Mike Te'o

Michael Paseka Te'o (born July 23, 1993) is an American professional rugby player who plays for San Diego Legion of Major League Rugby (MLR). He also represents the America as a member of the United States national rugby union team.

Mike Te'o
Full nameMichael Paseka Te'o
Date of birth (1993-07-23) July 23, 1993
Place of birthLong Beach, California, U.S.
Height5 ft 8 in (173 cm)
Weight205 lb (93 kg)
SchoolLong Beach Polytechnic High School
SpouseClara Pugmire (m. 2020)
Rugby union career
Position(s) Wing, Fullback
Current team London Scottish
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2016 San Diego Breakers 10 (30)
2018–2020 San Diego Legion 15 (40)
2020 London Scottish 0 (0)
2021–2022 Utah Warriors 23 (67)
2023– San Diego Legion 18 (30)
Correct as of 7 August 2023[1]
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2012–2013 United States U20 6 (15)
2016– United States 30 (80)
2016 USA Selects 3 (5)
Correct as of 10 July 2021
National sevens team(s)
Years Team Comps
2012–2017 United States 11
Correct as of 21 May 2017

He previously played for London Scottish in the RFU Championship England's second tier competition.

Te'o debuted for the U.S. at the 2016 Americas Rugby Championship, playing mostly at scrum-half, but also at fullback.[2]

Early career

As a youth, Te'o grew up in Long Beach, California. He played American football for the Long Beach Polytechnic football team in addition to rugby.

Te'o was a member of the United States national under-20 rugby union team that won the 2012 IRB Junior World Rugby Trophy.

Professional rugby career

Te'o has also played for the United States national rugby sevens team, debuting at the 2012 Gold Coast Sevens during the 2012-13 World Rugby Sevens Series. Te'o was later named as a non-traveling reserve for the U.S. sevens squad for the 2014 Australia Sevens.[3] Te'o played for the U.S. sevens team in the 2015 Pan American games.[4]

Before signing with the San Diego Breakers in the short-lived PRO Rugby, Te'o played for Belmont Shore in Long Beach, California in both 15s and sevens. With Belmont Shore he won the 2012 15s National Championship, the Club 7's National Championship, and was named 7's tournament MVP.[5] He has also played with the Taranaki Development program in New Zealand.[6]

Te’o signed with London Scottish ahead of the 2020–21 season, but never played a match as the season was suspended due to the pandemic.[7][8] The Utah Warriors signed USA Mike Te’o for the 2021 Major League Rugby season.[9] Te'o was traded back to the San Diego Legion in September 2022 for the 2023 Major League Rugby season.[10]

References
  1. "Mike TE'O, Full back". ITS Rugby. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
  2. "More Changes As Eagles Face Chile", This Is American Rugby, February 19, 2016.
  3. "Hughes Leads Eagles 7s to Gold Coast", Goff Rugby Report, September 27, 2014.
  4. "Eagles Roster set for Pan Am Games", Rugby Today, Brett Anker, July 2, 2015.
  5. "BELMONT SHORE REPEATS 7s TITLE", USA Rugby, Jarrod Beckstrom, August 5, 2012.
  6. "20 Domestic Players to Benefit from PRO Rugby", Americas Rugby News, November 12, 2015.
  7. "Mike Te'o's season ends at London Scottish before it starts". therugbypaper. Retrieved 31 March 2020.
  8. "Mike Te'o joins London Scottish". London Scottish Rugby. 2020-03-12. Retrieved 2020-06-18.
  9. "Utah Warriors Signs Mike Te'o". djcoilrugby. Retrieved 7 December 2020.
  10. "Mikey Te'o Returns to San Diego in Utah Trade". Americas Rugby News. Retrieved September 14, 2022.
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