'With the greatest respect to Sam Cane': NZ great weighs in on No. 7 debate
All Blacks great Ian Jones has questioned whether Sam Cane will be “good enough” to wear the coveted No. 7 jersey during key matches at next year’s World Cup.
New Zealand captain Cane was ruled out of the All Blacks’ end-of-season tour after he picked up an injury during the win over Japan in October.
Openside flanker Dalton Papali’i was given his best opportunity yet to make the famous black jersey his own, and he took every chance to shine with both hands throughout the tour.
Papali’i was in fine form during the All Blacks’ thrilling win over Scotland at Murrayfield, before starring once again in the dramatic 25-all draw with England.
With the All Blacks’ World Cup opener against France less than 10 months away, former Test lock Jones said Cane has to be part of the squad – but hinted that he’d be better utilised during “pool games.”
“To have Sam Cane, highly respect within the playing group of the All Blacks, highly experienced at the pool games that we’re going to have to use him for,” Jones said on SENZ on Sunday.
“Quite possibly (it’s time for a captaincy change) because he’s got to be given the opportunity to make that Test spot or captaincy his own.
“But Dalton Papali’i has made huge strides so he also has to be given the opportunity to wear that seven jersey for those key games.
“Injury is going to be a factor, we know that, experience is going to be a factor, we know that. We’ve got a very experienced openside flanker in Sam Cane who can be part of the squad.
“Whether he’s good enough to play those key matches that we really want him to play, well it’s over to them.”
The No. 7 jersey is arguably the most famous in the history of New Zealand rugby – having been worn by greats of the game including Richie McCaw and Michael Jones.
Well, Papali’i has done the black jersey justice throughout his three consecutive starts on the Northern Tour.
In his last start against England at Twickenham, the 25-year-old stunned the England crowed as he showed of his rugby IQ – intercepting a pass to run in the first try of the Test.
Papali’i made 13 tackles without missing any against traditional rugby rivals England, and he also ran for 60 metres from four carries.
Throughout the last three Test matches, Papali’i has finished in the top two for tackles made by an All Blacks player twice.
Jones believes Papali’i has made the “biggest” strides of any All Black against Northern Hemisphere opponents during their end-of-season tour.
“I think he’s made the biggest, hugest strides,” Jones said.
“With the greatest respect to Sam Cane… I know they’re different players but would Sam Cane have scored the Dalton Papali’i try?
“Sam Cane would have done some great work at the breakdown equally as so, but the balance that they had (against England) with Ardie Savea, the athletic, industries Ardie Savea at eight, really hard working blindside flanker in Scotty (Barrett).
“Just the size, strength and energy of Dalton Papali’i, he could’ve gone and I was surprised he didn’t go the whole eighty. I do believe he made a difference when he left the field.”
While the All Blacks’ season came to an end with a frustrating final 10 minutes against England, which saw the hosts score three tries to earn a once unlikely draw, they’ve come a long way in 2022.
After losing historic Test matches against Ireland and Argentina in New Zealand, the All Blacks went on to win the Rugby Championship and to retain the Bledisloe Cup.
They finished their year on a seven-Test unbeaten run, dating back to their 50-point win over Los Pumas in Hamilton.
Selection headaches will undoubtedly become a hot topic of discussion throughout the off-season, as the attention of the rugby world begins to shift towards France 2023.
Comments on RugbyPass
I bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
19 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
7 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
19 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
9 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
9 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
28 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
19 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
28 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
19 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
90 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
4 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
9 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
19 Go to comments