The Utah Warriors signed USA Eagles XVs and 7s international Mike Te’o for the 2021 Major League Rugby season. The 27-year-old fullback/wing is 5’9″ and 205 lbs.
Mikey captained the Rhino at the 2020 World Tens Series in Bermuda in November. He signed with the San Diego Legion while continuing with his Eagles Sevens residency in 2020, He started in the opening match for the Legion, his only match of the season. He then signed with the London Scottish in the RFU Championship league, however, once arriving in the United Kingdom the season was suspended prior to him seeing rugby match action.
During 2019, Mikey started 13 matches after returning from 12-months of rehabilitation following an ACL injury sustained in the opening match of the 2018 season. In 2019 he would play 1004 minutes in 13 match, scoring 8 tries. He carried the ball 103 times for 1121 meters, made 5 linebreaks, 8 tackle breaks, 19 offloads, kicked 16 times for 460 meters, and made 66 tackles. In 2018 he started once and played for 68 minutes, before his injury.
Te’o is from Long Beach, California, and graduated from Long Branch Polytechnic in 2011. While there, he played football for two years and was the defensive captain. He then switched to rugby and has developed as a talented player quickly.
Te’o has played with Belmont Shore since 2009, advancing from the U16s, U19s, to helping the club team win the USA Club Nationals 15s D1 Championship in 2012. He also held them to the Club 7s Championship and was an MVP in 7s.
Te’oalso honed his talents through Tiger Rugby in 2013-14 and for Taranaki in New Zealand in 2015. He has played rugby in the Pacific Rugby Premiership and has played professionally for the San Diego Breakers in 2016, leading the team with three tries.
USA Rugby National Team
Mike Te’o progressed through USARugby National Under-20s in helping the USA win the IRB Junior World Rugby Trophy in 2012. He debuted for the Eagles 7s team at the 2012 Gold Coast Sevens. He was a non-traveling reserve to the Australian 7s in 2014. In 2015 he was part of the bronze medal Team USA at the Pan American Games.
Te’o has also played for the Eagles 28 times, starting 22 of them and scoring 16 tries. He is Eagle 476 and debuted against Canada on Feb. 13, 2016, in Texas. His last cap was October 13, 2019, against Tonga at the 2019 Rugby World Cup, where he played in all four matches, starting twice.
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