Clark Laidlaw lands New Zealand coaching role

Former Jedforest fly half Clark Laidlaw, son of Scotland great Roy Laidlaw, who played for Scotland's 7s team and the Border Reivers, has started a post working for the New Zealand Rugby Union as a skills coach with the national sevens side.

Laidlaw, 33, left Scotland three years ago to coach in Taranaki and has also been involved in the New Zealand Rugby Union's academy set-up.

The role will include video analysis work for New Zealand Sevens coach Gordon Tietjens for the remaining legs of the IRB World Series which includes the finales at Twickenham and Murrayfield in May.

Laidlaw said: "I'll be working with the players technically on their individual work-ons and mini units as well as doing video analysis work at training and during tournaments.

"It puts a bit of a workload on me but the guys at Taranaki have been very supportive and I'm really appreciative of them letting me take up this opportunity.

"I've got a real passion for Sevens because it developed me as a player. I think coaching-wise it does the same for you as a player. It puts you under pressure because you can be playing up to six games in a weekend and the short turnarounds create high intensity."