CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA — Will Sherman, a 22-year-old second-row forward selected as the No. 1 pick by Anthem Rugby Carolina in the Major League Rugby draft, recorded 19 tackles in his MLR debut as the Charlotte, North Carolina-based team defeated California Legion. The win snapped a 32-game losing streak for Anthem, which had lost all 32 matches across its first two seasons in the league.

Sherman was on the field for approximately 50 minutes during the match and spent about 10 minutes off the field after receiving a yellow card for persistent infringements. Despite the time in the sin bin, the 6-ft-4 forward — who can also play flanker — recorded a team-high tackle count as the franchise secured its first-ever victory in MLR.

"I don't know if it was as much of a match-up as they were making it out to be," Sherman said after the match.

Sherman's rugby background stretches back to age eight, when he began playing for a kids' team in Salt Lake City coached by his father. He went on to play at East High School in Salt Lake City, Utah, before attending the University of California, Los Angeles, where he played for the UCLA Bruins rugby club. His college teammates gave him the nickname "Wreck-It Will."

Sherman's path to the MLR draft also included international experience. He participated in the U.S. under-23 rugby tour to South Africa, a place he secured with coaching help from Harry Bennett. Sherman also made three appearances for Randwick, a rugby club based in Sydney, Australia. In one second-grade match for Randwick, he recorded 36 tackles.

Anthem is led by head coach Agustin Cavalieri, an Argentinian and former professional second-row forward. The team receives support from World Rugby as part of efforts to develop American talent ahead of the 2031 Rugby World Cup. The franchise entered the current season having never won a match since joining the league, a drought that ended with the victory over California Legion.

MLR consisted of six teams following contraction during the offseason. Sherman's selection as the top overall draft pick placed him at the center of the franchise's roster, and his 19-tackle debut coincided with the team's first win.