Sevens jobs have Clarke’s interest

Black Ferns assistant coach Wesley Clarke has confirmed he is interested in taking over from Sean Horan as coach of the New Zealand women’s sevens team.

Horan stepped down from the job on Wednesday after four years in the role and leading the team to a silver medal at the Olympic Games in Rio.

There is speculation he made the move so he could take on the men’s sevens job vacated by Gordon Tietjens.

He said that was something he would ‘‘deliberate over’’.

But for Clarke, who has been an assistant to the 15-a-side team since the middle of 2015, Horan’s decision to step down opens another potential international coaching role.

He said the sevens jobs had piqued his interest.

‘‘I am definitely interested in them,’’ he said. ‘‘I love coaching sevens, obviously I have a World Cup with the 15s next year so I have to weigh that up. But I certainly will be looking at them.’’

While the likes of Junior Tomasi Cama and Willie Rickards have been pulled their names out of the coaching race, there is likely to be plenty of quality options interested including former All Black Scott Waldrom.

But Clarke’s coaching resume should have him in good stead should he put his name forward.

His most recent success came with Feilding High School as an assistant coach to the national coed champion first XV.

Clarke, born in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, moved to Auckland to play rugby before concussions ended his playing days.

Eventually he moved to Palmerston North to be with Black Ferns legend and now wife Farah Palmer.

Clarke spent time as the Turbos’ manager, before stepping up as an assistant coach under Dave Rennie for three years.

Since then he has been an assistant coach of the Manawatu Cyclones and picked up his assistant coaching role with the Black Ferns.

He coached the Manawatu women’s sevens team the past two seasons, leading them to the national title in January.

But Clarke won’t get a chance to coach the team in its title defence in 2017.

He said his Black Ferns commitments, which resume in October with two tests against Australia, meant he did not have the time needed for the role.

‘‘I am going with the Black Ferns in November to Ireland,’’ he said. ‘‘Then when I come back, now I am at Feilding High School, I am at Condors for the first week of December.

‘‘The second week of December is the regionals so I can’t do the job justice in terms of what I think it needs.

‘‘The other part of that is that it takes away your Christmas and your family time.

‘‘So being away for the month of November, I probably need to get the family in there at some stage.’’