TADHG FURLONG MADE his latest return from injury for Leinster last weekend, teeing himself up for an important role in the province’s Champions Cup final clash with Bordeaux on Saturday.
The 33-year-old Ireland international remains a highly valued figure for province and country, bringing major experience, leadership, nous, physicality, and some classy skills.
Yet had Furlong missed out on this weekend’s battle in Bilbao, the continuing progress of Thomas Clarkson would have meant Leinster still felt belief in their tighthead stocks, which also include veteran French international Rabah Slimani.
Indeed, Clarkson’s fine form means he has even made a bid to start this Champions Cup final ahead of Furlong, who could be a level-headed option off the bench in a Leinster decider that could go down to the wire once again.
Having turned 26 in February, Clarkson surely still has his peak years ahead of him, but he has made big improvements over the last two seasons.
A Leinster Schools Senior Cup winner with Blackrock College, Clarkson was an Ireland U20 international for consecutive campaigns in 2019 and 2010. He started all five games in the U20s’ Grand Slam campaign in his first season at that level.
So he came into the Leinster ranks with a clear pedigree, getting his senior debut during the pandemic when he was still only 20.
And yet, like so many youngsters in his position, there were some seriously challenging times in the years that followed. Clarkson had much to learn and he had plenty of physical development to undertake.
Over the following three seasons, injuries limited his development, while the presence of the likes of Furlong, Andrew Porter – who moved back to loosehead in 2021 - Michael Bent, Michael Ala’alatoa, and Vakh Abdaladze meant competition for Leinster minutes.
Clarkson has 14 caps for Ireland. Billy Stickland / INPHO
Billy Stickland / INPHO / INPHO
Clarkson toured with Emerging Ireland in 2022, another sign of how he was viewed as a possible senior international, but he had to learn the hard way. In April 2023, the young tighthead was, in his own words, “absolutely destroyed” at the scrum when Leinster went on a URC tour to South Africa.
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At that stage, some were wondering whether Clarkson had stalled or perhaps even just hit his ceiling early on in his career. Some excellent underage internationals struggle to convert their talent into product at pro level.
Yet that harrowing experience in South Africa seemed to be a turning point for Clarkson as he threw himself into the 2023/24 campaign with gusto, getting his Champions Cup debut and a total of 10 starts for the province.
Such was his progress, Italy – who he qualified for through his mother – got in touch to see if Clarkson was interested in switching allegiance. He had just signed a new Leinster deal, and he’s obviously happy now that he wasn’t in position to have his head turned.
Ireland boss Andy Farrell was liking what he saw and in the autumn of 2024, he included Clarkson as one of the ‘training panellists’ alongside his main senior squad for the November Tests. Furlong, Finlay Bealham, and Tom O’Toole were the tighthead selections in that main group.
But by the time of Ireland’s second game against Argentina, Furlong and O’Toole were injured. Clarkson was catapulted into the matchday 23 and made his debut off the bench, doing well in his half-hour appearance in the win over the Pumas.
He got another replacement cap the following weekend against Fiji and had earned Farrell’s favour. When the 2025 Six Nations came around, and with Furlong sidelined, Clarkson got four more caps, including his first Test start against Wales.
It wasn’t all plain sailing, but Clarkson’s self-belief had been clearly boosted.
There was frustration ahead of him back in Leinster, with Furlong returning to action for the Champions Cup knock-out stages and Slimani preferred as back-up for those games. Clarkson could have no say as Leinster lost to Northampton in the semi-finals.
Clarkson [left] was key to the URC success. James Crombie / INPHO
James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
But with Furlong then ruled out of the frame once again, the determined Clarkson took over as the starting tighthead for Leinster’s run to the URC title that ended their four-year wait for a trophy.
Clarkson started eight consecutive URC games up to and including the final, where his performance against a big Bulls team was outstanding. There had been pre-game concerns about Leinster’s ability to cope at the scrum and in the collisions, but Clarkson was among the men who rubbished that notion.
