PARIS – Words cannot describe the emotion and adrenaline that Seaside High School graduate Matai Leuta felt when he stepped onto the rugby field in Paris.

The silence of the games played in an empty, pandemic-hit hall at the 2021 Tokyo Summer Olympics has given way to the shrill sound of a stadium packed with fans for the 2024 Games.

“There was no one in the crowd at the games in Japan,” Leuta said from his room in the Olympic Village. “So to be able to play in front of 80,000 fans at the Stade de France was an unforgettable experience.”

A 2008 Seaside graduate, Leuta has become an integral part of Team USA’s development in a sport dominated by Europeans.

Although Team USA didn’t win a match in Paris, they were competitive and took another step forward in their journey to becoming a respected program and potential medal contender in 2028.

“My mindset going into the Olympics was to try to find ways to add value to something that was already in a good place,” Leuta said. “Just to see how I could add a little more insight.”

From a veteran perspective, Leuta was one of the elder statesmen on the roster, despite being 34 years old and having competed in the Olympics three years ago.

Progress in rugby in the United States was highlighted as the women’s team won the bronze medal.

“This was a huge accomplishment for the sport of rugby in the United States,” Leuta said. “The amount of support they have received from their tireless work will fuel the continued growth of the sport.”

After losing 17–14 to Ireland in their opening match, Leuta and Team USA advanced to the medal round and lost to fourth-place Australia.

“It certainly didn’t end the way we wanted it to, but that’s the ferocity of sports,” Leuta said. “Every team wants to win on the biggest stage in sports. But it’s not for the medals anymore, it’s for the pride of the person you represent.”

Standing at 1.91 metres tall and weighing 107 kilograms, Leuta plays in a support position that sees him in the middle of the scrum and lineouts, without much protective equipment.

“We do most of the dirty work,” Leuta said. “Our particular position requires great size, strength, speed and physicality.”

Leuta likened his position to that of 49ers all-pro tight end George Kittle, requiring footwork, speed and strength.

“He (Kittle) blocks passes against the biggest guys on the field,” Leuta said. “But he can also make incredible plays on the field as a receiver and he’s tough to beat. I call him an all-around athlete.”

The next step for the men’s program is to grow the sport at an earlier age. Rugby is not a sport offered in most high schools and there are limited programs in college.

“Hopefully this support will help us provide the necessary resources that we will need to not only enhance our ability to win medals but also to spread the game, which is our expectation,” Leuta said.

Leuta, who grew up in Fiji and moved to Marina, played as a dangerous defender for the Seaside team that won the 2008 Monterey Bay League championship.