USA Falcon and Utah Selects 7s player Havea Unufe signs with the Warriors

Salt Lake City, December 21, 2017: Head Coach Alf Daniels and the Utah Warriors sign USA Falcon and Rugby Utah Selects 7s player Havea Unufe.

“It’s a real honor for me to represent the great state of Utah,” said Unufe. “This is my home, it’s where I was raised and I hope to make our people proud. This past summer with the Rugby Utah Selects 7s was a blast, and I’m looking forward to this new opportunity with the Warriors to help build a strong platform and brotherhood.”

Unufe grew up in Provo with five brothers and one sister. Unufe’s older brother Maka is a standout performer on the USA Eagles 7s team and also played in the 2016 Rio Olympic games for Team USA.

Unufe played football as a child but was attracted to the fast pace and intensity of rugby. While in High School, Unufe started playing for the Orem Stallions and then joined the Provo Steelers.

“It’s a real honor for me to represent the great state of Utah. This is my home, it’s where I was raised and I hope to make our people proud”

In 2012 Unufe was called up to train with the College All American 7s team, and in 2016 started training with at the Chula Vista Elite Athlete Center earning a spot with the USA Falcons on their South American tour in early 2017. This summer, the 6’1, 220 lb center joined the Rugby Utah Selects squad and was a key to their success, helping them win a second Club 7s National title.

“Havea is a player with a high ceiling. He’s still young, and with his hard work ethic, will continue to grow into a phenomenal rugby player” said Warriors Head Coach, Alf Daniels. “A lot of people in the rugby community know about his brother Maka and his international 7s success, but Havea has flown under the radar. They share a lot of the same attributes: speed, size, great feet and natural rugby instincts. Havea’s got some great agility for a guy his size, so we expect him to be a handful in the midfield. He’s shown a lot of poise and character this past season with the Utah Selects 7s team and will undoubtedly be an important part of our team’s success this season.”