MLR Collegiate Draft Archives - Major League Rugby https://www.majorleague.rugby/news-categorie/mlr-news/mlr-collegiate-draft-news/ Official Website Sun, 22 Sep 2024 19:37:32 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.7.1 Meet The 2024 MLR Draft’s Third Overall Pick: Calvin Ihrig https://www.majorleague.rugby/news/meet-the-2024-mlr-drafts-third-overall-pick-calvin-ihrig/ Sun, 22 Sep 2024 19:36:55 +0000 https://www.majorleague.rugby/?post_type=news&p=13826 Written by Joe Harvey With the third overall pick of the 2024 Major League Rugby Collegiate Draft, the Miami Sharks selected Calvin Ihrig from Lindenwood University. The back-row forward was selected after impressing in MLR Rising and with his collegiate team over the past five years. “I was shocked,” Ihrig said. “Personally, I felt that …

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Written by Joe Harvey

With the third overall pick of the 2024 Major League Rugby Collegiate Draft, the Miami Sharks selected Calvin Ihrig from Lindenwood University.

The back-row forward was selected after impressing in MLR Rising and with his collegiate team over the past five years.

“I was shocked,” Ihrig said. “Personally, I felt that this year’s Draft class was loaded with talent. I wasn’t expecting it.

“I had been speaking to teams, and Miami called me the day before teams started drafting.

“I spoke to Coach Jose (Pellicena), and he was asking a few questions and said they wanted to pick me up.

“I didn’t know if they were doing the rounds, but when I saw my face as the third pick, I was very shocked. Really happy. I couldn’t believe it.”

Ihrig’s rugby journey has been shorter than most.

Born to an American mother and German father in Chicago, Illinois, his father’s work took the family across the globe.

Canada, Germany, and Vietnam were all called home briefly before moving to Thailand in 2009.

Spending a decade in Bangkok, Ihrig attended the International School Thailand and took up rugby in his sophomore year.

After initially unsure of the game, he took up rugby sevens and began to thrive on the field. In his senior year, he began exploring options for college.

After being connected with the coaching staff at Lindenwood-Belleville, before later transferring to the St. Charles campus in 2020, Ihrig moved to Missouri.

But there was one thing: he had never played 15-a-side rugby.

“I am a back-row now, but when I first came over, I wanted to play fly-half and wing,” he laughed.

“They stuck me on the wing, and I didn’t understand the game at all, really.

“I tried to play fly-half, but when you don’t understand the game, you are not going to be a very good fly-half.

“Then I wasn’t getting many minutes. The coaches suggested if I wanted more, to move into the back-row because they could use my speed there.

“I tried that and then ended up enjoying that way more. They gave me a few things to focus on, and things then started to come a little bit more naturally.”

It was in Josh Macy’s College of Knowledge that Ihrig really started to thrive.

Surrounded by a vast squad of players that have come together from across the globe, that deep knowledge of the sport washed over the learning forward and provided endless learning opportunities.

Also attending a well-established and successful program, the Lindenwood Lions have seen numerous alumni go on to play in MLR and beyond.

Ihrig follows in the footsteps of Houston SaberCats back-row forward Emmanuel Albert, who is a top-three selection.

Picked second overall in the 2021 MLR Collegiate Draft, Albert has played 45 matches for the Texas club and helped the team reach Playoffs rugby in each of his seasons.

Ihrig will be the latest of those going into professional rugby with the Sharks.

Learning bucketloads in his four years in St. Charles, the 23-year-old has applied himself relentlessly to becoming the best rugby player possible and will continue to do the same in 2025.

“What I am hoping to offer Miami is hard work,” Ihrig said. “I want to go down there, not have any expectations for selection or anything like that. Because you can shoot yourself in the foot expecting things like that.

“Coach Jose was telling me that I will have to go down there and earn my position. Which is something I agree with and something I have had to do my entire career with Lindenwood.

“I am a rapid learner, and I think that if I am able to pick up the game as quickly as I have in the past five years, just by learning from other people, I am excited to see where I can take my game at the pro level.

“Some of these guys have been in the professional world for a long time, and the coaches have great resumes.

“Being able to learn what they have for me. I am excited about that. I just want to absorb all that knowledge and put it into training as well.”

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Meet The 2024 MLR Draft’s Second Overall Pick: Neil Trainor https://www.majorleague.rugby/news/meet-the-2024-mlr-drafts-second-overall-pick-neil-trainor/ Wed, 18 Sep 2024 21:39:52 +0000 https://www.majorleague.rugby/?post_type=news&p=13817 Written By Joe Harvey | Photo by Hector Perez Anthem RC selected Neil Trainor from Queen’s University with the second overall pick of the 2024 Major League Rugby Collegiate Draft. The hooker’s selection sees him become the highest-selected Canadian player in Draft history. His time in Kingston, Ontario, earned the 23-year-old a formidable reputation. He …

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Written By Joe Harvey | Photo by Hector Perez

Anthem RC selected Neil Trainor from Queen’s University with the second overall pick of the 2024 Major League Rugby Collegiate Draft.

