Northern Edition
Select Edition
Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France
22 - 23
FT
30 - 27
FT
33 - 26
FT
62 - 22
FT
22 - 17
FT
33 - 15
FT
19 - 34
FT
13 - 8
FT
66 - 21
FT
14 - 15
FT
52 - 17
FT
47 - 10
FT
62 - 20
FT
36 - 28
FT
66 - 0
FT
Tomorrow
12:00
Friday
10:00
Friday
10:30
Friday
10:30
Friday
10:30
Friday
10:30
Friday
10:30
Friday
12:00
Friday
12:00
Friday
12:00
Saturday
05:00
Saturday
05:00
Saturday
05:00
Saturday
05:00
Saturday
07:15
Saturday
07:15
Saturday
07:15
Saturday
09:30
Saturday
09:30
Saturday
09:30
Saturday
12:00
Saturday
12:00
Major League Rugby

Chicago Hounds extend 2024 draft pick Jake Kinneeveauk

Jake Kinneeveauk of the Chicago Hounds. Image courtesy of the Chicago Hounds.

The Chicago Hounds and 2024 second-round draft pick Jake Kinneeveauk have agreed to terms on a one-year contract extension to keep the loose forward in Illinois.

ADVERTISEMENT

Kinneeveauk made his MLR debut in the Hounds’ week 10 matchup with the Seattle Seawolves last season, and while he hasn’t found his way into the matchday 23 on a consistent basis thus far in his young career, the University of Utah product did impress in the 2025 autumn Performance Squad season, earning him a contract extension.

During his collegiate career, the Alaska native earned All-Conference honours in each of his final two seasons, and more recently helped the Chicago Lions win the Midwest Premiership title.

VIDEO

The No.22 overall pick from 2024 joins 25-year-old utility back Reece Botha, 25-year-old hooker Jackson Zabierek, 26-year-old flanker Emmanuel Albert, and 23-year-old rising second-row talent, Brandon Harvey, as recent signings for the Hounds.

The Chicago outfit is looking to go one better in 2026 after finishing second in the Eastern Conference a season ago and falling short to the eventual champion Free Jacks in the semi-finals.

The Hounds will kick off their 2026 season away at Anthem Rugby Carolina on April 4, with their first home game coming on April 12 against California Legion.

Recommended

Fijian Drua name 208cm giant in 12-strong 2026 development squad

All Blacks XV star AJ Lam's Clermont move confirmed by Blues

Marco Bortolami lands new Test role just 19 days after Sale axing

EXCLUSIVE

Question marks linger over four Leinster stars ahead of La Rochelle

ADVERTISEMENT

Rugby’s best of the best, ranked by experts. Check out our list of the Top 100 Men's Rugby Players 2025 and let us know what you think! 



ADVERTISEMENT
Play Video
LIVE

{{item.title}}

Trending on RugbyPass

1

REVEALED: Newcastle Red Bulls' next transfer targets

2

Alex Sanderson breaks silence on Junior Kpoku move with one setback

1
3

Wales lock Christ Tshiunza suffers setback in race to be fit for Six Nations

3
4

Marco Bortolami lands new Test role just 19 days after Sale axing

5

Struggling Harlequins braced for another seismic player exit

3
6

Newcastle Red Bulls raid Exeter for second player as spending spree continues

1
7

Ambitious PREM club open talks with Fijian star Ponipate Loganimasi

1
8

Ulster captain Iain Henderson makes public plea to 'Irish coaching staff'

Comments

0 Comments
Be the first to comment...

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Long Reads

LONG READ

Hope and salvation fires Welsh rugby into 2026 amidst an uncertain future

A resurgent Dragons, defiant Ospreys and high-flying Cardiff gives Welsh fans hope they can be competitive in the Six Nations

LONG READ

Why Tommy Freeman could be England's lucky number 13

The Northampton Saint offers aerial power and attacking brilliance, whichever route Steve Borthwick chooses to take this Six Nations.

44
LONG READ

'To be loved in Perpignan, you have to be like this team' - The unique identity of French Catalonia

USAP is more than a rugby club - it's a way of life to the fiercely proud people of French Catalonia.

