Toronto Arrows Announce Captaincy Roles for 2021 MLR Season

For Immediate Release

TORONTO, ON – The Toronto Arrows are pleased to announce that Lucas Rumball and Ben LeSage have been appointed co-captains for the club’s 2021 Major League Rugby season.

Rumball, 25, featured in all five matches in the team’s shortened 2020 campaign, and has made 11 appearances over his two seasons with the club. The powerful loose forward has developed a reputation as one of the top tacklers in North America’s top flight, making 163 tackles with a completion rate of 94.8%. A member of the club’s senior leadership group since joining the league, Rumball has also made 89 carries, run for 359 carry metres, completed nine offloads, and scored two tries over the 2019 and 2020 seasons.

“It’s an honour to be returning to a position of leadership within this group,” said Rumball. “I’m excited to be working in a partnership with Ben in this role; he’s one of the hardest-working guys on the team, and I’ve got no doubt he’ll excel in his role of leading from the front.”

“From up and down our squad, we’re a strong group, both in terms of our physicality and our character, and we’ll need to especially rely on our strength of character and resolve given how unprecedented this upcoming season will be for us. Playing so far from home this year, we’re going to have to band together and dig deep, but I’m confident this group has the wherewithal to overcome the hurdles ahead and rise to the occasion.”

Internationally, the tenacious flanker has amassed 35 caps – including 32 starts – for Canada since making his international debut against Uruguay in February 2016, including featuring at the 2019 Rugby World Cup. Rumball has captained Canada on six occasions, becoming the third-youngest player (22y 218d) to lead the nation into a match when Canada faced Russia in June 2018.  He also represented the Canada under-20s in both 2014 (as an under-ager) and 2015.

LeSage, 25, started all five matches in his debut season with the club, picking up 162 carry metres on 19 carries, making 37 tackles (84.1% completion), and adding three offloads, two linebreaks and a tackle break throughout the shortened 2020 season.

“With so many respected voices within our locker room, I’m really honoured to be joining Lucas as a leader of this group,” said LeSage. “With Dan [Moor] retiring, there are some big shoes to fill, so it’ll be a collective effort to continue to drive standards and match that intensity that he brought day-in and day-out.”

“I’m looking forward to the challenge of helping lead this team through what will be a tough and unusual year, and a season we’ll never forget.”

The centre has earned 16 caps – including 15 starts – for Canada since making his international debut against Romania in November 2016, and featured alongside Rumball at the 2019 Rugby World Cup. He also represented the Canada under-20s in 2014.

“Lucas and Ben have been integral members of our club for as long as both have played with us, and have earned the complete respect of everyone within the organization,” said Chris Silverthorn, Toronto Arrows Director of Rugby.

“Picking up from the legacy left by Dan, both Lucas and Ben are ‘follow me’ types of leaders, and have the natural ability to connect with their teammates. They’re well-suited to lead the squad into a season unlike anything we’ve ever faced.”

The Arrows will begin their third campaign in North America’s top-flight professional rugby league with a road match against the Rugby ATL on Saturday, Mar. 20, 2021.

About Toronto Arrows Rugby Football Club:

The Toronto Arrows Rugby Football Club is Canada’s first professional rugby union team.

Competing in Major League Rugby, the team is equipped to compete against top-tier North American professional club teams, providing emerging Canadian talent with enhanced and more frequent opportunities to hone their skills at an elite level.

For more information, visit https://torontoarrows.com/

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For more information, please contact:

Brock Smith
Communications Manager
Toronto Arrows
[email protected]

Photo Credits: Jose Romelo Lagman, Darren Zemanek