Aidan Ridgeway Returns for Second Shot at Rookie Season

By Alistair Kirsch-Poole
Jan 21, 2026 - 4:30pm

Old Glory DC has re-signed young US-eligible South African Aidan Ridgeway for 2026. After growing up in South Africa, he came to the US to attand Arkansas State University. He played both fifteens and sevens rugby there, and also played for the Austin Huns and for the Gorillas in Texas.

He was drafted in the second round of the 2024 MLR Draft by Old Glory with the 15th overall pick. The draft class that year was relatively large with four players selected, but with the others finishing school Ridgeway was the only one expected to play in the 2025 season. Unfortunately, visa issues, the all-too-familiar foe of MLR signings, cropped up and prevented him from actually debuting last season.

Despite being delayed by a year, though, he will get his rookie season in 2026. His primary position is scrumhalf, where Connor Buckley is expected to be the unquestioned starter. Ridgeway, therefore, will likely spend his time competing with John Lefevre to be the number two option, coming off the bench or replacing him in case of injury. While on the one hand the coaches seem to think highly of him as a player, he is also a rookie and will have to prove himself against more experienced competition.

A wrinkle here, though, is his potential as a flyhalf, a position that he has experience with and which the Old Glory staff have brought up before. While he's certainly not going to oust Jason Robertson, we could see him get some spot minutes there to test his potential.