Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Midweek Madness - Todd Clever flies into George
This year has been pretty serious one in terms of incidents, both off field and on. We don't need to go through them all, but you've read about and seen them right here on RD. With that in mind, what you're about to see is a breath of fresh air.
USA flanker Todd Clever is a busy man. Contracted to the Lions in South Africa, Clever is also the USA Eagles captain, and an integral part of the USA Sevens side for the last few seasons.
In the past year he's played Currie Cup & Super 14 rugby for the Lions, played against the Lions (of the British & Irish variety), played in the Sevens Rugby World Cup, and played in 2011 Rugby World Cup qualifiers.
Travelling between Johannesburg and San Diego, Clever leads a hectic, but eventful life. Earlier this month he attended the premiere of Invictus in LA, and was fortunate enough to meet Matt Damon, Morgan Freeman, and the other stars of the movie on the red carpet.
Not originally scheduled to play at this years George Sevens, Clever got a last minute phonecall to say that some of their players were injured, and he needed to fly 'home' to South Africa earlier than planned.
Arrangements were made, and he got on a last minute flight to make it down for the second leg of this season's IRB World Sevens Series in the Eastern Cape.
That brings us to this clip, and a hilarious, but awesome moment as Clever brought his own piece of showmanship to George with an outrageous dive over his teamate and physio on the way to the tryline.
It was a classic dive and brilliant piece of entertainment for the crowd, the viewers at home, and now us. The physio might disagree, but she stayed calm and apparently only let out a little scream as he flew over her by a matter of inches.
Yes he could easily have run around, and yes if things weren't timed right, he might have injured a few people in the process. But, in much the same way that he intercepted a pass to start the best try of the 2007 World Cup, everything worked out perfectly.
Time: 0:44
Posted at 1:50 pm | 43 comments
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Todd Clever quality try against Wales - USA Sevens 2008
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Viewing 43 comments
Hendrick December 16, 2009 2:47 pm
Dave December 16, 2009 2:56 pm
Great player. Hope he has a good season for the Lions.
Anonymous December 16, 2009 2:57 pm
Good to hear he's still playing for the Lions in SA. I originally thought he was being signed on a one season basis.
bennybunny December 16, 2009 3:15 pm
No.7 December 16, 2009 3:15 pm
great clip RD
Anonymous December 16, 2009 3:29 pm
Phil December 16, 2009 3:37 pm
mat December 16, 2009 4:00 pm
Anonymous December 16, 2009 4:29 pm
luxi December 16, 2009 5:46 pm
rodney December 16, 2009 6:00 pm
Chris December 16, 2009 6:01 pm
Ted December 16, 2009 6:08 pm
semperfimamba December 16, 2009 6:33 pm
Anonymous December 16, 2009 6:59 pm
fitz December 16, 2009 7:17 pm
Nursedude December 16, 2009 9:09 pm
I thought it was funny as hell. We American fans don't get many chances to see an American player actually doing something special.
Now if we could just start producing decent fly and scrum-halfs...
Cheis December 16, 2009 11:51 pm
He knows rugby is not that popular in the US, his showmanship at least might get rugby some attention!!
Good player!
Anonymous December 17, 2009 12:13 am
Cowboy Dan December 17, 2009 12:26 am
Leave it to America? Yeah, because no other players go out of their way to celebrate tries?
Shane Williams surely didn't make an over-the-top try against Argentina. Schalk Burger didn't boot the ball into the stands after scoring against Ireland or anything. New Zealand doesn't do the haka at the end of winning a 7's tournament (and seemingly rub it in the face of the team that just lost). Oh, wait, all of that DOES happen.
This is hardly bad sportsmanship. Clever was having a bit of fun - it's Sevens, mate, it's supposed to be fun. Check your anti-america attitude at the door.
opfazonk December 17, 2009 1:14 am
Extramask! December 17, 2009 3:32 am
Pretty stupid really. The physio is trying to do her job and this nutter puts her in danger. I bet Clever would have had a talking to by the coach about it.
vinniechan December 17, 2009 5:34 am
Rugby is dangerous as it is, no point having more stupid injuries to players and others.
Anonymous December 17, 2009 7:26 am
FrankyH December 17, 2009 9:37 am
All good stunts have an element of danger anyway ;)
Sander December 17, 2009 12:04 pm
This move is sure to be among a shitload of highlight reels all over the US, thus drawing the attention of an enormous number of people. If one out every thousand people who have seen that dive would join a local rugby club or start attending matches, it's an incredible boost to the game overall, let alone in the US.
To me, this is just part of the Sevens spirit, and hats off to Clever.
Anonymous December 17, 2009 12:21 pm
cheyanqui December 17, 2009 6:17 pm
Imagine if he had of bowled her over and injured her.
Especially since there was no need to do it.
Dazza December 17, 2009 10:44 pm
NickDanger December 18, 2009 12:13 am
Uncle Randy December 18, 2009 5:05 am
Wolfman21 December 18, 2009 7:21 am
Something which will make highlight reels for a good while.
Classic!
Anonymous 3:16 December 23, 2009 4:16 pm
Kevin February 18, 2013 1:31 am
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