Hounds Re-Sign Star Flanker Mason Flesch

CHICAGO, Il.- The Hounds announced today they signed All-MLR flanker Mason Flesch to a contract extension through the 2026 Major League Rugby season.

Flesch, a capped-Canadian international, spent his first three seasons in the league with the Toronto Arrows before being drafted by the Hounds in the 2023 Dispersal Draft. The 25-year-old flanker made an immediate impact in a 2024 breakout campaign.

In his first year with the Hounds, Flesch set new career-highs in almost every statistical category, including starts (15), appearances (16), and minutes played (1,180). The flanker scored the first three tries of his MLR career in addition to carrying the ball 99 times for 552 meters. On defense, he completed 136 tackles on 157 tackle attempts. He was credited with five dominant tackles on the year. At the time, these were all career-highs for Flesch. The year culminated in a Second-Team All-MLR nod, the first postseason accolade of his career.

He took it to a new level this past season. Flesch started all 15 of his appearances and recorded over 1,000 minutes for the second consecutive season. After entering the season with just three tries over the course of his four year MLR career, the flanker broke out offensively- dotting down six tries, including a pair of seven pointers, for 34 points. Flesch made four clean line breaks and recorded a career-high 163 tackles, including 10 dominant tackles- another career-high.

The versatile forward, who has lined up at both lock and blindside flanker for the Hounds, enters the 2026 season with 58 MLR caps (52 starts) and 3,874 minutes of game time. Flesch is credited with 488 successful tackles (18 dominant) on 579 attempts. Offensively, he scored 49 points on 324 ball carries and gained 1,313 meters on the ground. With ball in hand, Flesch has beaten 47 defenders and created four clean line breaks.

Flesch made his Chicago Hounds debut in Week One of the 2024 season on March 3, 2024, a Hounds win over the Miami Sharks, becoming Chicago Hound No. 42.