Ellie Presnol Chicago Hounds Head of Ticketing | LinkedIn
Ellie Presnol Chicago Hounds Head of Ticketing | LinkedIn
The Chicago Hounds have signed outside back James Stokes for the rest of the 2025 Major League Rugby season. Stokes finalized the deal just before Major League Rugby's transaction deadline this past week.
Stokes can play several key positions, such as center, wing, and fullback, and is expected to strengthen the Hounds' lineup as they aim for their second straight playoff appearance. In 2024, Stokes was part of Rugby Los Angeles.
While with L.A., Stokes started in 10 out of 11 games, accumulating close to 800 minutes on the field. His performance included scoring one try, carrying the ball 78 times for 631 meters, and achieving 8 meters per carry. He managed to beat 19 defenders and break the line twice. Before joining MLR, Stokes played four seasons with the London Irish in the English Premiership.
For London Irish, he appeared in 61 games across different competitions, including the Premiership, Champions Cup, Premiership Rugby Cup, and Challenge Cup. In the Premiership alone, he started 30 of 48 appearances and secured seven tries. During the 2022-2023 season, Stokes scored three tries in 15 appearances, with eight of those being starts.
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