All Blacks' Caleb Clarke in massive Rabbitohs favour amid Latrell Mitchell link
The All Blacks winger is one of the most devastating players in Super Rugby.
All Blacks winger Caleb Clarke has made the decision to join NRL team the Rabbitohs for pre-season training after a lacklustre World Cup display. Clarke has played 20 games for the All Blacks, but was behind wingers Will Jordan and Mark Tele'a in the squad for the World Cup in France.
Clarke played against Namibia in the group stage, but was on the periphery for the team as they made the charge to the final. And in a bid to kickstart his season for the Blues in 2024, Clarke phoned South Sydney and called in a favour.
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The winger is a friend of Rabbitohs star Latrell Mitchell and is set to start his season early when he is expected to take part in training with Jason Demetriou's men. However, there isn't any hint one of rugby union's most devastating wingers will be making the switch to the NRL at this stage.
Clarke told New Zealand publication NewsHub he wanted to learn from some of the NRL players to add to his skillset across the Tasman. "I've always been a Rabbitohs fan and thought, in my time off before I join the Blues campaign, I can look to learn off the NRL boys," Clarke said.
"After a year that didn't go as well as I hoped for, I want to do something different in terms of preparation for 2024," he added. "Being around an environment with people I look up to and can learn from can bring the edge I want to get and take into this new season." The move for Clarke to reach out to the Rabbitohs is a nice change for the rugby union and rugby league division in Australia with both codes in a recent war-of-words over player signatures.
Coach hints at big Latrell Mitchell and Jack Wighton role
Mitchell copped widespread criticism for some lacklustre performances after returning from a calf injury late in the 2023 season. He wasn't able to recapture the form that helped Souths lead the competition early in the season, and they suffered an embarrassing fall from grace to miss the finals altogether.
But ahead of the season, coach Demetriou believes new recruit Jack Wighton - and Mitchell's friend - will have a big impact on his teammates. This could help Mitchell refind the form that made him one of the best fullbacks in the game.
“I just know Jack is going to make us a better footy team. At the moment, if I was to pick him, I’d pick him at left centre,” Demetriou told the Daily Telegraph.
“I’m going to spend time in the pre-season to see where Jack fits best. What I love about Jack is that he is committed to play wherever the team needs him to play. For a player of his stature to have that mindset, that rubs off on the rest of the team.”
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