Houston Strikers Hold Combine

Houston Strikers Hold Combine

The Houston Strikers have already signed some high-profile names for the launch of Major League Rugby in 2018, but they're still hiring.

Aug 19, 2017 by Alex Goff
Houston Strikers Hold Combine
The Houston Strikers have already signed some high-profile names for the launch of Major League Rugby in 2018, but they're still hiring. 

On Saturday, the team held a combine to bolster the team's depth and find out whether any prospective players -- from just-graduated high schoolers to veterans who feel overlooked -- have the goods.

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The Strikers are starting from the ground up but have plenty of financial support. The team is run by former USA assistant coach and Seattle Saracens head coach Justin Fitzpatrick and former Ulster flyhalf Sam Windsor as a player-coach. Adam Macklin, Connor Murphy (both pros in Ireland), and Pagopagohokma Taeaomua Haini (who played in the recent USA Islanders vs. Saracens game) have joined, as well.



FloRugby was at the combine and saw plenty of potential and a variety of athletes.

"It's a lot of fun," said one player. "Good atmosphere, great coaching."



The Houston Strikers will kick off their Major League Rugby season in 2018. Major League Rugby is a competition formed from a group of teams with strong financial backing that wanted to make a viable pro league. The competition is not run from the top down but rather requires the clubs to be financially strong from the beginning.

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Some of the teams involved have grown out of existing clubs (Austin, Seattle, Glendale), while others, such as Houston, have grown directly from the desire to be part of MLR. The league will kick off in the spring of 2018.

Major Rugby Confirms 2018 Launch