St. Mary’s All-American Comes Home
California Legion has signed No. 8 Ronan Murphy as the club continues building its roster ahead of the 2026 Major League Rugby season..
Originally from San Francisco, Murphy returns to his home state after establishing himself as a consistent MLR performer. A former Collegiate All-American at Saint Mary’s College, he developed into one of the top forwards in the college game before transitioning into the professional ranks.
Murphy first entered MLR with the Austin Gilgronis in 2022, earning three starts before the club ceased operations. He continued his development internationally with the American Raptors program and toured with the USA Falcons, gaining valuable experience against overseas competition before returning to MLR.
His breakout came with the Houston SaberCats in 2024, where he appeared in all 17 matches, starting 15 and scoring six tries. Murphy finished among the league’s top tacklers with 172 completed stops while also adding over 400 meters with ball in hand as Houston finished with the best regular-season record in the league.
Murphy returned to Houston in 2025, again contributing as a versatile forward capable of impacting games both defensively and in attack.
Comfortable across the back row and able to slot in at No. 8, Murphy brings versatility, durability, and defensive reliability to the Legion as the club continues assembling a competitive squad for 2026.
