Adam Clark has created an impression since he joined Narberth RFC at the start of the season so Bill Carne met up with the powerful second row from Haverfordwest for a chat . . .

Narberth RFC was sitting pretty in second place in the Championship Division of Welsh Rugby at the start of the New Year and no-one was more delighted than Adam Clark because the talented young second row from Haverfordwest has been involved in the Otters’ success.

Adam had previously played for the Blues, Whitland for a few games, and for Hamilton Marists under 21s in New Zealand – but more of that later. This is his first season at the Lewis Lloyd Ground and he is full of praise for the welcome accorded him there.

“The other players, most of them from Pembrokeshire, have been very supportive and the supporters are brilliant,” said Adam, “because they like nothing better than a chat after the game to say what they think of our play. I really enjoy working with coaches Jonathan Dodd and Sean Gale, who have been a great help.”

“I started out in Narberth this season because I wanted to see if I could step up to the higher standard and I found pre-season hard work but soon got into the thick of things,” admitted Adam.

“I started in the team for the pre-season friendly against Swansea but then injured my knee ligament, which kept me out for a few weeks.

“I came back in the friendly against Newcastle Emlyn, where I scored, and I came back into league action at Tata Steel. I have started every match since against the likes of Bridgend Athletic, Beddau, Llanharan and Bonymaen and it is faster than I was used to before.

“It is also more demanding technically, especially in the linesout, but I have had lots of help from experienced players like Dan Smith and Sean Lloyd.”

It all seems a long time now since Adam set out as a burly young 12 year old prop at STP School under the watchful eye of Mr Gelly James, playing in a very good team that included Josh Thomas, Ollie Reyland, cousin Matthew Clark and Jamie Barnett. By the time they were 16 they had also been coached by Mr Med Richards and Mr Jonathan Dodd and in their final year together won the Pembrokeshire Schools’ League.

Adam also played rugby at Haverfordwest RFC throughout this time but they were always shaded out for the silverware by a Whitland team that had James ‘Cub’ Davies, Scott Williams and Jonathan Thomas to the fore. At youth level he was still playing prop, the biggest in the county at 6’ 3”, as the Blues Youth won the Griffiths Cup by beating Tenby United at Neyland – and the following year Adam played alongside Rob Evans, Jonathan Howard and Sam Parry in a team that Nigel Griffiths coached to win the youth league.

Outside of his rugby, Adam was a good swimmer in his younger days, winning his share of medals with Haverfordwest Swimming Club in freestyle and back stroke events from 100 metres to 800 metres. He has also played football for Clarbeston Road in junior football as a powerful midfielder but then he had to focus on one sport and rugby was easily the winner in that choice.

Ask Adam about support and he would name a whole range of coaches but would nominate his family way out in front because they have always been 100% behind him. Dad Freddie was an outstanding flanker with Haverfordwest in their halcyon days whilst mum Jean was a useful hockey and netball player in school, as were Adam’s older sisters Lindsey and Kelly. Then there’s cousin Matthew, who played alongside him for Haverfordwest and is now at Whitland – and we can confirm that the Clark boys are NOT brothers, as so many rugby followers seem to believe!

After his youth days, where he played a handful of games for the Blues, he travelled off to New Zealand on a player exchange organised by Johnny Llewellin and the club’s committee which saw Jarred Bayliss and Sam Van Der Valk playing a season for the Blues before Adam and Matthew made the return trip and played for Hamilton Marists Under 21s, the home club of Messrs Bayliss and Van Der Valk.

“It was an unforgettable experience,” said Adam, “and I learned so much more than I could ever believe possible. We were looked after by Reuben, who was Johnny Llewellin’s counterpart, and some training sessions started at 5.30 in the morning!

“We used the UMG fitness programme at the club and although it was tough at the start I got fitter than I have ever been because it linked power to flexibility. We managed to reach the cup semi-final and also played for the Maori Academy, where we learned to do the Haka but not as good as the All Blacks do it!

It also built up confidence because the coaches believed in showing respect to the opposition but never taking a backward step on the field, and Adam says that this steely resolve has certainly helped him develop his game, alongside his lineout skills and general ball-handling.

“New Zealand was an amazing country,” said Adam, “and I would love to go back there at some time soon.”

At the start of his first season in senior rugby, Adam was 6’5” tall and down to 17 stone and able to make a smooth transition to the second row, which he loves because he feels he is so much more involved in the action.

“It was great that we gained promotion to Division Two but then got relegated again – but it was nice to be part of the team last season which beat Tenby United in the Pembrokeshire KO Cup at Whitland.

“I really enjoyed my time at Fishguard Road but knew that if I aimed to try to move up in standard it was the right time for me to go, although I will never forget my time with Haverfordwest RFC – and could go back there one day.

“I had already played several times for Whitland, including a game against Narberth and a Welsh Cup tie against Aberavon, but when the Otters invited me to pre-season trials I really felt straight away it was the right place for me.

“It is easy for me to reach for training and home matches, and I also train twice a week with Simon Roach at the SAW Fitness Centre in STP School.

“I am still a relative youngster at 23 in the second row and I am ready to work even harder to achieve my full potential.”

Chat to Adam for a short while and it is evident that whilst he is a modest and likeable young feller, he also knows what he wants in rugby terms. He is a very good ball winner and is strong in defence as a bonus. He enjoys the physical side of the game and if he can maintain his current rate of progress we are going to hear a great deal more about Adam Clark in the future – and we wish him every success!