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'A real tough period': Caleb Clarke opens up on difficult 2021 season
After a breakout year in 2020, many held high hopes for Blues and All Blacks star Caleb Clarke heading into last season.
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A World Sevens Series title with the All Blacks Sevens, becoming arguably the best player of Super Rugby Aotearoa and a stunning debut campaign at test level left the rugby world in awe of Clarke’s talents.
It was no surprise, then, that expectations were high for the blockbusting 22-year-old wing as he entered what was effectively his sophomore season as a bona fide rugby star in 2021.
Even the man himself had lofty aspirations in a year where further All Blacks tests, a potential Super Rugby title and an appearance at the Olympics in Tokyo all beckoned on the horizon.
Things didn’t pan out as anticipated, though, as Clarke struggled to rekindle the form that made him one of the world’s most exciting young prospects when he returned to the Blues for their Super Rugby Aotearoa campaign.
He then left the Auckland franchise ahead of Super Rugby Trans-Tasman, thus missing out on their title-winning exploits in a bid to chase an Olympic gold medal, only to fail to make the final All Blacks Sevens squad as the Kiwis left Japan with silver.
Following all of that, Clarke was then denied the chance to play in New Zealand’s NPC as his provincial side, Auckland, were one of three teams withdrawn from the competition due to the city’s four-month lockdown between August and December.
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That prevented Clarke from returning to the All Blacks, as he had hoped to do for their end-of-year tour of the United States and Europe, bringing the curtain down on a year that promised so much but delivered so little for the five-test international.
Most would be left frustrated or uninspired by such setbacks, but Clarke hasn’t been so easily deterred by those hurdles that halted his budding career last year.
Instead, he used that time where he wasn’t selected, or simply couldn’t play, to better himself both physically and mentally for the season ahead, which kicks-off against Moana Pasifika at Mt Smart Stadium in less than a month’s time.
“I sort of reflect on lockdown, and that was a real tough period,” Clarke said on Tuesday.
“That was sort of the time where I thought I was still going to go on tour [with the All Blacks].
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“Even before that, my thought was playing in the Olympics, having a crack at that, and just having a bad hand after bad hand every time in lockdown, even Seany [Wainui] passing away, made things more tough as well, but it’s helped me look forward for this season.
“It’s helped me realise that there’s more to life than just rugby.
“I’m here now and I’m just enjoying myself, and that’s sort of the most important thing you want to do when you play sport as a career, is just making sure you come in every day enjoying it, loving the game. I’ve found that love again.
“I think if I look back at last year, in 2021, I put too much expectation on myself and I listened to too many people where I should have just been listening to my small circle and just enjoying the game. That’s sort of the focus.
“I’m not worried if I don’t make the All Blacks or don’t make sevens or anything. I just enjoy the game and that’s where I’m at at this point.”
Evidence of Clarke’s newfound enthusiasm for the game was clear to see when he reported for media duties at Blues HQ a few kilograms lighter following an intense off-season of training alongside new Blues star Roger Tuivasa-Sheck.
That, as well as a return to a squad environment following months of lonesome training, has, in part, helped build the youngster’s confidence and positivity leading into the inaugural edition of Super Rugby Pacific.
“Just taking things one step at a time. If I reflect on last year, I had so many things on, it just felt like my attention was divided, so this year has just got one focus and that’s just enjoying rugby, enjoying being back with the boys,” Clarke said.
“It’s been awesome being out of lockdown, being in another system where you can be with people, and I think that’s where I thrive. I thrive the most when I’m around people.”
It’s little wonder that Clarke, who said he has no regrets about chasing his Olympics dream despite missing selection for the Games, is eager to return to a proper training environment given he hasn’t played any kind of rugby since last June.
Clarke will have the chance to change that next Saturday when the Blues host the Hurricanes in their first pre-season fixture at Takapuna in Auckland – a much-needed match for Clarke and those who haven’t played for months.
Until then, he will have to contain his excitement about the prospect of returning to action for the next week-and-a-half.
“I’m excited. I haven’t played XVs since the last Super Rugby Aotearoa game [against the Chiefs last May]. I haven’t played any form of rugby since June, so I have itchy feet,” he said.
“I come in every day and it’s just training, but I’m just like, ‘Let’s play’. I’ve got to hold myself back from getting over-competitive because it’s just been that long since I’ve played.
“I think that competitive edge is coming out of me since I haven’t played this long. I don’t think anyone has had a period where they’ve played this long in our team, so I just have to control that because on top of competitiveness comes a bit of aggression, too.
“I don’t want to yell at people, but I want to win, so it’s just that real competitiveness and real eagerness to get out there.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Amazing. The losing team’s ratings are higher than the winning team’s. Mallia definitely didn’t deserve a y. What game were you watching? Should have got a w or an x. ADP hardly featured in that second half. At one point I wondered when he’d been subbed. Seems to me as if he gets an automatic 9 just for getting onto the team sheet.
