Former NSW Waratahs and Warringah Rats Rory O’Connor Joins Dallas

The Dallas Jackals are happy to announce Rory O’Connor has signed with Dallas for the 2022 Inaugural Season! Former Warringah Rat and current NSW Waratah, O’Connor is excited to take his career International to the States. 

From Sydney, Australia, O’Connor began playing rugby at a young age for the Manly Roos and later joined the Colts squad while attending St. Augustine’s. O’Connor went on to play for the Sydney Rays who compete in the National Rugby Championship (NRC) and then played one match with the Manly Marlins men’s side before receiving a call up from the Warringah Rats in 2015.

After being selected to the Australian U20s side, O’Connor cemented his starting spot with the Shute Shield Warringah Rats for the next 2 seasons. He gained attention at the next level joining the Melbourne Rebels in Super Rugby in 2017 on an eight week injury cover. 

After returning to the Rats to finish off 2017, O’Connor returned to Victoria joining the NRC’s Melbourne Rising making eight appearances. Rejoining the Warringah Rats in 2018, he completed another Shute Shield season. 

O’Connor received another Super Rugby call-up, this time with his childhood team New South Wales Waratahs. In 2019, he made 10 appearances off the bench. O’Connor made two appearances before the shortened 2020 season due to COVID-19. 

While playing elite rugby the last eight years, O’Connor has also been earning his Civil Engineering degree at the University of Sydney and is set to graduate in December. 

“I’m excited about the growth of rugby in Texas and to have the opportunity to be a part of that,” O’Connor said. “I’d love to help grow the grassroots game and tap into the mammoth US sporting market.”

He continued, “I hope to bring a variety of different approaches to playing the game and building team culture. I feel like I’ve had a very atypical rugby journey which can give a fresh perspective to the team.”

“I’m excited to see the Cowboys or Mavericks play and be immersed by the unique culture that Dallas offers.”

Elaine Vassie, Jackals GM, said, “Rory’s skill set and round the park work on top of his functional abilities in the set piece really aligns with the Jackals style. I’m looking forward to seeing him enjoy playing with a freedom that will only let him showcase this further!”

Welcome to the Pack Rory!

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About Dallas Jackals —

The Dallas Jackals are a professional rugby team of Major League Rugby (MLR), the highest level of rugby competition in North America. The Jackals were named as an expansion team in 2020 and will play their inaugural season in 2022. The team’s central mission is to develop domestic talent to a world-class level of play and professionalism while strengthening the high- performance pathway in DFW by supporting the local clubs. Through proactive Community Outreach, the Jackals will exemplify and spread the passion of rugby by inspiring tradition, respect, family, and character on and off the pitch.

About MLR —

Major League Rugby is a professional sports league entering its fifth season and represents the highest level of rugby competition in North America. The League evolved from seven teams in 2018, to 13 teams in 2022, featuring 12 from the United States and one from Canada. Matches are televised on CBS Sports Network, Fox Sports 2, and ESPN+, among other national and local market platforms. All matches are available on Facebook Live for international fans. MLR prides itself in fostering intense and high-stakes competition, while bringing together a passionate community built on the values of Respect, Inclusivity, and Tradition. For more information about MLR, visit MajorLeague.Rugby.