Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

All Blacks star Caleb Clarke one of three Super Rugby players set to chase gold medal at Tokyo Olympics

Caleb Clarke of the All Blacks makes a break during the Bledisloe Cup match between the New Zealand All Blacks and the Australian Wallabies at Eden Park on October 18, 2020 in Auckland, New Zealand. (Photo by Anthony Au-Yeung/Getty Images)

New Zealand Rugby [NZR] have confirmed All Blacks star Caleb Clarke has committed to to chasing an Olympic gold medal in Tokyo later this year.

ADVERTISEMENT

A former All Blacks Sevens representative, Clarke returned to the national sevens set-up in Tauranga on Monday and will be one of three Super Rugby players competing for a place in head coach Clark Laidlaw’s squad to travel to the Japanese capital in July.

The five-test wing will be joined by Chiefs speedster Etene Nanai-Seturo, another All Blacks Sevens veteran, as the fresh faces heading into the national side’s headquarters straight out of the Super Rugby Aotearoa campaign.

Video Spacer

Rugby Australia boss Andy Marinos speaks to media

Video Spacer

Rugby Australia boss Andy Marinos speaks to media

The other Super Rugby player involved in the All Blacks Sevens squad is Highlanders utility back Vilimoni Koroi, who missed the Super Rugby Aotearoa season and has been training with Laidlaw’s squad since the end of last year’s Mitre 10 Cup.

Laidlaw was allowed to pick one player from each Kiwi Super Rugby franchise in his squad to prepare for the Olympics.

However, Hurricanes flyer Salesi Rayasi, who was involved in the national sevens set-up last year, turned down the chance to compete at the Olympics to stay with the Wellington franchise ahead of the upcoming Super Rugby Trans-Tasman competition.

No player from the Crusaders, meanwhile, were selected.

Clarke debuted for the All Blacks Sevens in 2018 and has gone on to play 25 matches for New Zealand on the World Sevens Series circuit.

ADVERTISEMENT

Featuring in last year’s successful campaign where they won the World Sevens Series title, the 22-year-old eyed up a place in the Olympics squad before the outbreak of COVID-19 forced a year-long postponement of the Games.

He then went on to star for the Blues in last year’s inaugural edition of Super Rugby Aotearoa and was rewarded with a test debut against the Wallabies in October.

Nanai-Seturo also debuted for the All Blacks Sevens in 2018 and has been a regular member of the national side over the past three years, featuring 61 times on the World Sevens Series over that period.

Like Clarke, Nanai-Seturo was part of last year’s World Sevens Series-winning All Blacks Sevens squad and was also involved in the gold medal-winning side at the 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast.

ADVERTISEMENT

Both players’ commitment to the sevens programme means they will be unavailable to play in Super Rugby Trans-Tasman and, in the case of Clarke, won’t be available for All Blacks selection throughout the July test series.

Although New Zealand’s July tests are yet to be confirmed, it’s believed the All Blacks will play Fiji in two tests and Samoa in a one-off encounter over that period.

The Olympic men’s sevens tournament is scheduled to take place at Tokyo Stadium between 26-28 July, while the Olympics as a whole is set to run from July 23 to August 8.

Clarke would also have to spend two weeks in a managed isolation facility upon his return from Japan, possibly ruling him out of the All Blacks’ opening Bledisloe Cup tests against the Wallabies, which are scheduled for August 7, August 14 and August 21.

Nevertheless, Clarke said he was excited to be back in the All Blacks Sevens environment.

“Going to the Olympics would be a once in a lifetime opportunity so I’m looking forward to get back into training and putting my best foot forward,” he said in a statement.

Laidlaw was just as excited to welcome both Clarke and Nanai-Seturo back into his squad after a prolonged period away with their Super Rugby sides.

“They’ve been a big part of our team over the past two or three years, so it feels quite natural them coming back into our environment,” Laidlaw said.

“The communication and connection has stayed strong in this period so now its about realigning them with how we are doing things and get them back up to speed with our game.

“They are both fit, fast and strong so physically they’ll slot in, our game has evolved a bit in the past six months though so some of the technical and tactical stuff will be really important to get right.”

ADVERTISEMENT

LIVE

{{item.title}}

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

0 Comments
Be the first to comment...

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

R
RedWarrior 1 hour ago
Three-way race to be number one in World Rugby men's rankings

IF SA and NZ win then its 1,2,3 SA/NZ/IRL Otherwise as you were. This is largely irrelevant beyond bragging rights.


As I have pointed out elsewhere the practical use of the Rankings is to determine the seedings bands for the RWC draw. The draw takes place early 2026 and hopefully the rankings will be taken from then.


Important to be in the top 6, the top 12. (and likely the top 4).

This is because there are now 6 groups in the RWC 2027.

If you are in top 6 you are in Seeding Band 1. That means none of the other top 6 will be in your group.

Seeding Band 2 are teams from 7-12, who will have a top 6 team but no other 7-12 team.

After England's defeat by NZ there is clear water between NZ in 3rd, France in 4th and England in 5th. England are desperate for top4, ill come back and explain why later.

Lets look at Seeding Band 1 and 6th place. If you make 6th, no top 6 team is in your group, you are top dog. If you win your group, you won't be facing a top 6 team in your 1/8th final, you will be facing a weaker team. If you fail to make 6th place you WILL have a top 6 team in your group and if you don't win your group you WILL (probably) meet a top 6 in the 1/8 final. That's massive.


Its Argentina holding 6th now. Assuming England hold 5th, then its a 4 horse race for 6th. Argentina, Scotland, Italy and ...Australia. (ranked 6,7,8,9)

Australia play the Lions in NH summer 2025 they are running out of time to get up to 6th for their own RWC. They MUST make a move now. They must beat Wales and they really must beat Scotland to gain points and take points off them. Could they surprise England or Ireland? England may be the better bet but Schmidt knows Ireland so well having masterminded their downfall in France.

Another one to watch is Italy V Argentina. Italy are ambitious and they will want to start pushing the likes of Argentina. If they win this they are still in the hunt. Well worth a watch either way.


Top4: I think the top 6 will be seeded, all the way through from the draw. If thats the case then the top 4 will be seeded to avoid each other until the semi. Good for more certainty around ticket sales etc. That's a possible reason why England want in there. You're not in there you are hitting a top 4 team in a QF. That's an extra 50:50 match you can do without and avoid by being top 4.


Lets look at what Seeding bands might look like with todays rankings:


Seeding Band 1

IRE/SA/NZ/FRA/ENG/ARG

Seeding Band 2

SCO/ITA/AUS/FIJ/WAL/GEO


Sample Aussie strongest pool opponent and 1/8th final opponent if in top 6

Strongest pool opponent: FIJI

1/8 final opponent GEORGIA

Prognosis: advance to 1/4 and potentially beyond


Sample Aussie strongest pool opponent and 1/8th final opponent if NOT in top 6

Strongest pool opponent: SOUTH AFRICA

1/8 final opponent NEW ZEALAND

Prognosis: You know the prognosis


I am pretty sure this is not lost on Joe Schmidt?


Keep in mind when enjoying the matches.

1 Go to comments
TRENDING
TRENDING Rugby fugitive Rocky Elsom in hiding after fleeing Ireland Rugby fugitive Rocky Elsom in hiding after fleeing Ireland
Search