Born: March 22, 1962 - Auckland
Test record: 24 Tests (1982-85, 1987-89, 1991) - 7 tries (28 points)
Tours: 1982 tour of Australia and Papua New Guinea, 1985 tour of Britain and France, 1987 tour of Papua New Guinea and Australia
Game-breaking halfback Clayton Friend's decade-long, 24-Test Kiwis tenure included prominent roles in three iconic victories over Australia, while he made his mark on the British and Australian club scenes during the 1980s and '90s.
The ΕtΔhuhu junior and Manukau tyro was just 19 when he debuted for Auckland in 1981 and forced his way into the Kiwis' squad for the tour of Australia and Papua New Guinea the following season. He made seven appearances on tour, including a tryscoring Test debut in a 56-5 win in Port Moresby.
Friend embarked on his first British off-season stint in the 1982-83 season with Carlisle - alongside cousin Dean Bell and uncle Ian Bell, who both played for the Kiwis - and played another Test against Papua New Guinea at halfback in 1983, a 60-20 win at Carlaw Park. He also tour Britain with the New Zealand MΔori side in the latter year.
Still behind long-serving fellow Aucklander Shane Varley in the halves pecking order, Friend came off the bench in all three Tests of New Zealand's 1984 cleansweep of Great Britain. It was a two-try display in the third Test at Carlaw Park that doubled as a symbolic passing of the No.7 baton. He also featured in Auckland's 18-16 defeat of the Lions.
Friend starred in the unforgettable 1985 series against Australia, scoring two tries in the Kiwis' 18-0 shutout win in the third Test in Auckland. He was at halfback for all five Tests against Great Britain and France at the end of the year and crossed for seven tries in minor tour matches.
The 24-year-old joined North Sydney Bears in 1986 and shaped as a key part of that year's series against Australia, but he suffered a serious knee injury on the eve of selection for the first Test.
Friend regrouped with a sensational 1987 season, playing in the one-off Test in Papua New Guinea and helping New Zealand to a 13-6 boilover against Australia at Lang Park. He was brilliant for the Bears and finished third in the Dally M Medal count.
But after playing in the Kiwis' three 1988 assignments - midyear wins over Papua New Guinea and Great Britain, and the World Cup final loss to Australia - Friend was axed after a heavy series-opening loss to the green-and-golds in 1989. He was then controversially overlooked for the tour of Britain and France at the end of the year.
Friend's 68-game tenure with Norths also petered out in 1989, but he teamed up with former Kiwis halves partner Olsen Filipaina to win the inaugural Metropolitan Cup competition with Ryde-Eastwood and returned to Carlisle for the 1990-91 and 1991-92 winters.
Now in the veteran class, Friend was recalled by the Kiwis in 1991 and came off the bench in both Tests against France - scoring a try in the latter. He then played a starring interchange role in New Zealand's 24-8 upset of Australia in the first Test in Melbourne. After the Kiwis were soundly beaten in the second Test, Friend was promoted to halfback for the decider with captain and fierce rival Gary Freeman shifting to five-eighth; they went down 40-12 in what would prove Friend's last game in the black-and-white jersey.
Friend represented Auckland against Great Britain in 1992 and joined Whitehaven during the 1992-93 English winter, the start of a three-season stint that garnered 40 tries in 88 games. His career came full circle in 1996 when he turned out for Counties-Manukau Heroes in the Lion Red Cup, though injury kept him out of the grand final side.