Allen Clarke pursuing American dream in exciting new role with Dallas Jackals

The hooker enjoyed two stints with his home province before moving into the role of Academy Manager upon his retirement and served as assistant to Mark McCall in the historic 2005/06 Celtic League title-winning campaign.

Clarke also held the position of Elite Player Development Manager with the IRFU and returned to the Kingspan Stadium as forwards coach in 2012.

A spell in charge of Welsh outfit Ospreys followed but the 53-year-old now faces one of the biggest challenges of his career with the Jackals – the newest team entering America’s top-flight Major League Rugby.

“Back in March my agent contacted me about it,” he said.

“I spoke to my wife and kids and they really encouraged me to go for it. It’s a unique opportunity to bring a team together and be part of a club that didn’t have a team and had a couple members of staff, which has grown exponentially over the last number of months.

“The excitement of the project led me to an interview process and following that there was another online meeting where I could ask some questions.

“It happened pretty quickly and by April or May I had signed.”

Clarke had planned to already be in Dallas and although the coronavirus pandemic halted his original plans, he has still been busy at home putting together a squad that will take to the field for the first time in March.

“Every single individual has been handpicked,” he added.

“Myself and Elaine Vassie (assistant GM) who is on the ground in Dallas have spoken to every player on online video calls.

“We have screened over 1000 players and you’re engaging with agents, are the new team on the block and you’re inundated with direct contact from players as well.

“We wanted to get the balance right in being a club that develops North American talent while supporting it with good quality people from other countries.

“There’s a dimension of youth to the team that we have put together but it’s hugely exciting.”

Since leaving Ospreys in December, the former Ireland international has worked on a voluntary basis at Welsh club Ystradgynlais and helped with the scrum at Queens.

He had been looking at other options when the Dallas opportunity came up and says it was his wife who really encouraged him to take it.

“We are at a stage of life now where the kids are grown up and it’s not difficult in terms of transition or travel.

“The club have put together a really good support mechanism for my family in terms of provisional flights,” he said.

“Once I spoke to Elaine Vassie and the GM, I was sold on their vision. I got to know the owner, Donnie Nelson, and his daughter and once I had spoken to them it was clear they were people of good character and the rest is history as they say.”

The Jackals will play their home fixtures at the 48,000 capacity Globe Life Park in Arlington and they become the third team based in Texas alongside the Austin Gilgronis and Houston SaberCats.

Clarke is using Ulster, who he still follows closely, as a blueprint for his time with Dallas and is looking to recreate their sense of community.

“There are a number of mini-goals or stepping stones. The first is to establish a team in the MLR that attracts people to the game of rugby and fall in love with the game as much as we do over here.

“Ulster is a really good example of that. If you think of what the crowds were like back in the early-90’s and how the love for Ulster has grown – I want to do something similar in Dallas.

“I recognise we are competing with a number of other high-profile sports,” he added.

“I want to develop players and a winning team. Ultimately, we all want to win. We want to put sustainable, long-lasting building blocks in place for Dallas Jackals and that’s a huge part of what I’m excited about.

“Having spoken to the players that we have recruited, they are all ambitious to go on and make it in the MLR, play for the US Eagles or maybe pick up contracts back in New Zealand or Australia on the back of their performances in the MLR.”

Players from all around the world will come together to form the Jackals with Clarke recruiting the likes of Wian Conradie, who has played at two World Cup’s for Namibia, and Fijian out-half Tuidraki Samusamuvodre.

Former Hull FC rugby league head coach Lee Radford has been appointed as his assistant and Clarke is all too aware that the business he is in is a result driven one.

“When you’re winning it’s brilliant. When you’re losing, you probably go to a world people don’t understand but it’s trying to get that balance right.

“You try not to bring it home even though you probably do.

“Whether it’s coaches or players, there is a lot more openness in the world with people in sport sharing with the public and media the challenges of sport and how it can impact families. “I read a brilliant article with Paddy McAllister (former Ulster prop) talking about getting that balance right.

“Having been there with a bad run of results, you’re always worried about what other people are thinking rather than focusing in on what you can control.

“You can go through a world of merger talks, players at World Cup’s and injuries and it’s been great to see some of the young Ospreys boys that got Pro14 rugby last year establishing themselves in the team.

“That’s part of the vision of a club and with Dallas Jackals, that’s what really impresses me.”