Clark Laidlaw, the Scottish head coach of Super Rugby champions the Hurricanes, has indicated he would be open to discussing the possibility of coaching the Scotland national team. Laidlaw, whose father is Scottish rugby great Roy Laidlaw, has achieved significant success in New Zealand.
Laidlaw led the Hurricanes to a dominant Super Rugby title in 2026, finishing top of the table before securing commanding victories in the knockout stages. This triumph marks his third season in charge of the team. He has been a prominent figure in New Zealand rugby for 18 years, previously coaching the New Zealand sevens team to Commonwealth Games and World Cup Sevens gold medals, as well as an Olympic silver in Tokyo.
Despite holding a New Zealand passport, Laidlaw plans to support Scotland when they face the All Blacks, with former Scotland captain Mike Blair now serving as attack coach for New Zealand. "You're gonna see New Zealand's strongest possible team, but there's no reason why Scotland can't win," Laidlaw stated. "Scotland are definitely knocking on the door. I want Scotland to beat the All Blacks and I want the All Blacks to win every other game."
Laidlaw's journey began with a move from Scotland to Taranaki as a skills coach at age 30. He explained that his curiosity about different approaches to the game and life prompted the move, driven by a desire to explore beyond his native Scotland. "I just knew I didn't want to be there for 20 years. It's not like I had a bad life in Scotland. I had a great job at East Lothian Council and I was coaching Jed-Forest. But I was curious to see what was outside of those big walls in Jed."
He credits his time in New Zealand, particularly interactions with Maori and Pacific Island cultures, with softening his personality and fostering greater empathy. This personal growth began during his successful tenure with the sevens program, where he focused on nurturing young athletes transitioning away from home. "We had to look after each other. We had to look after young players. Mums and dads were sending their kids off to the Sevens. It was the first time they were leaving home. So we did have to have a caring element to that programme as well as driving them forward."
Laidlaw had brief stints elsewhere, including London Irish, but returned to New Zealand, where his career significantly evolved. When asked about a potential future role with the All Blacks or taking over from Gregor Townsend after the Rugby World Cup, Laidlaw expressed openness. "Gregor's done an amazing job. Lots of coaches around the world will be looking at that job with real excitement for whenever Gregor moves on. I'd welcome a conversation. It would be a lot to up sticks and move back to Scotland, but you never know in sport."
He also spoke about his father, Roy Laidlaw, who earned 47 caps for Scotland and four for the British and Irish Lions. Roy Laidlaw is currently living with dementia in a care home in Jedburgh. "That would be 120 games nowadays, wouldn't it," Clark Laidlaw reflected. "How is he? The short answer is he's doing as good as he can. He's safe and healthy. He's in a care home in Jed and is well looked after."
He acknowledged the support from his father's former teammates, John Rutherford and Keith Robertson, who visit him weekly. "It's one of the hardest things about being on this side of the world. It's always in the back of your head that Scotland is home and moving back at some stage might be an option." For now, Laidlaw's focus remains on the Hurricanes, but he acknowledges the unpredictable nature of sport and the possibility of future international coaching opportunities.