Allen_Clarke_(rugby_union)
Allen Clarke (rugby union)
Irish rugby union player
Allen Clarke (born 29 July 1967) is an Irish rugby union coach and former player. He is the current head coach of the Seattle Seawolves of Major League Rugby (MLR).
| Birth name | Allen Thomas Hartley Clarke | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | (1967-07-29) 29 July 1967 (age 56) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Dungannon, Northern Ireland | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Royal School Dungannon | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| University | Northampton University | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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He is the former head coach of Welsh professional side the Ospreys in the Pro14, having previously been the team's forwards coach.
During his playing career, Clarke was a hooker. He was capped at international level by Ireland, playing for the senior team eight times from 1995 to 1998.[1] Clarke spent the much of his professional playing career with his native province of Ulster and played in the 1999 Heineken Cup Final victory against Colomiers, the first ever European title for an Irish side. He also spent several seasons with Northampton Saints in England across two spells, having studied at the university in the town and later worked as a teacher there.[2] Clarke was forced to retire due to injury in 2001.[3]
After his retirement from playing Clarke became a part of the Ulster coaching system, helping to establish the province's academy system. He was promoted to assistant coach under his former teammate Mark McCall, and served in this role during Ulster's 2005–06 Celtic League title-winning season.[3] Following this success Clarke was hired by the IRFU as an Elite Player Development Manager, a newly created role with the directive of developing young Irish players.[4] He also served as head coach of the Irish under-20 team and the Irish 'A' side during his time with the union.[5]
Following five years in his role with the IRFU, Clarke returned to Ulster in 2012 as an assistant under Mark Anscombe. Clarke continued in this role under Anscombe's successors, Neil Doak and Les Kiss. During his second stint with Ulster Doak continued to be involved with the Irish set up on occasion, serving as head coach of Emerging Ireland during their successful 2015 Tbilisi Cup campaign.[3]
Clarke left Ulster in 2017, joining the Ospreys as forwards coach under Steve Tandy.[6] In January 2018, Tandy was sacked, with Clarke named as his successor on an interim basis.[7] Following a successful stint in the role, Clarke became the head coach position on a permanent basis, signing a three-year deal with the region in April 2018,[8] but was terminated in November 2019 after a dire start to their 2019–20 season.[9]
In June 2020, Clarke was announced as the head coach of the Dallas Jackals of Major League Rugby.[10]
- "Rugby Union Players and Officials: Allen Clarke". ESPN Scrum. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
- "Proud son of Ulster". Irish Times. 9 January 1999. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
- "Allen Clarke". Ulster Rugby. Archived from the original on 24 September 2018. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
- "IRFU Appoint New Elite Player Development Manager". Irish Rugby. 25 May 2007. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
- "Clarke Announces Ireland Under-20 Team". Irish Rugby. 4 February 2009. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
- "Allen Clarke: Ulster forwards coach to join Ospreys for 2017-18 season". BBC Sport. 20 March 2017. Retrieved 13 April 2018.
- "Ospreys name Allen Clarke as interim coach". BBC Sport. 26 January 2018. Retrieved 13 April 2018.
- "Allen Clarke confirmed as permanent Ospreys head coach". BBC Sport. 24 April 2018. Retrieved 30 May 2018.
- "Ospreys: Allen Clarke leaves head coach role". BBC Sport. 26 November 2019. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
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