Seawolves successfully establishing themselves in Seattle’s professional sports market

Allen Clarke’s self-portrait alongside Pete Carroll and other Seahawks coaches? That wasn’t a fan photo.

That was his team for a short while—well, not that short.

The head coach of Seattle’s Major League Rugby team, the Seawolves, is Clarke, also referred to as Clarkie. The Seahawks believed they could use a consult, especially considering how effective the Eagles had been with the “tush push,” an almost unstoppable rugby-style play utilized for short yardage on third and fourth downs.

So there was Clarkie, analyzing tape in the offseason or at the VMAC at the end of the 2022 season, attempting to figure out how to get or keep that vital yard whenever the Seahawks might need it.

Even though they didn’t use the strategy, Clarkie felt valued and accepted from the beginning to the conclusion.

The Seawolves — who play 15-on-15 “rugby union” — can relate in terms of their place in the Seattle sports scene: small in scale, but vital to the 3,000 or so fans who fill their stands at Starfire Sports for each home game.

On Saturday, Seattle hosts the San Diego Legion in the regular-season opener. But it’s worth asking: Who are these guys, exactly?

Tough to answer in a paragraph or two. The Seawolves are as eclectic as a Salt N’ Straw counter. Here are four names and their Cliff’s Notes bios to get you started.

1. Joe Taufete’e, hooker: The California native was set to go to Utah on a football scholarship after earning multiple All-Conference honors while playing defensive tackle at Santa Ana College. But after tearing his ACL, he discovered rugby, ended up on the USA Rugby World Cup team and raised a family in Europe where he played for top-tier teams in England and France.

2. Dan Kriel, center: Didn’t take long for rugby to come into the Cape Town native’s life. Not just because it’s one of the premier sports in South Africa, but because it’s a family affair. His great-grandfather played in Britain. His twin brother, Jesse, plays in Japan. Kriel has spent most of his professional career in South Africa but has been in Seattle for the past two years.

“I didn’t think it would be as professional and as good as it really is,” Kriel said about American Rugby. “This league is growing quickly, and it’s exciting for the times ahead.

3. Cameron Orr, prop: The Australian native was actually a pitcher growing up and has a self-reported “mean curveball.” But he eventually specialized in rugby, played in the Super Rugby League in Australia, spent a year in New Zealand last year and is a freshly minted Seattleite.

Orr said he was blown away by the pageantry for the Seawolves’ preseason game earlier in the month. Fireworks and a raucous crowd for a game that didn’t count?

“I’ve never really experienced anything like it. … It feels like the fans are right next to you the whole time,” Orr said.

4. Allen Clarke, coach: The Seawolves haven’t been around long — they were founded in 2017 — but they do have a proud history. They won the MLR championship in 2018 and 2019 … then went 5-19 over the next seasons.

So in came Clarkie — the Ireland native who also serves as the team’s director of rugby (general manager) — to try and restore the Seawolves to prominence. After reaching the MLR final in 2022 and going 12-4 in 2023, that seems to have happened.

It is not being pretended here that the Seawolves have the same level of citywide fandom as any of Seattle’s big sports teams. However, the players have not been motivated by that. This is the pride that comes with being a professional athlete—pure passion for the game.