The Dallas Jackals re-signed Eric Naposki-Abdalah for the 2023 Major League Rugby season. He was drafted #1 overall by the Jackals in the 2021 MLR Collegiate Draft. The 23-year-old wing/fullback (24 in April) is 6’0″ and 190 lbs.
Eric played 710 minutes in 10 starts and scored 3 tries for the Dallas Jackals in 2022. He played for White Plains RFC in the Fall American Rugby Premiership.
Eric is from Monroe, Connecticut, and attended Masuk High School, graduating in 2017. He played soccer and rugby in high school and was named to the USA Boys High School All-Americans.
He then went to UCLA and earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics in 2021. He won numerous collegiate rugby honors as a 4-year starter in both 7s and 15s for UCLA, including the Pac 12 All-Conference Team, being invited to multiple Collegiate All-American 15s camps, and was on the Collegiate All-American 7s team.
In 2019 Eric was selected for the USA Falcon’s 7s tour of Uruguay and Chile. He played for the Ramblin Jesters 7s several times, including Rugby Town, Dubai 7s, and the UK Super Series Championship. He also played for Old Blue Rugby 7s, most recently at the USA Club 7s 2021 Nationals.
Eric was a starter for the World Tens Series for the Rhinos in Bermuda in 2020 and was named to the World Tens Series Dream Team. He also was a starter on the LA Giltinis Academy and for Rugby New York’s U23s side. He also played for the Hartford Harpooners.
Recently, Eric was selected for the USA Men’s Select XVs side in America’s Pacific Challenge in Montevideo, Uruguay and played for the USA Falcons in Uruguay in 2022.
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