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Charlie Abel leaves Chicago and stays at Oyonnax until at least February

10 Nov 2026 · Life Abroad

Charlie Abel will not be back in Chicago. The Chicago Hounds confirmed on 9 November that the prop has signed with Oyonnax Rugby in France and will not return for the 2027 Major League Rugby season.

Abel is 34 and an Australian native. He spent a season with CS Beaune in France in 2016-17, played in the Shute Shield and had a season of NRC with the NSW Country Eagles, then signed with the Melbourne Rebels for Super Rugby Australia. He spent six seasons in MLR with the LA Giltinis and the Hounds. This year he made First-Team All-MLR and won the title in Chicago's unbeaten season. Oyonnax's August announcement said he also became an American international this summer, with two matches for the USA.

His route into Oyonnax was not a long contract. The club brought him in over the summer as a medical replacement for injured prop Ali Oz. In late October it kept him on as an extra squad player until at least February, with manager Fabien Cibray saying the club will decide then whether he stays.

The terms of the deal have not been reported.

What it means for the move

This is life abroad on a rolling basis: a third country, a short deal and a decision point a few months away. That makes the setup harder to plan. A lease, a phone contract and a bank account all assume you know how long you are staying.

Sources