Hounds Extend All-Pro Center Mark O’Keeffe

CHICAGO, I.L.- The Chicago Hounds announced today they signed All-Pro center Mark O’Keeffe to a contract extension through the 2024 Major League Rugby season. The 29-year-old Dublin native has been a fixture in MLR since his rookie season with New York in 2019.

O’Keeffe started all 11 of his appearances for the Hounds during the 2023 season, playing 817 minutes. The Irishman carried the ball 90 times and gained 826 meters (9.2 meters-per-carry). He finished the season with three clean line breaks and 33 defenders beaten, scoring 15 points on three tries. Defensively, O’Keeffe was credited with 65 tackles, five of which were dominant.

Before the Hounds, the center played for three other MLR franchises. O’Keeffe spent the 2022 season with the Austin Gilgronis, helping them to a 12-4 record and a +246 point differential. He appeared in 14 contests with 14 starts, posting under 1,000 minutes. O’Keeffe earned first-team All-Pro honors, recording 111 carries for 1200 meters gained (10.8 meters per carry) with eight tries, three of which were full seven-point scores.

In 2021, O’Keeffe earned second-team All-Pro honors with Rugby Atlanta, helping the “Rattlers” to an MLR Championship game appearance against the Los Angeles Giltinis. He appeared in 14 contests with 12 starts and scored seven tries and had 82 carries for 903 meters (11 meters per carry).

In 2020, his second year with New York, he made four appearances with three starts. As an MLR rookie in 2019, O’Keeffe debuted for New York in Week Four. He helped lead them to a playoff appearance, a last-second loss at San Diego, in his 14 matches with 13 starts. He recorded 959 meters on his 93 carries and scored four tries while leading the team with 11 broken tackles.

During his career, O’Keeffe has earned 57 MLR caps (53 starts) and has consistently been one of the best attacking threats in the league. He’s carried the ball 388 times for 3,926 meters, averaging just over 10 meters per carry. He’s broken the line 33 times and has beaten 109 defenders. O’Keeffe’s scored 23 tries, totaling 123 points. He’s completed 354 of his 415 tackle attempts and is credited with 30 dominant tackles. He’s logged over 3,970 minutes on the field. The Hounds drafted the Dublin-born back in the MLR expansion draft held earlier last fall.

Roster to Date:

To date, the Chicago Hounds have signed the following players for the 2024 Major League Rugby season:

• Nick McCarthy, scrumhalf
• Ben Landry, lock/flanker
• Dave Kearney, wing
• Bryce Campbell, center*
• Zurabi Zhvania, prop
• Billy Meakes, center*
• Julian Dominguez, wing*
• George Merrick, lock
• Tinashe Muchena, back row*
• Adriaan Carelse, fullback
• Mika Felix, prop*
• Jason Higgins, scrumhalf (via trade with San Diego)
• Justice Nkombua, flanker*
• Paddy Ryan, prop*
• Mark O’Keeffe, center*

Star denotes a re-signed player.