An emotional Carlos Spencer hailed the resilience of his son, Payton, after the 21-year-old made his Super Rugby debut on Saturday.
A standout at Hamilton Boys’ High, where he helped the side win the New Zealand First XV title in 2022, Payton was fast-tracked into the All Blacks Sevens setup before earning his first full-time contract with the Blues ahead of the 2025 Super Rugby season.
However, a shoulder operation in 2024 and other injury setbacks meant the fullback had to bide his time before making his first Blues appearance. It came off the bench, early in the second half of the match against the Waratahs in Sydney, won 35-20 by the visitors.
‘King Carlos’ played 99 matches for the Blues between 1996 and 2005, winning the tournament in 1996, 1997 and 2003.
