Sam Cane reflects on career challenges before expected 100th All Blacks Test

To play for the All Blacks is a childhood dream that many kids in New Zealand share, but none of them set the bar at playing 100 Tests. There have only ever been 12 men who have achieved that incredible feat of perseverance, but the exclusive club is set to welcome its newest member.

Two-time Rugby World Cup-winning captain Richie McCaw was the first man to reach a century of Test appearances in 2011, and fullback Mils Muliaina was a close second. Ma’a Nonu, Aaron Smith. Dan Carter and Keven Mealamu are among the others.

But, on Saturday evening at Wellington’s Sky Stadium, former All Blacks captain Sam Cane is expected to become the latest centurion. Cane is currently on 99 Test appearances but is set to line up at openside flanker against the Wallabies in the second Bledisloe Cup Test of 2024.

This will be Cane’s final Test in New Zealand with the 2015 Rugby World Cup winner signing a three-year deal with Suntory Sungoliath in Japan from next year. As the current eligibility laws in New Zealand state, that makes Cane ineligible to represent the All Blacks.

Cane was insistent on Tuesday afternoon that he has no regrets about signing that multi-year deal in Japan. But before the next chapter of the backrower’s storied rugby career gets underway, there is one more milestone that the departing great can bring up.

“Emotions are pretty good. Excited for the week ahead,” Cane told reporters in Upper Hutt.

“It’s nice that the Test is here at home in New Zealand. An opportunity for family to hopefully make the trip.

“I suppose at the start of the year, a little bit of uncertainty around where my body was at and what the year ahead looked like with changes from a coaching point of view and where they wanted to go.

“Sort of just took the mindset at the start of the season of doing everything I can to get my body in good shape and give myself the best chance of playing well and then from there, whatever happens, I’ll just be happy and grateful for any opportunity.

“At the start, whether that was with Bay of Plenty, I was going to give my best to enjoy my last season here in New Zealand. As it’s turned out, I’ve managed to get a few Test matches under the belt which has just been super special.

“I’ve really appreciated any opportunity that I’ve had.”

40 Test appearances ago, Cane suffered a horrific injury against the Springboks at Pretoria’s Loftus Versfeld in 2018. Cane had broken his neck which ruled the skipper out of the team’s remaining Tests that year in Japan and Europe.

Rassie Erasmus was among those who visited the injured All Black in hospital. As anyone can imagine, it would’ve been an incredibly worrying and frightening time for Cane – but, eventually, the openside flanker returned to the rugby field.

There have been countless hurdles to get to this point but Cane’s persistence is to be admired. History has shown that it’s no easy feat for any player to get to 100 Test appearances, so, for the All Black to bring up that achievement on home soil was clearly very special to him.

“When I look back on it… rugby’s a pretty good teacher of life and resilience,” Cane explained.

“The ups and downs, you just have to pick yourself up and carry on.

“All those different challenges have tested my resilience at times but I’ve been able to keep things in perspective and just really grateful for the opportunities that rugby has given me on the field but also just the opportunity to grow up as a man.

“From a 20-year-old making (his) debut not knowing much about anything to now being 32 and constantly learning and evolving.”