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Sam Cane returns from concussion injury as All Blacks halfback starts for Bay of Plenty
All Blacks captain Sam Cane will make his return from a month-long concussion-enforced sideline spell with Bay of Plenty in their opening Mitre 10 Cup clash against Taranaki on Sunday.
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The 28-year-old has been out of action since he left the field with a head knock during the Chiefs’ 31-18 Super Rugby Aotearoa defeat at the hands of the Hurricanes in August.
After being named in Ian Foster’s first All Blacks squad of the year last weekend, Cane will make his first appearance since leaving the field at Sky Stadium in Wellington five weeks ago, albeit from a slightly less familiar position.
Set for his first outing in the blue and yellow hoops since 2016, Cane makes up one third of a Super Rugby Aotearoa loose forward trio that also features Chiefs openside flanker Mitch Karpik and Blues blindside Aaron Carroll.
They will be complemented by a strong tight five made up of skipper Aidan Ross, Nathan Vella, Jeff Thwaites, Kane Le’aupepe and Keepa Mewett, all of whom have varying degrees of Super Rugby experience.
Among the most eye-catching names in the backline is three-test All Blacks halfback Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, who will make his Bay of Plenty debut against his former province after joining the Steamers from Taranaki this season.
He will partner former Highlanders playmaker Dan Hollinshead in the halves, with the duo expected to unleash a promising quintet of players outside them.
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Electric Hurricanes utility back Chase Tiatia, last year’s Duane Monkley Medal winner, will start at second five, forming a midfield combination with Mathew Skipwith-Garland.
The outside backs are comprised of long-serving Mitre 10 Cup stalwart Fa’asiu Fuatai, All Blacks Sevens veteran Joe Webber and young Blues fullback Emoni Narawa.
A notable omission from the starting side is new first five recruit Otere Black, who has signed with Bay of Plenty from Manawatu for the upcoming campaign, but will make his Steamers debut from the bench this weekend.
He joins fellow Blues standout Kurt Eklund in the reserves alongside Tongan international Zane Kapeli, youthful Hurricanes prop Tevita Mafileo and All Blacks Sevens star Regan Ware.
Bay of Plenty Steamers team to face Taranaki:
1. Aidan Ross (c), 2. Nathan Vella, 3. Jeff Thwaites, 4. Kane Le’aupepe, 5. Keepa Mewett, 6. Aaron Carroll, 7. Mitch Karpik, 8. Sam Cane, 9. Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, 10. Dan Hollinshead, 11. Fa’asiu Fuatai, 12. Chase Tiatia, 13. Mathew Skipwith-Garland, 14. Joe Webber, 15. Emoni Narawa.
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Reserves: 16. Kurt Eklund, 17. Haereiti Hetet, 18. Tevita Mafileo, 19. Zane Kapeli, 20. Joe Tupe, 21. Luke Campbell, 22. Otere Black, 23. Regan Ware.
Comments on RugbyPass
Not sure exactly what went wrong for him at Glasgow but it’s pretty clear he ain’t Franco’s cup of tea. Suspect he would have been better served heading out of Scotland around the same time as Finn, Hoggy and Jonny!
1 Go to commentsBulls disrespected the Northampton supporters and the competition. Decide quickly, fully in or out.
24 Go to commentsI wonder if Parling was ever on England’s radar as a coach? Obviously Borthwick is a great lineout coach, but I do worry he might be taking on too much as both head coach and forwards coach.
1 Go to commentsJason Jenkins has one cap. When Etzebeth was his age he had over 80 caps. Experience matters. He will never amount to what Etzebeth has because he hasn’t been developed as an international player.