The hooker’s selection sees him become the highest-selected Canadian player in Draft history.

His time in Kingston, Ontario, earned the 23-year-old a formidable reputation. He is currently spending time in Victoria, British Columbia, as part of Rugby Canada Pacific Pride, his nation’s national development academy.

Photo by JPG Photography 

“I am feeling very good,” Trainor said. “The lead-up to the Draft was intense. There was a lot of excitement there and a lot of relief when the process was over.

“Now I can look forward to January and the coming season.
“I am a really motivated person. I want to be the best at this.
“I am coming in with the expectation that I can push myself to the level where I can get a starting spot on the team and really contribute right away.”

MADE IN CANADA

Trainor took up rugby in the eighth grade.

Prompted by the brother of a friend, he was immediately hooked.

Playing to play the sport throughout his time at Stratford Northwestern Secondary School, the front-row continued to develop his game with the Stratford Blackswans and representative side, the Ontario Blues.

“As soon as I knew professional rugby was a thing, the idea of it was so appealing to me,” Trainor said.

“I fell in love with the game right away. I have always enjoyed watching it, training, and playing.

“It has been such an important part of my life, and the idea and opportunity to do that at the pro level is something I have been striving for since I found out you could be professional.”

At Queen’s University, Trainor really became a force to be reckoned with.

With every season of collegiate rugby his reputation continued to grow, and the team continued to succeed.

Photo by Hector Perez

During his time with the Gaels, Trainor helped his team win the 2029 OUA Championship and one silver and two bronze medals at the Canadian University Men’s Rugby Championship.

Even having his parents make the 10-hour round journey to watch their son play, it was the perfect place for the hooker to thrive.

The first Queen’s alumni to be selected at the MLR Draft, the 23-year-old credits the university with helping him rise to the second overall pick.

“Coming to Queens was my first experience of what a semi-pro environment was,” Trainor said.

“We were on the field together four to five days a week, and in-season, we were in the gym four to five days a week.

“It was the first time that I experienced that high a level of training environment consistently.

“The coaching staff over my entire time have been amazing and have really pushed and helped me to get to that level of working towards professionalism as an athlete.”

Photo by Hector Perez

COMING TO NORTH CAROLINA

The selection of Trainor came immediately after Anthem RC picked Erich Storti first overall.

One of five selections from the North Carolina club, Alama Ieremia’s men hope to change fortunes in 2025.

In their debut MLR season, the side finished with a record of 0-16.

While being a winless season, there was plenty of cause for optimism about what the future could hold.

Tighthead prop Joe Apikotoa and center Junior Gafa were named as honorable mentions amid the All-MLR team selections for the 2024 season.

Producing a number of memorable attacking performances, there is plenty of hope at American Legion Memorial Stadium that a new year will bring new rewards.

While months away from meeting most of his new teammates, Trainor is already eager to get on the field.

Preparing for his debut professional season as part of Rugby Canada’s Pacific Pride program, the 23-year-old continues is still continually developing and honing his craft.

Photo by Hector Perez

Excited about his arrival in Charlotte, North Carolina, Trainor hopes to solidify his position as a key cog in the Anthem machine.

“I really want to bring stability and consistency at the set-piece,” Trainor said.

“Especially as a front-rower and hooker. MLR is a set-piece-dominated league.

“If I want to make an impact, I need to come in and nail my roles in that set-piece area.

“I need to throw my lineouts well, know the system, and even scrummage well.”

Watch the MLR Draft on The Rugby Network

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Meet The 2024 MLR Draft’s First Overall Pick: Erich Storti https://www.majorleague.rugby/news/meet-the-2024-mlr-drafts-first-overall-draft-pick-erich-storti/ Thu, 12 Sep 2024 22:12:55 +0000 https://www.majorleague.rugby/?post_type=news&p=13811 Written by Joe Harvey With the first overall pick of the 2024 Major League Rugby Collegiate Draft, Anthem RC selected Erich Storti. Coming from Saint Mary’s College, the 23-year-old arrives with a pedigree. After spending time with Scott Lawrence’s USA Men’s Eagles last summer, the center was one of six 2024 Division 1A Trophy winners …

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Written by Joe Harvey

With the first overall pick of the 2024 Major League Rugby Collegiate Draft, Anthem RC selected Erich Storti.

Coming from Saint Mary’s College, the 23-year-old arrives with a pedigree.

After spending time with Scott Lawrence’s USA Men’s Eagles last summer, the center was one of six 2024 Division 1A Trophy winners selected at this year’s Draft.

He was with his teammates in Moraga, California, as the 36 selections were made, making the realization of a lifetime’s dream all the sweeter.

