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News Sep-25-2024

Offseason Talking Points: News From Across MLR

Written by Joe Harvey

Even in the offseason, Major League Rugby has no shortage of talking points.

The 2025 season is already starting to take shape, from coaching appointments to player movements to Test match rugby.

Here are some MLR stories you may have missed last month.

MANENTI APPOINTED LEGION HEAD COACH

John Manenti was appointed San Diego Legion head coach at the end of August.

The Australian brings a wealth of experience coaching men’s and women’s rugby in his native Australia.

Most recently, having led the Australia National Men’s 7s at this summer’s Olympic Games in Paris, the 53-year-old’s recruitment is a major coup.

Taking Australia National Women’s 7s to the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, winning three Shute Shield titles as head coach of Eastwood, and guiding Australia women’s 15-a-side team to bronze at the 2010 Women’s Rugby World Cup.

That title-winning experience could help the Southern California team overcome obstacles in their chase for the Shield.

Five-time a Play-Off side Legion is still waiting to win it all.

Manenti was the brain behind Australia’s 2022 HSBC SVNS Series victory and will relish the prospect of bringing a championship to Snapdragon Stadium during his tenure.

“Returning to 15s rugby as the Head Coach of San Diego Legion is an exciting opportunity to apply my coaching philosophy and experience in a new environment,“ Manenti said.

“I am committed to building on the solid foundation here and leading the team to achieve our goal of winning the MLR Championship.”

Following Danny Lee’s departure from San Diego, the New Zealander has been appointed head coach of the NOLA Gold.

The Chicago Hounds have announced the arrival of Chris Latham as their new head coach.

Latham arrives in the Midwest after spending 2024 as an assistant coach with the Seattle Seawolves.

SEAWOLVES SECURE OLYMPIC EXPERIENCE

Allen Clarke and the Seattle Seawolves have recruited Team USA experience in the form of Malacchi Esdale.

The 29-year-old most recently represented his country at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris and returns to MLR after four seasons.

A scorer of five tries for the Houston SaberCats during three seasons in Texas, the wing has been a stalwart for the Men’s Eagles Sevens ever since.

Taking up rugby at 17 after spending his youth playing football, Esdale brings extra dynamism to the Seawolves attack and the ability to find the try line.

It is also a timely signing for Seattle, who traded Conner Mooneyham to Anthem RC in August.

After enjoying two seasons at Starfire Sports, time spent in Washington turned the 28-year-old into a USA international and brought a wealth of experience to Anthem in their second season.

NEW LOOK FOR FREE JACKS AFTER MATHIE DEPARTURE

On the same day that Scott Mathie won his second Coach of the Year Award, it was confirmed that the New England Free Jacks head coach was leaving for pastures new.

Appointed attack and backs coach of Edinburgh Rugby in the United Rugby Championship after leading New England to consecutive MLR titles.

Edinburgh finished 10th in the URC competition last season and is looking for more success in 2024/25.

To succeed Mathie will by no means be easy, but New England has turned to a familiar face to do so.

Ryan Martin was the team’s head coach in 2021 and, after one season, was appointed attack coach of Super Rugby’s Melbourne Rebels.

Most recently, Martin was assistant attack and backs coach with the Japan Rugby League One team, Toyota Verblitz, where he worked extensively with Rugby World Cup winners Beauden Barrett, Pieter-Steph du Toit, and Aaron Smith.

Vast friends with New England’s incumbent defense specialist, Pom Simona, the club has added further experience to the coaching set-up with Dewald Senekal as forwards coach.

MLR FAVORITES CALL IT A DAY

After the final whistle was blown on the 2024 MLR season, several seasoned pros called it a day.

Topping the list is San Diego Legion’s Mikey Te’o, who, at the age of 31, is moving on to the next chapter of his career.

Spending five seasons with the Legion and two with the Utah Warriors, it was perhaps his first season in Salt Lake City that he will be remembered for.

From almost start to finish, the Long Beach native was unplayable and churned out vibrant attacking display after vibrant attacking display.

He was named MLR Player of the Year for his exploits as the Warriors reached the Western Conference Final, a campaign that will be long remembered.

Te’o’s San Diego teammate Josh Henderson has also retired, as have ex-Eagles Ben Landry (Chicago Hounds) and Peter Malcolm (Seattle Seawolves).

EAGLES TO COMPETE FOR PACIFIC NATIONS CUP BRONZE

The USA Eagles’ return to the Pacific Nations Cup, competing for the first time since 2019, could not have gone better.

Hosting Canada in Los Angeles, California, Conner Mooneyham scored a brace of tries, while Mitch Wilson and Kapeli Pifeleti also crossed the try line in the 28-15 win.

Photo by provided by USA Rugby

It was a result that immediately locked up a semi-final spot.

A week after their 41-24 group stage defeat to Japan in Tokyo, the Eagles took to the field against Fiji.

Despite taking a fourth-minute lead through a Chris Mattina penalty, it wasn’t to be for Scott Lawrence’s team as their opponents registered three tries to secure a 22-3 victory.

Photo by provided by USA Rugby

The defeat means that the Eagles played Samoa for a shot at third place in the competition.

In a staunchly competitive fixture, the USA took the lead through a Luke Carty penalty before a try for New England’s Toby Fricker kept the team on top.

After their slow start, Samoa did hit back through a Rodney Iona penalty before second-half tries wrapped up an 18-13 win.

Canada failed to register a win in their Pacific Nations Cup campaign. 

After losing each of their pool games, the side finished sixth overall after losing 30-17 to Tonga in the Finals series.

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