Anthem Rugby Carolina Overview
Anthem Rugby Carolina, nicknamed The Rising Stars, is an American professional rugby union team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. Established in 2024, the team competes in Major League Rugby’s Eastern Conference. Unlike other MLR franchises, Anthem RC is uniquely funded by USA Rugby and World Rugby with the explicit goal of strengthening the USA Eagles national team program and developing players for international competition. The team plays its home games at American Legion Memorial Stadium, a venue with a capacity of 10,500 located in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Anthem RC represents a strategic investment by American rugby’s governing bodies in domestic talent development. The organization aims to improve the USA Eagles so they may qualify for the 2027 Men’s Rugby World Cup and become competitive for the 2031 Rugby World Cup, which the United States is scheduled to host. Patrick Stack serves as team president, and Agustín Cavalieri is the head coach. Sam Golla captains the squad.
Founding and Organizational Origins
Anthem Rugby Carolina traces its origins to early 2024 when USA Rugby and World Rugby identified a critical need to establish a professional development pathway for American rugby players. The governing bodies recognized that sustained investment in a domestic franchise would provide the infrastructure necessary to produce competitive international talent. Rather than relying on heavy international recruitment, the organizations committed to funding a team that would prioritize American player development as its core mission.
The decision to locate the franchise in Charlotte, North Carolina reflected strategic considerations regarding market potential, fan engagement, and geographic positioning within Major League Rugby’s Eastern Conference. Charlotte offered a growing sports market with established infrastructure and a community receptive to rugby’s expansion. The team secured American Legion Memorial Stadium as its home venue, providing a suitable facility for professional rugby competition.
Anthem RC entered Major League Rugby in 2024 as an expansion franchise, beginning its inaugural season with limited roster experience but a clear developmental mandate. The organization hired Agustín Cavalieri as head coach to lead the technical direction of the program. The founding framework established the team’s identity as a development-focused franchise that would measure success not only by wins and losses but by the progression of its American players toward international competition.
Growth Into Major League Rugby Competition
The 2024 season marked Anthem RC’s introduction to professional rugby competition within Major League Rugby. The team competed against established franchises with deeper rosters and more experience in professional settings. Playing 16 regular-season games, the team faced a challenging schedule against opponents who had built programs over multiple seasons.
Despite the difficult results, individual performances emerged as bright spots throughout the inaugural campaign. Junior Gafa earned recognition as MLR Rookie of the Year, highlighting the potential of the team’s young domestic talent. Siaosi Nai and Cael Hodgson each earned First XV honors, demonstrating that Anthem RC players could compete at the highest levels within the league. These individual accomplishments validated the organization’s approach of investing in player development.
Anthem Rugby Carolina Competitive Journey
Anthem Rugby Carolina has progressed through three seasons of Major League Rugby competition since its founding in 2024. The team has experienced the challenges of building a professional rugby program from the ground up while maintaining its commitment to developing American talent. From a winless inaugural season to historic roster milestones, the franchise has established itself as a unique entity within North American professional rugby.
Early Seasons and Development (2024)
Anthem RC completed its inaugural 2024 season with a 0-16 record, marking the third winless season in Major League Rugby history following the 2019 Austin Elite and 2022 Dallas Jackals. The challenging debut season tested the organization’s resolve and exposed areas requiring improvement in roster construction, coaching methodology, and competitive preparation.
The 2024 campaign provided invaluable experience for the franchise despite the difficult results. Playing against professional competition week in and week out accelerated the development of young American players who had previously competed at collegiate or semi-professional levels. The exposure to MLR’s competitive intensity established a foundation for future improvement as the organization analyzed its performance and adjusted its approach.
Breakthrough in Major League Rugby (2025-2026)
The 2025 season brought significant organizational changes and historic achievements for Anthem RC. On January 14, 2025, the franchise announced the appointment of Patrick Stack as its first team president, establishing clear leadership direction for the program’s future. Stack’s presidency marked the beginning of a new phase in the organization’s development, with enhanced focus on building sustainable competitive systems.
March 31, 2025, became a landmark date in MLR history when Anthem RC became the first team in league history to field a roster composed entirely of domestic American players. This milestone match, a 25-17 loss to the Seattle Seawolves, demonstrated the organization’s commitment to its founding mission of developing homegrown talent. The all-domestic roster approach set Anthem RC apart from other MLR franchises and reinforced USA Rugby and World Rugby’s investment strategy.
