Berkeley, CA (U-WIRE) -- The 2005 Cal rugby season had been shaping up as usual. That is to say, it was looking a little boring. Unlike last season-the Bears entered the Final Four not only looking to reclaim the national title but also to avenge a reserve grade 58-18 loss to Cal Poly during the regular season-this year appeared to be yet another simple, dominating march to the national title.

On Saturday, they demolished Minnesota in the round of 16. The next day, they did the same to Tennessee in the round of eight.

But for 45 seconds on Sunday, Andy Johnson had Witter Field abuzz.

While absorbing a hit from a Nevada player 11 weeks ago, Johnson suffered a spiral fracture to his fibula, his tibia cracked, his knee dislocated and his deltoid ligament tore from the bone.

For 11 weeks, Johnson was a walking hardware store, with a plate and a IKEA desk's worth of screws (nine) in his leg. For six weeks he was on crutches. For two weeks, he was in cast, unable to walk.

Last week, however, he was dragging himself to the top of Tilden Park during the team's early morning fire trail run.

But Sunday after All-American Joel DiGiorgio exited his final home game to a curtain call, Johnson produced the real surprise.

For 45 seconds during the team's 65-3 win over the Vols, Johnson played as the team's scrumhalf.

"The doctor's said that I couldn't come back," Johnson said. "But coach (Jack) Clark was always optimistic that I would be back for this."

"He was about the only person who thought he could do it," Clark said. "That is what is a bit remarkable-I thought it was at best a long shot. But who am I?"

In the Cal rugby world, Clark is the highest authority on everything-medicine included. If he thinks there is a chance you can return, you better return.

Clark may have bigger plans for Johnson at this weekend's USA rugby Final Four at Stanford's Steuber Field. With Brendan Wright suffering a hand injury-a debilitating wound for a position in which you spend all your time pitching the ball across the field-Clark said Johnson will be DiGiorgio's "understudy" this

weekend.

At some point, however, Johnson will have to explain to Clark why he was only on the field for 45 seconds.

Johnson was not inserted for meaningless garbage seconds. He wasn't Kirk Gibson or Willis Reed, limping around on one leg. He said his only problem was that he was a little out of shape.

Clark put him in with more than 10 minutes left. But in half the time it takes to microwave a burrito, Johnson managed to get himself kicked out.

After immediately being penalized for hands in the ruck, Johnson's reaction earned him a yellow card and a 10-minute exile. He headed to the sideline, threw down his scrumcap, and watched as the Bears played the rest of the game at a 14-to-15 disadvantage.

Johnson said the team did just fine without him in his nearly three-month absence-a serious understatement. They could probably win the national title without him.

But regardless of whether or not he makes an impact this weekend, he had 45 satisfying seconds Sunday.

(C) 2004 Daily Californian via U-WIRE