Clark Laidlaw appointed New Zealand sevens rugby coach

By Associated Press 17 November 2016, 12:00AM

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — New Zealand Rugby has appointed Scotland-born Clark Laidlaw as coach of the national sevens team.

Laidlaw will take over from Gordon Tietjens, who stood down after the Rio de Janiero Olympics after 22 years in charge. He won't take up the role until June 2017.

Interim coaches Scott Waldrom and Tomasi Cama will guide New Zealand through the upcoming sevens world series.

Laidlaw is the first foreign-born coach to be appointed to a New Zealand team in the professional era.

General manager of rugby Neil Sorensen said New Zealand Rugby's priority "was getting the right coach with the long-term vision to win Olympic gold. So while we would have loved Clark to start straight away, we are happy to wait until next year because he is the best person for the job to build a winning sevens team over the long term."

By Associated Press 17 November 2016, 12:00AM
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