David Clark (rugby)
Encyclopedia
David Clark is a former Australian rugby union footballer and a current coach.
Clark played for GPS Old Boys, from 1957 to 1976, and 27 times for Queensland
. He was director of coaching of Queensland, from 1978 to 1988. He was twice called for Australia
in 1962 and 1963, but was never capped.
He was Director and Head Coach of Rugby at the Australian Institute for Sport in Canberra, before moving to Canada. He moved there in 1996 to lead the Commonwealth Centre for Sports Development (PacificSport) rugby programme in Victoria, British Columbia
.
Clark was nominated the first professional head coach of Canada
, after the 1999 Rugby World Cup
finals. He was controversially sacked in 1 August 2001, but his players launched a strike that eventually reinstated him as head coach of Canada, in November 2001. Clark, at the 2003 Rugby World Cup
finals, achieved a 24-7 win over Tonga
, as their only triumph.
Clark played for GPS Old Boys, from 1957 to 1976, and 27 times for Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
. He was director of coaching of Queensland, from 1978 to 1988. He was twice called for Australia
Australia national rugby union team
The Australian national rugby union team is the representative side of Australia in rugby union. The national team is nicknamed the Wallabies and competes annually with New Zealand and South Africa in the Tri-Nations Series, in which they also contest the Bledisloe Cup with New Zealand and the...
in 1962 and 1963, but was never capped.
He was Director and Head Coach of Rugby at the Australian Institute for Sport in Canberra, before moving to Canada. He moved there in 1996 to lead the Commonwealth Centre for Sports Development (PacificSport) rugby programme in Victoria, British Columbia
Victoria, British Columbia
Victoria is the capital city of British Columbia, Canada and is located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific coast. The city has a population of about 78,000 within the metropolitan area of Greater Victoria, which has a population of 360,063, the 15th most populous Canadian...
.
Clark was nominated the first professional head coach of Canada
Canada national rugby union team
The Canada national rugby union team represents Canada in international rugby union. They are governed by Rugby Canada, and play in red and black. Canada is classified by the International Rugby Board as a tier two rugby nation. There are ten tier one nations, and seven tier two nations, the...
, after the 1999 Rugby World Cup
1999 Rugby World Cup
The 1999 Rugby World Cup was the fourth Rugby World Cup, and the first to be held in rugby union's professional era. The principal host nation was Wales, although the majority of matches were played outside the country, shared between England, France, Scotland and Ireland...
finals. He was controversially sacked in 1 August 2001, but his players launched a strike that eventually reinstated him as head coach of Canada, in November 2001. Clark, at the 2003 Rugby World Cup
2003 Rugby World Cup
The 2003 Rugby World Cup was the fifth Rugby World Cup and was won by England. Originally planned to be co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand, all games were shifted to Australia following a contractual dispute over ground signage rights between the New Zealand Rugby Football Union and Rugby World...
finals, achieved a 24-7 win over Tonga
Tonga national rugby union team
The Tonga national rugby union team is nicknamed Ikale Tahi . Like their Polynesian neighbours, the Tongans start their matches with a war dance – the Kailao . They are members of the Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance along with Fiji and Samoa...
, as their only triumph.