The Warriors (10-5, 53 points) will host a special pre- and post-match recognition Saturday to honor Lasike, who has added 35 caps since returning to Utah to go along with 22 appearances with the USA Eagles national team since 2018.
Injuries take a toll on most athletes, and Father Time remains undefeated. But Lasike doesn’t regret his decision to return to the United States, to Utah, and to Major League Rugby three years ago after making 29 appearances in England’s Premiership with the famed Harlequins — even as the physical ailments have stacked up.
“The last few years have been tough on my body, physically,” he told KSL.com. “It’s just not fun when you aren’t playing due to injury, going into the offseason having to have surgery. But I also felt that it was time; I can’t quite do the things I used to do 5-10 years ago, you slow down a bit, and the young bucks are coming through. It’s their turn now.”
Lasike is turning a new page on his career, but one with a familiar title: coach. In many ways, he’s been coaching since the day he took a chance on a fledging North American pro league with a founding team in his adopted home state.
“Paul believed in the Utah Warriors before we ever played a game,” said Kjar, Warriors CEO and co-founder. “He gave our fledgling roster instant credibility by joining as Warrior No. 1 and our first-ever captain in 2018. He’ll always be remembered as one of the cornerstones of this club.”
Lasike has added to his passion of the game when he couldn’t play, which has helped him open the door to the next chapter. He’s been involved with the Warriors’ community rugby foundation, making appearances and volunteering in camps and clinics. And this fall, he’ll take over as head coach of the Southern Virginia rugby program.
It’ll be the third coaching try Lasike gives, after spending time as backs coach for the BYU women’s team and head coach of the Utah Gray Wolves, a feeder team to the Warriors’ pathway program.
Jumping into coaching has helped Lasike to envision a path beyond his playing days, both in previous stints and in applying for the SVU job at the request of his old college coach David Smyth — who founded the program in Buena Vista, Virginia, that competes in the CRAA Division I Rugby East conference against the likes of Army, Navy, Penn State and Life, a national finalist a year ago.
“It changed my perspective the last half of the season,” Lasike said. “It’s given me some closure that I can enjoy the season, go out to give everything I have, and be content. The next step is there for you, so now just live in the present.”
Now it’s the next generations’ turn, but Lasike, whether as former player, coach or supporter, won’t be far from the scrum. He’ll probably even be back in Utah from time to time, recruiting prospects for his college squad.
“Hopefully,” he said, “we can recruit a couple of boys to come up and start competing with those top schools.
Paul Lasike always assumed the passage of time would tell him when to call it a day on his professional rugby career.
He just didn’t expect it to be so loud.
The 34-year-old native of Auckland, New Zealand, announced his retirement from professional rugby this week after a career that took the former four-time BYU All-American to college football, the NFL, England and around the world with the USA Eagles national team.
His final regular-season match with the Utah Warriors will be Saturday against RFC Los Angeles, where his postseason-bound home club has a chance to clinch a home playoff match at Zions Bank Stadium (7 p.m. MDT, ESPN+).
Whether in the starting 15, on the bench, or stranded on injured reserve, Lasike — who moved to Utah as a teenager and won a national championship with Highland rugby in 2008 before four collegiate All-American honors at BYU — can’t think of a better place to wind down his career.
“This franchise means a lot to me,” said Lasike, who was the Warriors’ first player signing in 2018 after three years in the NFL with the Arizona Cardinals and Chicago Bears. “It’s special that I get to finish out my career here; I started my professional rugby career with Utah, and being able to come back, I’m really grateful for the people here — from Kimball Kjar, who brought me back, to all of the coaches and front office who helped me come back and finish where I want to finish.
“I’m grateful to be able to finish in a special place like Utah, that has given me a lot,” he added. “I’ll be on the sidelines cheering this squad on forever. I’ll just be one of the fans.
