Clark Laidlaw open to Scotland talks but focused on Hurricanes

Hurricanes head coach Clark Laidlaw has said he would be willing to discuss the Scotland job when Gregor Townsend moves on, while stressing that his immediate commitment remains with the New Zealand side. Speaking on the BBC's Scotland Rugby Podcast, Laidlaw described international coaching as something he would consider if the opportunity arose, rather than setting out a timetable for leaving club rugby.

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BBC Sport reported the comments on Tuesday after a season in which Laidlaw guided the Hurricanes to the 2026 Super Rugby title. His team finished first in the regular-season standings before winning all three knockout matches by substantial margins. They defeated the Brumbies 66-12, the Blues 57-21 and the Chiefs 60-5 in the final, completing the championship in his third season in charge.

Laidlaw praised Townsend's work with Scotland and said the position would attract interest from coaches around the world whenever it became available. He also acknowledged that returning would mean a significant relocation for his family. His remarks expressed a willingness to talk about a future opportunity; they did not announce an appointment, an agreement or a departure from the Hurricanes.

The Scot's coaching career in New Zealand began after he left home at 30 to become a skills coach in Taranaki. He told the BBC that curiosity about other approaches to rugby and life had driven the move. Before leaving, he had worked for East Lothian Council while coaching Jed-Forest, and he has since spent 18 years in New Zealand, interrupted by periods elsewhere.

His record also includes leading New Zealand's sevens programme to Commonwealth Games and World Cup Sevens gold medals, alongside Olympic silver in Tokyo. A two-season spell at London Irish preceded his return to New Zealand. Laidlaw said working with young sevens players had taught him to combine performance demands with care for athletes who were often leaving home for the first time.

Laidlaw, now a New Zealand passport holder, said living among Maori and Pacific Island communities had helped him become more empathetic. He nevertheless described Scotland as home and left open the possibility of returning one day. For now, he emphasised the Hurricanes as his priority and cautioned against planning too far ahead in a coaching career.