Canadian rugby international Mason Flesch has signed with the Newcastle Red Bulls of England’s top-tier Premiership Rugby. The 26-year-old back-five forward from Cobourg, Ontario, committed to the club through the end of the 2026–27 season. This marks a major milestone, as he is the first Canadian men’s international player to join a Premiership Rugby division club in seven years, following in the footsteps of Evan Olmstead who last suited up for Newcastle in 2019.
Following a quick recruitment process initiated by Head of Rugby Recruitment and Analytics Gavin Vaughan, Flesch arrived on Tyneside days after the initial call to tour Kingston Park, expressing pride in representing Canadian players in Europe.
He joins Newcastle Red Bulls with a strong pedigree after an undefeated Major League Rugby (MLR) season with the Chicago Hounds—including a try in the final. His clinical finishing extends to the international stage, where he has delivered stellar performances for Canada; this includes a crucial, timely try under pressure against Zimbabwe at the end of the first half, alongside multiple-try displays in the Pacific Nations Cup against Fiji and the USA.
With the addition of Mason Flesch, the Newcastle Red Bulls continue to cultivate a strong core of international talent from the Americas within their matchday squad. Alongside their new Canadian recruit, the Tyneside club features a heavy Argentine presence including livewire scrum-half Simón Benítez Cruz, versatile utility back Benjamín Elizalde, and the powerful tighthead prop Francisco Moreno. These additions—complemented by established Los Pumas lock Franco Molina—give the Red Bulls a distinctly physical, pan-American edge across both their forward pack and backline rotations.
The transfer serves as preparation for the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia, with Flesch noting that the professional environment will optimize his physical conditioning ahead of Canada’s Pool C campaign against Argentina, Fiji, and Spain.
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