Pelé came to the North American Soccer League in the 1970s and was followed by a who’s-who of veterans. Major League Soccer has brought over big names like David Beckham, Thierry Henry and Zlatan Ibrahimovic in the twilight of their careers. Ichiro Suzuki and Shohei Ohtani joined Major League Baseball in their prime. Now the fledgling Major League Rugby seems to be heading down a similar path with the arrival of a foreign superstar: Mathieu Bastareaud, a 30-year-old French stalwart, will join Rugby United New York, which is playing its first season. Major League Rugby entered the crowded North American sports landscape last year, with the New York team joining before the second season.

Source: International New York Times April 29, 2019 17:26 UTC