Story: Rugby union

Don Clarke kicks for goal

Don Clarke kicks for goal

A huge man, Don Clarke was a fullback who came into the All Black team for the third test against South Africa in 1956 and helped kick the team to victory. He was a prodigious kicker, of both punts and goal kicks. On one notorious occasion in 1959 he kicked six penalty goals to bring New Zealand a rather shamefaced victory 18–17 over the British Lions, who had scored four tries. In all Clarke played in 31 tests between 1956 and 1964 and scored 207 points. His brother Ian was an All Black prop and in one game in 1961 five Clarke brothers played for Waikato.

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Private collection, Peter Bush
Photograph by Peter Bush

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How to cite this page:

Ron Palenski, 'Rugby union - International rugby – southern hemisphere', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/40036/don-clarke-kicks-for-goal (accessed 28 March 2024)

Story by Ron Palenski, published 5 Sep 2013, updated 1 Sep 2016