The Toronto Arrows have confirmed the addition of scrumhalf Jason Higgins for the 2021 Major League Rugby season. He arrives from Cork Constitution, who he helped win All-Ireland League titles in both 2017 and 2019. Also confirmed are the re-signings of lock Mike Sheppard and wing Johnny Sheridan Higgins, 25, …

The San Diego Legion have confirmed that Ben Mitchell is staying with the team for the 2021 Major League Rugby season. It’s the second year of his contract signed in August of last year after the big second row opted to depart Austin Elite for the West Coast. Mitchell has …

A new feature on Americas Rugby News is our selection of Player of the Week. In the absence of sufficient competition to select an Americas team, we will instead nominate exceptional performances from Americas-qualified players for individual recognition. Honorable mention goes to Nicolás Freitas, who was in top form for …

Versatile front rower Brendan Rams has re-signed with the Gilgronis for the 2021 Major League Rugby season. The 31-year-old will play a third season for Austin, first joining the club ahead of the 2019 season after recovering from a long-term knee injury. Despite making 14 appearances in his two seasons …

Steven Hinshaw has signed a two-year contract extension with the New England Free Jacks that ties him to the club through the 2022 Major League Rugby season. The 24-year-old hooker is the second front row player confirmed by the club this week following incoming prop Erich de Jager. A product …

Six Argentine players officially have COVID-19. They are all players based in Argentina who were on Mario Ledesma’s list to prepare for the Rugby Championship. N8 Javier Ortega Desio tested positive on Sunday and five others did so on Monday and Tuesday. The UAR tested all players preparing for the Rugby …

USA fly half AJ MacGinty steered the Sale Sharks to victory over the Wasps. Played on Tuesday in Coventry, the northern English Premiership side were 20-11 winners. MacGinty was the leading point scorer of the contest, landing 15 points. The match was MacGinty’s first start since rugby resumed. Tuesday’s match …

Pele Cowley will be returning to Austin for the 2021 Major League Rugby season. The Manu Samoa scrumhalf was one of three internationals who arrived just one game before the campaign was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. His MLR debut was a memorable one. Cowley played all 80 minutes …

The Houston SaberCats have confirmed the return of South African pair De Wet Roos and Kyle Breytenbach for the 2021 Major League Rugby season. Both players continue contracts signed in the fall of 2019, with Roos arriving from Australia and Breytenbach from Austin. Roos, 29, captained the Cats in his …

The Loughborough Lightning have confirmed the signing of Canadian international Courtney Holtkamp for the 2020-21 Premier 15s campaign. She arrives from the Red Deer Titans, having also turned out for the University of Alberta Pandas. Holtkamp, 21, is one of Canada’s brightest young talents. The powerful ball carrier has most …

Erich de Jager is switching from the Free State to the Free Jacks. The South African prop has signed on with New England through the 2022 Major League Rugby season after five years in the Cheetahs organization. At just 24 years old de Jager is already an experienced professional. He …

Rugby Québec has sent 19 of its best players to French clubs for the 2020-21 season. Most will compete in the country’s top division, the Élite 1 Feminine, the others in Élite 2. The Élite 1 is comprised of the top 12 teams in France, with the next 10 in …

The San Diego Legion have confirmed a return for Josh Thiel for the 2021 Major League Rugby season. Initially unveiled by the club in December, the 23-year-old Canadian international returns for the second year of his contract after joining from the Pacific Pride. Thiel’s arrival was delayed due to visa …

Gordon McRorie is set to move to Italy to take up a player-coach role with Serie A club AS Milano. The 32-year-old will call Europe his home for the first time since arriving in Canada from Scotland in 2011. Milano have signed McRorie initially on a one-year deal with a …

The Argentine player exodus continues; Santiago Montagner will depart Argentina for Mont de Marsan. The 25-year-old PladAR project says goodbye to Los Ceibos to play in the Pro D2. El ultimo que apague la luz. Montagner was a fringe player for a number of years. The N8 from Alumni trained with …

Marcelo Torrealba has signed a new contract with the Austin Gilgronis that will see the Chilean scrumhalf staying in Texas through the 2021 Major League Rugby season. In doing so the 24-year-old again turns down the South American Súper Liga in favor of the North American competition. Since arriving from …

Juan Manuel Rodríguez is departing Uruguay. He is leaving to continue his career at Valpolicella, an Italian Serie A side. The move sees him leaving Uruguay’s first professional rugby team, Peñarol. Rodríguez will have his first professional club experience abroad at the age of 23. Despite his young age he …

Deion Mikesell has signed for French Pro D2 side Carcassonne. The twice-capped Eagles winger departs the New England Free Jacks after just one season. This will be his second stint in France, having spent four months with Clermont’s academy side during the 2018-19 season. After arriving from the Houston SaberCats …

Up and Under is a weekly exclusive on Americas Rugby News. It reviews the best and worst from games involving the Americas teams over the previous week.   UP Russia RWC 2027 bid Confirmed to be bidding for Rugby World Cup 2027 is Russia. The Rugby Europe Championship participants are …

Javier Ortega Desio has tested positive for COVID-19, the UAR has confirmed. The 30-year-old back-rower was named in Mario Ledesma’s training roster for the Rugby Championship. 46 Argentine-based players were selected for the Rugby Championship training regime. They have completed two weeks of training in Buenos Aires. In regards to …