“It is awesome,” Storti said. “It is really exciting, and I think the opportunity to play at the next level is exciting. I can’t wait to get started.

“I have wanted to be a professional athlete since I was a kid. It is a great accomplishment and another opportunity to keep playing the sport that I love.

“To be able to play it at the highest level in the US is a lot of fun.

“We had all the Mary’s boys at a restaurant, and we were all sitting together. It was really cool being able to share that moment with everyone.

“When I got picked, it was cool, and seeing other people on the team being picked as well was really awesome.”

FAMILY HISTORY AT SAINT MARY’S

Representing Saint Mary’s has become something of a family business for the Storti family.

It is a legacy started by Marty Storti.

Playing football, baseball, and rugby in northern California, Marty excelled for the school.

After his time in education ended, Marty dished out lessons as a coach and administrator and helped install Tim O’Brien as the Gaels’ head coach over two decades ago.

Now, his sons Erich and Mario have played together in the rugby program for the past three years, while his daughter Claire was part of the Stunt Team during her time at Saint Mary’s.

“As a baby, I was going to games and understood what was going on,” Storti said.

“I went to De La Salle High School and played football, basketball, and baseball in my freshman and sophomore years.

“Then, in my junior year, I did football and couldn’t do basketball anymore. Then didn’t make the varsity baseball team.

“On that day, I went to grab my cleats from home, went out to rugby training that night, and started playing.”

It is the past five years at Saint Mary’s that Storti credits with turning him into the number one draft pick.

A mainstay of the Gaels for the last half-decade, the 23-year-old’s performances even garnered international recognition.

Named to Scott Lawrence’s USA Eagles squad in 2023 alongside Saint Mary’s Dominic Besag, Storti’s talent was evident then.

“Playing at Saint Mary’s has been the greatest decision I have ever made,” he said.

“Tim O’Brien and all the coaches, Andrew Cook, Mark Bass, and Francois Pieterse, have all done so much for me on and off the field and taught me the work ethic needed to be successful.

“So much I did not know coming in. Saint Mary’s has been great.

“Going to Eagles camp was unreal. I didn’t expect it when it happened.

“The vibes were great over there and motivating also. Seeing what the next level looks like did so much for me as a player.

“It really motivated me and made me excited to work my tail off to get back there.”

BRINGING HARD WORK TO ANTHEM

Storti arrives at an Anthem team fresh from their debut MLR season.

Coached by men’s Eagles attack coach, Alama Ieremia, the side finished with an 0-16 record.

Bolstering their squad with five picks at the Draft, there is hope that 2025 will bring good fortune to North Carolina.

With time to go until the team gathers again to prepare for their second campaign, Storti provided insight into what fans will be getting from their number one overall draft pick.

“I have a good work ethic, and that is something I have instilled in me since I was a kid,” Storti said.

“I understand that you have got to work hard for what you want. It is not just going to be given to you.

“I stay calm in pressure situations. I feel like through experience and learning to be a leader, I am reasonable and keep my composure.

“I hope people think I am there for them and a good friend and person. Because that is important.”

Watch the MLR Draft on The Rugby Network

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2024 Major League Rugby College Draft Results https://www.majorleague.rugby/news/major-league-rugby-college-draft-results/ Thu, 29 Aug 2024 00:46:22 +0000 https://www.majorleague.rugby/?post_type=news&p=13792 DALLAS – Major League Rugby, the premier professional rugby league in North America, announced the results of the 2024 MLR College Draft on The Rugby Network on Wednesday. The draft consisted of three rounds of 12 picks each, totaling 36 selections by MLR franchises. The 2024 MLR College Draft was the fifth in league history, …

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DALLAS – Major League Rugby, the premier professional rugby league in North America, announced the results of the 2024 MLR College Draft on The Rugby Network on Wednesday.

The draft consisted of three rounds of 12 picks each, totaling 36 selections by MLR franchises.

The 2024 MLR College Draft was the fifth in league history, featuring the deepest talent pool to date. St. Mary’s College of California saw six players drafted, the most in this year’s draft, while a total of 22 schools were represented with selections. 

Anthem RC selected Erich Storti with the first pick. Storti joins Rick Rose (Miami, 2023), Sam Golla (Dallas, 2022), Eric Naposki (Dallas, 2021), and Conner Mooneyham (Dallas, 2020) as the first overall players to be taken in the draft.

MLR uses a “Draft and Follow” approach where rights to drafted players will be assigned following the MLR College Draft. Teams may activate those rights at any point until the mid-point of the next competitive MLR season after the player is eligible to play in the MLR. Drafting teams may sign those players or trade player rights with other MLR teams.

The league hosted its first MLR College draft in 2020, which saw 24 players selected across two rounds, but commensurate with the growth of the league, the draft has grown into its current form today.

