Eagles hero eyes move into pro wrestling

FORMER USA Eagles captain Todd Clever could switch from rugby to join the WWE.

The most capped player in USA history could try his hand at professional wrestling, having retired from rugby in 2017.

Clever, 35, confirmed that he recently spent time with the WWE training at their high-performance facility in Florida – and is reported to be close to signing a contract with the entertainment company.

CNN reported Clever,

right, was approached by the company in 2016, while he was still playing rugby, to see if he would be interested in trying out.

But this year, having retired from the sport, the professional wrestling outfit again approached the former Super Rugby flanker, and this time he took the opportunity.

“Once I retired, I guess they caught wind or something happened I got calls and another invite,” Clever said.

“That’s my whole thing. You don’t want to have any regrets in life, from missing out on experiences. That’s why I’m always saying yes to going on social rugby tours now, even if it costs me money. I still have a blast doing it. “So when this happened, I didn’t want to miss out on anything, so I said yeah, and I went out there for a week. I absolutely loved my time there in Orlando. It was brilliant. Their high performance centre was topnotch and I really felt at home.”

The 35-year-old, who played 76 matches for the USA Eagles, hasn’t signed a contract with the WWE yet, but talks are ongoing and he is optimistic.

Clever, who’s representative career spanned 14 years, became the first American to play in Super Rugby in 2009 as part of the Lions franchise in South Africa. There is a history of crossover between rugby and wrestling. USA Eagles and Toulon No.8 Samu Manoa’s uncle is the former wrestler known as the Barbarian, below, and Wallabies and Leicester hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau is a cousin of Haku, far left, another former wrestling star.