All Blacks captain Sam Cane set for short stint abroad – report
All Blacks captain Sam Cane is expected to miss the upcoming Super Rugby Pacific campaign with the Chiefs after taking up a sabbatical in Japan, according to a report out of New Zealand.
Stuff has revealed that Cane, who captained the All Blacks in last weekend’s Rugby World Cup final at Stade de France, is set for a short stint abroad after inking a deal with Tokyo Sungoliath.
Cane could potentially pack down in a backrow alongside former Wallabies enforcer Sean McMahon, and join Wales’ Gareth Anscombe and two-time World Cup-winning Springbok Cheslin Kolbe in the team.
In a boost to the All Blacks as they prepare to embark on their new era under coach Scott Robertson, Cane will be available for selection ahead of the July internationals.
When captain Cane re-signed with New Zealand Rugby in December 2021, there was a clause in his contract that allowed the openside flanker to exercise a sabbatical after the 2023 Rugby World Cup.
“The amount of rugby I’ve played the last three years, between two injuries and the Covid year, I’m feeling pretty good,” Cane said, as reported by Stuff’s Marc Hinton at the time.
“At this stage I’d be learning to not using it or just going back late to Super Rugby, but won’t make that decision tilly early ’23.”
This news makes the re-signing announcement of loose forward Luke Jacobson that much more important for the Chiefs.
Harbouring genuine title ambitions after losing last year’s final to the Crusaders at home, the Chiefs’ backrow stocks have already taken a hit. Former All Black Pita Gus Sowakula signed a two-year deal with Clermont.
In the absence of Cane and Sowakula, Jacobson will become the most important backrower at the Chiefs. Jacobson was selected in the All Blacks’ Rugby World Cup squad after starting 13 Super Rugby Pacific games for the Chiefs last season.
“I’m stoked to sign on with the Chiefs, Waikato Rugby, and NZR for another two years,” Jacobson said in a statement.
“I love representing these teams and am very proud to be able to call myself a Waikato/Chiefs man and also and All Black. I’m hungry to succeed with these teams and tick off a few unticked boxes.”
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All of these media pundits always miss the obvious whenever they analyse what is ailing or assisting the game. Rugby always has contentious points for debate when picking apart individual games and finding fault with itself. All this focus and scrutiny on “speeding up the game”, “high ball in play” etc is all contextual to the fan. As a tv viewer, if you’re absorbed into a game, regardless if your team is playing or not, more ball in play time and action are all byproducts of the contest. A good contest subliminally affects your memory in selectively remembering all the good aspects. A poor contest and your brain has switched off because its a blowout and the result is never in doubt or it’s a real chore to watch and remain engaged throughout. The URC, Top 14 and English premiership are all competitions that feel like there’s real jeopardy each week. The dominance of Super rugby by NZ teams was unhealthy from a sustainable interest perspective. You can’t fault those teams or the players, but the lack of competitions won by SA and Australian teams long term was always going to test the faith and patience of die-hard and casual fans from those regions. SANZAR took their eye off the fans and fans voted with their feet and subscriptions. They were so concerned about expanding their product they forgot the golden rule about broadcasting live sport. Viewers tune in more when there’s an atmosphere and a true contest. You need to fill stadiums to create one, host unions need to do more to service ticket buyers, and this year proves the other, there’s more interest in Super rugby this year only because more games are competitive with less foregone conclusions. All these micro statistics bandied about, only interest the bean counters and trainspotters.
Go to commentsIt’s a good, timely wake up call for NZ Rugby (seem to be a few of them lately!) - sort out the bureaucratic nonsense at board level. We can’t expect to stay the number one option without keeping fans/players engaged. We’ve obviously been bleeding players to league for years but can’t let the floodgates open (although I think this headline is hyperbolic as it’s a result of a recent Warriors pathways system where they are tracking things more closely) Understand the need to focus boys on rugby if they’re at a proud rugby school too, don’t think it’s harsh at all re Barakat in Hamilton. Reward the committed players with squad positions. An elite 1st XV system in NZ has done more for league than they even realise, think it’s good to protect our game further.
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