Succeeding ‘King’ Carlos Spencer a ‘privilege’ for ‘Prince’ Payton as talented son opens up on following in his father’s footsteps

Payton Spencer, the son of the great Carlos, insists that there is no added pressure at having to follow in the footsteps of his father.

The 20-year-old is forging his own career in rugby union and has joined the Blues for the upcoming Super Rugby Pacific campaign – the same team his dad played for.

Spencer has already made a name for himself with the All Blacks Sevens side, but he missed the chance of showing his qualities on the biggest stage after a shoulder injury ruled him out of the Olympics.

Return from the shorter form

Now back in XVs and taking the next step on his journey, the youngster could feasibly feel the weight of expectation on his shoulders, simply because of his family history, but he is very much taking it in his stride.

“If it was a burden, it would be a problem. It’s definitely not,” he told Stuff. “I feel privileged to have him as my dad. The learnings I can get from him are pretty amazing.”

Carlos earned 44 caps for the All Blacks and was an utterly spellbinding playmaker in the fly-half slot.

He had already made his New Zealand bow – albeit in a non-Test tour match – when Super Rugby came around in 1996, plying his trade at the Auckland outfit for 10 seasons before departing in 2005.

Almost two decades after Carlos exited, another Spencer looks set to represent the franchise with Payton, whose preferred position is at full-back, being named in the wider squad.

“When I had a meeting with the Blues, I came in, and it just felt right. There was something that drew me to the Blues,” he said.

“Obviously, dad, the old man played, but it didn’t have a part to play in where I chose to go.

“He was just a normal dad. You go home, see him, he wasn’t a professional rugby player to me. He was a father figure.”

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The nickname

Carlos helped the Blues to three Super Rugby titles in 1996, 1997 and 2003, and Payton comes in a year after the Aucklanders ended their 21-year barren streak.

His father became known as the ‘King’ as he lit up the field for both club and country, so it is perhaps inevitable that the royal connection would remain.

“The boys [at the All Blacks Sevens] kept bringing up ‘Prince’ here and there. I knew it was coming,” he said.

It is a nickname that Payton hopes to live up to with the 20-year-old not afraid to reveal his ultimate ambitions in rugby union.

“My passion has always been XVs. It’s always been my dream. Hopefully, I make the ABs one day,” he added.

READ MORE: Carlos Spencer’s verdict on All Blacks fly-half shirt and Damian McKenzie’s ‘lack of direction’