A complete breakdown of the each pick by round is available below:

PICK

TEAM

PLAYER

COLLEGE

1 ANTHEM RC Erich Oliver Storti Saint Mary’s College of California
2 ANTHEM RC Neil Jacob Trainor Queen’s University
3 MIAMI SHARKS Calvin Michael Ihrig Lindenwood University
4 NEW ENGLAND FREE JACKS Kaipono Kayoshi Saint Mary’s College of California
5 ANTHEM RUGBY CAROLINA Jeron Wayne Pantor Life University
6 NOLA GOLD Aidan Warwick King Pennsylvania State University
7 SAN DIEGO LEGION Inoke Waqavesi Saint Marys College of California
8 HOUSTON SABERCATS Alex Aguero University of California, Berkeley
9 DALLAS JACKALS Darius Law Life University
10 CHICAGO HOUNDS Peyton Justin Wall Indiana University
11 SEATTLE SEAWOLVES Calvin Liulamaga Central Washington University
12 OLD GLORY DC Raymond Lawrence Santiago Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
13 ANTHEM RC Ernest Vailou George Freeman University of Arizona
14 NEW ENGLAND FREE JACKS Matthew Carrion Life University
15 OLD GLORY DC Aidan Scott Ridgway Arkansas State University
16 UTAH WARRIORS Ammon Tielu Sagala Brigham Young University
17 OLD GLORY DC Aaron Tanaka Juma Wheeling University
18 NOLA GOLD Dalton West Musselman Pennsylvania State University
19 SAN DIEGO LEGION Hunter Chuhlantseff Saint Mary’s College of California
20 HOUSTON SABERCATS Jake Negrete Saint Mary’s College of California
21 SEATTLE SEAWOLVES Joshua Thomas Schwartz Queens University of Charlotte
22 CHICAGO HOUNDS Jake Chandler Kinneeveauk University of Utah
23 SEATTLE SEAWOLVES Connor Richard WIlliams ` University of Ottawa
24 ANTHEM RC Le’Donn Mathis Lindenwood University
25 ANTHEM RC Ashawnty Staples Notre Dame College
26 RFCLA Patrick Maurice Beattie California State University Long Beach
27 MIAMI SHARKS Lautaro Soto Ansay Lindenwood University
28 UTAH WARRIORS Cole Pearce Semu Brigham Young University
29 OLD GLORY DC Sebastian Schefermann Mary Washington University
30 UTAH WARRIORS Nicholas E Andiarena Adrian College
31 SAN DIEGO LEGION Daniel George Bray University of California, Santa Barbara
32 RFCLA Caleb Tomasin University of California, Berkeley
33 RFCLA Lleyton Christian Delzell Saint Mary’s College of California
34 CHICAGO HOUNDS Alexander Amid Hernandez Marian University
35 SEATTLE SEAWOLVES Jamie Jason Robert Armstrong University of Ottawa
36 NEW ENGLAND FREE JACKS Emanuel Lai Santa Clara University

 

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Major League Rugby Releases MLR Rising Trailer https://www.majorleague.rugby/news/major-league-rugby-releases-mlr-rising-trailer/ Wed, 14 Aug 2024 19:07:05 +0000 https://www.majorleague.rugby/?post_type=news&p=13759 Trailer kicks off campaign leading up to feature release and 2024 MLR Draft DALLAS – Major League Rugby, the premier professional rugby league in North America, is proud to announce the release of the trailer of “MLR Rising,” an original feature that chronicles the inaugural MLR Rising held in July. The trailer can be viewed …

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Trailer kicks off campaign leading up to feature release and 2024 MLR Draft

DALLAS – Major League Rugby, the premier professional rugby league in North America, is proud to announce the release of the trailer of “MLR Rising,” an original feature that chronicles the inaugural MLR Rising held in July. The trailer can be viewed here.

Held at Mary Washington University in Fredericksburg, Va., MLR Rising brought together 50 of the top North American college prospects for four days of practices and workshops that culminated in matches that spotlight these players. The full feature will be released on The Rugby Network (TRN) at 8 p.m. (ET) on Aug. 21, one week before the 2024 MLR Draft on TRN.

“MLR Rising was a resounding success, this program allows the future of North American rugby to display their talent in front of dozens of team and league representatives as part of their pathway to MLR,” said Nic Benson, CEO and Commissioner of MLR. “For the first time, we let cameras behind-the-scenes for a fully immersive experience showcasing these players, and we are thrilled for the feature’s release.  You’ll see how American rugby is growing, the talent pipeline of the future, the tenacity and journey of tomorrow’s stars and the challenge with which MLR Rising tasks these players.”

The feature release precedes the 2024 MLR College Draft Show, which will premiere on The Rugby Network at 8 p.m. on Aug. 28. The show will unveil the selections from all three rounds of the 2024 draft, highlighting each player as teams make their picks. This is the fifth edition of the MLR Draft and features the deepest talent pool yet. The teams’ order of selection will be based on the round of playoffs reached and each team’s regular season record.

