A New Era
Fatherhood, Sunday Night Rugby on ESPN, and the start of Major League Rugby 2.0.
As I sit here typing in my living room, it’s 1:30am on Thursday morning. I’m not wide awake because I can’t sleep. It’s not because I’m excited for the new Major League Rugby season to kick off on Saturday. And it’s not because of any nerves about becoming the host of ESPN’s Sunday Night Rugby.
I’m sitting next to a bassinet, looking at my daughter who was born just last Wednesday, realizing that my era of fatherhood has truly begun, and that my perspective on the world has completely changed.
As MLR 2026 begins with California Legion taking on Anthem Rugby Carolina this Saturday, the words birth and new era feel very appropriate to describe America’s men’s professional rugby competition. Even though MLR is entering its 8th full season, there is no denying that this year feels very different. Calling it a tough offseason would be an understatement, as MLR’s franchises went from 11 teams in 2025 to just 6 this year. A restructure, new leadership, and a new way of thinking have come in. The refresh button has been pressed, and the remaining teams have come together to build what feels like MLR 2.0.
Many have questioned MLR’s future, with fair reason, but with change comes a new era and new opportunity. I feel honored to be part of that new era, one that I firmly believe will show that Major League Rugby is here to stay, to grow, and to become a formidable competition not just in America but across the world as we build towards the 2031 Rugby World Cup on American soil.
Fortunately, I’ve had the opportunity to see things from different angles. I finished my playing career in 2023, falling just short in the Championship Final in Chicago playing for San Diego Legion against the New England Free Jacks. Although I didn’t get the romantic ending to my career, I had two of the best years of my career playing in the US in Major League Rugby. I experienced the competitiveness of the league and saw firsthand the growth in the standard of rugby on the field.
Fast forward to now, and I’m continuing to live out my American dream, still living in San Diego, not lacing up my boots, but instead forging a path in a new career with a mic in hand, aiming to grow the game through broadcasting for MLR.
This will be my third season involved in broadcasting, and this one in particular feels different.
I can’t take much of the credit, but a huge amount of work has been done behind the scenes in the ambition to make the MLR product worthy of the incredibly challenging American sports media market. In a compact season starting on March 28th and finishing on June 21st, there is a real push to make every game count. We may not have the budgets of the major sports here in the US, but in MLR we are truly trying to make the best of our situation.
One of those ambitions is the launch of MLR’s brand new on-air product with ESPN called Sunday Night Rugby. This one is personal. Since the end of the 2025 season, there’s been a desire to help build a brand within the brand, showcasing one of the biggest matchups of the week while also highlighting the other great rugby from across the weekend. With a pre-match, halftime, and post-match show, Sunday Night Rugby, making its first appearance on April 12th, will aim to bring fans closer to the action, deliver analysis and storylines that meet the expectations of the American sports fan, and hopefully bring a level of entertainment that appeals not only to rugby fans, but also to someone flipping channels who stops and thinks, “This looks interesting.”
Announced last week, I will have the great honor…and pressure…of hosting the show, joined by some fantastic people on the desk in New York City, as well as announcers on site at the Sunday Night Rugby match venue. Planning is still ongoing, and more personalities and features will be revealed as we build up to April 12th. I’ll save more about that, and my excitement around SNR, for another article.
This weekend will give a small glimpse of the MLR 2.0 product and what’s to come. Game 1 sees the new franchise, California Legion, host Anthem Rugby Carolina in Orange County, California on Saturday. I’ll be there with mic in hand on the sidelines alongside my fellow broadcasters, eagerly watching the matchup unfold on ESPN.
The new era of MLR will kick off. And much like the game of rugby itself, no matter how much preparation, how many new ideas, and how many rehearsals, things are bound to go wrong. I won’t sugarcoat that. No matter how much everyone in MLR is chasing perfection this year, it won’t be perfect. But this year feels different. There’s a real drive toward creating the best product possible and showcasing Major League Rugby in its best possible light.
So as I sit here at 1:30am typing away, I’m looking at the new era ahead, while also looking at my own new perspective right in front of me. I’m incredibly grateful to do what I do, here in America, working in Major League Rugby broadcasting. I’m grateful for the opportunities that lie ahead.
But ultimately, my most important job this season won’t be what happens on the big screen, it will be the little girl lying in the bassinet beside me. She won’t care if I mess up live on ESPN. She won’t care if the camera misses a shot. And she definitely won’t care who wins the Shield. She will just want her dad.
And honestly, knowing that gives me the best perspective I could ask for heading into this season. It reminds me to enjoy every moment (on screen and off) to chase excellence in my work, but also to be the best father and husband I can possibly be. Hopefully one day she’ll understand what I do and be proud.
So with a new perspective and a new era ahead, I’m ready for MLR 2026. I hope you’ll come along for the ride.
Congrats on all fronts, the new gig and especially that sweet little girl!
So good bro!