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HERRIMAN — The Utah Warriors have always prided themselves on representing Utah and the state's rugby tradition in seven seasons in Major League Rugby.
The tradition continued Wednesday afternoon, when the Warriors announced the signing of five local standouts from their own backyard following the club's Pro-ID camp over the weekend.
Four of the five signees are Utah natives, and each will join the Warriors for the upcoming 2025 season in MLR:
- Tesimale Niupulusu, front-row prop, Payson
- Mason Barker, back row, Herriman
- Tielu Sagala, wing, Herriman
- Cole Semu, center, Auckland, New Zealand
- Papa Matelau, back row, Salt Lake City
"These signings are a testament to the immense talent we have right here in Utah," said Warriors assistant coach Robbie Abel, who spearheaded the club's Pro-ID camp at the new Warriors HQ facility in Draper. "The Pro-ID camp is big for our organization and for the rugby community in this state. No other team in Major League Rugby has the capability to recruit right out of their backyard like we do, and it's because we believe in the strength of our local athletes."
A 6-foot-2, 290-pound front-row prop from Payson, Niupulusu starred locally for the Salt Lake Gladiators and Herriman Roosters club sides with a balance of strength and technical skill that made him a fan-favorite among Utah's club scene.
These guys showed what they were made of on Saturday.
— Utah Warriors Rugby (@utwarriorsrugby) October 7, 2024
Thanks again to Utah Youth Rugby for letting us come out to their Rugby 7s Championships.
Get ready Warriors Nation, it looks like there were some future Warriors out there!#ForTheNation#Rugbypic.twitter.com/7gi7JUiPhK
Barker, a 6-foot-2, 220-pound dynamic back-row player, played for Herriman High School before matriculating to the USA Rugby men's junior national team and Utah Warriors Academy. He's the younger brother of Utah Warriors alum Zak Barker.
Sagala is a 6-foot-2, 215-pound wing who prepped at Herriman High and played with Cannibals Rugby Club, where he won three rugby sevens state championships and three more in 15s before going on to play for the historically storied BYU rugby program.
Another BYU alum, Semu — who originally comes from Auckland, New Zealand — started playing rugby when he was 12 years old. The 5-foot-10, 195-pound center played for the California Grizzlies U23 side and the USA Rugby men's junior national team prior to his collegiate career, bringing significant international experience to his rookie campaign in MLR.
Matelau also came out of the Warriors Academy, a back-row player from East High who played for USA Rugby's U-18 international squad on a South America tour of test matches in Uruguay and Argentina where he showed off his high-level ability.
"We're proud to be the team that invests in homegrown talent," said Wayne Tarawhiti, general manager and director of rugby for the Utah Warriors. "These signings aren't just about building our roster — they're about showing the rugby world that Utah is a breeding ground for elite talent, and our community's dedication to the game is stronger than ever."
