Major League Rugby Back of the Year - Reece Macdonald

Written by Joe Harvey

During the 2024 Major League Rugby season, Reece Macdonald was thrilled to be part of the New England Free Jacks backline as his team lifted the Shield.

For his exploits, the 27-year-old has been named Back of the Year.

The full-back follows Nate Augspurger and Billy Meakes in winning the award.

In 2024, clearly loving his rugby, the New Zealander unleashed an endless tirade of attacking runs and constant questions to defenders across the league.

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Starting 16 matches this year, Macdonald was immovable at full-back for his team as they secured back-to-back North American titles.

In total, he racked up 1,515 meters with the ball and beat 82 defenders on his way to registering ten tries.

Macdonald's ability to confound defenses and consistently keep his side on the front foot in every game made him invaluable to his team.

Even in defense, the full-back was able to prove his worth.

Making 59 tackles, the Kiwi certainly saw himself tested and provided that defensive steadiness needed when facing down-charging opponents.

He also boasts proficient game management abilities, and his skills were even called upon at fly-half in Week 17 when New England lost 27-17 to the NOLA Gold.

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Across all of his performances in 2024, two of Macdonald's outings stand out from the rest.

The first came in Week 1, when the Free Jacks started their title defense with a 46-13 win against Anthem RC at American Legion Memorial Stadium.

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Those three tries set the tone for a mesmeric year in red, blue, and white for the man from Mount Maunganui.

You then fast-forward to the MLR Playoffs presented by Sportsbreaks.com and the Eastern Conference Final.

Two tries in a matter of moments against the Chicago Hounds sent the Massachusetts club to San Diego for the Championship Final.

Macdonald's first was a relatively simple score as a Paula Balekana offload found his arms, while the second provided the perfect example of his elusiveness with ball-in-hand.

Starting again a week later at Snapdragon Stadium in the defining match of the 2024 season, Macdonald provided a solid performance as a try from Le Roux Malan and the boot of Jayson Potroz crowned New England champions

for a second year running.

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Loving his rugby on the East Coast unlocked Macdonald in 2024.

The Free Jacks reaped the rewards of that affection and will be hoping for more of the same when 2025 comes around.