Mose Timoteo
2022
Inductee
A former United States Army Corporal, the first American Samoan capped for the USA Eagles National Rugby Team, winner of multiple national championships, scrumhalf for the first Professional Rugby League Championship with the Denver Stampede, and now the coach of a crossover team comprised of mainly college football athletes, Mose Timoteo has excelled in the sport of rugby over several decades.
The native of American Samoa began his rugby career playing for his home village rugby team in Pago Pago. His natural prowess was apparent from a young age while representing the Pago Eagles Rugby U21 side, maintaining his dominance at wing as top scorer for four seasons from 1990 to 1994. Timoteo would go on to play for the Pago Pago Senior Reserve team while attending American Samoa Community College from 1995 to 1996. During this stint, he was once again top try scorer and represented American Samoa in the Touch Rugby World Cup in 1995.
Upon his move to the United States, Mose played for Fort Drum RFC from 1997 to 1999. He then played for the Hayward and Sacramento Rugby Clubs from 1999 to 2006. He also had numerous appearances with All-Army, Combined Services and other select and territorial All-Star teams. In 1997, Mose was tournament MVP for the USA Rugby Military Nationals and in 1998, he captained the 1st Collegiate All Star team and won tournament MVP at the USA Rugby Men’s All Star 7s Championship. In 2000, 2001 and 2003, Mose also earned tournament MVP honors in the USA Rugby 15s All Star Championships. Subsequently, he was named Rugby Magazine Player of the Year in 2004.
Along the way, Mose was being noticed by US 15s and 7s coaches and it wasn’t long before he was pulling on the US Eagles jersey. As a US Eagle, Mose earned 31 15s caps at scrumhalf, wing and fullback between 2000 and 2006, including a Rugby World Cup in 2003. He also captained the USA A team in 2001. While injury in 2006 kept him off the Eagles radar, he returned to earn his 32nd and final cap in 2012.
For the Eagles 7s, he appeared in 100 games, including two Rugby World Cups in 2001 and 2005. Mose played in tournaments in Paris, Hong Kong, Beijing, Wellington, Brisbane, Montevideo, Punta del Este, Tokyo and the LA Sevens on multiple occasions. He had 28 iRB Sevens Series tournament appearances for the Eagle 7s, scoring 14 tries and 12 conversions, a total of 94 points.
As a player, captain and a coach, Mose holds championship titles across several teams at all of the highest levels of the game in the USA. For San Francisco Golden Gate, Mose was Captain and holds Super League Championship Titles in 2009 and 2011, the Elite Cup Championship in 2013, and inaugural PRP Championship Title in 2014. After moving to Colorado, Mose joined Glendale Raptors and led them as Co-Captain/Captain to PRP Championship Titles in 2015 and 2016, also earning MVP honors for Glendale for the 2015 season. He was named to the All-PRP teams from 2014-2016. He capped off his competitive club career with a Pro Rugby Championship in 2016, playing professionally for the Denver Stampede.
“But there is more to Mose than the numbers. He is an outstanding leader and a great teammate. One of those players that made those around him better. He is truly the quintessential USA rugby player. He served with distinction in the US Army, and he played for the All-Army and Combined Services sides. His leadership abilities are outstanding, and he has captained many successful teams, including several national championship winners,” said former US Eagles 7s coach and Hall of Famer, Mike Saunders.
Mose is currently a full-time professional attack and backs coach for the American Raptors in Glendale, Colorado. He also currently coaches men’s high school, college and adult men’s and women’s levels with responsibility for developing training programs, competition plans, and for overall player and team welfare. He also presently serves as Team Captain and Selection Committee Member for the USA Classic Eagles, and was named MVP for the USA Classic Eagles at the World Rugby Classic in Bermuda in 2018.
He has led the development of individual elite-level players with skills sessions for scrum half, fly half and other positions. A certified rugby referee and coach, Mose traveled to England in 2019 as part of the Premiership Rugby Scholarship program in coordination with USA Rugby to earn the Level 300 Coaching certificate.