Thomas Tu’avao, a flanker for the Utah Warriors, is from Widnes, England and grew up playing rugby league for Widnes St. Maries, Widnes School Boys and at Wade Deacon High School. After moving to the United States, he attended and played football at Lincoln High School in Stockton, California. He then attended American River College, a junior college in Sacramento, California. He played rugby for the Sacramento Blackhawks and then went on a two-year service mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 2017-2019. Upon returning, he played a season with the Utah Misfits before signing with the Utah Warriors.