The Houston SaberCats re-signed Malacchi Esdale for the 2020 Major League Rugby season. The 24-year-old wing/center is 6’2″, and 210 lbs.
During the 2019 MLR season, Malacchi played 1160 minutes in 15 matches and scored 4 tries. He carried 95 times for 915 meters, had 11 line breaks, 8 tackle breaks, 9 offloads and made 89 tackles.
Malacchi is originally from Newark, DE and then moved to Naples, Florida where he attended Naples High School until graduating in 2013. While in high school he was a versatile athlete. He played wide receiver in football and achieved national recognition. He also played basketball and was a sprinter and high jumper in track. While in high school, he began playing rugby with the Naples Bears Rugby Club.
After graduating in 2013, he attended ASA Junior College Football where he played safety in football. He then transferred to the University of Miami and later to the University of Central Florida where he continued to play safety for the football teams.
Malacchi also played rugby with the Orlando Griffins, as a center, most recently in 2017 prior to signing with the Houston SaberCats in August 2017. He played wing the SaberCats during the 2018 major League Rugby season with occasional appearances at outside center.
Malacchi’s athletic prowess and speed have made him a scoring threat for the SaberCats. While in high school, his 40-yard dash was 4.77 seconds and his verticle leap was 30 inches according to ESPN. While these stats are dated, he is one of the fastest players in the League and will place MLR teams under pressure during the 2019 season.
Other Articles
DJCoil Rugby articles by Doug Coil are also available on Facebook. Other Social Media sites to follow or subscribe include Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube for interviews.
