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Caleb Clarke (rugby union)

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Caleb Clarke
Clarke playing for the All Blacks in 2024.
Full nameCaleb Daniel Clarke
Date of birth (1999-03-29) 29 March 1999 (age 25)
Place of birthAuckland, New Zealand
Height1.89 m (6 ft 2 in)
Weight109 kg (240 lb; 17 st 2 lb)
SchoolMount Albert Grammar School
Notable relative(s)Eroni Clarke (father)
Sheryl Scanlan (aunt)
Rugby union career
Position(s) Wing
Current team Auckland, Blues
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2017– Auckland 22 (40)
2018– Blues 64 (160)
Correct as of 5 November 2024
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2017–2020 New Zealand U20 11 (40)
2018–2020 New Zealand 7s 25 (50)
2020– New Zealand 26 (65)
Correct as of 5 November 2024

Caleb Daniel Clarke (born 29 March 1999) is a New Zealand rugby union player who plays as a Wing for the Blues in Super Rugby and Auckland in the Bunnings NPC. [1][2]

Early life

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Clarke is a Samoan New Zealander. His grandfather, Iafeta Clarke, was a member of the Samoa national rugby union team that won the gold medal at the 1963 South Pacific Games. He also played club rugby for Suburbs and was a member of their first Gallaher Shield winning team. His father, Eroni Clarke is a former New Zealand rugby union international. His aunt, Sheryl Clarke, is a former New Zealand netball international.[3][4][5] Clarke attended Mount Albert Grammar School and was first selected for the school's First XV aged 14, where he played until 2016.[6]

International career

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Clarke was selected for the All Blacks Sevens in 2018,[7][8] following his first season for Auckland in the Mitre 10 Cup.

Good performances for Auckland also led to Clarke's selection for the New Zealand U20's, for 2017 and 2018.

In 2019, his second season of Super Rugby, Clarke also became a regular starter for the Blues, under new Head Coach, Leon MacDonald.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Clarke, as well as his teammates from the New Zealand national rugby sevens team, were released to play for their provinces and Super Rugby clubs. Clarke was in career-best form following New Zealand's national lockdown, leading to his selection for the All Blacks squad for the 2020 Bledisloe Cup and 2020 Tri Nations Series.[9][10]

He made his debut for New Zealand in their 16–16 draw with the Wallabies at Wellington's Sky Stadium.[11] After a season-ending injury to George Bridge, Clarke started in four tests that year, on the left wing. Clarke scored his first try for the All Blacks on 14 November, in a historic first-ever loss to Argentina.

Career statistics

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List of international tries

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No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 14 November 2020 Bankwest Stadium, Sydney, Australia  Argentina 15–25 15–25 2020 Tri Nations Series
2 27 August 2022 Rugby League Park, Christchurch, New Zealand  Argentina 13–6 18–25 2022 Rugby Championship
3 3 September 2022 Waikato Stadium, Hamilton, New Zealand  Argentina 15–0 53–3 2022 Rugby Championship
4 29 October 2022 Japan National Stadium, Tokyo, Japan  Japan 26–17 38–31 2022 end-of-year rugby union internationals
5 29 July 2023 Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne, Australia  Australia 24–7 38–7 2023 Rugby Championship
6 5 October 2023 Stadium de Toulouse, Toulouse, France  Namibia 62–3 71–3 2023 Rugby World Cup

as of 5 October 2023

References

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  1. ^ "Caleb Clarke". www.theblues.co.nz. Archived from the original on 17 October 2021. Retrieved 11 December 2017.
  2. ^ "Caleb Clarke". Archived from the original on 14 February 2019. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
  3. ^ "Netball: Grateful for a chance for some payback". www.nzherald.co.nz. 3 November 2007. Retrieved 14 November 2023.
  4. ^ "Netball: Scanlan out to regain her edge". www.odt.co.nz. 4 April 2009. Retrieved 14 November 2023.
  5. ^ "Father and son: The special All Blacks legacy that bonds Eroni and Caleb Clarke". stuff.co.nz. 25 October 2020. Retrieved 17 January 2021.
  6. ^ "Teenage son of a gun Caleb Clarke forging his own identity as a rugby player". Stuff. 19 August 2017. Retrieved 26 October 2020.
  7. ^ "New and old faces named in first All Blacks Sevens squad of 2018". allblacks.com. Archived from the original on 26 February 2021. Retrieved 26 October 2020.
  8. ^ Hepburn, Graham (23 January 2018). "Caleb Clarke set for All Blacks Sevens debut". Mount Albert Grammar School. Retrieved 26 October 2020.
  9. ^ "Live updates: First All Blacks squad naming of 2020". NZ Herald. Retrieved 30 October 2020.
  10. ^ "All Blacks travelling squad for Australia named". allblacks.com. Retrieved 30 October 2020.
  11. ^ "All Blacks and Wallabies share spoils in Bledisloe Cup opener". allblacks.com. Retrieved 30 October 2020.
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