Chicago Hounds Name First Roster in Franchise History

CHICAGO, I.L.- Head Coach Sam Harris announced the roster for the Chicago Hounds’ first Major League Rugby game in the franchise’s history. The game against Old Glory D.C. kicks off tomorrow afternoon at 1 PM CST at Segra Field.

Loosehead prop George Thornton is set to make his first MLR appearance and will be joined by two-year MLR veteran Charlie Abel at tighthead prop. Hooker Lindsey Stevens, a teammate of Abel’s with LA, will start at hooker for the Hounds.

Duke Krishnan and Luke White pair together to form the engine room for the Hounds from their lock positions. This will be Krishnan’s first MLR appearance while Luke White enters his sixth season competing in the league.

Vice-captain Luke Beauchamp and Maclean Jones combine with Michael de Waal to form the backrow for the Hounds. All three players enjoyed successful seasons with the Austin Gilgronis last year and fans should expect that form to carry over to the new season.

The Hounds will trot out with a 9-10 partnership consisting of American-qualified talent. Michael Baska will make his first appearance in MLR since 2021 after spending last season playing in France. He’s joined by fellow USA-international, flyhalf Luke Carty, in the playmaking positions.

Carty will have an impressive center-pairing to work with; Captain Bryce Campbell and Mark O’Keeffe will wear the 12 and 13 jerseys, respectively. The two formed a dangerous midfield for Austin last year, highlighted by O’Keeffe’s first-team all-pro selection in 2022. The Dublin born star did not appear for the Hounds in their preseason matches against Atlanta and the Colorado Raptors.

Former first-round draft pick, and Virginia native, Caleb Strum will look to make an impact from the 11-shirt; he will be paired with J.P. Eloff on the other wing. Strum had an impressive preseason training camp that was highlighted by a standout performance against Atlanta last week. Chris Mattina will marshal the backline from his fullback position. Six out of the seven backs are USA eligible, a confirmation of the commitment from the Hounds staff to produce homegrown talent.

Chicago fans eager to watch the first game in the franchise’s history have multiple viewing options. For fans in the greater-midwest area, they can tune into Marquee Sports Network. Fans outside of the region, including internationally, can watch the game on MLR’s OTT streaming service, the Rugby Network.

1. George Thornton
2. Lindsey Stevens
3. Charlie Abel
4. Duke Krishnan
5. Luke White
6. Luke Beauchamp (VC)
7. Maclean Jones
8. Michael de Waal
9. Michael Baska
10. Luke Carty
11. Caleb Strum
12. Bryce Campbell (C)
13. Mark O’Keeffe
14. J.P. Eloff
15. Chris Mattina
16. LaRome White
17. Hugh Roach
18. Paddy Ryan
19. Mike Matarazzo
20. Sam Peri
21. Dacoda Worth
22. Sean Yacoubian
23. Kevin Morgan