Hounds Continue to Add Back Row Talent

CHICAGO, IL- The Chicago Hounds roster for the 2024 Major League Rugby season continues to add valuable pieces with preseason training camp inching closer and closer. The club announced today the signing of Irish flanker Conall Boomer.

Boomer makes the move to Chicago after spending the last three seasons competing with Terenure College in the All-Ireland League. This past fall, the flanker started all seven of his appearances for Terenure, logging 560 minutes on the field.

2022 was a banner year for both Boomer and his Terenure squad. He made twelve total appearances for the team, including 11 starts. Boomer added a pair of tries on the season. Terenure won the All Ireland League Division 1A title in 2022 after falling just short the previous season, losing to Clontarf in the 2021 rendition. Boomer and Terenure got their revenge in the reprise, winning the title with a dominant 50-24 scoreline. The flanker added a try in the 78th minute of the final.

Boomer is a former Ireland age-grade player that cut his teeth growing up in the Ulster system. He represented Ireland at the Under-19 level and competed with the U-20 squad in the 2016 World Rugby U-20 Championship. The flanker also spent time in Australia playing with the Western Force U-20 team. Last fall, Boomer suited up for Leinster in their friendly match against the Chilean national team.

Roster to Date:

To date, the Chicago Hounds have signed the following players for the 2024 Major League Rugby season:

• Nick McCarthy, scrumhalf
• Ben Landry, lock/flanker
• Dave Kearney, wing
• Bryce Campbell, center*
• Zurabi Zhvania, prop
• Billy Meakes, center*
• Julian Dominguez, wing*
• George Merrick, lock
• Tinashe Muchena, back row*
• Adriaan Carelse, fullback
• Mika Felix, prop*
• Jason Higgins, scrumhalf (via trade with San Diego)
• Justice Nkombua, flanker*
• Paddy Ryan, prop*
• Mark O’Keeffe, center*
• Janus Venter, hooker
• Mike Matarazzo, lock/flanker*
• Ignacio Peculo, prop
• Cassh Maluia, outside back
• Guillermo Pujadas, hooker
• Dylan Fawsitt, hooker
• James Scott, lock
• Nate Augspurger, wing (via trade with NOLA Gold)
• Brad Tucker, lock/flanker (via Dispersal Draft)
• Mason Flesch, flanker (via Dispersal Draft)
• Michael Hand, wing
• Lucas Rumball, flanker
• Conall Boomer, flanker

Star denotes a re-signed player.