Le Afioga ia Saveatama Eroni Clarke has contributed greatly to rugby in New Zealand.
Since his first game of rugby, playing for his father Iafeta's old club ‘Suburbs’ at seven years old,
An Auckland Rugby stalwart, Clarke was noticed by All Blacks selectors in his first season with the union and was included in a week of All Blacks trials at the beginning of 1992. By April of that year, he had made the All Blacks squad to play two Tests against the World XV in Wellington followed by the two tests against Ireland in Dunedin and Wellington. He finished his first four Test appearances with five tries. Over the next six years, he would make a total 24 appearances in the black jersey, scoring 50 points.
Off the field, Clarke has had a huge impact on the Pasifika community, including a role in workforce development with LeVa, a non-governmental organisation (NGO) that helps educate the Pasifika community in suicide prevention, addictions, alcohol and drug abuse, gambling and mental health.
Late in 2018, Clarke was elected as President of Auckland Rugby.
He has recently been successful in becoming the first Pasifika Engagement Manager at NZ Rugby. The impact of his role will be far reaching not just across the Aotearoa but across the Pacific and the globe.