MLR Rising and the MLR College Draft are two of the league’s programs to build and cultivate talent in North America. Twenty-seven participants of the Collegiate Rugby Shield, an earlier iteration of MLR Rising, were selected in the MLR Draft in the past two seasons, and a number of MLR Rising participants are expected to be selected in this year’s draft. Through the years, the MLR College Draft has seen selections from a number of prestigious universities and top-tier rugby programs, including the University of California-Berkeley, Brigham Young University, Central Washington University, Kutztown University, Lindenwood University and Life University.

For more information on MLR Rising, visit majorleague.rugby/rising/

For more information on the 2024 MLR College Draft, visit majorleague.rugby/draft/.

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MLR Rising launched to offer showcase for the best collegiate players ahead of the MLR College Draft https://www.majorleague.rugby/news/mlr-rising-launched-to-offer-showcase-for-the-best-collegiate-players-ahead-of-the-mlr-college-draft/ Fri, 26 Apr 2024 17:00:42 +0000 https://www.majorleague.rugby/?post_type=news&p=12584 DALLAS – Major League Rugby (MLR), the premier professional rugby league in North America, is proud to announce the launch of MLR Rising (MLR Rising), an evolution of the Collegiate Rugby Shield that is designed to showcase the top college rugby talent in North America. The new program puts the spotlight on the college game …

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DALLAS – Major League Rugby (MLR), the premier professional rugby league in North America, is proud to announce the launch of MLR Rising (MLR Rising), an evolution of the Collegiate Rugby Shield that is designed to showcase the top college rugby talent in North America. The new program puts the spotlight on the college game and outlines a clear pathway for players to be evaluated and selected in this summer’s MLR College Draft (MLR College Draft).

 

Historically, participants in the Collegiate Rugby Shield found greater opportunities at the professional level with 27 total participants being selected in the MLR Draft in the past two seasons. Rick Rose, of St. Bonaventure University attended the Shield in 2023, propelling him to being the first player selected in the 2023 MLR Draft. MLR Rising aims to build on this pipeline by engaging with the current college rugby coaches as well as MLR players aiming to transition to a coaching career.

 

“At Major League Rugby, we are leading the charge to build upon rugby’s rich history in the U.S., and the launch of MLR Rising is a pivotal part of our efforts to grow the game and our league in advance of the 2031 Rugby World Cup in North America,” said Nic Benson, CEO and Commissioner of MLR. “MLR Rising will create a premier showcase for the best collegiate players that enhances the evaluation process for our teams and provides purposeful pathways to playing and coaching careers in professional rugby.”

 

The inaugural MLR Rising will be held July 8-13, 2024 at Mary Washington University in Fredericksburg, VA. During the week, players will be exposed to a professional rugby training environment through training sessions, workshops, and matches. Simultaneously, MLR teams will have the opportunity to evaluate players ahead of the Draft.

 

As part of the experience, players will also attend the USA vs. Scotland match on July 12 at Audi Field. Players who register for the MLR College Draft 2024 will be added to the potential player pool and 50 individuals, selected by MLR, will be invited to participate in MLR Rising.

About Major League Rugby

Major League Rugby is a professional sports league representing the highest level of rugby competition in North America. MLR prides itself in fostering intense, high-stakes competition while bringing together a passionate community built on the values of Respect, Inclusivity, and Tradition. Matches are televised on Fox Sports, among other national and local market platforms, and its OTT Platform, The Rugby Network offers fans the ability to stream select MLR matches live, along with Gallagher Premiership Rugby, Allianz Women’s Premiership Rugby, and other international rugby content. For more information, visit www.Majorleague.Rugby and follow @USMLR on Twitter and Instagram.

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Meet The 2023 MLR Draft’s First Overall Pick, Ricky Rose https://www.majorleague.rugby/news/meet-the-2023-mlr-drafts-first-overall-pick-ricky-rose/ Wed, 06 Sep 2023 16:31:35 +0000 https://www.majorleague.rugby/?post_type=news&p=12020 Written by Joe Harvey | Photos Provided by Rick Rose Ricky Rose was picked first overall in the 2023 Major League Collegiate Rugby Draft. A lock forward, the St. Bonaventure stands 6ft 7in tall and will join the league’s newest team, the Miami Sharks. Captaining the Bonnies last season, Rose arrives highly rated. In such …

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Written by Joe Harvey | Photos Provided by Rick Rose

Ricky Rose was picked first overall in the 2023 Major League Collegiate Rugby Draft. A lock forward, the St. Bonaventure stands 6ft 7in tall and will join the league’s newest team, the Miami Sharks.

