All Blacks young gun Caleb Clarke has confirmed he won't be joining the NRL anytime soon, signing a two-year extension with New Zealand Rugby.
Clarke previously spoke out about his desire to play the 13-man game and link up with an NRL club in his future, but it won't be happening until at least after the next Rugby World Cup, to be played in France next year.
"That's definitely one thing that I'd love to do," Clarke told AAP in April.
"I'm a big Rabbitohs supporter and I talk to the Rabbitohs boys every now and then.
"So yeah, I'd love to and I don't know when but it'll definitely be something that I want to tick off as a life goal."
Currently in the All Blacks squad, the winger was set to follow another former union convert in Will Warbrick to make the switch to the 13-man game.
Warbrick is yet to debut, but has shown impressive form in the outside backs at QLD Cup level for the Sunshine Coast Falcons.
Clarke is also an outside back and has played both Sevens and the 15-man game, performing strongly enough to be in the national squad for the world number one.
Given Clarke admitted he "didn't know when" a switch to the NRL might occur in his earlier comments, the door has not been shut on a potential move eventually, with the All Blacks deal only being another two years.
Clarke said he was more than happy at the Blues - the Auckland-based rugby club he currently plays at - for now.
“I would not want to be anywhere else than to be at the Blues,” he said in his re-signing announcement.
“We have a fantastic environment and the boys work so hard together and have a lot of fun at the same time.”
Clarke will likely play for the All Blacks against Ireland in Auckland on Saturday evening, less than 24 hours before the New Zealand Warriors play their first true home game in the city in over two years.
