This is the story of a man who has played barely 10 seconds of Premiership rugby yet has earned genuine respect on every continent. Having already won an Olympic medal, he is now one try away from overtaking everyone who has ever picked up a ball and run with it. Not bad for a welder’s son from Gloucestershire who was dismissed as too lightweight to make a career out of “proper” rugby.
Little wonder Dan Norton gave silent thanks last summer as he took in the panoramic views across Rio and reflected on his “incredible” sporting odyssey. This week, at the Hong Kong Sevens, everyone will know his name as he looks to become the all-time highest try-scorer in rugby’s abbreviated form; once he returns home to Wraysbury near Staines, it is high time more people saluted his achievements.
Related: England seal Cape Town sevens after South Africa miss final-kick conversion
Related: Sevens rugby is on the rise – and England are ahead of the game | Michael Aylwin
Continue reading...