Captaining the Bonnies last season, Rose arrives highly rated. In such demand at the moment, the youngster is taking part in the USA Rugby High-Performance Academy, which has assembled in North Carolina, and is also getting ready to represent his country at the World University Rugby Invitation Tournament (WURIT) in Bordeaux this Fall.

Following in the footsteps of last year’s second overall pick, Sebastiano Villani, Rose was certainly taken aback at learning he had been first overall in this year’s Collegiate Draft.

“It was a pretty fantastic stretch of days, including the day of (the Draft),” Rose said. “I felt very fortunate to have been brought to be in the first round, but I had no idea where I was going to go.

“To hear number one was pretty spectacular. That’s definitely something I have been very proud to tell family and friends, and it was a fun day to talk my way through the crowd.

“It is a reminder that nothing has really happened yet. This was just the pat on the back and the entrance through the gates. Certainly, it has been a lot of planning, thinking, and modeling myself physically and mentally, the best I can before I show up.

“I feel as though I have engaged in some good opportunities to get there with the offseason work, but it has been a great motivator.”

Currently in camp alongside USA Rugby’s hottest prospects, Rose’s days consist of a professional training regime and evenings studying lineouts from across the world as he continues his development.

That development started back in high school. Rugby surrounded Rose’s early life. His father, Rick Rose Snr, a veteran with Beacon Hill RFC (now Boston RFC), began to play the game after his time as a college kicker came to a close, the jerseys and cleats littered throughout the home.

But it was not until Rose’s mother prompted him to give rugby a try that he went for it. Attending Saint Ignatius High School in Cleveland, Ohio, there was a strong high school program there, and quickly, Rose began to thrive.

Coached by Dan Arbenzik, Tony Vegh, and Brian White, Rose credits much of the success he is experiencing now to those early days with the Saint Ignatius Wildcats.

“I was a late bloomer in high school, especially physically,” Rose said. “When I first came in, I did play lock because I was tall, but I didn’t really get a grip on it. I loved the social aspect of it, the friends, and the off-field aspects, but I didn’t have a clue—especially freshman year.

“Late in my sophomore year, I had a big growth spurt. I shot up real tall, and in one of the games, I was running with the ball, and I thought, ‘What’s the worst that can happen if I run really hard, just run forward, attack the line, and see what happens.’

“I think I got three yards, but that was the spark that made me say, ‘if I really start working hard now, if I take this seriously, I think I would be a lot happier, I would have the opportunity to get better and enjoy the sport more.’”

Joining the wrestling team to help his conditioning, among other things, Rose gradually rose through the ranks to being in the first team. So, when the time to apply for colleges came around, rugby was close to the heart of decision-making.

Opting for St. Bonaventure, in the end, was reasonably simple. A program that has had success over the years, including the development of MLR Shield winner Kyle Ciquera, last year’s second overall pick, and three Draft selections in 2023, Rose again rose through the ranks.

Within a month of his freshman season beginning, Rose was turning out for the Varsity team. Finishing his time in New York as the Bonnies’ captain and an All-American, it is safe to say that being under the tutelage of Tui Osborne and Danny Neighbour has been successful.

With several months to prepare for a debut MLR season with the Miami Sharks, Rose is using that time wisely. Not too far from jetting off to France for the WURIT Championships competition, that attitude of hard work above all else is not stopping any time soon.

“That has been the focal point of my focus, especially lately: preparation and getting myself as best I can be for opening day,” Rose said.

“I have got to be buying sunscreen en masse. I’ll definitely be getting a tan I have never had down there. The training has been immensely physical lately in USA camp. It’s been a good footstool to build my training process.

“Definitely been a lot of work on the body, physically, a lot mentally with lineouts and a lot of studying. You really put your nose down to the paper with the officiality of the Draft and all.”

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Meet The 2023 MLR Draft’s Second Overall Pick, Max Schumacher https://www.majorleague.rugby/news/meet-the-2023-mlr-drafts-second-overall-pick-max-schumacher/ Wed, 30 Aug 2023 16:56:08 +0000 https://www.majorleague.rugby/?post_type=news&p=12016 Written by Joe Harvey Picked second overall in the 2023 Major League Rugby Collegiate Draft by the Houston SaberCats was Max Schumacher. Joining the Western Conference side from the historic University of California, Berkeley, program, the Rudy Scholz Award finalist will join alumni, Christian Dyer, in Texas. A regular for Cal across his four years …

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Written by Joe Harvey

Picked second overall in the 2023 Major League Rugby Collegiate Draft by the Houston SaberCats was Max Schumacher.

Joining the Western Conference side from the historic University of California, Berkeley, program, the Rudy Scholz Award finalist will join alumni, Christian Dyer, in Texas.

A regular for Cal across his four years there, Schumacher gained a place in the starting XV as a freshman and was regularly the side’s leading points scorer and would even be co-captain.

Ending their 2023 season in the Western Conference Eliminator, Houston would trade up to get their man.

