While it was no shock to most, Old Glory has announced the signing of center Thretton Palamo. Palamo, a USA Eagle, will be one of the most notable players on the squad when the 2020 season begins. He will join a suddenly crowded backline with Doug Fraser and Ciaran Heard at the centers.
Palamo has played for USA at the Rugby World Cup three times (2007, 2015, 2019), but also has a distinguished 7s career. He also has played at very high levels in club competition as he played for Biarritz Olympique in the Top 14 in France to start off his professional career. He came back to the US to go to school at University of Utah, where he played rugby and helped Utah win the Collegiate Rugby Championship. Palamo resumed his professional career when he went to England to play for the Saracens, London Welsh, and Bristol Bears. In 2017, he was loaned to the Dragons in Wales in the Pro 14 competition. In 2019, he joined the Houston Sabercats and is now in the Nation's Capital for the 2020 Major League Rugby campaign.
It will be interesting to see how the team uses Palamo as they had also acquired two Canadian national side teammates in Fraser and Heard whose primary positions are at the centers. He is 6'2" and 256 lbs, so he will pack quite a punch defensively. The other two have more versatility, so Old Glory could theoretically start one of them at one of the wings, but if not, would come in as a replacement. The club could also try a rotation between the three players, but there is no doubt they all will be named on gamedays. What we do know from Palamo is he will provide experience on the field and that will come in handy if the club is going to make a playoff push.
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