Day: January 8, 2026 Page 3 of 4

Anthem Rugby World Cup Carolina has officially announced their full squad for the 2026 Major League Rugby World Cup season. Headlining the group are former MLR number-one draft pick Conner Mooneyham and nine other capped USA Eagles. The most recent addition is former New Zealand Under-20 back Jordan Trainor.

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While the signings of back-rower Marques Fuala’au and scrum-half Zion Going were also confirmed shortly after Christmas. Founded just two years ago, Anthem is still searching for its first-ever MLR victory. However, with 10 USA internationals now part of the squad. Optimism is growing among fans in Charlotte, North Carolina, as the league prepares to enter a new era.

The forward pack features five capped Eagles: Sam Golla, Makeen Alikhan, Alex Maughan, Payton Telea-Ilalio, and Moni Tonga’uiha. The backline also boasts serious Test experience, with Luke Carty and Malacchi Esdale joined by Erich Storti, Tom Pittman. Besides Mooneyham, all set to wear Anthem colours in 2026. Mooneyham holds a special place in MLR history as the league’s first-ever number-one draft pick.

He was selected by the Dallas Jackals after his time at Life University and remembers the moment vividly. It was kind of like an explosion, my phone should’ve broken because of all the notifications, Mooneyham told RugbyPass in June 2020. It was totally unexpected. When they told me I was going to be the number one pick, I didn’t expect things to blow up like that, especially since rugby isn’t as popular as other sports in America.

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Rugby World Cup: Anthem Overhaul Roster with Influx of New Signings

It was an exciting time for my family. Mooneyham, who last represented the USA in a 36–17 win over Tonga in November 2024, is one of 12 players returning from last season. Overall, Anthem’s squad has undergone a major refresh, with 20 new signings arriving eager to make an impact.

Among the new forwards are Will Sherman, Campbell Robb, Johan Momsen, Seth Smith, Oliver Kane, Ramiro Gurovich, James Scott, Alessandro Heaney, Baden Godfrey, and Fuala’au. Returning forwards without USA caps include Alex Hernandez, Elias Garza, and Alejandro Martinez Tapia. In the backs, Junior Gafa, EJ Freeman, Ishma-eel Safodien, and Karl Keane return for another season.

New signings Jullian Roberts, Will Leonard, Jeron Pantor, Going, and Trainor complete the roster and have already generated plenty of buzz on social media. Trainor is one of Anthem’s most eye-catching acquisitions. The outside back brings valuable Super Rugby World Cup and New Zealand NPC experience, having previously represented Auckland and, more recently, Northland.

The 2026 season will mark Trainor’s fourth MLR team in four years. He has previously played for the LA Giltinis, NOLA Gold, and the Utah Warriors. Last season with Utah, he started all 16 matches at fullback and scored two tries in their Conference semi-final victory over Seattle.

Elsewhere, Bordeaux head coach Yannick Bru confirmed on Wednesday that scrum-half Maxime Lucu has suffered an injury. Speaking to AFP, Bru said the recovery timeline could range from four to six weeks.

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Rugby World Cup Final: Lucu Could Miss Opening Two Six Nations Fixtures

If Maxime progresses well, it will be four weeks. Otherwise, it will be six, Bru explained. That leaves the 32-year-old racing the clock to be fit for France’s Six Nations opener against Ireland at the Stade de France on February 5. If the injury sidelines him for the full six weeks, Lucu could miss France’s first two matches, including the trip to Wales following their clash with Ireland.

With Antoine Dupont back to full fitness, Lucu is expected to return to his familiar role off the bench, though he will face competition from Nolann Le Garrec for a place among the replacements. Lucu’s absence will be felt immediately at the club level. Bordeaux hosts Northampton Saints at Stade Chaban-Delmas on Sunday in a rematch of last season’s Investec Champions Rugby World Cup Final.

Lucu captained Bordeaux to their first title and was named player of the match. Both Bordeaux and Northampton have started this season’s Champions Cup unbeaten, collecting two bonus-point wins from their opening matches. Lucu played the full 80 minutes in Bordeaux’s emphatic 62–20 Top 14 win over Racing 92 last weekend, with the injury believed to have occurred shortly afterward.

