Mason Flesch’s Return to the Pitch After a Two-Year Break
A loose forward who stepped away from the game in his teens has re-emerged as a vital force for Canada, driven by a relentless desire to claim his place on the field.
The grass at Hanazono Rugby Stadium in Osaka is damp under the afternoon light, and Mason Flesch stands in the backrow, eyes fixed on the horizon. He is a backrow enforcer for Canada, a title earned over twenty-five Tests that places him among the most experienced starters in the squad. Yet this presence on the pitch is not the inevitable path of a lifelong athlete. It is the result of a deliberate departure and a harder, quieter return. The story of how he found his way back to the sport is etched in the physicality of his play, a testament to a journey that moved far beyond the rugby field before it came back to it.
Flesch scored two tries against the Flying Fijians, the reigning champions of the Asahi Super Dry Pacific Nations Cup. Despite a 45-29 defeat, the Canadian side fought back repeatedly, with the flanker leading the charge. His performance was a display of resilience, a physical manifestation of the grit he has cultivated over the last decade. According to GN sports/rugby (en-US), this match was a crucial moment in a season that has seen Flesch evolve from a late bloomer into a core component of the national team.
Leaving the Game Behind
The initial introduction to rugby came through his stepfather, who had spent time in Australia and saw something in the teenage Flesch. At fourteen, the sport felt strange, an unfamiliar rhythm that he agreed to try simply to see how it felt. But as his body developed slowly, the physical demands of the game felt less like a challenge and more like a barrier. By sixteen or seventeen, he had stepped away entirely, trading the muddy pitches of rugby for the mat of the wrestling room.
For two and a half years, wrestling became his primary athletic outlet. The discipline of grappling and the intensity of competition satisfied his competitive drive, but the connection to rugby never fully faded. He would still throw the ball around with his brothers, a casual gesture that kept the sport in the periphery of his life. The stepfather, who had initially sparked the interest, remained a constant influence, a quiet voice suggesting that the game was not yet finished with him.
The Call to Return
At nineteen, the phone call changed the trajectory of his life. An invitation to try out for the provincial team arrived, a direct result of his stepfather’s encouragement. Flesch made the team, and the momentum carried him forward. Soon after, a call from the Under-20s coach arrived, an opportunity that demanded a decisive response. He dropped out of college, a move that felt less like a risk and more like an embrace of a new reality. The decision to move from Ontario to Victoria was a leap into the unknown, but one taken with clear eyes.
The transition into the professional world was immediate. A stint with the Pacific Pride Academy led to a contract with the Toronto Arrows in Major League Rugby. Flesch described the environment as a natural fit, comparing his adaptation to a fish in water. This early success laid the foundation for his subsequent moves, including a transfer to the Chicago Hounds, a step that would prove to be the most transformative of his career.
Forging a New Identity
The first three years in Toronto were challenging, a period of adjustment and learning. But the move to Chicago, following the folding of the Arrows, forced a different kind of growth. Flesch arrived in a new city, a new team, and a new environment, surrounded by players he had never met. The task was clear: he had to prove his worth and make the jersey his own. He approached the challenge with a ruthless mentality, understanding that his presence meant taking a spot from someone else. This competitive fire drove him to elevate his game, turning a professional obligation into a personal mission.
The last three years in Chicago have been the best of his rugby career. The Hounds achieved a historic feat, becoming the first Major League Rugby team to complete a season undefeated. They defeated the California Legion 35-17 in the championship game, with Flesch among the try-scorers. This success was not just a team victory but a personal validation of his decision to return to the sport. The rivalry with the USA Eagles, who fielded nine players from the Chicago squad, is set to reignite in Tokyo, where Canada and the USA will meet in the third-place playoff.
