MLR leaders hail players union deal as US league heads for six-team season
Guardian Sport
by Martin PengellyFebruary 13, 2026
Long-sought collective bargaining agreement sealed after multiple franchise exits and with World Cups looming
Leaders on both sides of the ball hailed a new collective bargaining agreement between Major League Rugby and its players, the union chief welcoming “a new standard” for US professional men’s rugby after a traumatic off-season in which four teams exited MLR and two merged, leaving just six on the field.
“We are happy with where the talks landed,” United States Rugby Players Association executive director Chris Mattina, a former US Eagles wing, told the Guardian.
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Originally published on Guardian Sport on 2/13/2026