As a result, Lucu will miss not only the Northampton fixture but also the following week’s trip to face Bristol Bears at Ashton Gate. He is also expected to be unavailable for upcoming Top 14 matches against Stade Français and Montauban before the Six Nations begins.

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Irish rugby supporters barely had time to take a breath after the Rugby World Cup 2027 draw before familiar nerves began to surface once again. The draw, held on Wednesday morning in Sydney, revealed Ireland’s path through the tournament. Besides with it, the possible obstacles standing between Andy Farrell’s side and a long-awaited first World Cup semi-final appearance.

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They will compete in Pool D alongside Uruguay, Portugal, and Six Nations rivals Scotland. It will also mark the third consecutive Rugby World Cup in which Ireland.

Besides Scotland meet during the pool stage, following their clashes in Japan in 2019 and France in 2023. Ireland will be confident of navigating their way through the group phase, particularly given their recent dominance over Scotland and their strong record against emerging rugby nations such as Uruguay and Portugal.

However, Irish fans know all too well that history has taught them to look beyond the pool stage with caution. For Ireland, the quarter-final has long been the tournament’s greatest psychological barrier. As things stand, Ireland’s most likely quarter-final opponent would be the third-placed team from Pool B. That pool contains defending champions South Africa, along with Italy, Romania, and Georgia.

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Rugby World Cup: A Familiar Knockout Test Waiting for Ireland

Of those teams, Georgia appears the most probable quarter-final opponents for Ireland, and they are arguably the toughest third-placed side Ireland could face. Georgia has made significant progress over the past decade, earning a reputation as a physical, disciplined, and difficult team to break down. While Ireland would still be the favourites.

This is not the kind of opponent that brings comfort to a fanbase haunted by quarter-final exits. Other possible opponents, such as the USA or Tonga, would likely be seen as less threatening, making Georgia the scenario Irish supporters most hope to avoid. Ireland’s World Cup anxieties are further fuelled by painful memories of past knockout matches, particularly against Argentina.

The two sides have met four times at World Cups in 1999, 2003, 2007, and 2015, with Argentina emerging victorious on three occasions. Even more painfully for Irish fans, each of those Argentine victories resulted in Ireland being eliminated from the tournament. The most recent of those defeats came in the 2015 quarter-final, a match that still lingers in the collective memory of the Irish rugby public.

While Ireland’s own World Cup history has been defined by sporting heartbreak, the tournament itself has often been shaped by off-field controversy. In recent years, qualification campaigns have repeatedly been overshadowed by eligibility disputes, political events, and administrative failures. One of the most infamous examples occurred ahead of the 2019 Rugby World Cup, when Spain, Belgium, and Romania were all sanctioned for fielding ineligible players during the qualification process.

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Rugby World Cup Final: The High Cost of Getting It Wrong

The fallout from that debacle was extraordinary, ultimately handing Russia an unexpected place at the tournament in Japan. The episode raised serious questions about governance and enforcement within the Rugby World Cup Final. Spain’s struggles did not end there. In 2022, the country appeared to have finally qualified for the 2023 World Cup in France.

Marking what would have been their first appearance at the tournament in 24 years. However, celebrations were short-lived. It was later discovered that Spain had allegedly used a player with a forged passport during the qualification campaign. As a result, they were docked 10 points, expelled from the tournament, and replaced by Romania, who had finished just behind them.

Geopolitical events have also played a role in shaping recent World Cups. In February 2022, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine prompted widespread international condemnation. As part of the global sporting response, the Rugby World Cup Final suspended both Russia and Belarus from all international and cross-border competitions.

Despite an appeal from the Russian Rugby Federation, the suspension was upheld, effectively ending Russia’s hopes of qualifying for the 2023 Rugby World Cup. More recently, Paraguay experienced their own heartbreak during qualification for the 2027 tournament. Unlike previous controversies driven by politics or administrative chaos, Paraguay’s disappointment came down to eligibility rules.

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