Todd Alley, the youngest of three brothers to play for the Orlando R.F.C., had his rugby debut in 1974 with the Florida State R.F.C. in Tallahassee. Florida State was a collegiate rugby powerhouse in those days and after learning from some of the top players in the state, he brought his athleticism home to Orlando and its fledgling rugby club.

Like so many other beginners, Todd originated at wing but moved to flanker in Orlando as Mike Leonard left for classes in Gainesville. A quick study, Todd learned even faster when he played against Leonard at U.F. or with him after Leonard returned home. “I learned how to cheat by watching him,” says Alley, though he admits that for him, that part of the game “came kind’a naturally.”

Fond memories for “T-Bone” Alley include playing flyhalf against his brother Mike and tossing the mall to Mike after a lineout in order to give his brother a crushing tackle. Then during a championship match against High Wycombe R.F.C. in Memphis, Alley was penalized with the referee explaining to captain Leonard as “tackling too hard!” Left at a loss for words then, Hall of Fame member Leonard welcomes Todd Alley into the Hall of Fame by calling him “pound for pound, the hardest tackler I ever saw.”