2023 End-of-Season Team Awards

The Toronto Arrows are pleased to announce the club’s Senior Team award winners following the completion of the 2023 Major League Rugby season.

Players’ Player of the Year | Mitch Richardson

Richardson’s breakout season – one that featured superb play on both sides of the ball from the versatile, 27-year-old back – did not go unnoticed by his teammates, who bestowed Players’ Player of the Year honours on the local product.

The fifth-year Arrow featured in (and started) 12 matches across the 2023 campaign and was among the team leaders in several offensive and defensive statistical categories, including defenders beaten (leader – 26), carry metres (second – 913), tackles (second – 132), offloads (second – 14), linebreaks (second – five), tries (third – four), and carries (fourth – 85).

Richardson’s play earned him a call-up to Rugby Canada’s 32-player travelling squad for the national program’s August tour to Fiji and Tonga; a first international cap beckons for the native of Stoney Creek, Ont.

Forward of the Year | Lolani Faleiva

The second-year prop made great strides in his sophomore campaign with the club, and upon the completion of the year, he was duly recognized by Major League Rugby with a selection to its end-of-season All-MLR Teams.

An imposing physical force capable of fierce scrummaging and crunching tackles, the Kiwi was also a sight to behold with ball in hand; his bulldozing runs routinely brought fans out of their seats at York Lions Stadium.

Faleiva featured in 11 matches throughout the 2023 season, racking up 624 carry metres (second among forwards) on 66 carries, 61 tackles (four dominant), 16 defenders beaten, six offloads, three linebreaks, and two tries.

Back of the Year | Ross Braude

The 23-year-old scrum-half brought his game to new heights in 2023, quarterbacking the Arrows with guile and consistency en route to his second consecutive Back of the Year award.

Braude played in a team-high 15 matches this past season, leading the club in tries and linebreaks with six apiece. The halfback also amassed 731 passes, 561 carry metres on 64 carries, 82 general play kicks, 114 tackles, 22 defenders beaten, and three offloads.

The Canadian international is poised to add to his 12 caps while on tour with the national program this summer.

Club Man of the Year | Isaac Salmon

This award is given to a player that exemplifies what it means to be an Arrow both on and off the pitch; someone who demonstrates the he is tough as nails and willing to practice his craft until his good is better and his better is best.

The second-year prop served as a member of the Senior Team’s wider leadership group and was regularly among the first to arrive and the last to leave at all team functions, taking care to foster the team environment in every way possible.

 

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Titanium Arrow | Lucas Rumball

This new award is given to a player that is durable, formidable, consistent, and leaves it all on the pitch, match after match.

Rumball – the fifth-year hometown captain and Arrow #1 – is the inaugural winner of the Titanium Arrow award. The flanker’s work rate was seemingly endless throughout the 2023 season; he featured in a team-high 15 matches, leading the club in minutes played (1,115), tackles (176; 92.1% completion), attacking ruck arrivals (216) and defensive ruck arrivals (96), while chipping in 474 carry metres on 84 carries, 15 defenders beaten, five breakdown steals, and two tries.

The native of Scarborough, Ont. will once again represent Canada this summer; the 47-cap man has been appointed co-captain of the touring side.

Header Photo Credit: Kyle Gilmor