| Full name | Joseph Soosemea Taufeteʻe | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | October 4, 1992 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Nuʻuuli, American Samoa | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) [1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 266 lb (121 kg; 19 st 0 lb) [1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Vallejo High School Garden Grove High School | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| College football career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Santa Ana College Dons–No. 32 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Defensive tackle | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| College |
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Joseph Soosemea Taufeteʻe (born October 4, 1992) [1] is an American rugby union player who plays as a hooker and prop for the Houston SaberCats in Major League Rugby (MLR). A converted American football player, Taufeteʻe has also previously represented the United States by serving as captain of the USA Selects. He also plays for the United States national team.
He previously played for LA Giltinis in Major League Rugby, Lyon OU in France's Top 14, Worcester Warriors and Leicester Tigers in Premiership Rugby and the San Diego Breakers in PRO Rugby.
Joe Taufeteʻe was born on October 4, 1992 [1] in Nuʻuuli, American Samoa [2] and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area [3] after moving with his family to California at the age of five. [2] Of Samoan descent, Taufeteʻe played American football as a youth and aspired to playing in the NFL. [3] Taufeteʻe attended Santa Ana College in Santa Ana, California and played at defensive tackle for school's football team during the 2010 and 2011 seasons. [3] [4] Taufeteʻe earned multiple All-Conference honors during his time with the team, [4] but an ACL injury ended his aspirations of furthering his career in football. [3]
Taufete'e began playing rugby with the Belmont Shore U-19 team while studying and playing American football at Santa Ana Community College. [5] He then went to New Zealand to develop his rugby skills.
In early 2016, Taufete'e was signed to a professional contract by the San Diego Breakers. In December 2016, Taufete'e signed a contract to the Worcester Warriors in the English Premiership. [6]
On 26 February 2020, Taufete signed for French side Lyon in the Top 14 ahead of the 2020–21 season. [7] In March 2022, following the birth of his child in California, Taufete’e was granted release from Lyon and was subsequently signed by the LA Giltinis. [8]
In August 2022 Taufete'e signed for Leicester Tigers in England's Premiership Rugby. [9] Head coach Steve Borthwick described Taufete'e as "a powerful player, in attack and defence". [9] He made his debut on 18 September 2022 as a replacement in a 36-21 win over Newcastle Falcons at Welford Road. He featured 5 times before leaving Tigers in April 2023 to join Houston SaberCats.
The uncapped Taufete'e was a surprise inclusion in the U.S. squad for the 2015 Rugby World Cup. [5] Taufete'e debuted for the United States at the 2015 Rugby World Cup against South Africa. [10] He also played for the U.S. at the 2016, 2017, and 2019 Americas Rugby Championships. The USA star has made 22 appearances for the Eagles, scoring 20 tries. This surpasses former Ireland great Keith Wood, a hooker, for the most international tries by any player in the tight five (i.e., either a hooker, prop, or lock). [11]
Keith Wood is an Irish former rugby union player who played as a hooker at international level for Ireland, and the British & Irish Lions. He also played at club level for Garryowen, Harlequins and Munster. He was nicknamed 'The Raging Potato' because of his bald head, and as 'Uncle Fester' due to his resemblance to the character in The Addams Family. Wood is considered by many to have been the best hooker in rugby union during his era, winning the inaugural World Rugby Player of the Year award, and to be among the best hookers in the history of the game.
Paul Emerick is the head coach of the American Raptors in Glendale, Colorado. He was the defense and skills coach and the 2019 interim head coach for the Houston SaberCats of Major League Rugby. He was a former USA international rugby player. He played centre, fullback or wing for the USA Eagles. Last played professionally for London Wasps.
Aleki Lutui in Tofoa, Tonga, is a Tongan rugby union international player. His position is hooker. He is currently playing club rugby for Ampthill in RFU Championship.
The Chuckanut Bay Geoducks is a member of the Pacific Northwest Rugby Football Union and the Fraser Valley Rugby Union located in Bellingham, Washington.
Takudzwa Ngwenya is a former rugby union player who played on the wing for the United States national rugby union team and Biarritz Olympique in the Top 14. He made his mark in the 2007 Rugby World Cup with tries against South Africa and Samoa.
Todd Stanger Clever is an American retired rugby union player. He became the first American to play Super Rugby. At the international level, he was a member of the United States national team, served as captain, and is the most capped player in United States rugby union history.
Chris Wyles is a former American-English rugby union player. Until his retirement from international rugby in January 2016, Wyles had represented the United States in three World Cups. He was the USA Eagles Captain in the 2015 World Cup. In the 2007/2008 and 2008/2009 season, he was Captain of the USA National Sevens team, a core team in the World Rugby Sevens series. In 2015, he was selected for the USA Olympic team to compete in the Sevens rugby event at the Rio Olympic Games.
Vaea Naufahu Anitoni is an American former rugby union player who played wing. Anitoni is the all-time leading try scorer for the U.S. national team. Anitoni played for the United States national team from 1992 to 2000. During that period, Anitoni played in 46 matches, starting 44, and scored 26 tries, a record which still stands today.
William John E. Hooley is a former rugby union player who played fly-half for the San Diego Legion in Major League Rugby (MLR) and the United States.
Hanco Jacobus Germishuys is a South African born American rugby union player who plays as a flanker for the Houston SaberCats in Major League Rugby (MLR) and for the United States national rugby union team internationally.
Paul Mullen is an Irish-American rugby union player who plays prop for the Utah Warriors of Major League Rugby (MLR) and the United States men's national team. Mullen previously played for the Houston SaberCats, the San Diego Legion and the Newcastle Falcons.
Huluholo Etueni Lopeti Moungaloa is a rugby union player who plays prop for the Utah Warriors in Major League Rugby (MLR). He also plays for the United States men's national team.
Gannon Moore is an American rugby union player who plays for the United States men's national team and the Utah Warriors in Major League Rugby (MLR).
David Faimafiliotamaʻitaʻi Ainuʻu is a rugby union player who plays as a prop for Toulouse in France's Top14 and for the United States men's national team. Ainuʻu has also represented the United States with multiple age-grade sides—including the United States national under-20 rugby union team.
Kapeli Pifeleti is a rugby union player who plays as a hooker and prop for Saracens in Premiership Rugby and the United States national team. Born in Tonga, Pifeleti has also represented the United States with the USA Selects and England with the England national under-18 team.
Nicklas Swain Boyer is an American rugby union player who plays as a scrum-half for the San Diego Legion of Major League Rugby (MLR) and the United States men's national team.
Tom Horton is an Australian rugby union player for Western Force, based in Perth, Australia, who play in Super Rugby. He has previously played for the NSW Waratahs in Super Rugby and for Leicester Tigers in England's Premiership Rugby. His playing position is hooker. He has signed to the Waratahs squad for the 2020 season.
