AN amazing video shows the moment an aspiring rugby player shows off his skills by running across the pitch at Murrayfield – and evading four stewards.
Charlie Pollard weaves like a professional between the security men, at one point leaving two of them sprawling on the ground.
The fleet-footed student – formerly a fly half at Marlborough College – even manages to get back to his seat before the out-of-breath stewards catch up with him.
A rugby expert today praised Charlie’s “first class footwork” and “burst of speed” and even the authorities at Murrayfield seem to have been impressed enough to let him watch the game after a ticking off.
Charlie, 19, completed the feat during a recent ‘varsity’ match between Edinburgh and St. Andrews after losing a bet with one of his friends, Charlie Purton.
Fellow student Jasper Leadbeater, who recorded the clip, said losing the bet meant Charlie had to jump on to the pitch and evade capture long enough to make it through the posts.
He said: “So I got the footage and it turned out pretty good. I did not think he would just go in a flash like he did.
“Being relatively athletic – fly half 1st XV at Marlborough College – I knew Charlie would put on a show. And that he did.”
Charlie told a student news website: “I guess I’d had a little bit to drink, so had a bit of Dutch Courage too. ”
After finally getting caught, Charlie said the Murrayfield authorities were “very nice”.
He said: “I sort of chatted s*** for about 10 minutes and then it was all okay. I can go to Murrayfield again. I can run on again if I want but I probably won’t – that’s probably my first and last time.”
He added: “I don’t know if I’ll be playing at Murrayfield, probably not. I’m not on a team yet at all, perhaps that can be my initiation or something, but I am trying to play a bit of rugby at the moment.”
Conor Matchett, a 21 year-old philosophy student who was commentating on the match for student radio, said: “The guy is clearly skillful, he’s got a good burst of pace which initially takes him away from the first couple of stewards.
“His footwork is top class to take him past the steward on the way back to the crowd.
“Edinburgh didn’t play great that day and he was probably the quickest man who graced the field!”
St Andrews University eventually beat Edinburgh 24-12 in the men’s match, although Edinburgh’s women had earlier thrashed St Andrews 97-0.
