Hounds Add Prop George Thornton

CHICAGO, I.L.- The Chicago Hounds announced today they signed George Thornton for the 2023 Major League Rugby season. The 26-year-old is expected to arrive in Chicago this weekend and will be available for the onset of the regular season, kicking off February 18th in the nation’s capital against Old Glory DC.

Thornton was a standout for the Scotland Under-20 team between 2016-2018, making 17 appearances for the representative side. His performances with the team earned him an academy contract with the London Wasps in 2017. He made four appearances for the Premiership side before moving to Nottingham, in the RFU championship, on loan in 2019.

After a short stint with Nottingham, the prop signed with the Glasgow Warriors on a two-year deal. He was with the Warriors until the end of the 2021 season when he signed on with the Ayrshire Bulls, a Scotland Super Six club.

Thornton, 6-3 and 260 pounds, made the move to the Shute Shield after a year with the Bulls. Strong performances in the competition garnered attention from numerous Super Rugby Clubs. In the end, the loosehead opted to sign on with the Chicago Hounds, bolstering the club’s front row just two weeks before the regular season begins.

The Chicago Hounds kick off their inaugural season in Major League Rugby on February 18th at 1:00 PM CST when they take on Old Glory DC at Segra Field in Leesburg, Virginia. Fans in the midwest can watch the game live on Marquee Sports Network with OTT streaming on The Rugby Network available as well.

Fans can watch the Hounds play live at SeatGeek Stadium for the home opener against the Utah Warriors on Sunday, March 5th. Buy your tickets to the home opener here.

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ABOUT CHICAGO HOUNDS:

The Chicago Hounds are a professional rugby team competing in Major League Rugby (MLR), North America’s professional rugby competition. The Hounds were named as an expansion franchise in 2022 and are set to play their Inaugural Season in 2023 at SEATGEEK Stadium.