NEWS

How Utah’s Alex Tucci Plans to Achieve his 2021 Goals

When the final whistle blew at Bold Stadium, it was the Utah Warriors that would be going home with a win. The relief on players’ faces was clear to see, but the delight on the face of Alex Tucci stood out more than most.

Overcoming Injury

In the Summer of 2019, Alex sustained an ACL injury that meant he would be missing the 2020 season and watched from the bleachers as his teammates placed second overall in the Western Conference across the five games played in 2020.

Coming off the bench in the 30-28 win over the Gilgronis, Alex has entered his fourth season as a Warrior. Having joined the team ahead of the 2018 season, the loosehead prop has been living his dream of being a professional rugby player since leaving college in 2016.

Road to Rugby

Having been a defensive lineman for both Colorado State University and West Texas A&M, it was after an unsuccessful try-out for the Miami Dolphins that Alex turned back to rugby, the 29-year-old playing for Okapi Wanderers Rugby FC in his home state of Florida, before spending time with Gorey RFC in Ireland prior to joining up with the Warriors.

Representing his team regularly in 2018 and 2019, having missed rugby for so long, Alex says that he has plenty to prove this year as he and his teammates try to bring an MLR Championship back to Utah.

“I had so many big plans last season, before I tore my ACL,” Alex said. “I was telling myself that I had to really set myself aside as a solid player for the team and win a Championship here in Utah. That is the main goal, and to solidify myself as a household name in the rugby community. The goals haven’t really changed.

More to Prove

“I feel like I still have a lot to prove, just because I did have that injury. I know that people know I can play rugby, but I haven’t even hit my potential. I have a lot to prove, and we have a really good team and I have some of the best props in the league to practice against every day.

“If I am going against them every day, getting my ass handed to me, then it is preparing me, getting me better, so when I go against people in the other teams, I have that knowledge that I have already gone against the best.”

Utah’s Strengths

One of the most nuanced positions in rugby, good props are worth their weight in gold. Still learning the position, having taken time out of his rugby development to pursue a career in the NFL, Alex has a wealth of experience to draw on around him in Salt Lake City.

During the extended offseason, not only did Utah retain the services of USA Eagle Angus MacLellan and South African Franco van den Berg in the front-row, the team’s GM and owner, Kimball Kjar, also managed to secure the signatures of Eagles regulars Paul Mullen, from San Diego, and two-time MLR champion, Olive Kilifi.

Added to this the fact that Interim Head Coach, Shawn Pittman, is also the USA Eagles’ Forwards Coach, Alex certainly has plenty of wisdom around him to push his career to the next level.

Describing Utah as his ‘home’, it is clear from speaking to Alex how much he wants to repay the faith shown in him by his team. This will mostly be repaid by his performances on the field and his efforts in lofting the shield above his head when the League comes to a close in August.

Next Match

That road to the playoffs is still in its infancy, last weekend’s win just one of many that any team will have to pick-up if they have any chance of achieving anything this season. So, Alex’s attentions have turned to his next test, Toronto.

Unlike Utah, the Canadians did not get off to a winning start in 2021, falling seven points short to their current landlords, Rugby ATL, in Georgia.

“A majority of their guys are Canadian international and those type of guys are not going to make a lot of mistakes,” Alex said. “They are going to play structured rugby, but what we have to do is control what we can control, make sure that our set-piece is crisp and clean, make sure our ball-handling goes well, our carries, our defense is spread and all of the things that you usually say.

“It is the team with the least amount of errors that usually comes way with the win in rugby I feel, so we have just got to have less errors than them and take the momentum.”

How to Watch

Utah’s opening home game of the season is this Saturday, March 27th at 9:00 PM ET, and it will be broadcast live on Fox Sports 2 in North America, and for free on The Rugby Network for all other viewers worldwide.