Clark aims to base his skillset on Sonny Bill
BATH centre prospect Max Clark reckons combining the subtle offloading skills of boyhood hero Sonny Bill Williams with the gainline-busting abilities of Jamie Roberts can set him on the fasttrack to international stardom.
Bridgend-born Clark, 20, has proved a revelation in filling Bath’s inside-centre void since the departures of Kyle Eastmond and Ollie Devoto.
He cuts an impressive midfield presence at 6ft 3in and 15st 10lb (100kg), and with new coaches Todd Blackadder and Tabai Matson excited by the youngster’s displays, the former England U20s man is keen to press ahead. Clark told The Rugby
Paper: “I’ve come in at 12 and offer a bit of go-forward because of my size, but I don’t want to be labelled a crash-ball player.
“Sometimes my role in a game will be to get over the gainline as much as I can, but I’m looking to be a ball player in my own right to take the pressure off George Ford and create chances for the team off my own back.
“Jamie Roberts is a great role model as someone who’s world-class at going forward but who has some guile on the ball as well, but the player I’ve always looked up to and really enjoyed watching is Sonny Bill Williams.
“With his size and the way he moves the ball he doesn’t just carry it up, so Sonny’s someone I’m really hoping to emulate.
“New Zealanders love the offloading game and with Todd and Tabai at the club, they’re going to push that as hard as they can.
“That’s perfect for me because it’s something I can really offer, and with Tabai being a former centre he’s having a lot to say.”
Clark relishes acting as a foil to Ford and centre partner Jonathan Joseph.
He explained: “It’s pretty exciting playing between two world-class players like that, not just in terms of what you see on the pitch, but off the pitch where they’re keen to help me get better as one of the younger players.
“They’ve been playing week-in, week-out for Bath and England so I’m learning off them every day.
“They both have terrific rugby brains and I’m taking in as much as I can from them, but however nice it is playing between those two top guys, I want to do as much as I can personally to get myself known and noticed.”
Clark has designs on following former U20s colleague Joe Marchant into the England set-up, but, like Ross Moriarty before him, would face a decision if Wales call first.
He added: “Ross has done well and a few people have asked me about it, but at the moment I’m happy with where I am and it’s not a decision I have to make.
“I’ve represented England U20s and I’m happy at Bath, so it’s just awesome to see guys like Joe Marchant called up. He’s a friend and an inspiration to me, and when you see that you know you’re never too far away.”