Former Taranaki Rugby elite development manager Clark Laidlaw has been tipped to succeed Sir Gordon Tietjens as New Zealand 7s coach.
NZ Media has reported Laidlaw was emerging as the front runner for the position after New Zealand Rugby conducted its interviews for the job.
Former Taranaki and Hurricanes rep Scott Waldrom and New Zealand women's sevens team coach Sean Horan were also believed to be short‑listed for the position and interviewed.
However, Laidlaw was believed to be the union's first choice.
There is one major stumbling block for Laidlaw as he was only into the second year of his three‑year contract as assistant coach with London Irish and would need a release from the club to take up the position.
Laidlaw left Taranaki in 2013 to take up a position as skills coach with the Hurricanes before he left to take up the job with London Irish who were relegated from the English Premiership last season.
The former Scotland sevens rep started with the union as a rugby development officer in 2009 before moving into a role with the Taranaki academy.
He also worked as a skills coach for the Taranaki A side and was involved in a similar job with the New Zealand sevens team under Tietjens for two seasons.
New Zealand Rugby had signalled it wanted to appoint both the national men's and women's coaches by early November at the latest.
Meanwhile Allan Bunting was named this week as New Zealand women's sevens coach, replacing Sean Horan.
Source: stuff.co
