Marcus Satavu

Marcus Epi Satavu (born 22 November 1988) is an American rugby union player. He is of Fijian descent and has played senior level rugby with such teams as OMBAC, Mystic River and most recently, New Haven RFC. He has represented the United States playing rugby sevens, making his USA 7s debut at the Tokyo Sevens during the 2013–14 IRB Sevens World Series.[1]

Marcus Satavu
Birth nameMarcus Epi Satavu
Date of birth (1988-11-22) November 22, 1988
Place of birthPortland, Oregon, United States
Height1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Weight100 kg (220 lb; 16 st)
UniversitySouthern Connecticut State University
Rugby union career
Position(s) Outside centre, Wing
Amateur team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
2007–2014
2014
2015
2015–2016		 US Air Force
OMBAC Rugby
Hartford Wanderers
Mystic River
New Haven RFC		 ()
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2019- Rugby United New York ()
National sevens team(s)
Years Team Comps
2012–2014 USA 7s 2

Early life and career

Satavu was born in Oregon to Fijian parents but raised in Sunnyvale, California. He attended Fred C. Beyer High School in Modesto and graduated in 2007. Shortly after graduation, he joined the United States Air Force. As a child, Satavu spent several years in his parents native Sigatoka, Fiji, where he developed a passion for the sport of rugby.[2] This passion, led to him earning a spot on the Air Force rugby team (also known as the Falcons) after trying out in 2011 while serving with the 337th Air Control Squadron at Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida.[3] In his first year on the Falcons squad, Satavu helped his team to their 8th consecutive Armed Forces championship. Satavu's skill throughout the tournament did not go unnoticed, and earned him an honorable mention for the All-Tournament Team.[4] In Later that year, Satavu was named to the United States Combined Services Rugby Team which played against a select side from New Zealand in Washington, D.C.[3] In 2012, he was named to the Atlantis Sevens team, which acted as developmental side, representing the United States at the Victoria International 7s Tournament in British Columbia.[5]

USA Sevens and later club career

In January 2014, Satavu earned a spot in the Air Force World Class Athlete Program (WCAP) and an invitation to the USA Rugby developmental camp. He was one of five WCAP players to be named to the USA Eagles 7s residency squad in Chula Vista, California in preparation for the 2013–14 IRB Sevens World Series.[6]

Satavu made his USA 7s debut against Fiji in the 2014 Japan Sevens that March, seeing playing in five of the USA's matches in that series, including USA's 12–17 loss to Australia in the plate final.. The following week he made his second tournament appearance with the Eagles in Hong Kong, garnering another 5 matches.[7]

In June 2014, he was named to the OMBAC 7s roster, competing as San Diego in the Elite City 7s Series in Houston, helping his club reach the finals but losing to tournament favorites, Seattle.[8][9] Satavu continued playing rugby after leaving the military and relocating to Connecticut. There he played for fifteens for local club Hartford and played in the high performance sevens circuit with the CT Bulldogs.[10] In August 2014, Savatu was named to the Stars Rugby 7s invitational touring squad for the Tobago International Rugby 7s Tournament and would make several more appearances with the Stars over the next few years.[11] Later that month he was again called upon by USA Rugby and was named to the developmental USA Falcons for the 2014 Serevi RugbyTown Sevens.[12] In 2015, Satavu joined Mystic River sevens squad, helping them to a bronze medal at the 2015 USA Rugby Club 7s (USARC7).[13]

Rugby league career

Satavu also played rugby league with the Brooklyn Kings in the USARL during their 2016 season and was selected to represent the Northern Conference in the North vs. South All-Star Game that October. The following month, Satavu was given the opportunity to compete for a spot on the Rugby Football League's Toronto Wolfpack and made the final round of selections.[14] That December, he traveled to United Kingdom as 1 of 10 Americans to join the team at training camp and compete for one of five roster spots.[15] Later that month, Satavu started at Centre for the Toronto Wolfpack RLFC Trialists in a match against the Brighouse Rangers RFC but would not make the final selections.[16]

References
  1. Staff (March 14, 2014). "Isles out as USA name squad for Tokyo Sevens". Fiji Television. Retrieved May 6, 2017.
  2. Elsea, Rachelle (February 23, 2012). "Rugby Airman possible Olympian". Tyndall Air Force Base News. Retrieved May 6, 2017.
  3. Osborne, Sandra (April 4, 2012). "Local Airman Sets Eyes Upon Olympics". WJHG-TV. Retrieved May 6, 2017.
  4. Goff, Alex (September 11, 2011). "Air Force Claims 8th Straight Armed Forces Title". Rugby Today. Retrieved May 6, 2017.
  5. Smith, Andrew (July 15, 2012). "Victoria International 7s 2012". BC Rugby News. Retrieved May 6, 2017.
  6. Young, Wendy (January 10, 2014). "Eagles Sevens Residency squads for 2014 announced at Olympic Training Center". YSC Rugby. Retrieved May 6, 2017.
  7. "Play Profile: Marcus Satavu". www.scoresway.com. Retrieved May 6, 2017.
  8. Clifton, Pat (June 5, 2014). "Player Elite City 7s Rosters". Rugby Today. Retrieved May 6, 2017.
  9. Wise, Chad (June 9, 2014). "Seattle win Elite City Sevens in Houston and qualify for World Club 7s at Twickenham in August". Ultimate Rugby Sevens. Retrieved May 6, 2017.
  10. Feury, Jake (June 12, 2014). "Summer 7s Scouting Report: New Haven Bulldogs". Rugby Today Magazine. Retrieved May 6, 2017.
  11. Curtis, Reed (December 11, 2014). "Stars, Northeast ODA Seeking Tobago 7s Title". www.thisisamericanrugby.com. Retrieved May 8, 2017.
  12. Wise, Chad (August 11, 2014). "Serevi RugbyTown Sevens rosters announced for AIG MCAAS Falcons Hawks". USA Rugby. Retrieved May 6, 2017.
  13. Staff (August 2015). "Team finishes third in national championship". wickedlocal.com (Malden). Retrieved May 6, 2017.
  14. Wise, Chad (November 30, 2016). "Elkins, Satavu Among Americans Trying Out For Wolfpack". www.thisisamericanrugby.com. Retrieved May 8, 2017.
  15. Staff (December 1, 2016). "10 USA players added to Toronto Wolfpack training camp". USARL. Retrieved May 8, 2017.
  16. Marshall, Bill (December 21, 2016). "Toronto Wolfpack trialists take spoils with late winner at their UK base of Brighouse Rangers". Telegraph & Argus. Retrieved May 8, 2017.
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