Clark brushes off kick to face

Sun, May 20, 2018, 6:00 AM
Beth Newman
by Beth Newman
Cam Clark showed some ticker against the Highlanders Photo: Getty Images

Waratahs winger Cam Clark wasn’t quite sure what happened when Tevita Nabura’s boot collected his face, but just as he brushed it off during the game, he was happy to move on post-match.

He couldn’t remember being involved in a collision like that before, having never dipped his toes in karate, but there certainly wasn’t any grudges from the 25-year-old.

“No I haven't, I don't have a martial arts background,” he laughed.

“I felt contact there but I wasn't too bothered about it to be honest, happens very quickly and I guess once the stoppage happens you see it on the big screen, but nothing too much.

“You grow up as a back three player, contesting high balls, and he's obviously been taught to protect himself, use the hard parts of your body.


“So, for me, it's unlucky he's just kicked his foot out at the wrong time and got his timing wrong.”

The card put the Waratahs up a man for 63 minutes of the game and they made the most of it with a 41-12 win over the Otago side.

Clark has impressed since earning his first start of the year against the Blues, and he said he’ll just keep trucking on.

“I was lucky enough to get an opportunity against the Blues. I've held the spot there for a couple of weeks but I'm just happy to contribute,” he said.

The Waratahs have another big challenge, going to New Zealand to take on the Chiefs next week, and hooker Damien Fitzpatrick said this win could help kickstart the second half of their season.

“To get back in the winners' circle and hopefully players can build from that, because you'll work out that winning is a habit,” he said.


“Hopefully next we can take this in and then obviously come back and we start playing our final conference games against the Reds and the rest of the conference after the June break.”

NSW fell short by just two points in their last clash across the ditch, a 31-29 loss to the Crusaders, and Fitzpatrick said that would only help boost their confidence.

“I think tonight we just went out there with the macro elements, just the intent to go and finish the job,” he said.

“I don't think Australian teams we're far off the ball in terms of the way we play the game tactically or how far we're off technically.

“I think there was just a mindset tonight that we just need to go out there and intent and do whatever it takes to win the game. If that was going to be winning the game through a scrap so be it but tonight we were able to put some nice shape together.

“I think we'll take confidence from the win and know that we can perform not just here but also over there and last week showed that.”

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