Hounds Agree to Extension Terms with Veteran Prop Charlie Abel

CHICAGO, Il.- Another key component of the Hounds’ clubhouse has agreed to a one-year contract extension, the club announced on Tuesday. Veteran prop Charlie Abel is now set for his fourth season as a Hound and sixth season competing in Major League Rugby.

The Hounds first drafted the Australian native in the 2022 MLR Dispersal Draft and agreed to terms on December 30, 2022. He made his Chicago Hounds debut in the franchise’s first MLR contest against Old Glory DC on February 18, 2023. Over the last three seasons, Abel has lined up across all three positions in the front row and earned 45 Chicago Hounds caps while registering 2,338 minutes on the field.

The tighthead specialist appeared in 13 games with 12 starts this past year. He hadn’t started that many games in a single-season since his 2021 campaign with the Los Angeles Giltinis. He completed 128 of his 153 tackle attempts with nine dominant tackles. On offense, Abel carried the ball 75 times and beat 13 defenders while registering a pair of clean line breaks. He finished the season with one try, scored in the pivotal Eastern Conference Semi-Final win against DC.

Abel primarily played loosehead prop during the 2024 season, showcasing his versatility across the front row. He started 10 of his 16 appearances and logged over 800 minutes for the first time since 2021. He completed 109 of his 130 tackle attempts, including six dominant tackles. During his first season with the Hounds, he appeared in 15 games, starting seven of them. He carried the ball 69 times, gaining 301 meters and scoring a pair of tries in the process.

Prior to Chicago, Abel spent the 2021 and 2022 seasons in Los Angeles. He earned All-Pro honorable mention accolades en route to helping LA win the title in 2021.

The 33-year-old prop has earned 75 caps over his five year career in MLR. On offense, he’s scored 42 points via eight tries, including one seven-pointer. He carried the ball 344 times for 1,369 meters and beat 46 defenders with the ball in hand. Defensively, Abel completed 641 of his 741 tackle attempts and registered 48 dominant tackles.