Jump to content

Thretton Palamo

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Thretton Palamo
Date of birth(1988-09-22)September 22, 1988(age 35)
Place of birthWoodland, California
Height6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Weight255 lb (18 st 3 lb; 116 kg)
Notable relative(s)Arona Palamo (father)
Rugby union career
Position(s) Centre
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2008–2009
2014–2016
2015–2016
2016–2018
2017
2019–
2019		 Biarritz
Saracens
→London Welsh(loan)
Bristol
→Dragons(loan)
Old Glory DC
→Houston SaberCats(loan)		 0
3
5
12
2
20
7		 (0)
(0)
(0)
(5)
(0)
(22)
(15)
Correct as of 28 April 2022
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2005–2007
2008
2007–		 Samoa U19
United States U20
United States		 8
5
19		 (5)
(10)
(0)
Correct as of 31 March 2020
National sevens team
Years Team Comps
2008– United States 19 (40)

Thretton Palamo(born September 22, 1988) is an Americanrugby unionplayer who playscentreforOld Glory DCofMajor League Rugby(MLR).[1]

When he appeared in the2007 Rugby World Cup,he became the youngest ever player to have played in theRugby World Cup,[2]a record that was surpassed in2015byVasil LobzhanidzeofGeorgia.[3]

Youth and early career

[edit]

Palamo was born inWoodland, California.Palamo is a graduate ofDavis Senior High SchoolinDavis, California.During his high school career he played both basketball, winning selection to the USA's U16 national team, and American football, leading his team in rushing yards and tackles during his senior year. He didn't officially start playing rugby until he was 16 when he joined the same club as his brothers, theSan Francisco Golden Gate Rugby Club.[4]

Within six months of joining SFGG, Palamo was called to representSamoaat U19 level and also went on to play Sevens for Samoa, the country of his father's birth. However, as he approached 18 — the age deadline to commit to a specific national team — he decided to play for his own country of birth, the United States, saying this could create opportunities for other Samoan players.[4][5]

University of Utah

[edit]

With a recommendation from USA Rugby World Cup teammate and Utah's head rugby coachBlake Burdette,Palamo went to Utah and played rugby union and American football for theUtes.He spent his freshman year just playing rugby. In June 2010, he led the Utes to victory in the inauguralCollegiate Rugby Championship,scoring two tries in a 31–26 overtime win over theCalifornia Golden Bears.[6][7] A desire to play American football and some help from Burdette, a former Utes tight end, saw Palamo join the Utes American football program in early 2011, taking part in spring scrimmages as a running back.[6][8]

Club career

[edit]

He played in France forTop 14clubBiarritzduring the2008-09 seasonand played alongside fellow Eagles internationalTakudzwa Ngwenya.Despite signing a three-year contract with Biarritz, he returned to the United States at the end of his first season to continue his studies.[4]

Palamo returned to professional club rugby in 2014, signing a three-month trial contract withSaracensfor the 2014–15 season.[9]Palamo made his professional rugby debut playing 55 minutes for Saracens in a win over Ospreys in LV= Cup.[10]After making three appearances for Saracens, Palamo joined London Welsh on a year long loan for the2015-16 RFU Championshipseason.[11]However, on 31 December 2015, Palamo left London Welsh by early release to fully return to theUnited States Sevensset-up.[12]

On 27 June 2016 it was confirmed that Palamo would return to England to joinBristolahead of their return to thePremiershipin2016.[13]In September 2017 he joined theDragonson a short-term loan to cover injuries.[14]

He was released by Bristol in April 2018.

He joinedMajor League RugbyteamHouston Sabercatsin 2019.[1]In 2020, he signed with expansion teamOld Glory DC.[15]He was co-captain of the team in their first two professional seasons, alongside flankerMungo Mason.He re-signed with the team for the 2021 and 2022 seasons.[16][17]

International career

[edit]

Palamo was called into theUnited Statessquad to participate at the2007 Rugby World Cup.He played his only match of the tournament in the 15–64 loss toSouth Africaon 30 September 2007. The appearance was just eight days after his 19th birthday and made him the youngest player in Rugby World Cup history, lowering the record ofFederico MéndezofArgentina,who was 19 years and 63 days when he appeared at the1991 Rugby World Cup.[2]As noted earlier, that record was surpassed in 2015 by Lobzhanidze, who played for Georgia againstTongaless than a month before his 19th birthday.

