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Che Clark's incredible rise from King's College to Sevens stardom
With his last touch of the ball in the King’s College First XV, Che Clark scored a 60m runaway try in a 56-5 hammering of Mount Albert Grammar School in 2021.
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The scoreline against a traditional powerhouse was as extraordinary as the contribution of Clark to the King’s First XV. The annual record of the school, The Collegian acclaimed:
“Che has been a fierce competitor since being on the team as a Year 10. He has a huge work rate, excellent athleticism, and aerial skills, along with a never-say-die attitude. Che was selected for the Blues U18s and NZ Schools for the second year.
“Che just fronted up every week at line-out time, carrying the ball close or wide and on defence.”
He played 55 games for the First XV and was the first Collegian since former All Blacks midfielder Pita Alatini (1989-1993) to play 50 matches for King’s. Alatini presented Clark with a special cap on the occasion of his 50th match – a 31-28 victory over St Kentigern’s College.
Remarkably Clark achieved a half-century despite two seasons of the 1A competition being incomplete due to covid lockdowns.
“I started as a lock in 2018 and transitioned to six. I lost a bit of weight, and they said I was light on my feet,” Clark said.
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“I’m a city boy. I grew up with my Mum in South Auckland and played league. Getting a scholarship to King’s made me the player and person I am today.
“In 2019 we had a heck of a season. We won the Auckland competition and just fell short in the National final. The year before we lost to St Peter’s by one in the Auckland final, so it was great to get one over St Kent’s and then compete against the best teams in the country at the Top Four.”
With a lack of fifteens, Clark turned his attention to Sevens. In 2021 he was named in the tournament team at the 2021 World School Sevens. He was part of the winning New Zealand Schools team.
Impressed All Blacks Sevens coach Clark Laidlaw offered Che a New Zealand Sevens contract. In July 2022 he debuted at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games.
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“I was surprised. It was scary and unreal to be among some of the best athletes in the world. The boys did well to get the bronze medal,” Clark said.
“In Sevens I’m a prop which is a bit different because I’m not used to the front row, but in Sevens you kind of play everywhere so my skillset could be used to do lots of things. The boys helped me heaps.”
Clark has represented New Zealand in eight tournaments. The All Blacks Sevens won the 2022/23 HSBC World Sevens Series winning tournaments in Sydney, Los Angeles, Vancouver, Singapore, and Toulouse. At one point the All Blacks Sevens won 26 matches in a row.
“Clark Laidlaw is a down-to-earth, straight-up guy and the boys are really supportive which means you can express yourself,” Clark said.
“When we were lifting all the trophies it was awesome to see how much it meant to the older boys. I know how hard they’ve worked to create a strong legacy.”
With the HSBC World Sevens Series not set to resume for several months Clark has hooked up with the New Zealand Under 20s. He models his game on Ardie Savea. He had to be at his best to help foil a stubborn Australia in a recent two matches series which was split a win each.
“Australia was one of those sides who never went away. They were always up in your face and very physical,” Clark said.
“I loved playing in South Africa in the World Sevens Series. It’s a great country.”
South Africa won the Junior World Cup the last time they hosted the event in 2012. The Junior Springboks beat New Zealand, featuring Ardie Savea, in the final.”
King’s College First XV Record: 2018-2021
2018: Won 15 out of 18 games, Runners Up in 1A Auckland. King’s scored 102 tries and Clark played 14 games as a Year 10.
2019: Won 17 out of 20 games, Beat St Kentigern College 29-22 in 1A Auckland final. Runners up to Hastings Boys’ High School in National Top Four. Clark scored 11 tries.
2020: Won 4 out of 7 games before season was suspended.
2021: Won 11 out of 15 games. Beat Wellington champions Scots College and Otago and Christchurch Boys’ High School on a South Island tour. Were 6-3 in the 1A Auckland competition and on target for the semis until the season was suspended due to Covid.
New Zealand Under 20 World Rugby U20 Championship pool fixtures (date/time in NZST):
Wales U20 v New Zealand U20, Monday 26 June at 2.00AM
France U20 v New Zealand U20, Thursday 29 June at 11.30PM
New Zealand U20 v Japan U20, Thursday 6 July at 2.00AM
Comments on RugbyPass
Great piece Nick, plenty to chew on. Loved this ‘biases’ line from Geoff, shows he is a thinker - “If you asked me for a shortlist of coaches who appealed to my biases, he would be on it.” I think Schmidt is towing a similar line to Rennie in regards to OS players, he is publicly saying he prefers local talent, but almost certainly will be fighting to have the likes of skelton in the team. Interesting to hear the backroom on the rebels and what a cockup that is, just when you think RA admin has hit rock bottom it digs deeper. Other bit that caught my eye was his skills focus on things like passing from 7s at the base of the lineout, great little details. but also scary that a SR level 8 didn’t know how to operate within a lineout - telling!
