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Australia on list as Clever country
- Bret Harris
- From: The Australian
- March 09, 2010 12:00AM
Todd Clever with Lions team-mates training at Daceyville in Sydne Picture: Amos Aikman Source: The Australian
TODD Clever, the first American to play in the Super 14 competition, has expressed interest in playing in Australia.
Clever, who is the captain of the US national team, is in his second season with the Johannesburg-based Lions and has captured attention with his trademark long hair and dynamic athleticism.
With Australia's four Super rugby teams allowed to recruit two foreigners -- and Super 15 expansion club Melbourne Rebels permitted to sign 10 imports for 2011 -- the US looms as pool of talent as yet untapped here.
There is no professional rugby in the US so international players such as Clever have to travel overseas to make a living from playing the game.
"I think Australia is a great country," Clever said. "Weather-wise, people-wise and especially the rugby. I definitely would show some interest."
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A 193cm backrower, Clever grew up in San Jose, California, and took up rugby as a 14-year-old in high school.
"I just followed my brother Chris's footsteps," Clever said. "He played rugby and (American) football and I played soccer. I picked up rugby after I saw him travelling and going on tours and stuff like that.
"I wanted a piece of that action. We played USA under-19s together. Some of my best memories are playing with my brother on the USA under-19 team.
"In 2000 we actually toured Australia. We stayed at the AIS and played nine games from St Josephs all the way to Penrith."
Clever played rugby at the University of Nevada and was a three-time All-American.
While there he made his international debut against Argentina in 2003 at the age of 20.
After graduating from college Clever moved to New Zealand and played for North Harbour in the national provincial championship for two years.
Clever played for the US in the 2007 World Cup in France and then decided to pursue a career as a professional rugby player.
"After the World Cup I played a bit in California, but I wanted to play fulltime rugby," Clever said.
"I put myself on the market basically. It looked like I was going to go to England or France and then I got a call from the Lions. Four days later I signed and I was on a plane to South Africa.
"I'm enjoying it. There are changes in management from last year to this year. We are playing a running style of rugby. That suits me. I enjoy running with the ball and playing open rugby."
While Clever is travelling the world, he is hoping to see the game develop in his homeland. It should receive a boost following the admission of rugby sevens to the Olympics because it will increase funding, especially at the college level.
"Rugby has already made huge leaps and bounds in the states," Clever said. "Once it got introduced (to the Olympics) it was on the front page of every newspaper. Everybody was asking what's rugby sevens? What's rugby 15s?
"USA rugby has a big challenge to spread the knowledge of the game to everybody in America."
One way for rugby to grow in the US would be for an American team to play in an expanded Super 18 series.
"We'd love the opportunity to have a team based in the States," Clever said. "It would be tough on the travel and everything. I grew up watching Tri-Nations and Super 12s. That was the only rugby I got.
"It's popular and people know this tournament. That's one of the reasons I wanted to play Super rugby. I dropped making the pound and euro to make the (South African) rand because I always had a goal to play Super rugby.
"Having my opportunity with the Lions is a dream come true."
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news...-1225838446609
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