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Canadian rugby's golden boy >> Colin Robertson is a sports celeb overseas
"I can remember instances where kids have lined the fences of our field, waiting until practice was over so we could sign their autograph books," said Robertson, who will likely be heading to the 1999 Rugby World Cup Tournament in October, provided he puts in a good show at this month's Welsh Challenge. Robertson's real challenge for the coming year: push Canada beyond its eighth-place finish at the last Rugby World Cup. Robertson may not seem as meaty as one might expect (5'11" and 185 lbs), but he plays the position of outside centre--which means he runs with the ball more than he tussles with the opposition. Recently, however, he and some of his teammates considered using their talents to take out George Bush and his body guards at their Dubai hotel. "But we decided to keep out of politics and save our strength for the game." -- Dominique Ritter
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So far, rugby has been no big whoop in Canuck sports culture. While it has a strong and steady following, it has yet to attract legions of fans, and Colin Robertson is rarely identified as major athlete. But overseas, where rugby incites hysteria reminiscent of Super Bowl blowouts, Robertson is courted like a serious sports celebrity.