1 Go to commentsI’m sorry. That second half was far from enthralling. It was painful to watch.
1 Go to commentsVery generous! If you’d missed the game, reading this you’d conclude that it was the Quins front row that cost them the game. Marler getting a blanket 6 for his demented contribution to the game. Puzzling.
1 Go to commentsCan’t see Toulouse beating Leinster at this rate.
7 Go to commentsADP was having a very average game until winning that penalty for Toulouse, sticking his big head in the way. “The head of God”?
7 Go to commentsHarlequins doing their best to do as little damage as possible with all the possession. Looks like they skipped catch and pass drills this week.
7 Go to commentsSeeing pictures of Jacques high-fiving it with Irish players breaks my heart. Too soon. I need more time.
1 Go to commentsquins is all over the place. The minute they get the ball they panic. Quins can still win tho just need to win all rucks otherwise just don't bother.
7 Go to commentsGreat wins for the male & female kiwi sides. Ireland not far away..
1 Go to commentsWhy is this dude getting so much coverage? Usually knobs like this get cancelled.
2 Go to commentsWow. What was that? A 3 million word meandering article about what exactly?
2 Go to commentsNice piece of writing. And yes the Sharks pulled a rabbit from the hat and were a little lucky with that penalty try that wasn’t given… however the Sharks (with their resources) should be way more consistent and should be putting teams like Claremont away for breakfast. I expect more from them and hope they kick on now.
8 Go to commentsJust what the Sharks needed to get things going in the right direction Defence on the outside really creates havoc for the whole team and needs to be addressed.
8 Go to commentsWell done guys both teams will be ready to play knockout rugby.
1 Go to commentsSurprised that Ramos isn't starting at 15. But what a squad of galacticos!
2 Go to commentsWhy is it a snub? What journalistic garbage is that? Sure the guy is a great player, but there are plenty of loose forwards and not all of them can be Springboks. Also, I know of no-one who doubts Rassie’s judgment. South Africa has a conveyor belt of loose forwards that just keeps producing, so the competition is intense. I certainly wish him well, but there is no entitlement and there is no snub.
17 Go to commentsSkelton may be brought back for the Wallabies so that would be the only reason that may hinder Wilson. Easily the form, most skilful and game IQ of any Oz 8. Valentini’s best and favourite position is 6, but lineouts may be an issue with Skelton, Valentini and Wilson. Will be interesting what Schmidt goes for but for me Wilson should be picked on form. Schmidt rewards work rate, skill and consistency. All that glitters every so often won’t be in contention. Greely is one of those players that has a knack of making the right decision. A coach is going to love him because he knows week in week out he’s going to get the job done. The second try Greely wasn’t the guy who made the initial break it was Flook, Greely was at the bottom of the ruck when Flook was off along the sideline. Greely got up and made the effort to catch up with play but also read the play nicely and hit the pass from Campbell at pace and then held the pass beautifully to Ryan.
6 Go to commentsSpot on Ben. Dead right. Havili looked great at 10. Easily the highest rugby IQ of any NZ player these days. Getting a kick charged down is a result of getting used to adjusting your depth to the line at 10, which he will sort out with time. But other than that it was an outstanding first effort in that position this year. I think the NZ media has misunderstood this directive from Razor. Havili might rank behind B Barrett this year, but Beuden is 33 this month and won't last much longer. DMaC is great but flaky and not really a test match animal (his efforts in Dunedin versus Aus last year for example). If Razor can't have Mounga, DMaC is too unstructured for Razor (and is just too small for test rugby). Havili will end up our first choice first five, and in partnership with Jodie will be excellent. Two triple threat operators in tandem, and big bodies and tough tacklers to boot. Jordoe will be the ABs goal kicker. I am an Aucklander and Blues (and Warriors) fan, but Havili at 10 is going to be sensational in time… he can be the best first five in the world by the end of this year. No question.
6 Go to commentsSharks deserved to be far further back by the last quarter. Their tackling was awful, their set pieces were disappointing, their defensive organization was poor (especially on the Kok side of the D line), they kept making unnecessary errors, and they never looked like cracking the Clermont defense during those first 60m. Masuku kept them in touch, with some help from the Clermont generosity on penalty opportunities. Agree with the writer of this article. It was belligerence, and ability to raise their pressure game just enough, that turned the last quarter into a Bok-style shutout. Clermont have a reputation of not playing the full 80m, and there was a bit of that for sure. But, quite often when the intensity of a team drops off in the last quarter credit is due to the opponent for tiring them out. At 60m, with the Kok try, you thought that just maybe the game was on. At 70m, with the Mapimpi contribution, one felt that Clermont were fading, while facing a team that would maintain the pressure game through the final whistle. Good win in the end, but the Sharks are still playing way below their potential. And with their resources, and a coach that has had enough time to figure things out, they are running out of excuses.
8 Go to commentsGood riddance
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