DIRECTOR of rugby Dean Ryan says he could be tempted to bring out-of-favour centre Jon Clarke back to Sixways as Worcester Warriors’ injury worries deepen.
The 30-year-old was shipped on loan to Leeds Carnegie last month to gain much-needed game-time after finding himself forced down the pecking order.
The move cast serious doubts over the future of the former Northampton Saints star who has played just over 100 minutes in a Warriors jersey this season.
But with Dean Hammond, Max Stelling and Andy Symons all sidelined, Ryan revealed Clarke’s time at Leeds may be cut short.
“We can call Jon Clarke back whenever we need to use him,” he said. “I think the opportunity for Jon to play was crucial because to just sit and wait wasn’t conducive to him getting any form, so we can call him back.
“He will always be in my plans when he is a member of this club.”
Ryan added: “Jon has just found himself trapped in a situation where he has not been able to nail down a ‘here and now’ position and then he has got youngsters like Max Stelling and Dean Hammond around him who are about the future.
“I have no doubts if I have to go to Jon that he can deal with the ‘here and now’, but at the same time I have got to develop this club because if we sit in the ‘here and now’ then nobody gets any better.
“I don’t know how good Max Stelling is going to be, but there is enough potential there to say ‘we have got to keep working with him’.”
Clarke has recently been joined at the Championship outfit by academy ace Harry Casson, who has secured a loan move until the end of the campaign.
The 22-year-old second row said: “I am very much looking forward to joining up with Leeds as I am hungry to get out there and play some rugby.
“I would have been happy to come up on my own, but having an experienced players like Jon Clarke to turn to will hopefully mean I can settle in easier.”