'Tough one': All Blacks winger dissects what's behind high-ball struggles

One of the All Blacks‘ best under the high ball, Caleb Clarke, has addressed his side’s ongoing struggles in the aerial battle and how they are trying to fix it.

Dave Rennie’s side has struggled to dominate the air since he took over at the start of the 2026 international season, continuing the All Blacks’ struggles from 2025.

They have, though, tried to implement a new, improved strategy for the winger to retreat and take the catch facing their own dead-ball line, but Rassie Erasmus’ Springboks managed to combat Rennie’s plan over the course of Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry.

The Springboks chasers would often race ahead of the play to get between the winger and the ball, to gain a better chance of retaining the in-play contestable kick.

Clarke, whose aerial game is among the best in the country, discussed what the All Blacks are currently working on in that space.

“Yeah, it’s a tough one, honestly. And I’ll tell you, with these new rules, it’s been slow for us to adjust, especially when it comes to that one-on-one competing in the air,” Clarke told The Breakdown on Sky Sport.

“It’s literally just what we’re talking about all the time around, just catching it cleanly. For myself, like it’s a part that I really enjoy in competing, especially chasing after it, because I know I just got a free jump to the ball, and it’s a one-on-one matchup with someone else.

“So, you know, we tried different things. We tried hitting back and trying to catch it on the run, trying to come forward and catching it as well. But credit to the Springboks who just really put pressure on the catcher, and everyone else was picking up those scraps.”

Clarke pinpoints a training stint with the Sydney Swans in the AFL to explain the different ways you can take the ball in the air.

“I remember when I went over with the Swans, they were all wondering why I kept catching like this, and they’re like, aren’t you putting your hands up? And I had to explain to them, if I put my hands up and I drop it forward, the ball goes to the other team, and that’s sort of the different stuff.

“But the fundamentals of jumping and, like, timing your jump, catching at the max height of your jump is what they were really trying to teach me, and what I try to bring back to rugby. And so, yeah, we were practising it in the All Blacks environment.

“But again, it’s just coming down to that day and how well you execute.”

If there was any doubt that the All Blacks aren’t trying to rectify the constant mistakes in the aerial battle, Clarke guarantees fans and pundits around the world that it’s a work in progress.

“It’s a touch and go. We do go live against each other, but at the same time, we want to protect each other as well. As I said before, we’re competing for these spots, and also we want to make sure the boys that get out there on the night are making sure they’re in good health as well.

“We use different techniques if we can’t go live against each other, but we’re putting in the work, and that’s sort of the disappointing part. When it comes down to the day, it just doesn’t stick. But people just need to know that we are putting in that work.”