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Charlie Connolly and Thomas Morani have re-signed with the Houston SaberCats for the 2021 Major League Rugby season. The duo are set for a third and second season with the club, respectively, and make it 11 returning players confirmed publicly to date.
Connolly is still a month away from his 23rd birthday but has already established himself as one of the toughest props in MLR. The Irish age-grade international played in four of the five games in the 2020 season, making it 20 games all told across his two campaigns. He will form a fearsome 1-2 combination with new Georgian signing Nikoloz Khatiashvili on the right side of the scrum.
Born in Miami but raised in Buenos Aires, Morani was a late addition to the roster ahead of this past season’s opening round. The 24-year-old outside center impressed on debut against Old Glory but succumbed to injury the following week against New York. Now fully recovered, he adds speed and creativity to Houston’s attacking options for 2021.
Previously confirmed returnees in the forwards include second row Kyle Breytenbach and flankers Luke Beauchamp and Cecil Garber. Returning backs revealed are starting halfbacks De Wet Roos and Sam Windsor, winger Malacchi Esdale, and multi-skilled Kieran Farmer, Matías Freyre, and Zach Pangelinan.
