Richardson Earns 50th MLR Cap

On his way to achieving a notable Dallas Jackals milestone, Mitch Richardson wants you to know that he’s not looking for a lot of fanfare.

He isn’t comfortable with it, doesn’t need it. He sees himself as a regular guy trying to fit in, just doing his job and being a good teammate.

“You’ve got to put the team first,’’ Richardson said. “I want to be known as the guy who cares about the team and not himself.’’

Sunday afternoon in a Boston suburb — whether he’s comfortable with it or not — it was more about Richardson. With his start at outside center against the Free Jacks, he earned his 50^th Major League Rugby cap.

“Getting 50 here, I’m truly honored,’’ he said. “I’m super happy getting it in a Jackals jersey.’’

So is second-year head coach Agustin Cavalieri (known as Cuca by Jackals players).

“We brought Mitch in here knowing he was an awesome player,’’ Cavalieri said. “But I have been just as impressed by his leadership and commitment to the team.”

At this time last year, Richardson was looking forward to getting his 50^th MLR cap as a member of the Toronto Arrows. He earned his first 38 caps there in five seasons through 2023 and is seventh on their all-time try scoring list.

He grew up in Stoney Creek, Ontario, a suburb of Hamilton and only about 45 miles from Toronto. The Arrows, his almost home team, were the only MLR team in Canada.

Richardson already has a Canada under-20 cap and four Canada national caps. Still … “A big thing for me was to get 50 in an Arrows jersey,’’ he said.

But it was not to be. The Arrows had a difficult 2023 season. They won one game. They had a coaching change. In their final game, they had 14 players on the injury list. They were rocked by the death of their majority owner. They finally announced they were ceasing operations on Nov. 27, 2023.

“It was definitely stressful,’’ Richardson said. “I didn’t know what to do.’’

Eventually, MLR got around to having a dispersal draft of Toronto’s players. The Jackals made Richardson the second player chosen.

After playing exclusively for Canadian teams, did Richardson have to think long about moving to Texas? Not really.

“It was Cuca’’ he said. “He sold it to me. I’m so glad I came here.”

On a much-improved Jackals team fighting for a playoff berth, Richardson is enjoying the game more than ever.

“This is an unreal group,’’ he said. “I’ve never experienced a locker room like this. Every guy has the same goal. There is no selfishness. There are no egos. “

That pretty much describes Richardson’s kind of team. And he is fitting in nicely, thank you very much.

For media inquiries, please contact:

Lori Barber

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The Dallas Jackals are a professional rugby team that plays at Choctaw Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The Jackals are members of Major League Rugby. The team has played in Dallas/Fort Worth since 2022. Stay connected with the latest updates by following the Dallas Jackals on social media and visiting the official team website.