“He has finished the season incredibly well,” said Leinster boss Leo Cullen. “Rabah has been very helpful as well with TC. Rabah has been fantastic in imparting knowledge, particularly in his area of expertise in the mêlée.
“TC has taken it by the scruff of the neck at the tail end of the season, and we’re delighted for him.”
He could have been player of the match for his 55-minute performance in the URC final, and it must have been that game that was partly responsible for Clarkson ending up on the British and Irish Lions tour of Australia last summer.
Farrell’s Lions were already five games into their tour when he got in touch with Clarkson, who was on a night out in Lisbon after Ireland’s hammering of Portugal in the second Test of their summer tour. The text from Farrell arrived at 3am, with Paul O’Connell quickly following up to stress to Clarkson that he needed to call Farrell.
Lions tightheads Furlong, Bealham, and Will Stuart weren’t injured but Farrell wanted more cover as the final midweek game – in between the first and second Wallabies Tests – loomed.
There was something of a backlash at Clarkson’s call-up, yet few of the critics could point to a more in-form tighthead prop than the Leinster man. As he tends to do, Farrell went with someone he knew and had come to trust in a short space of time.
And there’s no doubt that Farrell, soon to return to his full-time job with Ireland, appreciated that Clarkson would gain some valuable experience by being around the Lions environment for the Test series.
Clarkson after his Lions debut last summer. James Crombie / INPHO
James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
The tighthead prop got his Lions debut in the midweek clash against the First Nations & Pasifika XV, with his dad, Finbarr, just about getting from Dublin to Melbourne in time to see the match.
Clarkson has been able to kick on again this season, winning more caps for Ireland in the autumn and during the Six Nations, albeit with Furlong and Bealham still remaining experienced options for Farrell when available.
And as is the way for tightheads, there continue to be lessons in there for Clarkson along the way, but he is now consistently delivering quality at set-piece and around the pitch.
The ever-growing confidence in Clarkson’s game seems clear. And he has the confidence of those around him in Leinster.
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Clarkson's continuing progress at tighthead a happy tale for Leinster
TADHG FURLONG MADE his latest return from injury for Leinster last weekend, teeing himself up for an important role in the province’s Champions Cup final clash with Bordeaux on Saturday.
The 33-year-old Ireland international remains a highly valued figure for province and country, bringing major experience, leadership, nous, physicality, and some classy skills.
Yet had Furlong missed out on this weekend’s battle in Bilbao, the continuing progress of Thomas Clarkson would have meant Leinster still felt belief in their tighthead stocks, which also include veteran French international Rabah Slimani.
Indeed, Clarkson’s fine form means he has even made a bid to start this Champions Cup final ahead of Furlong, who could be a level-headed option off the bench in a Leinster decider that could go down to the wire once again.
Having turned 26 in February, Clarkson surely still has his peak years ahead of him, but he has made big improvements over the last two seasons.
A Leinster Schools Senior Cup winner with Blackrock College, Clarkson was an Ireland U20 international for consecutive campaigns in 2019 and 2010. He started all five games in the U20s’ Grand Slam campaign in his first season at that level.
So he came into the Leinster ranks with a clear pedigree, getting his senior debut during the pandemic when he was still only 20.
And yet, like so many youngsters in his position, there were some seriously challenging times in the years that followed. Clarkson had much to learn and he had plenty of physical development to undertake.
Over the following three seasons, injuries limited his development, while the presence of the likes of Furlong, Andrew Porter – who moved back to loosehead in 2021 - Michael Bent, Michael Ala’alatoa, and Vakh Abdaladze meant competition for Leinster minutes.
Clarkson toured with Emerging Ireland in 2022, another sign of how he was viewed as a possible senior international, but he had to learn the hard way. In April 2023, the young tighthead was, in his own words, “absolutely destroyed” at the scrum when Leinster went on a URC tour to South Africa.
