Jedburgh’s Clark Laidlaw given head coach’s job at New Zealand rugby side Hurricanes

The 45-year-old, brought up in Jedburgh but based in New Zealand for the last 15 years, has been head coach for the All Blacks’ sevens side since 2017.

Current Hurricanes head coach Jason Holland is leaving at the end of the Super Rugby Pacific season under way at the moment to join the national team as an assistant to head coach Scott Robertson.

It’s second time round at the Hurricanes for Laidlaw, son of former Scotland and Jed-Forest scrum-half Roy Laidlaw and cousin of ex-Scotland rugby captain Greig Laidlaw, as he was an assistant coach with the Wellington side from 2013 to 2015.

The former stand-off made his Scotland sevens debut in 2001 and went on to score 246 points in the World Sevens Series, as well as playing at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Australia.

He became the first foreigner to coach a New Zealand national rugby side when he landed his present job six years ago, overseeing a gold medal win at 2018’s Commonwealth Games, also in Australia, and victory in that same year’s Rugby World Cup Sevens in the US, World Rugby Sevens Series title wins in 2020 and 2023 and a silver medal at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.

“I am really proud of all we have achieved with the All Blacks’ sevens,” said the Borderer.

“We’ve seen a lot of success but also had our fair share of challenges.

“The ability to coach a national team for pinnacle events – with the opportunities, learnings and team connections that come with it – is really special, but it felt like the right time to take on a new challenge as head coach of the Hurricanes, building on what is already a really strong team.”

Avan Lee, chief executive officer at the Hurricanes, one of the teams played by a British and Irish Lions squad featuring Greig Laidlaw in 2017, drawing 31-31, is looking forward to welcoming Laidlaw on board, saying: “His coaching record speaks for itself in terms of success.

“He’s done a superb job for the sevens, so we’re thrilled to see him return to the Hurricanes and continue to build on the great work of Jason Holland and the current wider coaching team.

“Clark will bring a unique set of skills to the Hurricanes and help our club realise their ambitions.

“Obviously, having been assistant coach at the Hurricanes from 2013 to 2015, he already has some fantastic connections and relationships in the club.

“We’re excited about what he will bring to the club on the field but also look forward to watching his influence on the culture and our people.”