Warrington Wolves hooker says England recall is in his sights

With a fresh start under a new head coach, perhaps that is about to change.

Reports of the former Castleford Tigers hooker ‘training the house down’ in pre-season have been prominent.

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And the 24-year-old, one of the stand-out performers in the final warm-up game against Salford Red Devils 12, looks set to play a more pivotal role in how the Wire intend on breaking down opposition defences in 2018.

“I think there will be a lot more plays set from around dummy-half so hopefully I’ll be running a lot more,” said Clark, who joined Wolves in a £185,000 deal in late 2014 and signed a new four-year contract last January as interest from NRL clubs was fended away.

“It’s just some plays that work around me and will get the best out of me.

“It’s no secret that running out of dummy-half is my strong point.

“Hopefully we can work round that a bit more this year.”

Clark was ripping defences to shreds at the time Warrington signed him but that has not happened on as consistent a basis in primrose and blue, though his defensive work has improved to impressive levels and he ended 2017 as the team’s top tackler.

“I think since the Cas days I’ve put a bit of weight on and I’ve started playing longer minutes. That can take its toll on your running game,” he said “The past couple of years we’ve been on the back foot in a lot of games and there’s been a lot of defence to do. Teams spot you in the middle and work you over, which takes away from your running.

“If we get back to winning on the front foot then that will all play into my hands.”

Clark missed out on an England place in the World Cup, though he had been a part of Wayne Bennett’s set-up for the Four Nations in 2016.

He did not go as far as to say his absence from the world stage Down Under in the autumn would be a huge motivator for him with the Wire in 2018 but his determination to return to the international scene is real and interlinked with form for his club.

“It was disappointing to miss out but I had an idea it was coming with the way the year went as a team and individually I know I wasn’t at my best,” he said.

“I’m not looking too much at that. It’s a long year, if we’re playing well as a team then that gives me chance to play well.

“Obviously I want to get back to my best rugby and being involved in the England set-up at the end of the year, but my main goal is playing well for Warrington, get the team going well and if the team start winning all the other stuff comes on the back of it.”

It is also clear Warrington’s players want to learn what they have to from 2017 but also draw a line under it, starting afresh under a new regime.

“It was a difficult year last year and we want to put that behind us,” said Clark “We hope the fans can put it behind them, get behind the team and hopefully we’ll turn it round together.”