The 2025 season saw the team compete in its full 16-game regular-season schedule, building on the foundation established during the inaugural campaign. Player development continued as young Americans gained additional professional experience against diverse competition styles and international opponents. The season provided opportunities to evaluate roster depth and identify prospects for future growth.
The 2026 season represented another year of competition for Anthem RC as the program continued its developmental trajectory. Key performers during this period included captain Sam Golla providing leadership in the forwards, lock Dan Hanson accumulating a team-high 31 caps demonstrating consistent availability and performance, fly-half Cliven Loubser emerging as the team’s top scorer with 57 points, and flanker Te Rangatira Waitokia leading the try-scoring charts with 7 tries. Head coach Agustín Cavalieri guided the roster throughout the season as the program continued refining its competitive approach.
Modern Program and Current Direction (2025-Present)
Anthem RC operates under the leadership of president Patrick Stack, who assumed the role in January 2025 and has provided strategic direction for the organization’s growth. The franchise remains funded by USA Rugby and World Rugby, which continue to view the team as a critical component of American rugby’s international development strategy. This funding model allows the organization to prioritize player development over short-term competitive results.
The current roster composition reflects Anthem RC’s commitment to fielding competitive teams while developing American talent. The team plays home games at American Legion Memorial Stadium in Charlotte, providing a consistent home venue for fans and players alike. The organization’s infrastructure supports ongoing player evaluation, coaching development, and competitive preparation throughout the season.
Philosophy and Competitive Strengths
Anthem RC’s competitive philosophy centers on developing American players to the highest possible professional standard while building a sustainable talent pipeline for the USA Eagles national team. The organization believes that consistent exposure to professional competition within Major League Rugby will accelerate player development and increase the pool of qualified Americans for international selection. This development-first approach distinguishes Anthem RC from franchises that prioritize immediate competitive results.
Key Milestones and Major Moments
The most significant milestone in Anthem RC’s brief history remains the March 2025 match against the Seattle Seawolves when the team made MLR history by fielding the league’s first all-domestic roster. This achievement aligned with the organization’s founding mission and demonstrated tangible progress toward its developmental goals. Individual honors for Junior Gafa as MLR Rookie of the Year and selections for Siaosi Nai and Cael Hodgson to the First XV team represented important recognition of the program’s player development capabilities.
Anthem Rugby Carolina Achievements and Results
Anthem Rugby Carolina has completed three seasons of Major League Rugby competition since its founding in 2024. As a development-focused organization, the franchise measures success through player progression and organizational growth alongside competitive results. The team has competed in the Eastern Conference against established franchises while building its operational infrastructure and roster depth.
Major League Rugby Achievements
As a relatively new franchise, Anthem RC’s major competitive achievements focus on individual player recognition and historic milestones. The 2024 season produced three notable honors despite the team’s difficult overall record. Junior Gafa earned MLR Rookie of the Year recognition, marking the first major individual award for the franchise. Siaosi Nai and Cael Hodgson each received First XV honors, demonstrating the competitive quality of Anthem RC players within the league.
The 2025 historic achievement of fielding the first all-domestic roster in MLR history stands as the franchise’s most significant organizational accomplishment. This milestone demonstrated the viability of USA Rugby and World Rugby’s development-focused investment strategy and provided a proof of concept for the organization’s long-term vision.
Eastern Conference Achievements
Anthem RC has competed in the Eastern Conference throughout its three seasons in Major League Rugby. The 2026 season concluded with the team finishing sixth in the conference, outside playoff qualification. The franchise continues building toward improved conference standing as roster development progresses and competitive systems mature.
Regular Season Performance
The team competed in 16 regular-season games during both the 2024 and 2025 campaigns. The 2026 season saw the team play 10 matches. These regular-season competitions have provided the foundation for player development and organizational learning as Anthem RC builds toward improved competitive results.
Individual Player Records
Through its first three seasons, Anthem RC has established individual performance benchmarks for the roster. Lock Dan Hanson leads the team with 31 caps, representing consistent availability and performance across multiple seasons. Fly-half Cliven Loubser has accumulated 57 points to lead the team’s scoring charts. Flanker Te Rangatira Waitokia has scored 7 tries, marking him as a try-scoring threat within the lineup. Sam Golla has served as team captain, providing leadership and direction for the squad.