The Utah Warriors have added some international experience to their backline. New US Eagles cap Gannon Moore will join the side for the 2019 Major League Rugby season. The 28-year-old made his test debut against Samoa on the wing but has previously played largely as a center. It’s in the midfield where he is looks set to play for Utah.
A relatively late bloomer for an outside back, Moore was a standout football player at collegiate level with Southwest Minnesota State and attended an NFL combine but did not ultimately turn pro in gridiron. After playing for the Kansas City Blues he joined Silverdale in New Zealand. Moore would play four games as a flanker with the Denver Stampede in 2016 before returning to New Zealand, where he earned provincial recognition with the Northland development side.
Moore joins a backs division that already boasts a number of standouts including Tongan international Fetu’u Vainikolo, Eagles winger Josh Whippy, and MLR’s leading try-scorer in the 2018 season Tonata Lauti. Another Eagles cap has also joined the team at training. BYU graduate Calvin Whiting looks set to play after lining up with the Rugby Americas Selects against the Glendale Raptors in October.