Clarke Dermody
Assistant Coach
Clarke, after a year as Head Coach in 2024, will become an Assistant Coach in 2025 allowing Jamie Joseph to return to the Head Coach role.
Clarke is proud of what the team has achieved in 2024 year and supportive of the change.
“It’s a change that Jamie discussed with me and while I am very proud of what we achieved this season, I accept the view that it will be of benefit to the club to have his coaching influence on the team next year. From that perspective I believe it’s a positive step and I’m happy to support the move in the best interests of the club.”
Clarke is confident the team can develop further in 2025.
“I know there is plenty of growth left in this team. They are all still mostly young and relatively inexperienced players at Super Rugby level. We all learned a lot this year and the benefits of that experience will pay dividends for us next year. Personally, I am looking forward to the opportunity to work with Jamie in unleashing the potential within the team next season”.
Clarke has been with Club in a coachin capacity for over ten years and guided the Highlanders to the Super Rugby Trans-Tasman final as Head Coach while Tony Brown was on international duties in 2021.
During his tenure, the team won all games in the Trans-Tasman competition and only lost the final against the Blues.
'Derms' has also tasted success while coaching at the Tasman Mako who became back-to-back Champions of the National Provincial Competition in 2019 and 2020 with Clarke as Head Coach.
Clarke had a remarkable playing career which included playing for every New Zealand age-grade team before being named in the All Blacks and playing three Tests in 2006. He is also a former Southland captain and played 92 games for the Stags and 44 for the Highlanders. He headed to Europe in 2007 to play for the London Irish Club and played over 100 games for the club before injuring his back in 2012 and retiring.
Other Coaching Roles
- Sannix Blues (Japan) 2014
- Southland 2014 - 17
- Highlanders 2014 - Current
- Tasman Makos 2018 - 2020
