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'The game has got so physical and so brutal': All Black captain Sam Cane reveals he holds worries over past head knocks
By Online Editors
In the wake of litigation by former players experience post-career struggles due to concussion, All Blacks captain Sam Cane has shared he also has worries after having multiple concussion injuries during his career.
Cane is no stranger to the severity of health risks players expose themselves to, having also spent significant time on the sidelines after suffering a severe neck injury against the Springboks in 2018 which threatened more than just his playing career.
"Because of some of the knocks I've had it always worries you." Cane said in comments published by Radio New Zealand.
The recently crowned All Blacks Player of the Year also credited New Zealand Rugby as being leaders in player welfare, saying he has never felt pressure to continue playing through a head knock.
"But I can speak truly when I say I've never felt pressure to play through a head knock. I think we're particularly well looked after here in New Zealand and even hearing stories from guys in other parts of the world it would seem that New Zealand is leading the way in player welfare, even just with the resting of players etc."
He says that it is one of the risks you accept playing the game but conceded the way the game is going means that risk is heightened more than ever.
"There's always the potential for that (concussion) and it could be just around the corner, it's just one of the risks we accept playing this game.
"The way the game has got so physical and so brutal with bigger and stronger athletes, it probably heightens the risk of these things more than in the past."
Speaking his experience with the All Blacks in 2020, Cane highlighted the Bledisloe Cup win as a highlight of what was otherwise a tough year for most.
"I think the worst thing and not just for me personally has been Covid and the effect that it's had on the country and the world; people being made redundant and in tough spots.
"Certainly remember during the lockdown and hearing about lots of people being made redundant and their lives changing and feeling like you can't help.
"Also feeling lucky that it wasn't affecting us too much but also feeling guilty that it didn't affect us, if that makes sense. That was a pretty sh*tty feeling."
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Latest Comments
Well deserved for a young talented, bright and humble player.
Go to commentsCane shouldn’t have been one last year, based purely on performances. Lakai is as close to a like for like of swap of Savea you’re ever likely to find, based on his short career so far at least. He has many of the same qualities - very strong ball carrier, great at the breakdown, and an absolute work horse on defence. I feel like he and Sititi could lead the way in the loose at the next WC.
I think we have become obsessed with replacing Kaino with someone exactly like him. Kaino was a perfect foil for the other loose forwards we had at the time. Based on the talent we have around at the moment those players could be made up in the aggregate by three players who are all exception all rounders - Lakai, Sititi, and Savea. Missing some height for sure but Sititi’s defensive work in the line out last year was phenomenal. He gets off the ground so quickly and was able to steal a couple of balls off the top of the springbok line out.
If our young locks coming through can actually stay fit long enough to get selected, it seems inevitable that Va’ai could end up in a hybrid 6/lock role.
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