jack Iscaro to Stade Francais^[90]
Steffan Hughes (retired)^[91]
Jamason Faʻanana-Schultz to Narbonne^[92]
Ethan McVeigh to New England Free Jacks^[5]

San Diego Legion

Players In

Players Out

Ethan Grayson to Newcastle Red Bulls^[93]
Nick Jooste to Red Hurricanes Osaka^[94]
Rhian Stowers to Tokyo Gas^[95]
Zak Farrance to Nevers^[96]
James Rivers to Hong Kong Scottish^[97]
Tavite Lopeti to Chicago Hounds^[30]
Shilo Klein to Zebre Parma^[98]
Oliver Kane to Anthem RC^[2]
Payton Telea-Ilalio to Anthem RC^[2]
Cyrille Cama to New England Free Jacks^[5]
Nathan Sylvia to New England Free Jacks^[5]
Paddy Ryan to Seattle Seawolves^[99]
Vili Helu to Kurita Water Gush Akishima^[100]
Tiaan Botha to Chicago Hounds^[38]
Brandon Harvey to Chicago Hounds^[39]
Liki Chan-Tang to Seattle Seawolves^[101]
Christian Poidevin to California Legion^[8]
Ryan James to California Legion^[11]
Cassh Maluia to California Legion^[12]
Steffan Crimp to California Legion^[23]

Seattle Seawolves

Players In

Mark Bennett from Edinburgh^[102]
Marno Redelinghuys from Houston SaberCats^[52]
Paddy Ryan from San Diego Legion^[99]
Ezekiel Lindenmuth from Houston SaberCats^[53]
Sean McNulty from Miami Sharks^[67]
Rufus McLean from Houston SaberCats^[54]
Harison Mataele from Mont-de-Marsan^[103]
André Warner from Houston SaberCats^[55]
Liki Chan-Tang from San Diego Legion^[101]
Kalisi Moli from Utah Warriors^[104]
Callum Botchar from New Orleans Gold^[87]
Ignacio Péculo from Chicago Hounds^[47]
Dorian Jones from New Orleans Gold^[88]
LaRome White from Houston SaberCats^[56]
Matthias Douglas from Vicenza^[105]
Michael Hand from Chicago Hounds^[48]
Nolan Tuamoheloa from Utah Warriors^[106]
Drake Davis from Houston SaberCats^[57]

Players Out

Malacchi Esdale to Anthem RC^[2]
Kerron van Vuuren to Carcassonne^[107]
Chance Wenglewski (retired)^[108]
Jade Stighling to Boland Cavaliers^[109]

Utah Warriors

Players In

Players Out

Blake Makiri to Counties Manukau^[110]
Dylan Nel to Green Rockets Tokatsu^[111]
Tonga Kofe to Leicester Tigers^[112]
Remsy Lemisio to Hawkes Bay^[113]
Frank Lochore to Green Rockets Tokatsu^[114]
Papa Matelau to Kurita Water Gush Akishima^[115]
Kyle Brown to Chiefs^[116]
Paul Lasike (retired)^[117]
Zion Going to Anthem RC^[2]
Jordan Trainor to Anthem RC^[2]
Joel Hodgson to New England Free Jacks^[5]
Bailey Wilson to New England Free Jacks^[5]
Kalisi Moli to Seattle Seawolves^[104]
Lance Williams to California Legion^[24]
Fred Apulu to California Legion^[25]
Nolan Tuamoheloa to Seattle Seawolves^[106]

See also

References

Related Articles

Timelines

Top Qs

Fact Checks