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Theodore McFarland (born 16 October 1995) is a Samoan professional rugby union player and former basketball player. He plays as a lock or flanker for English Premiership Rugby club Saracens and the Samoa national team.[1]
| Full name | Theodore McFarland | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 16 October 1995 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Apia, Samoa | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 115 kg (254 lb; 18 st 2 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Church College | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Basketball edit
McFarland played basketball for Samoa, including at the 2019 Pacific Games, when Samoa finished in sixth place.
Rugby union edit
McFarland started playing rugby while at school at Pesega Church College, and also represented Moamoa Rugby Club in Samoa in 2016. McFarland also competed in the Dewar Shield rugby union competition in Victoria, Australia from 2016 to 2018.[2] In 2019, McFarland was approached by ex-Samoan international rugby union player Brian Lima, then the coach of the Samoa Sevens team, to consider switching back from basketball to rugby union.[3] McFarland trained with the Samoa sevens team and subsequently signed for rugby union side Manuma Samoa soon after in 2019.[4]
McFarland signed for Saracens in August 2021,[5] and to Major League Rugby expansion side Dallas Jackals for the 2021 season, before the team delayed their entry to the league.[6]
He made his debut for Samoa in July 2021, playing two non-cap internationals against the Māori All Blacks, before winning his first cap against Tonga in the 2023 Rugby World Cup qualifiers.[7][8] He played three times in the 2021 Pacific Nations Cup, scoring a try in his first match as a starter against Tonga on 9 July.[9]
References edit
- ^ "Theo McFarland". ESPN Rugby. Retrieved 31 October 2021.
- ^ "Ultimate Rugby Bio: Theo McFarland". 5 July 2023. Retrieved 2 November 2023.
- ^ "Theo Mcfarland: "We didn't have a rugby ball so we used a Pepsi bottle filled with banana leaves"". 11 September 2022. Retrieved 2 November 2022.
- ^ "All Rugby Player: Theo McFarland". Retrieved 2 November 2023.
- ^ "Samoan international Theo McFarland signs for Saracens". Saracens. 16 August 2021. Retrieved 31 October 2021.
- ^ "Dallas signs Samoan lock Theo McFarland". Americas Rugby News. 28 July 2020. Retrieved 31 October 2021.
- ^ "Manu Samoa names 13 new caps to face Māori All Blacks, Tonga". Radio New Zealand. 28 May 2021. Retrieved 30 May 2021.
- ^ "Samoa Tonga - Rugby World Cup 2023 Qualifying". World Rugby. Retrieved 31 October 2021.
- ^ "All Rugby Player: Theo McFarland". Retrieved 2 November 2023.
External links edit
- Theo McFarland at Premiership Rugby
- Theo McFarland at ESPNscrum
- Theo McFarland at ItsRugby.co.uk
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