1

Comments on RugbyPass

P
PMcD 14 minutes ago
Why Tommy Freeman could be England's lucky number 13

If we simply agree Ford has the best tactical kicking game of all the 10’s (which he does) and the main reason you would start him at 10 is to use that skill, it actually means the centres don’t get the ball that much when they play with him, so by default would you want a more defensive centre pairing alongside Ford (Atkinson/Lawrence) of do you think Lee Blackett is trying to get a more balanced game with more of a distributor like Dingwall/Ojomoh at 12 (which is the sort of style he has always deployed over the years).

It’s a subtle but interesting dynamic to the selection of the centres, which is very much dictated by who is the starting 10.



...

44 Go to comments
E
Eric Elwood 19 minutes ago
France handed Six Nations injury blow

It’s a pity particularly for the upcoming Bordeaux v Northampton clash which on paper is the game of the tournament to date. If Northampton win then its home matches until the final and a real chance to make it again. This makes that slightly more likely although it will still take a massive performance to win this weekend.

1 Go to comments
P
PMcD 21 minutes ago
Why Tommy Freeman could be England's lucky number 13

NB - I am not sure if you saw the announcement but ENG have delayed the start of camp, so all the ENG players will play in that final Premiership game the week before the 6N’s and will only have 11 days in camp.

Does that suggest there will likely be a more stable selection?



...

44 Go to comments
P
PMcD 24 minutes ago
Why Tommy Freeman could be England's lucky number 13

Dingwall & Slade are probably the two form centres in the Premiership so far this season but Ojomoh isn’t even first choice centre pairing at Bath, who’s just been off with injury (again) and there isn’t enough room to pick all of them in the initial 36, so one of them will likely miss out before you even think of the matchday 23. It’s brutal with the depth they have.

44 Go to comments
P
PMcD 27 minutes ago
Why Tommy Freeman could be England's lucky number 13

If they retain George Ford at 10, then ENG will want more defensive based centres (who don’t get that much ball outside George due to the kick strategy), so Atkinson/Lawrence would fit the bill for that strategy.

However, if ENG decide to go for a more expansive strategy of the Saints style of attack, surely you would play Mitchell (9), F Smith (10), Hendy (11), Dingwall (12), Freeman (13), probably IF-W (14) and Furbank (15). It would seem crazy not to pick such a well proven unit of players (if they wanted to play that way with the Saints attack).



...

44 Go to comments
P
PMcD 33 minutes ago
Why Tommy Freeman could be England's lucky number 13

Hi Ed - Happy New Year.

I think Fasogbon, T Williams & Atkinson are the 3 main players that have still shown Premiership form at Gloucester this season but whilst they are a shadow of the outstanding attacking threat they were last season (after all the exits), I do believe Atkinson has been very solid defensively and has carried well, despite Gloucester being under pressure by most other teams this season.



...

44 Go to comments
P
PMcD 37 minutes ago
Why Tommy Freeman could be England's lucky number 13

There is a case to argue that Slade is back to his very best in the Premiership at the moment - given he also holds one of the central contracts, it would be hard to see how he would be left out of the 36 in favour of a youngster.

44 Go to comments
P
PMcD 38 minutes ago
Why Tommy Freeman could be England's lucky number 13

If they pick George Ford at 10, they may want a stronger defender outside him, which Seb Atkinson is and I think they may want to give him another change (like ARG last summer) but you also have the consideration of Fin Smith Dingwall as 10/12, potentially playing Atkinson/Lawrence 12/13 or Lawrence/Freeman at 12/13, so there are quite a few combinations in play.

Given Ojomoh has been injured (available again this week) but is probably 2nd choice behind Redpath/Lawrence at Bath, I doubt they will pick Ojomoh at 12 for this 6N’s. It’s more likely he is there as injury cover, or a potential bench option but most like Squad 36 rather than Matchday 23 at this stage (with everyone back).



...

44 Go to comments
P
PMcD 45 minutes ago
Why Tommy Freeman could be England's lucky number 13

I actually think they will likely play either Freeman, Daly or Roebuck (11), IF-W (14) with Caluori on the bench - they will want to give him games to gain experience.

If we are honest, ENG can almost pick any winger from Freeman, Daly, IF-W or Roebuck and there isn’t a huge difference but Caluori has x-factor aerially (already), he needs to improve his defence, which is why they may want to give him a bench role this 6N’s to get him used to tournament conditions (and big stadium experience).



...

