[1] A native of Monterey, California, Saunders got his start in rugby at the United States Naval Academy in 1979.
He played varsity rugby for San Diego State University and was a long-serving captain of Old Mission Beach Athletic Club.
[2] Saunders, a scrum-half, captained the Junior Eagles against the visiting Japanese in 1986 and the following year earned full representative honors when he debuted for United States national team.
At the 1987 Rugby World Cup in Australia, Saunders appeared in all three pool matches, which included a fixture against the host country in Brisbane.
[2] During the mid-1990s, Saunders served as head coach of the United States men's national rugby sevens team.