Major League Rugby is not the only place where American rugby players can play professionally.
While there has been a bit of a dropoff in overseas pros in the last several years following the emergence of MLR, the shrinkage of the domestic pro league has, in part, prompted a move overseas for some players.
That can start at the collegiate level. At Dublin University’s stories rugby program, Trinity, Ohio State University center Seamus Kennedy and St. Bonaventure hooker and loose forward Medhi Merah are US players playing with the Irish team.
Head Coach at Trinity, Tony Smeeth, used to coach high school in the Pacific Northwest, and later was a USA assistant coach. He retains a connection with the USA and has had many Americans play for him (notable Scott LaValla, who went on to be an Eagle captain).
It’s a two-way street, with 12 Trinity players on exchange overseas, including the USA—Charlie Naughton at Ohio State, Steve McMahon and John Hammond at Wisconsin, Peter Symington at Cal, and James O’Sullivan at Notre Dame.
Feel free to contact GRR if you think you have what it takes to play at Trinity.
So that’s collegiate players, but what about the pros? Prop David Ainu’u has been at Toulouse for quite some time now, having played over 120 matches for a team that has been French Top 14 champions five times and European champions twice during his time there. Following Ainu’u to France is DC prop Jack Iscaro (Gonzaga HS, Cal), who has been getting starts at Stade Francais. And that’s important; he’s not only training, he’s playing.
Nafi Ma’afu, now, finally, capped by the Eagles (formerly of Tempe HS Rugby and EIRA), has been in France for many years. He’s now playing for Montauban in the Top 14.
USA hooker Kipeli Pifeleti is playing for Provence in the French Pro D2, which is the best 2nd-tier professional league in the world.