At that stage, some were wondering whether Clarkson had stalled or perhaps even just hit his ceiling early on in his career. Some excellent underage internationals struggle to convert their talent into product at pro level.
Yet that harrowing experience in South Africa seemed to be a turning point for Clarkson as he threw himself into the 2023/24 campaign with gusto, getting his Champions Cup debut and a total of 10 starts for the province.
Such was his progress, Italy – who he qualified for through his mother – got in touch to see if Clarkson was interested in switching allegiance. He had just signed a new Leinster deal, and he’s obviously happy now that he wasn’t in position to have his head turned.
Ireland boss Andy Farrell was liking what he saw and in the autumn of 2024, he included Clarkson as one of the ‘training panellists’ alongside his main senior squad for the November Tests. Furlong, Finlay Bealham, and Tom O’Toole were the tighthead selections in that main group.
But by the time of Ireland’s second game against Argentina, Furlong and O’Toole were injured. Clarkson was catapulted into the matchday 23 and made his debut off the bench, doing well in his half-hour appearance in the win over the Pumas.
He got another replacement cap the following weekend against Fiji and had earned Farrell’s favour. When the 2025 Six Nations came around, and with Furlong sidelined, Clarkson got four more caps, including his first Test start against Wales.
It wasn’t all plain sailing, but Clarkson’s self-belief had been clearly boosted.
There was frustration ahead of him back in Leinster, with Furlong returning to action for the Champions Cup knock-out stages and Slimani preferred as back-up for those games. Clarkson could have no say as Leinster lost to Northampton in the semi-finals.
But with Furlong then ruled out of the frame once again, the determined Clarkson took over as the starting tighthead for Leinster’s run to the URC title that ended their four-year wait for a trophy.
Clarkson started eight consecutive URC games up to and including the final, where his performance against a big Bulls team was outstanding. There had been pre-game concerns about Leinster’s ability to cope at the scrum and in the collisions, but Clarkson was among the men who rubbished that notion.
“He has finished the season incredibly well,” said Leinster boss Leo Cullen. “Rabah has been very helpful as well with TC. Rabah has been fantastic in imparting knowledge, particularly in his area of expertise in the mêlée.
“TC has taken it by the scruff of the neck at the tail end of the season, and we’re delighted for him.”
He could have been player of the match for his 55-minute performance in the URC final, and it must have been that game that was partly responsible for Clarkson ending up on the British and Irish Lions tour of Australia last summer.
Farrell’s Lions were already five games into their tour when he got in touch with Clarkson, who was on a night out in Lisbon after Ireland’s hammering of Portugal in the second Test of their summer tour. The text from Farrell arrived at 3am, with Paul O’Connell quickly following up to stress to Clarkson that he needed to call Farrell.
Lions tightheads Furlong, Bealham, and Will Stuart weren’t injured but Farrell wanted more cover as the final midweek game – in between the first and second Wallabies Tests – loomed.
There was something of a backlash at Clarkson’s call-up, yet few of the critics could point to a more in-form tighthead prop than the Leinster man. As he tends to do, Farrell went with someone he knew and had come to trust in a short space of time.
And there’s no doubt that Farrell, soon to return to his full-time job with Ireland, appreciated that Clarkson would gain some valuable experience by being around the Lions environment for the Test series.
The tighthead prop got his Lions debut in the midweek clash against the First Nations & Pasifika XV, with his dad, Finbarr, just about getting from Dublin to Melbourne in time to see the match.
Clarkson has been able to kick on again this season, winning more caps for Ireland in the autumn and during the Six Nations, albeit with Furlong and Bealham still remaining experienced options for Farrell when available.
And as is the way for tightheads, there continue to be lessons in there for Clarkson along the way, but he is now consistently delivering quality at set-piece and around the pitch.
The ever-growing confidence in Clarkson’s game seems clear. And he has the confidence of those around him in Leinster.
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Front Row Leinster Progress prop life T&C thomas clarkson Tighthead