CARLSBAD — Solomon Williams was surrounded by family and friends at his Carlsbad home when he got the call that the Seattle Seawolves had selected him second overall in the Major League Rugby College Draft.
The Carlsbad High School alumnus told The Coast News that Seattle would be a special fit for several reasons.
“To get picked in general for the draft was very cool,” Williams said. “On top of that, being Seattle — a team that’s done very well. So to be a part of a historical team like that and know I’m going to get good coaching, I was pumped; it’s a good feeling. And then on top of that, my brother lives over there.”
The Seawolves finished the previous regular season with the league’s second-best record at 6-4 but lost in the semifinals to a California Legion team that, despite having a worse record, had a better point differential than Seattle.
Williams enters MLR following a decorated career at the University of California, Berkeley.
The scrumhalf was a three-time All-American who also received the Rudy Scholz Award during his senior year as the country’s top men’s college rugby player. He also played a key role in the Golden Bears’ back-to-back national championships to end his collegiate career.
Williams said his father, a former college rugby player, introduced him to the sport, where he went on to play for Thunder Rugby, a premier youth rugby club based in North County.
Williams credited the coaching, year-round favorable weather and local competition with helping develop his game.
“In SoCal there’s a rugby environment and there’s a lot of decent amount of players here,” Williams said. “Thunder Rugby — they have done a lot for me and gave me a platform to go and play in college. I’m forever grateful for the club and all the players and my boys.”
The competitive environment continued during his time at Cal, where he competed alongside other high-level players in Northern California.
Cal has won a record 26 rugby national championships, while St. Mary’s College of California is tied for second on the list. Two St. Mary’s Gaels were selected in the draft, along with Coby Baker of California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.
“The Saint Mary’s guys, we do have a fun rivalry — I’d like to think it’s one of the best college rivalries in rugby,” Williams said. “I know both those guys, the St. Mary’s guys, and so see them get picked, you know, on the field you want to hit them hard, but off the field it’s good to see them doing well. They’re a bunch of good guys.”
Williams’ Cal teammate Cormac Saint was also drafted Aug. 27, going to the New England Free Jacks in the third round.
“My good mate, one of my best friends, Cormac Saint, to see him get picked was awesome,” he said. “He’s such a good player and an even better guy.”
Williams said he plans to use the beach as part of his fitness and skill development program in the run-up to his first professional season.
“The beach gets you fitter,” he said, noting that training on an uneven surface helps improve explosiveness and prevent injuries. “It’s harder to run over there.”
Williams said his long-term goal is to represent the national team at the Rugby World Cup.
“That’s a big goal of mine and that’s a big reason why I want to be in the MLR is to get closer to that goal,” he said.
Williams looks forward to the work required to reach that goal and is optimistic about the next step in his journey.
“I’m going to work my butt off in any environment I’m in,” he said. “And so to be in an environment like the Seattle Seawolves, where I’m going to have a lot of resources, I’m super excited to just get to work and be a competitor. And so I’m going to do everything I can to improve and get better and then ultimately to win.”
