Veteran Jon Clarke enjoying life with cavalier Leeds
At 30, Clarke is the oldest member of a promotion-chasing squad that displays all the devil-may-care attributes of youth.
And the former Bristol, Northampton and Worcester player loves the new lease of life that the move north has given him.
“I was getting cobwebs at Worcester after a tough year, so when the opportunity to come to Leeds came up it was a no-brainer,” he told The Rugby Paper.
“I had no problem with dropping down to the Championship; Leeds want to be back in the Premiership playing a fast-paced brand of rugby.
“Knowing you're going to get the ball in your hands a fair bit is ideal for me because I want to be involved as much as I can after playing so little rugby.
“Jimmy Lowes wants us to have an attacking mindset and that works well when you've got such a young group of players. It's ridiculous being the oldest member of the squad at 30!
“Phil Nilsen and Nathan Hannay were chuffed when I arrived and took that mantle off them – I get called ‘Gramps' and all sorts.”
Clarke has been impressed by former Rhinos boss Lowes' willingness to rid Carnegie of the ‘kick and clap' reputation that has dogged Rugby Union's ability to get a proper foothold in the League-dominated city.
“He is trying to get away from just passing deep and kicking long all of the time, and wants us to play heads up rugby,” Clarke said.
“You could bog these boys down by doing patterns and this and that but he just wants them to express themselves. Inevitably mistakes happen but when the offloading game and the running game clicks it is easy to see how effective we can be.
“For Jimmy it is all about having the urgency to get back in position – in attack and defence, and to be organised and see where the space is.”
Leeds go into today's game against Bedford fourth in the table, level on points with Bristol knowing they face a big month ahead.
“We've got to come away with wins in our next three games: Bedford, Ealing and Moseley,” Clarke stated. “We're right up there and in the mix for the play-offs but everyone in the top half of the table is capable of making it.
“Who'd have thought at the start of the season that Rotherham would be where they are now?
“I think it is going to be down to who wins the big games and who looks after themselves injury-wise.”
JON NEWCOMBE
