Hawaiian born winger Joe Mano played in Major League Rugby between 2021-2025. He represented the Utah Warriors for his entire MLR career.

Born in Hawaii but raised in American Samoa, Mano began playing rugby in 2008 and attended Fa’asaō Marist High School where he was a jack of all trades, playing football, soccer, rugby, and volleyball. He moved to Alaska in 2013 and played his club rugby with Alaska Green Dragons until 2017 when he joined Tulsa RFC in Oklahoma and played at the Las Vegas Invitational with Stars Rugby Sevens before moving back to Alaska, then to Utah with the aim of playing for the Warriors, first joining the Salt Lake City Gladiators. In 2019 he represented the American Samoa Sevens side (Talavalu) at the Oceania 7s in Fiji.

Upon his return from Fiji he was invited to play with the Utah Selects academy side and played with them for their 2020 fall season before joining the Warriors for the 2021 MLR season. Mano has represented the Warriors for 4 MLR seasons, earning a total of 38 appearances (33 starts) for the team and scoring 25 tries including an exceptional 14 tries in 2023 when he finished 2nd in MLR try scoring to New England‘s Paula Balekana. That year he also gained 1,416m with ball in hand, finishing 4th in MLR and totalling almost half of his career MLR meters gained. As of the conclusion of the 2024 season, Mano sits T-9th all time for MLR tries scored after adding 3 more tries in 10 games (all starts) in 2024 and racking up another 745m gained.

On January 9th, 2025, the Utah Warriors announced the return of Joe Mano for a 5th season with the team. He enjoyed another excellent season in 2025, helping the Utah Warriors to end their playoff drought and finish as MLR’s best team during the regular season. Mano started in Utah’s Western Conference Semifinal victory over the Seattle Seawolves, the first postseason victory in team history, and started their Western Conference Final defeat to the Houston SaberCats. Joe Mano tied his career high with 14 tries in 16 games (all starts) in 2025, and finished 7th League-wide in Meters Gained, with 869m. As of the conclusion of the 2025 season, Mano is MLR’s 4th highest try scorer with 39 tries to his name. For his fantastic 2025 season, Mano was named to the All-MLR 1st XV, his second All-MLR selection selection.

achievements

• 2025 All-MLR First XV Selection
• 7th in MLR Meters Gained: 2025 (869m)
• MLR Team of the Week: 2025 – Rd 11
• MLR Team of the Week: 2025 – Rd 3
• MLR Team of the Week: 2025 – Rd 2
• MLR Team of the Week: 2024 – Rd 6
• 2023 All-MLR Second XV Selection
• 4th in MLR Meters Gained: 2023 (1,416m)
• 2nd in MLR Try Scoring: 2023 (14)