20 Go to commentsThoroughly enjoyed this thanks Nick. ‘The lineout starts on the ground…’ wish I’d thought of that line when discussing Will’s place in the Wallabies.
20 Go to commentsShannon Frizell’s second year is optional is how I heard it. Given nothing has been confirmed yet it gets more and more likely he signs to return next year. Cant wait to see Finau doing more work on Internal players.
29 Go to commentsBlindside flankers should be hard hitting defenders, good lineout jumper with height, and a hard worker who hits and cleans rucks. If he can be a destructive ball carrier it’s a bonus but not a necessity. Samipeni Fineau and Cullen Grace are excellent at those core skills and my choice at blindside. Brad Shields is dismissed because he is 33 but not sure why that should be a consideration for this season. Shields too does these core roles well. Just don’t pick an 8 and shift him to 6 like the wingers on The Breakdown suggest, as if 6 and 8 are interchangeable. They are not. An 8 is first and foremost a dynamic ball carrier, not necessarily a destructive defender as a 6 should be. Devon Flanders and Akira Ioane are #8 s forced to play blindside because their teams have better options at 8 than them. Do not pick them at blindside
29 Go to commentsSaints obviously didn’t get the memo, or needed an ego boost?
1 Go to commentsReturning to the Chiefs would be another good change that could only put him into a better position to succeed in black
6 Go to commentsSimply outrageous and demonstrably false to say Finau’s tackle on Lynagh was “2 seconds late” In reality it was probably 0.5 seconds after he passed the ball. If you carry the ball at speed to within 5m of the defensive line you can expect to get tackled. Finau could have pulled out of it and not absolutely flattened him for sure, but there was going to be contact either way. He seems like a high risk selection at the moment, but there is no one else like him in NZ at the moment. His big tackles make the highlight reels but he is also a great athlete, very fast for such a big man, spent most of his days at lock so also very strong in the line out.
29 Go to commentsYes, Finau looks like the best option. Blackadder is not big enough for an international 6 - he should join the queue at 7. Frizzell had the power and heft and line-out height to play lock, so maybe that is where the ABs should be looking, not at a 7 who’s not big enough for 6, but at a lock who might have the agility to play 6, like Scott Barrett, or… Natai Ah Kuoi, who absolutely fits that bill, but seldom gets to play 6 because the Chiefs have so many loosies.
29 Go to commentsPaul Quinn was a National MP.
6 Go to commentsNo need to worry about losers’ mentality hysteria from Australia. Finau has all the attributes, I don't recall a high or no arms tackle from him, and his timing has been controlled very well since the round 3 Lynagh tackle. It's an easy decision for Razor, the only question is who should back him up from the bench. He can't be overworked like Squire was in his first full season.
29 Go to comments“Reds coach Les Kiss saying later: “I think every player has the right to feel safe.” Maybe Rugby is the wrong sport for people who want to feel safe..?
29 Go to commentsNot sure what the context was, but the highlights showed one scrum against Aussie where the baby Blacks were going backwards at a pace. The pack has been the issue since 2017, so they might be in for another reality check soon. This tournament should really have been two rounds, would have learned a lot more.
1 Go to commentsPeter Lakai has a ‘lot of size’? Since when? To Kirifi maybe. I think Laidlaw clearly saw he’s too small for 6 or 8, so plonked him at 7. Has potential to be Ardies understudy in black for 7.
6 Go to commentsDalton for skipper?
16 Go to commentsOh he's ‘Irish qualified’ isn't that convenient. If Ireland get any more Kiwis (and Aussie) in their backline they might need to run out in green and black kit soon. How is the supposed best rugby system in the world in need of trawling for journeyman Kiwi players?
2 Go to commentsCallum Grace is playing well now that he's finally back in his best position. But given it was Razor who somehow thought Grace was dynamic enough to be a No8 when he's clearly not, Im not sure he’d backtrack on that. Finau is risky with his style, and there's almost no point picking Blackadder when he can’t stay on the field more than five minutes.
29 Go to commentsThe team on paper has more supposed ‘stars’ than a lot of the sides they’re losing to. They’ve got the Razor-blues and aren't playing for Penney. He should jump before he's pushed.
1 Go to commentsProof. That if you lay dramatic instrumental hip hop music over a video of a skinny pale white kid running an unopposed zig zag on a training ground filled with rookies - it’ll look next-level epic!
13 Go to commentsIf they win the challenge Cup then it will have all been worth it. If they don’t, then maybe he should go. Lots of ppl seem to think very highly of him as a coach, but maybe he would be better working under someone. Any top sides looking for forwards coaches rn?
1 Go to commentsJason Ryan knows his craft as forwards coach and I'm sure he’ll hold sway with Scott Robertson of who he feels worthy of selection…his credentials validated when he put a 7xcaps between them front row...Ethan, Samisoni and Lomax on Ellis Park…Go the AB's…
29 Go to comments