Eroni Clarke’s back - so watch this space

Eroni Clarke

Eroni Clarke is back playing premier club rugby in Auckland after a two-year playing and coaching stint in Japan.

And don't rule out the 36-year-old veteran of 22 matches for the All Blacks, including 10 tests, playing representative rugby again.

Clarke played for Waitakere City against his old club Suburbs last Saturday. He returned from Japan with his family three weeks earlier.

Waitakere City won 26-16 with Clarke playing 80 minutes at centre.

Many thought he would return to Suburbs, where he played all his senior club rugby, but there were good reasons why he chose Waitakere City.

He lives in nearby Henderson, played for Waitakere City (formerly Te Atatu) during his high school days, has many friends at the club and has a close playing relationship with another former All Black, Ofisa Junior Tonuu, who transferred from Ponsonby to Waitakere City at the start of this 2005 season.

Tonuu is the backs coach of Waitakere City's premier one side while playing at halfback.

"I played a lot of my representative rugby with Junior in Auckland rep sides and the Blues," said Clarke. "And when I heard he was playing for Waitakere City and was coaching the backs it swayed me in my decision to play for the club.

"As well, I live close to Waitakere Stadium, I played for the club at times when I was at Henderson High School and several of my old coaches are still involved with the club."

Clarke had two seasons in Japan playing for the Tokyo-based Ricoh club, which finished 10th of the 12 clubs in the first division this season.

He also found himself coaching and selecting the club's top side for the first two months of last season.

"Our club's head coach, Brian Smith, the former Wallaby and Ireland halfback, and his assistant, Queenslander Glen Panaho, hadn't arrived in time for the start of the season so I was asked to take over for the first two months," said Clarke.

"It was a tough introduction to coaching but a really worthwhile experience. I certainly learnt a lot."

Of his playing future, Clarke says he will give it his best shot for the next five to six years.

"I'm still very competitive in everything I do and believe I have a few more years left in me yet.

"If I'm seen to be playing well enough to be selected for representative rugby, I would be available."

With criticism by some top coaches of the new generation of rugby players because of their lack of worldly experience and rugby nous, don't count Clarke out for higher than club honours, despite his age.