The Dallas Jackals signed Theo McFarland for the 2021 Major League Rugby season. The 24-year-old lock (25 in October) is 6’6″ and 250 lbs.
Theo grew up in Moamoa, Apia, Samoa, and excelled at basketball. He later began playing rugby while at Church College Pesega after being inspired by his older brother Heine, who played flyhalf and was considered the best rugby player at Pesege College and in their village.
He played club rugby for Moamoa Rugby Club in Samoa before traveling to Victoria, Australia for the Dewar Shield rugby union competition from 2016 through 2018.
In 2018 he returned to Apia and played with the Savai’i Vikings, playing in the Super 9 competition in 2018 and 2019. He also represented Samoa in basketball in 2018-2020 in multiple international tournaments. The team advanced to the final of the FIBA Polynesian Cup in 2018. Playing at the center, he also was a key contributor and captain in the 2019 Pacific Games.
Theo also played rugby for Manuma Samoa in the Global Rapid Rugby international rugby union competition. That was quite an experience as the team left on 23 February 2020 and was unable to return home for over 100 days due to COVID-19 restrictions, quarantines, and the closing of borders.