1 Go to commentsSays much about the player picking this gig over the easier and bigger rewards offered to him in Japan. Also says a lot about the state sanctioned tax benefits the Irish Revenue offers pro rugby players, with their ten highest earning years subject to an additional 40% tax relief and paid as a lump sum, in cash, at retirement. Certainly helps Leinster line up the financial ducks in a row to fund marquee signings like this!!! No other union anywhere in world rugby benefits from this kind of lucrative financial sponsorship from their government…
5 Go to commentsTrue Jordie could earn a lot more in Japan. But by choosing Leinster he’ll be playing with 1 of the best clubs in the world and can win a champions cup and URC…..
6 Go to commentsThanks for that Marshy, noticed you didn't say who is gonna win it. We know who ain't gonna win it - your Crusaders outfit. They've gone from having arguably the best Super Rugby first five ever, to having a clutch of rookies. Hurricanes all the way!
1 Go to commentsGeez you really have to question the NRLs ability to produce players of quality. Its pathetic. Dont the 25mil in Aus produce enough quality womens players. Sad.
1 Go to commentsBulls fan here, and agree 100% with the conclusion (and little else) of this article. SA sides should absolutely f-off from the champs cup until we get fair scheduling, equal support for travel arrangements and home semis. You know, like all the european teams get.
24 Go to commentsI’m yet to see why Grace would be an ABs contender. He’s pedestrian and lacks the dominance required of a top flight 8.
11 Go to commentsGee my Highlanders were terrible. They have gone backwards since the start of the season. The trouble began when we left Millar behind to prep as the 10 against the Brumbies and he was disconnected from the team that came back from Aussie. We rested Patchell for that game and we blew an avalanche of ball in good attacking positions in the 1st half. Against the Rebels we seem to of gone into a pod system with forwards hanging off from the breakdown leaving Fakatava to secure our ball!
80 Go to commentsPot Kettle, the English and French teams have done it for years.
24 Go to commentsHas virtually played every minute of previous games. Back row of Li Lo Willie , Grace and Blackadder would be the 1. Crusaders issue is a very average 1st 5 who cannot run. Kicking in general play is also below par They need to put Yong Kemara in. He must have so.e talent for them to bring him down from Waikato. Hoehepa would struggle to play in so.e club sided
11 Go to commentsI hope this a good thing making all these changes!
3 Go to commentsThe Hurricanes are good, especially with a decent coach now. However, let’s be real, the Crusaders and Chiefs are clearly a good degree weaker without the players they’ve lost overseas now. The Canes lost one player. It’s also why the aussie teams ‘seem’ to be stronger.
9 Go to commentsOr you could develop your own players instead of constantly taking from the SH competition and weakening it in the process? With all the player and financial resources these unions have compared to SH countries you’d think they could manage that, or is weakening the SH comps and their national sides an added bonus? Probably.
3 Go to commentsNot so fast Aaron, we might need you in black yet lol. God knows he’d be a lot less nerve-racking than hot and (very) cold players like Perofeta. It’s really a shame Reuben Love isn’t playing 10, we’ve got enough 15 options.
4 Go to commentsAnd those from the NH still seem to be puzzled (and delighted) why NZ’s depth isn’t what it once was. Over 600 NZ players overseas, that’s insane. This sort of deal is why Super Rugby coaches have admitted they struggle now to find enough quality to fill out their squads.
6 Go to commentsArticle intéressant ! La question devrait régulièrement se poser pour les jeunes français originaires de Nouvelle-Calédonie, Wallis-et-Futuna et de Polynésie entre la Nouvelle-Zélande et la Métropole… Difficile pour la fédération française de rugby de se positionner : soit le choix est fait de dénicher les jeunes talents et de les faire venir très tôt en Métropole, au risque de les déraciner, soit on prend le risque de se les faire “piller” par les All Blacks qui, telle une araignée, essaye de récupérer tous les talents des îles du Pacifique… À la France de se défendre en développant l’aura du XV de France et des clubs français dans ses collectivités d’Outre-mer !
3 Go to commentsWrong bay. He needs to come to the REAL BAY which is Bay Of Plenty and have a crack at making the Chiefs.
3 Go to comments