Rennie wildcard option to coach Black Ferns

• Published date: 22 January 2023
• Publication title: Herald on Sunday

The World Rugby coach of the year, Wayne Smith, was on a short-term contract and the position is now open, awaiting confirmation of his replacement

Applications for the Black Ferns top job closed at the beginning of December, meaning an announcement is imminent.

Let’s take a look at the different options New Zealand Rugby likely has on the table and what they would mean for where the women’s game is headed.

First up is the continuity candidate, Wes Clarke. He has been with the Black Ferns for two World Cup campaigns, having joined the coaching team in 2015.

Coming up through the rugby scene in the Manawatū, he has been involved in the women’s game for a long time. He spent time with Feilding High as a coach developer, which boasts one of the most successful girls’ rugby programmes, having produced talents such as sevens captain Sarah Hirini and English hooker Amy Cokayne. Clarke was also involved with the Manawatū women’s sevens team who were a consistent performer on the national sevens stage.

Clarke’s most recent head coaching role was in the inaugural Aupiki season with the Hurricanes Poua, who were unlucky to have missed the opening round due to COVID which saw them finish second to the Chiefs Manawa. He is also married to the first dame of New Zealand Rugby, Farah Palmer.

There is no question Clarke has the experience but is continuity what New Zealand Rugby are looking for? Ian Foster was their continuity pick in the men’s game and it didn’t quite work out the way they had planned. It may be they want to stick with the change started under Smith and look to bring in someone new.

One such option could be gold medal and Aupiki-winning coach Allan Bunting.

He is not new to the Black Ferns 15s environment, having been a part of the Band-Aid brigade brought in the wake of Glenn Moore’s departure.

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