Pressure is still on to finish in top four, warns Clarke

The relief was tangible as Wolves moved back into the top six for the first time since Easter with a 60-20 thrashing of Hull KR on Sunday.

But Clarke is determined that the Wolves charge, which has seen them win four of their last five matches, does not end short of the top four.

Asked whether the pressure has now eased, he said: "You could look at it like that but, looking at it from another point of view, the pressure is on for us now to stay there and go further up. I don't think the pressure is off.

"Within the team we're putting the pressure on ourselves to keep climbing the ladder and keep improving our performances.

"We are back in the top six and rightfully so. That's where we belong.

"We've had a topsy-turvy season. We've had a lot of injuries, which have been well documented in the Press. We have struggled to get the same team on the pitch and to be honest we still are.

"We lost Vinnie and Paul Johnson from last week but we've filled in and got a couple of senior bodies back and it's making the difference."

Clarke also has a personal goal for the rest of the season, making clear his determination to keep his place in the Great Britain squad.

The 28-year-old looked dejected not to get on the field against France last month, being named as 18th man after receiving his first international call-up.

But Clarke will use that as motivation to make the squad to face New Zealand at the end of the year, saying: "It was a fantastic experience but obviously I was very disappointed not to play.

"You're on such a high getting in the squad and then not to get picked, it's hard. But at the end of the day you've got to keep upbeat, it was about the team not the individual so I had to just cop it on the chin.

"And that little taster I've had has made me more hungry to do it again at the end of the year. I'm just trying to focus from now until the end of the season on putting in some decent performances and see if I can get back in."