All Blacks wing Caleb Clark will skip Super Rugby Trans-Tasman to focus his attention on chasing a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics with the New Zealand sevens team.
The decision will see the barnstorming Blues star ruled out of the All Blacks July tests against Fiji and possibly Samoa.
Newshub understands the 22-year-old and New Zealand Rugby will confirm his decision on Monday.
Clarke will join fellow Super Rugby players, Chiefs wing Etene Nanai-Seturo and Highlanders fullback Villimoni Koroi, as part of the sevens Olympic programme.
Clarke's potential involvement in August's Bledisloe Cup fixtures is also doubtful as he will be required to serve a two-week quarantine stint on arrival back home around August 9.
The Bledisloe Cup tests are scheduled for August 7. 14, 21.
Clarke had a breakout 2020 Super Rugby Aotearoa season for the Blues once the sevens circuit was shut down due to the COVID-19 global pandemic.
This saw him play five tests for the All Blacks, with his debut against the Wallabies at Eden Park.
The New Zealand men's and women's sevens teams will play Australia from May 21-23 in Auckland - the first time the men have faced Australia in 440 days, since winning last year's Vancouver tournament final.
Coach Craig Laidlaw's team plan to leave early for Tokyo to play Australia and Fiji in Australia, at the back end of June.
Join us at 7pm Saturday for live updates of the Crusaders v Chiefs Super Rugby Aotearoa final
