San Diego Legion re-signed Psalm Wooching for the 20120 Major League Rugby season. The Hawaii native is 25-years-old (26 just prior to the 2020 season), 6’3″, and 235 pounds.
Psalm Fa’afosia Pulemagafa Wooching is from Kailua-Kona, Hawaii and is of Samoan descent. He attended Kealakehe High School through his graduation in 2012, played rugby with the Kona Bulls from 2006-2012, and participated in a rugby training camp in New Zealand in 2011.
While in high school he also began playing football as a linebacker and running back, helping the Waveriders win the BIIF Division 1 title his senior year, rushing for 250 yards and three TDs in a win over Keaau. In his Junior year, he named all-conference and was a finalist for conference player of the year. He also was a sprinter on the track team and a member of the basketball team. Psalm also maintained cultural dance traditions while working at luaus.
Psalm attended the University of Washington on a football scholarship from 2012-2016. He initially played fullback and defensive end before switching to outside linebacker. The team played in the 2015 Heart of Dallas Bowl and in the 2016 Peach Bowl, the semi-final playoff against Alabama. In 2016 he was named as an Honorable Mention to the All-Pac 12 Conference team and as an Honorable Mention Academic All Pac 12 Conference team.
Psalm also played club rugby for the Seattle Saracens in the CDI Premier League in 2016-2017. Prior to the NFL draft, he announced that he had chosen rugby over football, sending shock waves throughout the world.
By April 2017, he had a try out with Pau in France and in May a trial with the Harlequins. He then played with the Hong Kong Scottish 10s as a hooker.
USA National Team
Psalm was also on the national team radar. He was invited to a USA 7s training camp. He played in the 2017 and the 2018 Americas Pacific Challenge for the USA Selects and made his Eagles debut in the 2018 Americas Rugby Championship against Chile on February 17. Eagle 519 has 4 caps and also played against Brazil and Uruguay in the ARC and against Samoa at San Sebastian, Nov 10, 2018.
Psalm also intended to play professionally for Rugby Viadana in the Italian Excellenza for the 2018-2019 season, but the contract was mutually voided. That has provided an opportunity to play MLR rugby for the San Diego Legion in 2019.
San Diego Legion 2019 Comments
“Psalm Wooching is the stuff of nightmares for defenders, as his punishing runs saw his rapid selection for the USA Eagles. Off the pitch, his reliability as a teammate and role model makes him a welcome addition to the Legion family.”
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