Palamo made his only other full test appearance for the Eagles in a tour match againstJapanin Tokyo on 22 November 2008 before going on to captain the USA's Sevens team at the2009 World Gamesin Taiwan.[4][18][19]

Palamo returned to international rugby starting at inside centre for the US in their2014 IRB Pacific Nations Cupmatch againstCanada.[20]

Family

[edit]

Palamo's father, Arona Palamo, played international rugby union at centre and flyhalf forSamoabetween 1979 and 1982 before moving to San Francisco to take up an academic scholarship atUC Davis.[5][21]Palamo has one younger sister and two older brothers, Toshi and Seta, who have both played Sevens for the United States.[22]His father introduced him to rugby union and he was influenced to play the sport after watching his brothers play.[4]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ab@Hou_Sabercats (April 12, 2019)."Thretton Palamo comes with a rich pedigree of performing..."(Tweet).Archivedfrom the original on May 9, 2019.Retrieved2023-05-16– viaTwitter.
  2. ^ab(French)."Palamo entre dans l'histoire".L'Equipe.Retrieved30 September2007.[dead link]
  3. ^"Georgia spring first surprise by taking down Tonga".ESPN (UK).PA Sport.19 September 2015.Retrieved19 September2015.
  4. ^abcdeMangum, Mike."Palamo brings 'phenomenal' experience to rugby".Utah Chronicle.Retrieved18 February2010.
  5. ^abFitzpatrick, Joel."Thretton takes milestone in his stride".International Rugby Board.Retrieved6 September2007.
  6. ^abJensen, Jeremiah."Utah's Thretton Palamo makes transition from rugby to football".KSL Broadcasting.Retrieved16 May2011.
  7. ^"Utah stun Cal to Collegiate title".UR7s.Retrieved7 June2010.
  8. ^"Utah Football Holds First Scrimmage of the Spring".CBS Interactive.Retrieved1 April2011.
  9. ^"Aviva Premiership: Thretton Palamo set to join Saracens on short-term contract".sky sports.Retrieved8 July2014.
  10. ^"Ospreys v Saracens".espnscrum.Retrieved7 November2014.
  11. ^"Thretton Palamo Loaned To London Welsh".TIAR.Retrieved22 June2015.
  12. ^"Palamo left London Welsh for return to USA Sevens".Americas Rugby News. 31 December 2015.Retrieved24 February2016.
  13. ^"USA centre Thretton Palamo to join Bristol ahead of Premiership season".Sky Sports. 27 June 2015.Retrieved29 September2016.
  14. ^"Dragons sign versatile Bristol back Palamo as injury cover".BBC Sport.19 September 2017.Retrieved22 September2017.
  15. ^"Thretton Palamo checks in at Old Glory".Americas Rugby News.2 December 2019.Retrieved10 November2021.
  16. ^"Thretton Palamo sticks with Old Glory for 2021".Americas Rugby News.22 July 2020.Retrieved10 November2021.
  17. ^"Thretton Palamo signs on for another season with Old Glory".Americas Rugby News.6 October 2021.Retrieved10 November2021.
  18. ^"United States of America tour".ESPN Scrum.Retrieved22 November2008.
  19. ^Heymann, Robin."Best of the Best - USA National Sevens Championships".UR7s.Retrieved14 August2009.
  20. ^"Eagles fight back to edge Canada".planetrugby.Archived fromthe originalon 8 August 2014.Retrieved22 June2014.
  21. ^"Players & Officials / Arona Palamo".ESPN Scrum.Retrieved6 June2011.
  22. ^Schwartz, Ray."America's Rise".USA Rugby.Retrieved19 October2007.
[edit]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Thretton_Palamo&oldid=1221660136"