Allen Clarke (rugby union)

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Allen Clarke
Birth nameAllen Thomas Hartley Clarke
Date of birth (1967-07-29) 29 July 1967 (age 57)
Place of birth Dungannon, Northern Ireland
Height1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)
School Royal School Dungannon
University Northampton University
Rugby union career
Position(s) Hooker
Amateur team(s)
YearsTeamApps(Points)
1998–2001 Dungannon ()
Correct as of 1995–2001
Senior career
YearsTeamApps(Points)
1989–1995 Northampton Saints ()
1995–1996 Ulster ()
1996–1998 Northampton Saints ()
1998–2001 Ulster ()
Correct as of 13 April 2018
International career
YearsTeamApps(Points)
1995–1998 Ireland 8 (0)
Correct as of 13 April 2018
Coaching career
YearsTeam
2002–2005 Ulster (Academy manager)
2004–2007 Ulster (Assistant)
2007–2012 IRFU (Elite Player Development Manager)
2012–2017 Ulster (Forwards coach)
2017–2018 Ospreys (Forwards coach)
2018–2019 Ospreys
2020–2021 Dallas Jackals
2021– Seattle Seawolves
Correct as of 1 May 2023

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).

Contents

He is the former head coach of Welsh professional side the Ospreys in the Pro14, having previously been the team's forwards coach.

Playing career

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]

Coaching

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, a new Major League Rugby expansion team. [10] The team's entry into the league was delayed to 2022 and Clarke went to the Seattle Seawolves on loan beginning in May 2021. [11]

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The 2017–18 PRO14 was the seventeenth season of the professional rugby union competition originally known as the Celtic League. It is the first season to be referred to as the Guinness PRO14 Championship, with the addition of two South African teams.

The 2018–19 Pro14 is the eighteenth season of the professional rugby union competition originally known as the Celtic League. It was the second season to be referred to as the Pro14.

The 2019–20 season was Ulster's 26th season since the advent of professionalism in rugby union, and Dan McFarland's second season as head coach. Lock Iain Henderson was named captain in place of retired hooker Rory Best. They competed in the Pro14 and the European Rugby Champions Cup. Both competitions were disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, he later stages being played in August, September and October 2020. In the Pro14, Ulster finished second in Conference A, making the playoffs and qualifying for next season's Champions Cup. They beat Edinburgh in the semi-final, but lost to Leinster in the final. They finished second in Pool 3 in the Champions Cup, qualifying for the quarter-finals, where they were beaten by Toulouse.

The 2017–18 season was Ulster's 24th season since the advent of professionalism in rugby union, and Jono Gibbes' only season as head coach. Rory Best was captain. They competed in the inaugural Pro14 and the European Rugby Champions Cup.

The 2016–17 season was Ulster's 23rd season since the advent of professionalism in rugby union, and the third under Director of Rugby Les Kiss and head coach Neil Doak. They completed in the European Rugby Champions Cup and the final season of the Pro12 before it became the Pro14 with the addition of two teams from South Africa.

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The 2014–15 season was Ulster's 21st season since the advent of professionalism in rugby union, and their first under Director of Rugby Les Kiss and head coach Neil Doak. They completed in the European Rugby Champions Cup and the Pro12.

The 2013–14 season was Ulster's 20th season since the advent of professionalism in rugby union, and their second under head coach Mark Anscombe. They competed in the Heineken Cup and the Pro12.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">2007–08 Ulster Rugby season</span> Provincial professional playing season

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">2001–02 Ulster Rugby season</span> Professional provincial Rugby Union playing season

The 2001–02 season was Ulster Rugby's seventh under professionalism, and their first under head coach Alan Solomons. They competed in the Heineken Cup, the IRFU Interprovincial Championship, and the inaugural Celtic League. Flanker Andy Ward was captain.

The 2002–03 season was Ulster Rugby's eighth under professionalism, and their second under head coach Alan Solomons. They competed in the Heineken Cup and the Celtic League. No IRFU Interprovincial Championship was held this season.

The 2004–05 season was Ulster Rugby's tenth under professionalism, and their first under head coach Mark McCall. They competed in the Heineken Cup, the Celtic League and the Celtic Cup.

References

  1. ↑ "Rugby Union Players and Officials: Allen Clarke". ESPN Scrum . Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  2. ↑ "Proud son of Ulster". Irish Times . 9 January 1999. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  3. 1 2 3 "Allen Clarke". Ulster Rugby . Archived from the original on 24 September 2018. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  4. ↑ "IRFU Appoint New Elite Player Development Manager". Irish Rugby . 25 May 2007. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  5. ↑ "Clarke Announces Ireland Under-20 Team". Irish Rugby . 4 February 2009. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  6. ↑ "Allen Clarke: Ulster forwards coach to join Ospreys for 2017-18 season". BBC Sport. 20 March 2017. Retrieved 13 April 2018.
  7. ↑ "Ospreys name Allen Clarke as interim coach". BBC Sport. 26 January 2018. Retrieved 13 April 2018.
  8. ↑ "Allen Clarke confirmed as permanent Ospreys head coach". BBC Sport . 24 April 2018. Retrieved 30 May 2018.
  9. ↑ "Ospreys: Allen Clarke leaves head coach role". BBC Sport . 26 November 2019. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
  10. ↑ https://www.americasrugbynews.com/2020/06/12/dallas-jackals-name-allen-clarke-as-first-head-coach/ [ bare URL ]
  11. ↑ Hanson, Scott (4 February 2022). "Seattle Seawolves look to rebound from disappointing 2021 as Major League Rugby season starts". The Seattle Times . Retrieved 25 July 2024.


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