'I Feel Like a Different Player' - RFCLA's Mikaea Wynyard Talks Time in France and MLR Return
Published on March 8, 2025 under Major League Rugby (MLR)
Rugby FC Los Angeles News Release
Mikaea Wynyard feels like a different player and person after two years in France.
Fresh from finishing high school, the lock forward from northern California moved across the country to spend the 2022 Major League Rugby season on a one-year developmental contract with the New England Free Jacks and struggled to find his way in Massachusetts.
Two and a half years down the line, Wynyard has returned to MLR to represent Rugby Football Club Los Angeles with two years of experience playing for French giants Stade Rochelais.
San Jose native Mikaea Wynyard returns to California, joining #RFCLA from next season after two years at French Rugby powerhouse @staderochelais (La Rochelle).
After departing New England, Wynyard reached out to his former high school coach, Neil Foote, who used his connections to send tape to former La Rochelle and Germany No. 8, Robert Mohr, who liked what he saw from the 6,7 ¬Â³, 120kg second row.
A week later, the USA Eagles Under-20 international and high school All-American stepped foot in La Rochelle and hardly left for the next 104 weeks.
"Going over there, getting involved with more guys my age in a full-time program, it was more focused," Wynyard said.
"I felt a lot more focus on us getting on the same page and where we need to go in order to make it up the ranks in senior-level rugby.
"It was huge developmentally for me, which was the goal. Being able to get training time with the senior side, seeing the way they do it, and just how locked they are, it was all very eye-opening for me.
"Especially as a kid from here, where rugby is not the biggest sport. You see it elsewhere and it was really cool to see. Just an unbelievable experience."
When Wynyard arrived in France, it was at a high point in the club's history.
Just weeks before, Ronan O'Gara's team had won their first European Rugby Champions Cup title and repeated the feat a season later.
Upon his arrival on France's west coast, the club, which is coached by Ireland legend Ronan O'Gara, was riding the high of their first European Rugby Champions Cup win and repeated the same feat a year later.
Home to a host of Test rugby superstars and regular contenders for silverware, it was the perfect place for the next stage of Wynyard's career.
Joining the club's espoirs side, the 21-year-old took his place in a squad comprised of the next generation of Under-23 talent that hope to establish their names in professional rugby in the years to come.
Now back on home soil Wynyard feels prepared to establish himself as a regular in Stephen Hoiles' RFCLA matchday squad.
"I feel like a completely different player," Wynyard said. "I feel that way, and I know I am that way. It's more of a confidence level thing now.
"Before, I was a decent player. I was a good player for my age here in America, but then, going to the Free Jacks, I was a small fish in a big pond.
"Going over there helped my confidence. I am still the youngest player on the team now, but I don't feel the same way.
"I have the confidence that I can make the 23, even the starting line-up, given the opportunity.
"It's funny because I am in the same situation a little bit, but now I have the confidence to make the team."
COMING HOME
Whether it was learning from Rugby World Cup-winning prop Guthrö Steenkamp or mixing it with a gnarled first team, Wynyard learned plenty from each experience he had.
But at the end of two years, it was time to come back home.
Nursing a collarbone injury upon his return to northern California, Wynyard completed his rehabilitation alone and reached out to Neil Foote again to help with the next stage of his career.
After speaking to several MLR clubs, the prospect of playing in California ultimately appealed most to the 21-year-old thanks to the ability to call on the experiences of coaches who have played at the top level.
"Adam (Freier, RFCLA's club president) had a really good sales pitch," Wynyard said.
"He mentioned Dave Dennis and how he was going to be the forwards coach, being a lock and having the career that he had. That was pretty convincing.
"I ended up messaging Will Skelton (La Rochelle lock) asking, and he said Dave would be a good person to have as a coach and mentor. That was pretty convincing."
Like during his time in La Rochelle, Wynyard is surrounded by players he has admired for much of his life.
In Europe, those players were Australia lock Will Skelton, former All Black Tawera Kerr-Barlow, and Fiji's Levani Botia, while memories of Los Angeles' dual-national playmaker Christian Leali'ifano at the past two Rugby World Cups and Semi Kunatani's 2016 Olympic Gold medal are fresh in the memory.
Thanks to his New Zealander father, Michael, Wynyard grew up hooked on rugby.
First introduced to the sport at Silicon Valley Rugby Club at the age of five, the bruising forward is now able to play professionally in his home state and in front of his loved ones.
"Rugby was the first sport that I played," Wynyard said. "I think I was put into a touch U6 team at the age of five, so I've been playing as long as I've known sport.
"My dad played and coached when I was growing up and he was really good to not just center me around rugby.
"He just wanted my younger sister and me to be active, whether it was rugby or not.
"I played everything growing up. I have gotten many opportunities through rugby, so I ran with it.
"I have a lot of family here on the West Coast, and it's nice to be close to them. Hopefully, I will get them to a few games this year."
TAKING ON 2025
After their first two outings in 2025, RFCLA is yet to win.
Losses to the New England Free Jacks and Houston SaberCats mean the Californians still have work to do.
After the arrival of a whole new coaching group during the offseason, the team hopes their Cali Cup encounter with an unbeaten San Diego Legion team can provide a maiden win for the campaign.
Coming into the fixture fresh from a bye week and with more time to hone their game plan, there is hope that RFCLA can take plenty of promise and turn it into tangible results.
"A common word we have heard is 'potential'," Wynyard said. "I think the biggest thing is to find the right chemistry. It's there, but just to be able to do it the entire game.
"I feel it's a rhythm thing. We got knocked off our rhythm. We just need to find that flow. Constant flow."
Wynyard got his first minutes in LA colors in the 45-28 loss to the SaberCats at Wallis Annenberg almost a fortnight ago.
As the league hits Week 4, the 21-year-old believes that anything is still possible for the club.
"Winning from here on out and success from here on out and that Shield, for sure, if the goal," Wynyard said.
"For me, my goal is to play as much as I possibly can. I'm just bringing that physicality around the breakdown for the front-row scrumming and at the lineouts.
"I have always been a physical player, so whether it is smashing a breakdown or breaking the line, positive tackles and show that side of my game."
Watch RFCLA take on San Diego Legion in the Cali Cup this weekend on ESPN+
Written by Joe Harvey
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