All Blacks: ‘Battering ram’ Caleb Clarke would ‘suit’ New Zealand
November 28, 2020, Newcastle, NSW, USA: NEWCASTLE, AUSTRALIA - NOVEMBER 28: Caleb Clarke of the All Blacks thanks the crowd during the Tri-Nations round 5 rugby match between the Argentina Pumas and the New Zealand All Blacks at McDonald Jones Stadium on November 28, 2020 in Newcastle, Australia. (Photo by Speed Media/Icon Sportswire) (Credit Image: © Speed Media/Icon SMI via ZUMA Press)
Crusaders scrum-half Bryn Hall thinks that Blues wing Caleb Clarke could be useful for the All Blacks as they look to improve on their disappointing performances in 2021.
Clarke is a powerful, hard-running wing, and Hall believes his power in contact would help improve set-piece strike plays.
The 23-year-old spent 2020 with the All Blacks but did not feature last year as New Zealand suffered their worst season since 2009.
“If you look at when we played against the South Africans [last year], a lot of that time when you are winning that lineout ball at the front, our strike plays were giving it straight to the winger like George Bridge and Will Jordan,” Hall said on the Aotearoa Rugby Pod.
Excellent off first phase
“They [Bridge and Jordan] have a lot of really good strengths, but sometimes if they are running into an openside or a hooker in that transition zone, a guy like Caleb suits.
“If you want to use him as a battering ram in that example, he’s a guy that could possibly get you over that advantage line and then start flowing into your shapes or maps off that.
“He’s not only just that, that’s a massive strength of his to run over people, but whether it be contestables or kick chase to the ball, he’s a quick man.
“If he continues to have those second and third efforts, he’ll definitely be in that All Blacks squad when they announce it.”
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