What The Anthem Roster Says about the Eagle Future

01.15.2026Men Senior Rugby, Eagles

Erich Storti in action for the Anthem in 2025.

Author: Alex Goff

The Anthem RC Major League Rugby team has finalized its roster.
The team, which is designed to be a pathway team for the USA National Team, and therefore is heavily populated with Eagle-eligible players, comes into the 2026 season with Agustin Cavalieri and Brendan O’Meara coaching. For O’Meara, he is a rarity in being a USA-born and -trained coach in the professional ranks. We just don’t see much of that.

The Anthem team itself is not 100% USA-eligible. But it’s close.

Here’s the roster:

Forwards
Makeen Alikhan, flanker, capped Eagle, born in Canada, learned his rugby in England.

Marques Fuala’au, flanker. Was drafted #3 overall in 2023. Played for the Rainier Highlanders in Washington and then Central Washington.

Elias Garza, prop. Recent Life University grad. On loan from Chicago, who chose him in the 1st round of the 2025 draft. USA U23 player in 2025.

Baden Godfrey, back row. Australian who suited up for the Australian 7s team.

Sam Golla, lock/flanker. Capped Eagle from Colorado, played at Denver East HS and then captained Cal.

Ramiro Gurovich, hooker. From Argentina, played in the SLAR competition for Pampas.

Alessandro Heaney, prop. From Ireland with a degree in Astrophysics, he played professionally in England but is moving to the USA and targeting a place with the Eagles.

Alex Hernandez, prop. Standout for Marian, and before that Warren Central HS. Was drafted by Chicago. USA U23 player in 2025.

Oliver Kane, prop. Experinced professional having played with the San Diego Legion. Played for Father Ryan HS in Tennessee and then was captain of University of San Diego. Played for USA Hawks.

Alejandro Martinez Tapia, flanker. Ohio native, playing at Hilliard, where he was a HS All American, before becoming a standout for Lindenwood. USA U23 player in 2025.

Alex Maughan, prop. Capped Eagle. Played with Charlotte Tigers and then captained Life University. Payton Telea-Ilalio, prop. Capped Eagle and 2020 Rudy Scholz Award winner. Bishop O’Riordan HS in San Francisco and then Saint Mary’s.

Johan Momsen, lock. Experience South African. Played for Stellenbosch, Griquas, Rugby ATL, and Houston.

Campbell Robb, hooker. Captained Central Washington. USA U23 player in 2025.

James Scott, lock. English lock who has played for England U20s, Worcester, Glasgow, Jersey (UK), and the Chicago Hounds.

Will Sherman, lock. Played for East HS in Salt Lake City before becoming a Scholz Finalist and captain for UCLA. Was the #1 pick in the 2025 draft. USA U23 player in 2025.

Seth Smith, hooker. The Woodlands and USA U20 player before joining Houston Sabercats.

Moni Tonga’uiha, back row. Played for the Oakland Warthogs in high school. Capped Eagle and experienced professional who played for NOLA before moving to Anthem.

Backs
Luke Carty, flyhalf. Multiple caps for USA. Learned his rugby in Ireland.

Malacchi Esdale, wing. Part of the crossover athlete program in Glendale. Made the USA 7s team.

EJ Freeman, center. Also plays flanker. US-qualified by grew up in Europe and played schoolboy rugby in England. Scholz Award candidate at Arizona. USA U23 player.

Junior Gafa, center. Standout for Back Bay as a high-schooler then helped Brown to an NCR championship. USA U23 player who joined Anthem on loan and stayed.

Zion Going, scrumhalf. Grandson of the famous All Black Sid Going, he has played over 50 times for the Utah Warriors. Still only 24 and born in the USA.

Karl Keane, scrumhalf. Eastside Lions as a higher-schooler and then Saint Mary’s.

Will Leonard, center. Experienced Irish player with over 70 MLR caps, having played for NY, ATL, LA, and now Anthem.

Conner Mooneyham, wing. Player for The Woodlands as a high-schooler and then a standout for Life University. Was #1 pick in the 2020 MLR draft. Capped Eagle.

Jeron Pantor, flyhalf/fullback. From Trinidad & Tobago but is USA-qualified.

Tom Pittman, cetner/flyhalf. Grew up in England and played for Jersey, Cornish Pirates and Chartres in France. Qualifies for the USA through his grandfather and is a capped Eagle.

Julian Roberts, wing. Out of Kapolei, Hawai’i, Roberts was a leading player for Life University when they won D1A in 2018 and 2019. Drafted by NOLA in 2023.

Erich Storti, fullback. De La Salle HS and then Saint Mary’s, where he was captain. Capped Eagle.
Ishma-eel Safodien, scrumhalf. Grew up in South Africa but played at Life where he was a Rudy Scholz Award nominee. He is USA eligible.

Jordan Trainor, fullback. New Zealander who has a ton of experience in NPC rugby.

Of this group of 32, 12 are returning, 10 are capped Eagles, and five (maybe six ... there's one working on residency) who are not USA-eligible.

So what that leaves is about 17 players who are working toward being a national team player. That's exactly what this team should be. The foreign players are all experienced and coming in with a leadership ingredient.

The other thing they bring in is a change in attitude. There's been a coaching change. There have been player changes. There also needs to be a bit of a culture change. With this team having lost 32 games in a row, Anthem runs the risk of having losing be a habit. Certainly it can get you down.

What Cavalieri and O'Meara need to find is an attitude where the players have learned from the losses but also don't think "here we go again." It's quite possible that they win an early game they can go on a roll.

To get over that hump they've brought in players like Trainor and Scott to help with that approach. Carty is in because he's a calm head and can kick clutch goals in close games. Some of the new American players they've brought in are intense, physical, and maybe a little bit angry.

If these players pull themselves out of that losing streak and start to build something, then they are showing what you need in an Eagles player.