All Blacks winger Caleb Clarke realised a childhood dream by training with his beloved South Sydney Rabbitohs – and refused to rule out making the switch to the NRL.
Clarke, who has played 20 Tests for the All Blacks including two games at the World Cup, slogged it out in the heat with Souths on Tuesday morning, and will back up for a second session on Thursday.
The 24-year-old grew up following Souths – he was a huge fan of Greg Inglis – and while he insisted the hit-and-run tune-up was to simply ignite his form ahead of next year’s season with the Auckland Blues, said he had long dreamed of switching codes.
The stars could easily align for Clarke after ARL Commission chief Peter V’landys just last week told this masthead he wanted to push ahead with giving clubs discounts for signing big-name players in rival codes.
The Sydney Roosters only recently announced they had recruited Wallabies winger Mark Nawaqanitawase for the 2025 and 2026 seasons.
Speaking after the field session, Clarke – who is off contract at the end of next year – said of a potential league move: “I said it a few years ago, it’s always been a lifelong dream to be able to play in a different code and play league.
All Blacks winger Caleb Clarke enjoys pulling on the South Sydney jersey on TuesdayCredit: South Sydney Rabbitohs
“I grew up playing a few years of league in high school, and I find it a lot more enjoyable watching league than I do watching rugby, because rugby is a job for me and I have to watch it all the time.
“I find the game so much more enjoyable. Doing that session [on Tuesday], I respect it so much more because it’s so fast and you don’t have much time to think. We’ll definitely see what happens down the track.”
Caleb Clarke on the charge against Australia last year in Melbourne.Credit: Getty Images
Clarke’s management reached out to Souths, who were more than happy to accommodate him at pre-season training.
Coach Jason Demetriou was impressed by what Clarke was able to do during the opposed session, and when told about his interest in the NRL, said: “If there’s an option down the line for him to come over to rugby league, there’s no doubt we’d be sitting at the table, for sure.
“He was really polite and engaging, and slotted in seamlessly to be fair. It was set up today to be attack-focused, and he defended well in the system. He also jumped in and did some reps with the ‘red side’ [the more experienced players].
“He clearly reads space really well. It was just great to have him in here.”
Clarke said he was inspired by the power game of Rabbitohs great Inglis, and after trying to stop Latrell Mitchell on an edge on Tuesday Clarke insisted it was impossible not to make the comparisons between the Indigenous stars.
“As a kid, Greg Inglis was a big inspiration for me and someone I watched growing up,” said Clarke, who counts Souths among his 100,000 followers on Instagram.
“I kind of followed [Inglis] wherever he went. I watched him a lot more before he moved to Souths, but because he finished here, I said this will be a club I keep supporting.
“His power, his speed, for someone who didn’t necessarily have that hot step you’d see with Roger [Tuivasa-Sheck], his ability to beat people, and how he could read the game; I don’t want to compare them, but you see Latrell do the same thing.
“I told the boys today, it was so hard defending on the edge when Latrell had the ball, especially when he had time and space.
“This year didn’t go as planned for me in terms of what I wanted to get out of the season. I came here looking for an edge, or something different I can take into next season.
“I can’t expect different results doing the same thing. Being here is that spark and edge I need. Being here and around people I watch on TV, and people I grew up watching, it will push me to do more and get that spark back coming into the 2024 season. I’m still pinching myself. It’s like a dream come true being here.”
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