After just seven representative matches for Auckland, and in his debut season in first class rugby, Adrian Clarke at just 20 years of age was introduced to the All Blacks for the third tet against Australia in Auckland in 1958.

Though little known to most in southern parts of the county Clarke's potential had been noted earlier in the season. Having come to the notice of Auckland coach Fred Allen with his consistent form for the Waitemata club, Clarke came into the Auckland side for a match against Taranaki and impressed while marking the then test incumbent, Ross Brown.

That performance brought Clarke, a small but neat player with sharp attacking skills, an All Black trial.

But despite his meteoric entry into top rugby Clarke never established himself as either a regular choice for Auckland or the All Blacks.

In Auckland he found himself for his entire career in direct competition with no fewer than three other test first fives, Steve Nesbit, Mac Herewini and Peter Murdoch. Often Clarke found himself in the reserves and, indeed, in 1965 both of his appearances for Auckland were in the B side in which he was paired in the five eighths with the later test cricketer, Bob Cunis.

And even though Clarke made a promising test debut in 1958 he received only two more tests. Handicapped by being second string to Nesbit for Auckland for much of the 1959 season, he missed the first three tests against the British Lions and when he came in for the fourth test of the series it was at second five outside Taranaki's John McCullough.

Clarke played well in the three trials early in 1960 to win selection along with his fellow Aucklander Nesbit as the two first fives for the tour of South Africa. A superb try in the main match of the Australian preliminary tour against New South Wales gave him the early edge for the first five spot and he was duly chosen for the first test against the Springboks.

But the All Blacks were hammered 13-0 in that match and after a loss soon after against Orange Free State Clarke fell from favour with Nesbit preferred for the second and third tests and another Aucklander Tony Davies, Don Clarke's fullback understudy, for the fourth.

Clarke, often criticised for excessive crossfield running, made only nine appearances in South Africa and was never again an All Black following the tour. However, he did appear in All Black trials in each of the 1961, 62 and 63 seasons. But a measure of the strange pattern of Clarke's career was the fact that while he was involved in New Zealand first class rugby over nine seasons he never once played in the interisland match and was never a New Zealand colt or junior.

When his first class career ended in 1966 at the age of 28 Clarke had managed only 80 matches. But he did achieve 51 matches for Auckland and had an especially fine season in 1961 in several of the province's Ranfurly Shield defences. Clarke got 13 matches, the most he ever had in a season, with Herewini playing mainly at either fullback or at second five. Clarke was at his best in Auckland's 1961 defence against Waikato when he had the better of Don Clarke's with his tactical kicking.

Clarke's younger brother Phil, a wing who played his provincial rugby with Marlborough and Canterbury, was an All Black on the 1967 tour of Britain and France.