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All Blacks legend’s son commits to Blues for 2025 Super Rugby campaign
By Finn Morton
Carlos Spencer, Eroni Clarke and Waisake Sotutu were three members of the Blues’ first-ever squad in 1996. The Blues finished second at the end of the regular season, but charged onto glory when it counted during a dominant run to the Super 12 title.
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Those three men etched their names into franchise history as the Blues became champions for the first time. The Blues won their most recent title earlier this year, and they’ll look to defend that crown with a Spencer, Clarke and Sotutu among their ranks in 2025.
As confirmed by the Blues on Wednesday afternoon, Payton Spencer – who is the son of legendary All Blacks first five-eighth ‘King Carlos’ – has signed on for the 2025 Super Rugby Pacific campaign. It’s a big opportunity for a young player with plenty of potential.
Heralded as one of the nation’s best young rugby talents after starring with the Hamilton Boys First XV, Spener put pen to paper with New Zealand Rugby in November 2022. Spencer joined the All Blacks Sevens program as part of that deal, going on debut in January 2023.
Spencer, who was just 18 years old at the time, scored a headline-grabbing double at Allianz Stadium in an emphatic 45-7 win over Uruguay. New Zealand went on to win the HSBC Sydney Sevens, beating South Africa in a one-sided Cup Final.
“(There were) a few nerves, wasn’t too many, not as much as I thought there’d be,” Spencer told RugbyPass after that debut in Sydney.
“It’s pretty unreal to put the black jersey on for the first time, especially in this kind of stadium. It’s pretty unreal. First time coming to Aussie as well.
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“Been everywhere around the world but never been to the closest country.
“It means everything, especially because dad’s obviously played in the black jersey before.”
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When Spencer signed that deal with New Zealand’s sevens program, the prodigal talent also committed to the Blues. The now 20-year-old has since debuted for Auckland in New Zealand’s NPC and has been rewarded with a full-time deal with the Blues.
Spencer played 80 minutes on debut in Auckland’s win over Manawatu in round four. The fullback has since made two further appearances off the bench in wins over Southland and Canterbury – playing just over 10 minutes in each match.
But, looking ahead to the future, there’s no doubt that Spencer will be one to watch in Super Rugby Pacific next season if he’s called upon by coach Vern Cotter to debut. After all, the outside back had previously drawn interest from some of the nation’s best sides.
“As parents, we just let him do his own thing. We’ve stood back and let him make his own decisions,” Carlos Spencer revealed on the Two Beers podcast last year.
“He was approached (by) the Chiefs, the Highlanders and Crusaders and the way the Crusaders have been going, I wouldn’t say I was leaning towards him going there, but I wouldn’t have been sad had he gone there.
“But this is his decision and he decided he was going to be happy in Auckland. That was purely his choice on his own. We’re just there to support him, we’re not there to make the decisions for him.
“When it comes to the skill set, he was just one of those kids you know straight away he had something. The natural ability was there.”
