Matt Jensen Bio
Matthew Jensen (born April 21, 1992) is an American rugby union player who plays at lock for the Utah Warriors of Major League Rugby (MLR) and the United States men’s national rugby team, known as the USA Eagles. Standing 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) and weighing about 249 lb (113 kg), he brings the size and physicality traditionally associated with the modern second-row forward. He has represented the Eagles internationally since 2016 and has been a fixture in the Utah Warriors pack since the team’s inaugural MLR season in 2018.
Jensen is widely regarded as one of the taller front-of-the-line forwards in North American rugby, a profile that has allowed him to compete in set pieces, lineouts, and breakdown work at the highest domestic level. His career has bridged the college system in Utah and the professional ranks of Major League Rugby, where the Utah Warriors have served as his home club.
Early Life and Background
Matthew Jensen was born on April 21, 1992, in Scranton, Pennsylvania, in the United States. He grew up in the Pocono Mountain region of eastern Pennsylvania and attended Pocono Mountain East High School, where he developed physically into the tall, heavy athlete who would later be recognized as a rugby prospect. The Pocono area, with its strong high school athletics tradition, provided an early foundation in team sports that shaped his path forward.
Coming out of high school, Jensen had the physical attributes that coaches at the collegiate level would later refine into the skills needed for a lock forward. His size, mobility, and willingness to contact stood out, traits that proved valuable as he transitioned from general athletics into a more specialized rugby career.
Path to Rugby Union
Jensen attended Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, where he joined the BYU rugby program and developed his craft as a lock. The BYU Cougars are one of the most storied college rugby sides in the United States, and the program’s history of producing international players gave Jensen a strong platform to grow. Playing in a high-performance college environment allowed him to sharpen his lineout work, scrummaging, and defensive reads.
His time at BYU also connected him to the wider Utah rugby community, a connection that would later prove central to his professional career. The experience of training and competing at BYU prepared him for the jump into Major League Rugby and international duty with the USA Eagles.
Matt Jensen Career
Early Career (2016–2017)
Jensen’s senior international career began when he was first named to the USA Eagles roster ahead of the 2016 end-of-year tests. He made his debut for the Eagles on November 4, 2016, appearing as a substitute in an uncapped match against the Māori All Blacks. The experience of facing one of the world’s most physical touring sides provided a sharp introduction to the international level.
He earned his first official cap on February 4, 2017, starting at lock in the Eagles’ 29–23 victory over Uruguay in the 2017 Americas Rugby Championship. Later that month, on February 25, 2017, he scored his first try for the Eagles as a substitute in a 57–9 win against Chile in the same ARC competition. As of April 2019, Jensen had made seven total appearances for the United States and scored two tries.
Major League Rugby Breakthrough (2018–Present)
Jensen signed with the Utah Warriors for their inaugural 2018 Major League Rugby season, becoming part of the league’s first class of contracted professionals in North America. The Utah Warriors, based in the region where he had played his college rugby at BYU, offered him a familiar environment in which to launch his professional career. His size, lineout skill, and set-piece presence made him a natural fit for the new league.
Since that 2018 debut season, Jensen has continued to wear the Warriors jersey, building a reputation as a reliable second-row presence in Major League Rugby. His longevity with a single MLR franchise has given him stability uncommon for early American professionals in the sport.
USA Eagles Era (2016–Present)
Jensen has been a steady member of the USA Eagles setup since 2016, balancing his club duties with the Utah Warriors against international call-ups. He has competed in the Americas Rugby Championship, a key competition for North and South American national sides, and has faced Tier 1 touring teams in uncapped fixtures. His role with the Eagles has been rooted in set-piece reliability and physicality around the breakdown.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among Jensen’s most notable career moments are his 2017 Americas Rugby Championship performances, including his first cap against Uruguay and his first try against Chile. His selection for the 2016 end-of-year tests, which included an uncapped appearance against the Māori All Blacks, marked his arrival on the international stage. Signing with the Utah Warriors for their inaugural 2018 MLR season is also a defining milestone, placing him among the first generation of contracted Major League Rugby players.
Matt Jensen Career Highlights
Major League Rugby Highlights
Jensen has been a member of the Utah Warriors since the franchise’s inaugural 2018 Major League Rugby season, contributing as a starting lock when fit. His presence in the Warriors’ second row has been a consistent feature of the team’s pack across multiple MLR campaigns, and he has represented one of the league’s taller forward profiles at 6 ft 8 in. While specific try tallies and season-by-season statistics are not fully documented, his continuity with the franchise is itself a measure of his value to the side.
International Highlights
Internationally, Jensen has made seven total appearances for the USA Eagles and scored two tries as of April 2019. His international debut came on November 4, 2016, against the Māori All Blacks in an uncapped fixture, and his first official cap arrived on February 4, 2017, against Uruguay. He also scored his first international try on February 25, 2017, in a 57–9 win over Chile during the Americas Rugby Championship.
Matt Jensen Family
Personal Life
Matthew Jensen is an American national, born and raised in Pennsylvania before moving west to attend Brigham Young University and pursue his rugby career. Public details about his immediate family, marital status, and children are not broadly documented in available sources, and any further personal information has been omitted in line with editorial standards.
2025 Season Outlook
Entering the 2025 Major League Rugby season, Matt Jensen remains with the Utah Warriors, the club he has represented since its 2018 launch. His continued presence provides the Warriors with an experienced lock who is familiar with the team’s systems, lineout calls, and forward pack combinations. As one of the longer-serving members of the roster, he is expected to play a leadership role among the second-row group.
On the international front, Jensen’s history with the USA Eagles dating back to 2016 keeps him in the conversation for national team selection, particularly in Americas Rugby Championship fixtures and end-of-year tests. His combination of height, weight, and set-piece experience continues to fit the profile of a forward built for the demands of modern international rugby.
For 2025, the key storyline is whether the Utah Warriors can build on their recent form and whether Jensen can add to his international cap total beyond the seven appearances recorded as of April 2019. His durability and continuity with a single MLR franchise position him as a stabilizing figure for both club and country heading into the new season.