Plumtree reportedly confirmed to Radio Sport he had been approached by the Highlanders and was interested in the Highlanders coaching role which Jamie Joseph will vacate at the end of the season.
Plumtree declined to be interviewed and Clark was keen to play down the story, stressing the importance of protecting confidentiality.
However, Clark said there were only so many coaches around with the skills to run a Super rugby team and the Highlanders had been proactive in their search for a replacement.
‘‘At the moment, it is about finding out whether people have the desire to do the job. And it is not about one person, it is about getting the right person and getting them involved in the process,'' Clark said.
‘‘John is obviously a guy we would be keen to have involved in that process ... and we will continue on with the process until we get the right person to coach the Highlanders in the post-Jamie Joseph era.''
Plumtree played 40 matches for his home province, Taranaki, and also had a brief stint with Hawkes Bay. He moved to South Africa in 1988 and played 80 games for the Sharks, winning the Currie Cup in 1990 and 1996.
Plumtree (50) later returned to the Sharks as a coach and led the team to Currie Cup wins in 2008 and 2010.
He also coached Wellington and, while open to another coaching move, it is understood he is keen to stay in the capital.
Former Highlanders coach Greg Cooper told the Otago Daily Times last week he was considering applying for the job. He was planning to talk to those close to him before making a decision.
He is close to Highlanders assistant coach Tony Brown, so the transition would be seamless from that point of view.
The 50-year-old, who returned to Dunedin last year, coached the Highlanders from 2004 to 2007 before he moved north to join the Blues coaching staff. The former All Black and Otago fullback then spent seven years coaching in Japan.
Former Wallabies coach Robbie Deans and former Canterbury and Munster coach Rob Penney have joined Brown in ruling themselves out.
Former England coach Stuart Lancaster has declared his desire for a Super rugby coaching job, although that name is greeted with scepticism in certain rugby circles. Taranaki coach and former Hurricanes coach Colin Cooper's name has also been whispered.
Clark will present a shortlist to the board on May 13 and an appointment is expected to be announced in June.
‘‘That is all based on the premise that we get the right candidate for the job,'' Clark said.
