Clarke relishes first Clarke-Penaud duel as Six Nations snub fuels French winger

Caleb Clarke is bracing for the most motivated version of Damian Penaud when New Zealand face France in Christchurch on Saturday, with the All Blacks winger fully aware that his opposite number arrives carrying the sting of a Six Nations omission.

Penaud, 29, was left out of Fabien Galthié’s squad in February despite having scored 40 tries in 60 Tests and having recently become France’s all-time leading try-scorer. France went on to claim a second consecutive Six Nations title without him. Now recalled for the inaugural Nations Championship, Penaud will play his first Test in the southern hemisphere in five years — and, remarkably, his first ever against Clarke, with injuries and form preventing the pair from meeting until now.

“It’ll be the first time in my whole career getting to mark up against him, and he’s been one of the leading wingers in the world, so that in itself is an exciting challenge for me,” Clarke told reporters after the All Blacks’ captain’s run on Friday. “Knowing his game, he’s light on his feet, a threat around the ball, so I have to be on top of my game. But being home adds that edge for me. Playing at home, it means a lot more when you put on the black jersey. I’m just really excited.”

Asked whether he expected Penaud to be out to prove a point, Clarke broke into a grin and answered with an enthusiastic “yep!”. “I think you always have that extra oomf when you’ve missed out on something that you wanted to be a part of,” he said. “And I’m sure he’ll bring that. So again, that’s on me to step up my game and just really take on that challenge, but also enjoy it as well.”

Clarke himself arrives at the fixture having navigated a turbulent 2025. A speeding incident landed the Blues winger in court at the same time his selection for the first All Blacks squad of the year was announced, and the public legal proceedings visibly affected his form. He was ultimately not charged, returned from injury during the Rugby Championship, and started four Tests at the back end of the season.

A year on, Clarke says he has rediscovered his love for the game. “Mentally, I’m in a better place,” he said. “I remember that July series last year, I felt like I didn’t want to be there in a sense, after the mistake I made with my motorbike incident. This year, I’m being a lot more free and just enjoying rugby. That’s the biggest difference. When I enjoy my rugby…” — a sentiment that, given his performance level when at ease, will concern French defensive coaches ahead of kick-off.