Lions' Clever in US Sevens squad
Sat, 11 Oct 2008 13:25
The Lions' newest recruit, United States of America (USA) Eagles' Todd Clever, has been included in a 23-man Sevens training squad to prepare for an all-American World Cup Qualifier in Nassau, Bahamas.
The 25-year-old flank would be most likely remembered for his impressive Rugby World Cup (RWC) form last year, which included an interception against South Africa which lead to Zimbabwean Takudza Ngwenya (who has also been selected for the Sevens training squad) rounding Bryan Habana to score the "try of the World Cup".
USA national Sevens coach Al Caravelli will take the squad to Miami, Florida, for the US Team's training assembly prior to the NAWIRA (North America West Indies Rugby Association) Sevens RWC Qualifiers.
With the focus on defining skills, defense and fitness, this Florida assembly will serve as an opportunity for Caravelli to have one more look at these players before he narrows the squad down to just 12 for the trip to the Bahamas.
The squad is among the youngest Caravelli has ever assembled - with 10 players at or below the age of 20 - believes this should make for a very energetic and competitive camp.
"We are looking to pick up from where we left off at our last assembly, just a month ago," Caravelli explained.
"Everyone invited to this camp has been putting in the hard work and doing exactly what we have requested of them. I expect this to be among the most difficult selection decisions I've ever faced."
The week long training assembly will culminate in a series of games - three on October 17 and four on October 18 - to simulate what the US Team will face in the Bahamas.
Eleven men's and nine women's teams will contest the NAWIRA qualifiers, held October 25-26, in an effort to secure one of two places available from both competitions to play at the RWC Sevens tournament in Dubai next March.
In the men's competition, the USA - who have replaced Canada as a core member of the International Rugby Board (IRB) Sevens World Series in 2008/09 - have been drawn in Pool A with Mexico and Bermuda, while Canada head Pool B with Trinidad & Tobago, Cayman Islands and the Bahamas. Guyana, the reigning Caribbean Sevens champions, is joined in Pool C by Jamaica, Barbados and St Vincent & The Grenadines.
At the end of day one the three pool winners and runners-up will be redrawn into two Cup pools, the top two in each then progressing to the semifinals with the two finalists securing their passage to the RWC Sevens 2009.
"Even though we are seeded first in the tournament, we will not take any competitor lightly," Caravelli added.
"As I've said before, in the Sevens game, anyone can beat anyone on any given day. We open the tournament against Mexico and then face Bermuda. Mexico has played a series of games in Dallas last weekend, so they will be very prepared. We just have to take one game at a time."
US Sevens training squad: Marco Barnard (Kutztown), Mark Bokhoven (Denver Barbarians), Justin Boyd (Dallas Harlequins), Matthew Byrd (University of Utah), Todd Clever (Lions), James Gillenwater (Belmont Shore), Brad Keys (Louisville), Valenese Malifa (Belmont Shore), Charles McCrea (Unattached), Jone Naqica (San Francisco Golden Gate), Takudzwa Ngwenya (Biarritz), Zach Pangelinan (OMBAC), Rikus Pretorius (OMBAC), Dallas Robinson (Unattached), Anwar Salaam (Unattached), Blaine Scully (UCLA), Peter Sio (Belmont Shore), Dallen Stanford (Belmont Shore), Roland Suniula (Pearl City), Shalom Suniula (Brisbane), Kevin Swiryn (St. Mary's), Taylor Welch (Warrington Wolves), Chris Wyles (Saracens).