Sending playmaker, Rob Povey to the Toronto Arrows, the SaberCats would get the Canadians’ first-round pick in return.

“It is an honor to be number two and to have them trade that pick to get higher so they could get me, and secondly, it is exciting,” Schumacher said.

“It is something I have been looking forward to for a long time, and I think it is a great next step for me in my rugby career.

“I am excited to get to work, get down to Houston, and make it home.”

Since being introduced to rugby in his native Sacramento with Land Park Rugby, Schumacher has mapped out his rugby career.

Initially, his dream was to turn out for the Golden Bears, and in his mid-teens, the introduction of MLR to North American rugby gave the playmaker something else to aim for.

“I knew I wanted to go to Cal and play rugby since I first heard about them and went and saw a game,” Schumacher said.

“I must have been playing rugby for two years. I was in fifth grade. That was my dream: to go to Cal and play rugby.

“Then, as I got older and older, rugby was my passion, and I wanted to make it my life and my job professionally.

“For a long time, there was no league in America, and I wondered how I would make that happen. The second they started the league, I was gunning for it.

“I was full go, and I was trying to get into the league. Other goals have come after that, but it has been my goal ever since the league started.”

He follows in the footsteps of last year’s first and fourth overall picks, in Sam Golla and Seth Purdey. Golla picked up the Rookie of the Year Award thanks to his performances for the Dallas Jackals and capped off a fine year with his debut for the USA Men’s Eagles in Europe.

“I think number one is coaching,” Schumacher said about how the Golden Bears prepared him for professional rugby.

“Clearly world-class coaching staff from Coach (Tom) Billups and Coach (Jack) Clark. They taught me a lot of rugby lessons, along with how to be a man.

“The second piece would be playing time. I was fortunate enough to slide into a hole in the team. When I was a freshman, the year before Troy Lockyear (New York Ironworkers), there was a hole in the team at full-back position, and I was lucky enough to fill it.

“With that experience on the pitch, just getting minutes every year, all four years, I became a better player.

“Half of it is going to be luck; the other half will be hard work.”

Currently in camp with the USA Men’s High-Performance Academy in North Carolina, Schumacher is testing himself alongside many of the country’s top prospects.

There, for the next two months, Schumacher will also prepare for a debut 2024 season of MLR action and realize a dream that has been in the making for many years.

“Number one thing is that when I get there, I am going to give it my best,” Schumacher said.

“Hopefully, my best gets better every day. When I get out there, I will try to improve as a player, and I think that for the coaching staff down there, that is their goal for me as well.

“I couldn’t be more excited to get down there and be in a professional environment. I would like to say I have experience of that, just due to Berkeley’s program, but I am sure it will be a new world nonetheless.”

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2023 Major League Rugby Collegiate Draft Results https://www.majorleague.rugby/news/major-league-rugby-collegiate-draft-results/ Fri, 18 Aug 2023 14:34:04 +0000 https://www.majorleague.rugby/?post_type=news&p=11992 PICK TEAM PLAYER COLLEGE POSITION 1 MIAMI Rick Rose St. Bonaventure Lock 2 HOUSTON Max Schumacher UC Berkeley Fly-Half 3 DALLAS Marques Fualaau Central Washington University Flanker 4 CHICAGO Noah Brown Indiana University Center 5 ATLANTA Matthew Anticev Dartmouth College Fly-Half 6 NOLA Julian Roberts Life University Fly-Half 7 NOLA Cian Darling Lindenwood University Flanker …

