Hounds Add Forward Ben Landry

CHICAGO, I.L.- The Hounds have signed versatile forward Ben Landry ahead of the 2024 Major League Rugby season. The Wisconsin native is set to return to the Midwest after spending the previous three seasons with the Seattle Seawolves.

“I’m very excited to be a part of the Chicago Hounds,” Landry stated. “As a Wisconsinite, growing up playing rugby, I dreamt of a professional rugby team near my hometown. Now that it’s finally here, I’m excited to play whatever role is needed to help the club and grow rugby in the Midwest.”

Landry has played 39 games with 36 starts across five seasons with the Glendale Raptors, New England Free Jacks, and Seattle Seawolves. The 32-year-old’s career totals include 1,605 meters gained on 284 carries (5.7 MPC avg.) and four tries. Defensively,  he’s credited with 332 tackles, including 22 dominant tackles.

Landry first appeared for the Glendale Raptors in the inaugural 2018 season of Major League Rugby. He appeared in four games and played 270 minutes en route to a Championship Series final berth. The forward made 25 tackles, including four dominant tackles, while gaining 152 meters on his 30 carries (5.1 MPC). He finished the season with five points via one try scored.

After spending a season with the Ealing Trailfinders in England, Landry returned to MLR in 2020, signing on with the New England Free Jacks. He made one appearance in the shortened season, recording six tackles and 20 meters on his three carries.

Landry signed with the Seattle Seawolves prior to the 2021 season. He appeared in seven contests with four starts during his first year in the Pacific Northwest. The forward made 283 meters on 45 carries and completed 56 of his 59 tackle attempts, five of which were deemed as dominant tackles.

In his second season with Seattle, Landry appeared in 11 contests,  starting all 11. He helped the Seawolves return to the postseason after missing out in 2021, defeating the San Diego Legion in the Eliminator Round. Seattle went on to win the Western Conference Championship, dispatching the Houston Sabercats 46-27.

He was a stalwart in the Seattle lineup again during the 2023 season, starting in all 16 of his appearances. Once again, the versatile forward helped lead the Seawolves to a postseason berth, ultimately falling to the Legion in the Western Conference Championship. He scored three tries, totaling 15 points, in his 1,208 minutes of action.

The 6-foot-6, 260-pound forward began playing rugby in middle school and continued throughout his high school career with the Pewaukee High School Pirates, located in Pewaukee, Wisconsin. He played collegiately at the University of Wisconsin, Whitewater. During his time at Whitewater, Landry was a multi-year Collegiate All-American. He made his USA Men’s National team debut in 2016. Landry featured for the Eagles in the 2019 Rugby World Cup, making three appearances in the tournament.