Allen Clarke appointed Ospreys Forwards Coach

Ospreys Rugby have announced that former Ulster, Northampton Saints and Ireland hooker, Allen Clarke, will take up the position of Forwards Coach this summer.

Clarke will replace Chris Gibbes, who confirmed in January he will leave the Ospreys at the end of the season to head home to New Zealand and become Head Coach at Mitre 10 Cup side Wellington Lions.

“I’m delighted to have this opportunity and really excited about the next challenge in my career” said Clarke.

“Ulster, and Irish rugby, has been my life for such a long time, but I’m excited and highly motivated about joining the Ospreys and making the move to the region with my wife, Kerry, it’s a great new adventure for us.

“However, all parties, myself, Ulster and the Ospreys, have a lot of work to do and goals to achieve before the end of the season, when I’ll be able to focus on the future.”

Capped eight times by Ireland, Clarke was a key player in Ulster’s 1999 Heineken Cup run, including the 21-6 win over Colomiers at Lansdowne Road in the final, the province’s only European title.

He will join the Ospreys from PRO12 rivals Ulster, where he has enjoyed success as both player and coach over a period of 20 years, either side of a five-year spell as Irish Rugby's High Performance Manager. He also spent eight years as a player in England at Franklin’s Gardens.