Interview by Paul Salfen
In this interview, Paul and Noah discuss the growing popularity of Rugby in the US and 
Noah’s personal journey with the sport, from playing in school to becoming a professional player. They talk about Noah’s experiences in professional rugby, including his challenges and successes, as well as his decision to join the Major League Rugby. The conversation also touched on the importance of a success mindset, Noah’s future aspirations in rugby, and his desire to inspire younger generations to play and grow the sport.
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They also discuss the growing popularity of Rugby in the US, particularly in Chicago and Dallas. Noah attributes the sport’s appeal to its exciting and physical nature, making it a suitable alternative for football fans during off-seasons. He also shared his personal journey with Rugby, starting to play in 8th grade and realizing his passion for it during his time at Western Michigan University.
The Chicago Hounds selected Noah Brown in the first round of the 2023 Major League Rugby Collegiate Draft. The Hounds drafted the Indiana Hoosier wing with the fourth overall pick as the first draft pick in the history of the franchise.
It didn’t take long for Brown to make a name for himself in MLR. As a rookie last season, the Hoosier started seven of his 13 appearances and played a total of 713 minutes. He made his debut against Old Glory in week three, coming off the bench as a substitute.
Brown got his first taste of significant action the following week against the New England Free Jacks. Brown parlayed the impressive showing against New England into his first MLR start against the Seattle Seawolves in week five. Against Seattle, the wing lit up Dawg Town with a pair of first-half tries, and a potential superstar was unearthed.
He finished his rookie year with 43 carries for 523 meters (12.1 MPC) and scored four tries in the process. Brown beat 28 defenders on those carries and registered four clean line breaks. He was equally as impressive on defense- completing 48 of his 53 tackle attempts. Brown also displayed a knack for winning back possession, finishing the season with five defensive turnovers won.
This past summer, Brown made his senior test debut for the US National team in a win over Spain.
The speedster began playing rugby at perennial powerhouse Penn High School. After graduating in 2019, Brown continued his career at Indiana University. He was a mainstay for both the 7s and 15s programs throughout his Hoosier career.
Throughout college, Brown was also a mainstay for the Chicago Lions’ 7s program, where he suited up during his summers spent away from campus. His combination of size and blazing speed immediately became an asset for the Lions and in 2021, Brown helped the club win a 7s National Championship.
His standout performances on the club circuit, coupled with dominant performances in college 7s tournaments, did not go unnoticed. Brown earned an invite to the USA 7s High Performance Camp in 2022. Later that year, he was named Captain of the Under-23 USA 7s team. Finally, Brown made his senior 7s debut at the iconic Hong Kong 7s tournamen
