Succession-planning isn't foolproof, Sam Cane needs his best days after rugby
You just want Sam Cane to be well.
To live a full and satisfying life once his rugby career is over and to be able to walk and run and play with his children. To tolerate bright lights or loud noise and to suffer no lingering effects from the head and neck trauma he has suffered as a footballer.
I offered some thoughts about Cane’s suitability as All Blacks’ captain recently. Others did too.
There’s a couple of things to point out here. Cane’s toughness and talent are not in question, nor his many qualities as a man. We’d all be very lucky if our sons grew up to be like him.
But it’s also okay to question the appointment of people to high rugby office. You’re not being disrespectful or even unpatriotic to wonder aloud if the best people are being appointed to positions such as All Blacks coach and captain.
We’ve been a bit spoiled as rugby fans in this country. Back in 2007 it was hard to imagine New Zealand would win the two subsequent Rugby World Cups. At least not with Graham Henry, Wayne Smith and Steve Hansen on the coaching staff and Richie McCaw as captain.
They’d been seen to fail – and miserably so too – and the expectation was that they wouldn’t be trusted to lead World Cup campaigns again.
The legacy of their subsequent achievements is succession. Succession of coaches and succession of captains.
We’ve done Ian Foster’s appointment as All Blacks coach to death, so let’s linger on the captaincy.
McCaw was truly unique as a player and leader. To keep himself in one piece – and hold his form – over a span of 110 tests as skipper is something we’ll never see again.
We’ve tried, though.
Things resemble a royal family in that respect now. The heir is anointed and then ascends to the throne when the incumbent retires/abdicates.
You can debate whether McCaw’s successor Kieran Read hung around a year or two too long, just as you can express reservations about Cane’s really the man to take the helm now.
How did you feel watching Cane get laid out against the Hurricanes on Saturday night? Did your mind immediately drift towards the head knocks he’s had in the past or the broken neck suffered against South Africa in 2018?
Imagine being his family and friends. Team-mates, coaches. Imagine how they felt on Saturday or, frankly, feel every time he takes the field.
I interviewed former Blues and All Blacks halfback Steve Devine the other day. Man, what a life he and his family have endured since regular concussions forced him into retirement in 2007.
The years of headaches and fatigue and depression took a heavy toll but, thanks to fortnightly botox injections into his head and neck, Devine is starting to recover.
Head trauma doesn’t discriminate. It doesn’t matter if you’re a big bloke or a small bloke, All Blacks captain or a club player.
We all admire Sam Cane. We respect his playing ability and the way he carries himself. He is the epitome of what we like to think of as the New Zealand rugby man.
But rugby is a contact sport and Cane has a lengthening history of emerging from that contact a little worse for wear. That’s not a failing or a criticism, simply a fact.
You can see why Ian Foster and New Zealand Rugby want Cane to be All Blacks captain. Sadly, you can also see why he might not be suitable.
This isn’t about being kneejerk or alarmist. It’s not a shot at Cane in any way.
It’s just about saying succession-planning isn’t foolproof. That our best intentions or best-laid plans won’t always come to fruition.
Most of all it’s about saying you hope Sam Cane is getting good care and good advice and that the best years of his life are all still ahead of him.
Comments on RugbyPass
Lets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
10 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
9 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
10 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
9 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
35 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
35 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
5 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
6 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
22 Go to comments