44 Go to comments
P
PMcD 52 minutes ago
Why Tommy Freeman could be England's lucky number 13

He will play IF-W on one wing and is currently the best form wing in the Premiership, so you basically have Freeman, Roebuck, Daly who are all centrally contracted and then Caluori, Arundel & Hendy fighting it out for one extra spot (maybe 2 if they switch Freeman to centre).

Given they game Caluori an ENG A cap in his 8th or 8th game of Seniors Rugby directly opposite Sevu Reece, they are really accelerating his development and if they want him anywhere near ready for RWC 2027, they will have to pick him in this squad, so it feels like a decision between Caluori or Hendy at this stage (Hendy is probably better player atm but Caluori has better potential).



...

44 Go to comments
T
TokoRFC 54 minutes ago
'We should never forget': Former Bok great's warning on looming All Blacks series

Okay really interesting! Yes it is a shame there is so little exposure to NH rugby in NZ, it’s our loss.

I didn’t realise the SA teams struggled initially, the squad depth would have been a massive issue initially. If an NH team can afford to pay for an overseas gun to fill any gaps in their squad they will often be a step ahead. Regarding superior tactics, Super rugby has become less astute which I feel you see as the All Blacks rugby intelligence feels absolutely lacking at times.



...

12 Go to comments
P
PMcD 58 minutes ago
Why Tommy Freeman could be England's lucky number 13

Morning NB - Super interesting article and a topic we have been kicking around on the edges for a while but you have made me see the dilemma for Borthwick slightly differently of late.

You have made me realise there are basically 4 decisions to consider before you reach the selection point of players, with pro’s and con’s in all of them;



...

44 Go to comments
P
PMcD 1 hour ago
Why Tommy Freeman could be England's lucky number 13

Hard to justify with the form of the other players in the Premiership at the moment. Very luck place to be after the drought of the last few years at 12.

44 Go to comments
T
TokoRFC 1 hour ago
'We should never forget': Former Bok great's warning on looming All Blacks series

Solid takes Eric, I suppose it depends if Razor knows what his best 23 is before they arrive and cements it in the club games, or whether he uses those outings to gauge form, which risks a speed wobble.

I agree it will likely be tight but it could show the Springboks have continued to trend upwards since Wellington, widening the gap. I don’t see the All Blacks arriving suddenly much better but the early matches are an opportunity to consolidate a game plan, nail in some combinations and turn a corner come the tests. I hope so at least



...

12 Go to comments
W
Wayneo 1 hour ago
'We should never forget': Former Bok great's warning on looming All Blacks series

They will be full strength URC teams minus the Springboks selected to play in the Tests. The URC ends 20 June, and the Currie Cup starts in July so they will probably keep the players on rotation to keep them match fit and ready for the AB’s.

Yes, the SA clubs are exponentially better than they were in Super Rugby. It’s a pity you guys don’t see any NH rugby, if you did you would see how packed those clubs are with international players and overseas players.



...

12 Go to comments
f
fl 2 hours ago
Why Tommy Freeman could be England's lucky number 13

In the first three matches of the autumn Borthwick picked 0 kicking centres. In the fourth he picked 2. Slade only got a look-in when Lawrence (and Freeman!) both got injured. Maaaaybe his club form will have put him back in Borthwick’s good-books, but he certainly wasn’t before, and isn’t going to be picked out of the need for a kicker. Evidently his central contract was more to do with averting the danger that he could leave the country than to do with how vital he is to the team.

44 Go to comments
T
TokoRFC 2 hours ago
'We should never forget': Former Bok great's warning on looming All Blacks series

True regarding the SA packs, I see the Stormers scrum has been dominating lately!

I was going to ask you about player availability. So other than Springboks players the URC teams will be full strength do you think? Is the Currie cup happening at the same time though? I don’t know how this works in SA.



...

12 Go to comments
E
Eric Elwood 2 hours ago
'We should never forget': Former Bok great's warning on looming All Blacks series

I think first team verus Stormers then a sprinkling against Sharks and maybe a strong team play a half against Bulls (second half perhaps).

Lions will be the B team as they are not as powerful etc.



...

12 Go to comments
f
fl 2 hours ago
Why Tommy Freeman could be England's lucky number 13

“Does he have a kicking game?”

Not really, no. But England mainly kick of 9&10 anyway.



...

44 Go to comments
S
SB 2 hours ago
Why Tommy Freeman could be England's lucky number 13

So no Owen Farrell at 12 and Henry Slade at 13 👀

44 Go to comments
Close
ADVERTISEMENT