The American Raptors signed Tommy Hunkin-Clark for the 2023 Super Rugby Americas season. The 25-year-old flanker/No.8 (26 in May) is 6’4″ and 235 lbs.
Tommy was selected by the Chicago Hounds during the 2022 MLR expansion draft, but was unsigned and appeared to return with the Seawolves, with the team listing him on their 2023 roster. Since then that has changed and is in the American Raptors preseason camp.
Tommy played 543 minutes in 12 matches, starting 1, for the Seawolves in 2022.
Tommy was a free agent signing for the Seawolves after the Dallas Jackals postponed their MLR debut until 2022 and also played sevens for Washington Athletic Club. During the 2021 MLR season, he played 381 minutes in 11 matches, starting 3 and scoring 2 tries. He then played for Pathway 404 in Marietta, Georgia.
The former Collegiate All-American out of American International College (AIC) was drafted to the Dallas Jackals in round one of the inaugural MLR College Draft in April 2020. But with Dallas withdrawing from the 2021 season, Clark was one of many players who entered free agency just months before the regular season was set to begin. A player that head coach Kees Lensing and assistant coach Mat Turner had their eyes on heading into the draft, they didn’t hesitate when the chance to keep the Washington native home arrived.
Clark grew up a multisport athlete in Olympia, Washington where his rugby roots began with Budd Bay Rugby Club. Winning two state titles during his high school years, Clark was recruited to play for American International College (AIC) in Springfield, Massachusetts. Clark racked up a handful of collegiate accolades starting his freshman year. As AIC Freshman of the Year, Clark thrived as a Yellow Jacket and earned 1st Team All-Conference honors all four years. He entered the USA Rugby pathway in 2017 where he was selected to the All-Americans U20s to face Canada. Selected as a captain during his junior and senior seasons, Clark continued to excel in both sevens and fifteens and progressed to the Collegiate All-Americans representation in 2018 and 2019. Clark spent the summer of 2019 not only with the All-Americans but with the Washington Athletic Club (WAC) sevens program. Alongside fellow Seattle Seawolves named Dion Crowder, Eric Duechle, Peter Tiberio, Mat Turner, and Shalom Suniula (as coach), Clark and the WAC men were crowned USA Rugby Club 7s Champions after a convincing win over Life West, 24-7.
Clark said after signing with Seattle that “I am thrilled to be a part of the Seattle Rugby culture again,” said Clark. “From my experience, the passion this city has for the sport when it comes to rugby is unmatched in the United States. I’m looking forward to working towards another championship for my home state.”
Clark’s All-American and Club 7s Championship experiences serve as solid stepping stones toward this next step in his career. The Seawolves gained another forward with physicality on both sides of the ball, a strong work rate, and support lines in Clark.
Other Articles
DJCoil Rugby articles by Doug Coil are also available on Facebook. Other Social Media sites to follow or subscribe to include Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube for interviews.
