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Jackson Kaka is now officially a member of the Utah Warriors. The Major League Rugby franchise confirmed on Wednesday that the 25-year-old loose forward would be joining the team for the 2018 season. It’s a move that will not invite much surprise given Kaka’s association both with BYU and Rugby Utah over the past year.
Originally from New Zealand, Kaka moved to Hawaii via Australia as a teenager but oddly enough it was basketball and American football where he excelled at Kahuku High School. He spent one season as a tight end for the BYU Cougars before swapping his shoulder pads for some rugby shorts in 2015. Kaka was a second-team Collegiate All-American selection in 2016 with an honorable mention in 2017 but more prestigious honors were still ahead.
The 1.94m (6’4″) flanker was selected to the USA Select XV team for the Americas Pacific Challenge in October, his first exposure to top level representative rugby. Kaka will now continue his rugby education under the tutelage of Warriors head coach Alf Daniels.
“Jackson is developing into a really solid player. He’s a very talented all-around athlete. He’s got good eye-hand coordination from basketball and has a toughness and work ethic from training in top college football programs.
“He’s only started to tap into his full potential. Having only played organized rugby for a few years, he’s picked up the game quickly and it’s no wonder he has caught the eye of national selectors.”
