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Major League Rugby

Rory Best lands MLR role with the Seattle Seawolves

By Ian Cameron

24 Apr 2021

(Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)

Former Ireland hooker Rory Best is back in professional rugby after being revealed by the Seattle Seawolves as their new technical coach.

In a major recruitment move by the side, Best will work alongside former Ospreys head coach Allen Clarke and Pate Tuilevuka, who takes over as interim head coach, switching from his previous role as Director of Rugby.

The Seawolves said in a statement: “In addition to the changes with current staff, the Seawolves have added further support to the coaching team in Allen Clarke and Rory Best, bringing vast experience to bolster Seattle’s technical and high-performance skills. Clarke and Best will be with Seattle through the remainder of the 2021 season, helping direct the current campaign and laying the groundwork for the future development of the club.”

Mike Brown guests on The Offload:

Best retired at the end of 2019 after returning from the Rugby World Cup in Japan. The signing of the 38-year-old is a major statement of intent from Seattle Seawolves and an adventurous first foray into professional coaching for Best. According to the MLR side, Best “joins the Seawolves coaching staff to help build elite player skills and capabilities.”

Best earned 124 Ireland caps and toured twice with the British and Irish Lions side in 2013 and 2017. Many had expected the veteran Ulster hooker to return to farming on a permanent basis, but he’s clearly been lured by the exciting potential of the start-up American league.

Clarke meanwhile had already been involved in the MLR, having joined the Dallas Jackals as Director of Rugby. However, Dallas opted out of the 2021 season, so Clarke has made himself available as a technical coach to the Seawolves.

Clarke’s most recent European gig had been at the Ospreys, who he joined in 2017, initially as forwards coach and then as head coach. A poor start to the 2019 season saw Clarke sacked mid-season from the PRO14 franchise.

Clarke was capped eight times as a hooker for Ireland and won the 1999 Heineken Cup with his club side Ulster; the first European title for an Irish side.

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Comments on RugbyPass

Bull Shark 9 minutes ago

'Springbok Galacticos can't go it alone for trophy-hunting Sharks'

Nor 1652 - 1981 if you wanted to get really into this train of thought.

Round about the time England was cruising around the world raping and pillaging. Like “Heroes”.

6 Go to comments

AC 1 hour ago

URC chief executive addresses potential Premiership merger

No I know. Like I mentioned, many would be opposed, most of all France. France's domestic rugby rivals their domestic football, that's how healthy it is.

4 Go to comments

AC 1 hour ago

Harlequins 'riddled with errors' and physically 'weren’t at the races'

It was, perhaps the worst performance I've ever seen from Quins. Also a very un-Quins performance because usually, when they lose, it's because they gave up too many tries even though they scored enough. Haven't been blanked in 10 years. Didn't even let Gloucester get that many, they just simple could not get the ball across the line, couldn't hold on to it really at all.

1 Go to comments

HU 1 hour ago

'Tom has the potential to be better than a British and Irish Lion'

a long long time ago, when I was writing articles myself (as a way to earn some money during my university studies) there was some editing involved .... if I had put up crap like "better than a British Lion" I would have got called into the editor-in-chief's office and been reminded about taking the profession seriously ....

7 Go to comments

HU 1 hour ago

URC chief executive addresses potential Premiership merger

no way France would join .... why would they, the Top14 is perhaps the healthiest competition in (professional) club rugby and even the D2 seems to be up and running ..... I can't see any selling point to be convincing ....

4 Go to comments

ED 2 hours ago

Bristol vs Leicester | Live & Latest Rugby Union Scores & Results | RugbyPass

This teamsheet is different to bears site and planet rugby.

1 Go to comments

Barry 3 hours ago

'Springbok Galacticos can't go it alone for trophy-hunting Sharks'

Always has elevated the profile of African rugby?

They didn't do much for the games profile from 1981 - 1992. Not in a positive sense at least.

6 Go to comments

Bull Shark 3 hours ago

'Tom has the potential to be better than a British and Irish Lion'

What does “better than a British Lion” mean?

As good as a springbok?

7 Go to comments

Hellhound 4 hours ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

On this I agree with you. There were many great teams and many different eras of rugby with very different rule sets. It's actually impossible to declare one team or player as the best ever. However, this is definitely the best SA team SA has ever had. All the accolades speaks for itself.

129 Go to comments

Hellhound 4 hours ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

All you can do is hate on SA. Jealousy makes you nasty and it's never a good look. Those who actually knows rugby is all talking about the depth and standards of the SA players. They don't wear blinders like you. The NH had many years to build the depth and players for multiple competition the SA teams didn't. There will be growing pains. Not least travel issues. The NH teams barely have to travel to play an opponent opposed to the SA teams. That is just one issue. There is many more issues, hence the "growing pains". The CC isn't yet a priority and this is what most people have a problem with. Saying SA is disrespecting that competition which isn't true. SA don't have the funds yet to go big and get the players needed for 3 competitions. It all costs a lot of money. It's over using players and get them injured or prioritising what they can deliver with what are available. To qualify for CC, they need to perform well in the URC, so that is where the main priorities is currently. In time that will change with sponsors coming in fast. They are at a distinct disadvantage currently compared to the rest. Be happy about that, because they already are the best international team. You would have hated it if they kept winning the club competitions like the URC and CC every year too. Don't be such a sourmouth loser. See the complete picture and judge accordingly. There is many factors you aren't even aware of at play that you completely ignore just to sound relevant. Instead of being an positive influence and spread the game and help it grow, we have to read nonsense like this from haters. Just grow up and stop hating on the game. Go watch soccer or something that loves people like you.

129 Go to comments

Barry 5 hours ago

URC chief executive addresses potential Premiership merger

The RFU won't go for it especially now they've enhanced hybrid contracts and some control over their international players.

4 Go to comments

Barry 7 hours ago

Warren Gatland finds out his fate as Wales undergo huge changes

Exactly. They haven't learnt. Their regions and U20s are also whipping boys which is the bigger concern. Nothing coming through.

They maxed out the credit cards to keep their golden generation of players at home. It's now destroyed the game at every level in Wales.

10 Go to comments

Barry 8 hours ago

Warren Gatland finds out his fate as Wales undergo huge changes

Nor can the same coach turn it around. That's been proven across the last year. It will be years before they are even competitive again. It's a 5 year + job. No way Gatland will be around for that.

Italy's nadir was around ten years ago and even they were better equipped with their regions, U20s and senior squad and management. Wales have further to fall.

10 Go to comments

Barry 8 hours ago

Warren Gatland finds out his fate as Wales undergo huge changes

If they're happy at losing 12 on the bounce, get a regional coach who would be as bad but cost about a sixth in salary.

10 Go to comments

dw 8 hours ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

I'm no expert but I've never seen nz or even aus as doing much for those nations? Both have benefited from their countries players playing for us! I see most of the top nations looking after themselves and maybe it's a world rugby issue?

129 Go to comments

richard davies 8 hours ago

Warren Gatland finds out his fate as Wales undergo huge changes

At 600k a year I would think there will be quite a Que. win lose or draw you can blame the small stature of the players and the WRU