Taranaki Pair Positive About Future
BROTHERS- IN- LAW SHANE CLEAVER AND CRAIG CLARKE WERE BOTH FORCED TO RETIRE EARLY DUE TO CONCUSSION. BUT THEY ARE BOTH ADJUSTING WELL TO LIFE ON THE FAMILY FARM.
Two Taranaki rugby stalwarts will, in time, be able to share a beer and laugh about how they ended up in the same place at the same time, though not quite in the circumstances they could have foreseen.
Craig Clarke and Shane Cleaver are doing the hard yards on the Cleaver family farm not far from Hawera in south Taranaki. They may have ended up back here in a few years anyway if misfortune had not befallen both of them. Bad concussion issues hit both men, and Cleaver’s 46th and last game was for Taranaki in the 2013 ITM Cup.
Clarke was a few months into a contract with Irish club Connacht. He was forced into retirement in January this year.
The 27- year- old Cleaver had a head start on the farm work, and he and sister Natasha, as contract milkers, have taken over much of the day- to- day running from their father. Spring brings its own challenges on a dairy farm and Cleaver does not have idle time on his hands.
“Craig is coming along. He was pretty green at first, but he’s picking things up quite nicely and doing a good job. He’ll be up to scratch in no time,” says Cleaver of his brother- law, who is married to his sister Veree.
Clarke was the senior player on the rugby field, captaining the Chiefs to two Super Rugby titles among his other achievements,
but the roles are reversed on the farm. That doesn’t mean that Cleaver pulls rank on the 31- year- old too often.
“We all work as a team. My sister and I make decisions, plan and organise, lay everything out. It’s definitely not a relationship where he turns up and I tell him what to do!”
Clarke only got home from Ireland with his wife and young daughter Isabella in July, so it’s been a steep learning curve. Things have been so busy they haven’t had time to reflect too much on their rugby days and compare concussion notes.
“We don’t talk too much about the concussion stuff. We’re slightly different with some of our symptoms, that said when we do talk about it I think it’s been a good thing for both of us,” says Clarke.
He was brought up on a sheep and beef farm near Gisborne, but is more than happy for the family to settle in the province where he played most of his pro rugby.
“I’ve got family in Gisborne, but I’ve lived in Taranaki on an off for the last few years and we enjoy it here. My wife’s from here, and, after dragging her up to Hamilton, back to here and then overseas, it’s quite good to settle closer to her family,” says Clarke.
He feels he could have played on for a few more years were it not for the concussion, but knew by about April that he was going have to make a call on life after rugby.
“I’m from a farming background - I enjoyed growing up on a farm. Veree was the same. We thought it would be great for the kids, so we want to have a real crack at it.”
Clarke is happy enough learning the ropes on a dairy farm, even if spring means plenty of hard work. He quips that they wouldn’t waste any grass on sheep.
Both Cleaver and Clarke are getting on with their day- today lives and are looking forward to what life has to offer next. They no longer suffer any concussion symptoms except if they overdo the exercise in the gym or on the treadmill.
Cleaver has already taken up the coaching cudgels, helping his Southern club side this season.
“I’d always wanted to play overseas and earn a buck playing rugby. But I’ve got a lot of good mates and did a fair bit of travel. I’m happy with the time I got,” he says. Returning to the farm was always the plan, “just a bit earlier than I expected.”
Clarke may look at coaching in the future, once he takes some time away from the game to clear his head, as it were.
“I do look back and am proud of my achievements. Some time away will be good. I still have a love for the game and always will.”
They are both still avid followers of Taranaki and the Chiefs, not to mention the All Blacks.
With that, they are back into it. There’s milking to be done.