The New Zealander was visibly moved by the rendition of the national anthem at Eden Park ahead of the Rugby Championship clash
Caleb Clarke couldn’t hold back the tears as his father performed the New Zealand national anthem ahead of the game with Australia
Caleb Clarke could not hold back the tears at Eden Park as he shared a special moment with his father ahead of the All Blacks’ victory over Australia in the Bledisloe Cup.
The powerful winger lined up for the New Zealand anthem in Auckland with the cameras quickly picking out his emotional reaction. Clarke’s father, Eroni, was standing on the field to lead the anthem, adding a deeply personal touch to the occasion for the family.
Eroni himself is a former All Black, having represented his country in the midfield during the 1990s. His connection to the jersey is something Caleb has always spoken about with pride.
As the anthem rang out, the cameras zoomed in on Clarke, who initially wore a steely expression as he sang alongside his team-mates.
But the emotion soon took over. A single tear rolled down his face before he closed his eyes to belt out the words.
When the final notes of the anthem faded, the 26-year-old could no longer contain his feelings. Father and son shared a moving embrace in front of a packed Eden Park.
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Stan Sport commentator Sean Maloney perfectly summed up the moment, saying: “So much emotion there, what an afternoon for the Clarke family.”
Former Wallaby great Tim Horan added: “That’s just incredible.”
It was an unforgettable start to what turned out to be a memorable day all round for Clarke Jnr.
Just minutes after the anthems, the winger was the man to open the scoring for the All Blacks.
His try came in only the fourth minute when New Zealand shifted the ball wide with clinical precision.
Clarke found himself one-on-one with Australia’s Max Jorgensen, backed his pace and strength, and surged past his rival to cross the line.
Former Wallaby captain Michael Hooper, on commentary duty, praised the execution of the move: “Good width in their game, good timing, ball out in front. All the basics done very well by this New Zealand team to start the game.”
Clarke’s emotional anthem moment and early try set the tone for the All Blacks, who went on to claim a 33-24 victory in the opening clash of the Rugby Championship.
The All Blacks raced into a commanding lead before the Wallabies clawed their way back into contention, only for scrum-half Cam Roigard to settle the contest with his second try late on.
The result means New Zealand keep hold of the Bledisloe Cup and bounce back strongly from their record 43-10 hammering at the hands of South Africa two weeks ago.
New Zealand’s four tries to Australia’s three were enough to lift them to the top of the Championship standings, though South Africa or Argentina could yet leapfrog them after their clash in Durban.
For Australia, defeat continued a long, painful run against the All Blacks on New Zealand soil. They have now gone 23 matches without a win at Eden Park, with their last success there coming in 2001.