Blues winger Caleb Clarke is relishing the chance to get one over his dad Eroni, with the 24-year-old set to play in his 50th game for the franchise this weekend.
The Blues name their side tomorrow to play the Drua in Whangarei on Saturday in the opening round of Super Rugby, and for Clarke it means winning a little family rivalry.
His father Eroni played 49 games for the Blues in the early years of Super Rugby between 1996 and 2000, and Caleb is excited to surpass that milestone.
"I'll just be happy as. My dad's got 49 so like 'haha I got one over you!' But nah it's just exciting. The Blues are a big part of me as a person, my family and the legacy here. It'll be a cool occasion if I get to run out [for that 50th game]," Clarke said at training today.
A longtime youngster in the squad, Clarke is now transitioning to being a more senior member of the Blues outfit as he enters his seventh season for the franchise, an incredible number given his age.
Clarke said the next step for him was to not see himself "as a young kid any more".
"It's about knowing that I'm someone who's - maybe not a leader - but experienced in the environment and can help the new boys coming through.
"I still lean on the likes of Dalton, Patty, Mark, Rieko, all those boys, so I'm pretty lucky to be in a spot where I can be a mix of a leader and a child."
Clarke won't be the only Blues player set to bring up his 50th cap, either. Prop Angus Ta'avao has been stuck on number 49 almost as long as Eroni Clarke, having last played for the Blues in 2015 before stints with the Waratahs and Chiefs.
He described it as "just an old block playing another game of footy".
"It is cool. This is the club that I looked up to when I was younger. I'm Auckland born and bred and always wanted to play for the Blues as a kid."
Ta'avao and Clarke are determined to help the Blues take that final step towards a title.
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