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PICK

TEAM

PLAYER

COLLEGE

POSITION

1 MIAMI Rick Rose St. Bonaventure Lock 2 HOUSTON Max Schumacher UC Berkeley Fly-Half 3 DALLAS Marques Fualaau Central Washington University Flanker 4 CHICAGO Noah Brown Indiana University Center 5 ATLANTA Matthew Anticev Dartmouth College Fly-Half 6 NOLA Julian Roberts Life University Fly-Half 7 NOLA Cian Darling Lindenwood University Flanker 8 NEW YORK Nicholas Lapponese Fairfield University Number 8 9 HOUSTON Orrin Bizer Life University Flanker 10 SAN DIEGO James Rivers University of Arizona Lock 11 NOLA Gabriel Mahuinga Brigham Young University Hooker 12 SAN DIEGO Tyren Al-Jiboori Lindenwood University Wing 13 NEW ENGLAND Gabriel Casey University of Victoria Inside Center 14 MIAMI Charlie Overton Life University Lock 15 TORONTO Louis Millet Bishop’s University Flanker 16 CHICAGO Juan Pen Saint Bonaventure University Tighthead Prop 17 CHICAGO Daelan Denenberg Santa Clara University Wing 18 ATLANTA Jackson Zabierek UC Santa Cruz Hooker 19 UTAH Josh Halladay Trinity Western University Lock 20 UTAH Michael Biagi Brigham Young University Flanker 21 NEW YORK Albert O’Shannessey Central Washington University Flanker 22 UTAH Abe Turpen University of Arizona Flanker 23 NEW ENGLAND Junior Gafa Brown University Outside Center 24 SEATTLE Scott Bowers Trinity Western University Hooker 25 SAN DIEGO Michael Ramos University of San Diego Torreros Flanker 26 NEW ENGLAND William Chevalier Indiana University Scrum-half 27 MIAMI Setu Vole Lindenwood Unviersity Tighthead Prop 28 TORONTO Monty Weatherall McGill University Fly-Half 29 DALLAS Connor Olvera Brigham Young University Wing 30 CHICAGO Clayton Means Lindenwood University Inside Center 31 ATLANTA Oli Griffiths UCLA Fullback 32 DALLAS Ronnie McElligott St Mary’s College Flanker 33 UTAH Isaia Kruse Fresno State University Wing 34 NEW YORK Gjergji Bacuku Hofstra University Loosehead Prop 35 HOUSTON Anton Viera Santa Clara University Flanker 36 DALLAS Noah Wright Central Washington University Wing 37 ATLANTA Nathan Beil UCLA Flanker 38 SAN DIEGO Joseph Hawthorne St. Bonaventure Loosehead Prop 39 ATLANTA Nicholas Hartley Missouri S&T Scrum-Half

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Major League Rugby 2023 Collegiate Draft Set for August 17 at 6:30 PM ET on FS2 https://www.majorleague.rugby/news/major-league-rugby-2023-collegiate-draft-set-for-august-17-at-630-pm-et-on-fs2/ Thu, 20 Apr 2023 17:46:43 +0000 https://www.majorleague.rugby/?post_type=news&p=11392   DALLAS (April 20th, 2023) – Major League Rugby (MLR) announced its fourth annual Collegiate Draft today, where 39 of the best young rugby players in North America will be selected over three rounds. The MLR Draft will air on Thursday, August 17 at 6:30 PM ET on Fox Sports 2 in the United States …

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DALLAS (April 20th, 2023) – Major League Rugby (MLR) announced its fourth annual Collegiate Draft today, where 39 of the best young rugby players in North America will be selected over three rounds. The MLR Draft will air on Thursday, August 17 at 6:30 PM ET on Fox Sports 2 in the United States and on The Rugby Network for international viewers.

 

“Draft Day is a big, big day,” said MLR CEO Nic Benson, “It’s the culmination of years and years of work for these athletes on their pathway to Major League Rugby. The MLR Draft is an immeasurable opportunity for the next group of North American rugby players with professional and national team aspirations.”

 

The 2023 MLR Draft is open to United States and Canadian collegiate athletes. The selection order over the three rounds will be determined by the inverse order of standings from the 2023 MLR season. Once selected, teams will use a draft-and-follow approach and will have until the mid-point of the MLR season after the player’s collegiate eligibility ends to reach an agreement with the player.

 

The MLR Draft has been the primary pathway into the MLR for collegiate athletes since its inception in 2020. Sam Golla, the 2022 number one pick has established himself as an integral part of the Dallas Jackals, joining the 2021 number one pick Eric Naposki. To date, Golla has started every game this season for the Jackals and earned himself three MLR RTIC First XV selections.

 

Ahead of the draft, players will have the opportunity to showcase their skills at the second annual Collegiate Rugby Shield (CRS). The CRS will be held at Zions Bank Stadium and will include 50 top collegiate players selected by a panel of MLR decision-makers. Players will participate in multiple days of practice and a pro day in front of MLR GMs, with the game being played Thursday, July 13th, 2023. For more information on the Collegiate Rugby SHield, visit collegiaterugbyshield.com and MLR’s and Collegiate Rugby Shield’s social media channels.

 

All athletes can register for the 2023 draft at Playwize, MLR’s Collegiate Draft registration platform, allowing athletes to connect with playing and commercial opportunities across the world. Athletes must download the Playwize app from the App Store or Play Store, create a profile, and fill in the MLR Draft eligibility questionnaire to be added to the prospect list.  

All 2023 draft information can be found here, and all related questions can be directed to draft@usmlr.com. 

 

About Major League Rugby

Major League Rugby is a professional sports league in its sixth season and represents the highest level of rugby competition in North America. The League evolved from seven teams in 2018, to 12 teams in 2023, featuring 12 from the United States and one from Canada. Matches are televised on Fox, Fox Sports 1, and Fox Sports 2, among other national and local market platforms. Select matches are available to stream live in North America on The Rugby Network, and all matches are available to stream live on The Rugby Network for international fans. MLR prides itself in fostering intense and high-stakes competition while bringing together a passionate community built on the values of Respect, Inclusivity, and Tradition. For more information about MLR, visit www.MajorLeague.Rugby.

 

 

 

 



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