New Zealand

New Zealand name roster for Rugby Championship

New Zealand has named its roster for the Rugby Championship. The All Blacks roster is exclusively made-up of New Zealand based players. The Japanese-based Brodie Retallick is one instance of an elite player excluded from considerations. The All Blacks are now captained by Sam Cane. The Chiefs flanker replaces Kieran …

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Kanaloa Hawai’i falls short in MLR bid

Kanaloa Rugby will not be bringing Major League Rugby to Hawai’i in 2021. The league issued a formal statement on Friday afternoon confirming that the three-month negotiating period had expired without an agreement. MLR will proceed with 13 teams next season. While the league did not specify why no agreement …

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Free Jacks sign Otago center Aleki Morris-Lome

The New England Free Jacks have signed 26-year-old center Aleki Morris-Lome on a two-year deal through the 2022 Major League Rugby season. He arrives from New Zealand where he has played in the Mitre 10 Cup provincial competition since 2016. Originally from Dunedin, Morris-Lome played for North Otago in 2015 …

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Austin re-sign Kurt Morath for 2021 season

Kurt Morath has re-signed with the Austin Gilgronis for the 2021 Major League Rugby season. Tonga’s all-time leading scorer with 340 points in 38 tests, the New Zealand-born flyhalf gives the AG’s two sets of international halfbacks along with Will Magie and scrumhalves Pele Cowley and Marcelo Torrealba. Morath arrived …

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Frank Halai returning for Austin in 2021

Frank Halai will return to Austin for the 2021 Major League Rugby season. The Tongan-born powerhouse enters the second season of his contract signed in September 2019 and joins fellow All Blacks international Jamie Mackintosh on the confirmed list for the Gilgronis. Having been used primarily as a winger both …

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One-year ATL extension for Martini Talapusi

Martini Talapusi has signed a one-year extension with Rugby ATL through the 2021 Major League Rugby season. The 25-year-old utility back is the ninth player to re-sign for the club during the off-season and the first since the team’s new logo was unveiled earlier this month. Born in New Zealand …

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Austin re-signs Jamie Mackintosh for 2021 season

The Austin Gilgronis have confirmed the re-signing of Jamie Mackintosh for the 2021 Major League Rugby season. As expected the 35-year-old New Zealand international will return as a player-coach, joining a new-looking coaching staff that includes Australian duo Sam Harris and Mark Gerrard. Mackintosh, nicknamed ‘Whoppa’, signed on for a …

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