“We were driving to training and saw a billboard talking about the country getting behind women’s sport . . . it’s special, really special.”
Clarke is well aware of the transformation in the two decades of his involvement.
But there’s also been a transformation in the space of a few months for the Black Ferns, too.
In fact, Clarke has likened the past year to a horror movie at times.
In April the side was in disarray with coach Glenn Moore resigning in the wake of a Northern Hemisphere tour at the end of last year where the Black Ferns failed to win a test.
Team management was accused of favouritism, verbal abuse and bullying, which triggered a review that ultimately found New Zealand Rugby had not sufficiently supported the women’s game.
Former All Blacks coach Wayne Smith was appointed head coach with Clarke, who had been part of the previous coaching set-up, retained.
“It’s been a massive year, as everyone knows,” Clarke said.
“The start of the year seemed like one of those horror movies where the hallway gets really long and the end seems so far away, but the last month has gone really quick and it’s a great feeling to have gone from where we were to where we are now.”
While Clarke expects more females will want to play rugby after the World Cup, he wants the focus to also be on retaining players in the sport.
“I want to see the support structures (put in place) — good coaching, fun experiences, great changing rooms, and a welcoming environment so they stay.”
The Black Ferns feel a strong reponsibility to advance the women’s game.
Black Fern loose forward Charmaine McMenamin - a former Gisborne Girls' High student - made her first-class debut 13 years ago and was part of the 2017 world-cup-winning side.
Last year, though, she was struck down by a rare spinal injury and wondered if she would play again.
McMenamin battled back from surgery to reclaim her place in the side. She is adamant it’s not solely about how the Black Ferns perform on the field that will dictate the fortunes of the sport.
“Performing on the world stage is going to be massive, and especially at home, but I think it’s the smaller, community things the Black Ferns do that make them what they are.
“Sevens became an Olympic sport and the sport boomed and then we won the 2017 world cup and it boomed again.”
Growth in the women’s game is a lot higher than in the men’s game, she says, so having the best countries in the world in New Zealand will be “unreal”.
But McMenamin knows there are still some doubters.
“The game has obviously gone professional. You’ve got Super Rugby Aupiki, which is a step up from FPC (Farah Palmer Cup) and that’s just going to grow and around the world I think it will do the same thing.
“They (World Rugby) want to introduce club championship further down the line, so I think people are finally going to see women can play rugby and it’s an exciting, electric game now,” she said.
Organisers are hopeful Eden Park will be a sellout for the triple-header opening day on Saturday, with over 35,000 tickets already sold.
