The All Blacks selection dilemma that Sam Cane's captaincy has created
There’s no doubting that the All Blacks captaincy role bestowed on Sam Cane is an appointment richly deserved for the 63-test flanker.
Few players possess as much defensive accuracy, consistency and quality as Cane, and the fact that he first captained his nation five years ago at the age of 23 is indicative of how highly his leadership capabilities are regarded.
The perseverance he showed to return from a fractured neck suffered in 2018 further illustrates the mental and physical toughness the 28-year-old wields, making him the logical choice to succeed Kieran Read.
Despite having started last year’s World Cup semi-final defeat to England off the bench, a player of Cane’s calibre will demand a starting role in the All Blacks set-up, which is more than what can be said of his only other challenger for the leadership role.
While substantially more experienced than his international teammate, 31-year-old Sam Whitelock has already shown signs of wear and tear as he enters the twilight of his professional career.
The 117-test veteran remains a crucial cog in the make-up of the All Blacks, and that was reflected in his most recent contract extension with New Zealand Rugby which will keep him locked in until the 2023 World Cup in France.
Whether Whitelock actually makes the tournament given his exhaustive schedules with the All Blacks and Crusaders is another question entirely, but those doubts surrounding his longevity only supports the reasoning behind Cane’s induction as skipper.
He will go down as one of the all-time great locks, but Test centurion Sam Whitelock can't just live on reputation with the All Blacks. @bensmithrugby writes the odds are against Whitelock being around by the next World Cup. #AllBlacks https://t.co/eJ9bYt3VuI
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) May 6, 2020
The implications of Ian Foster’s decision to promote the Chiefs stalwart extends beyond the squad’s leadership dynamics, though.
With Cane’s new captaincy role effectively cementing his place in New Zealand’s starting XV, questions will be asked of what beckons for 2019 World Rugby player of the year nominee, Ardie Savea.
Predominantly an openside flanker, Savea has tussled with Cane regularly throughout the past four years for a starting role following the retirement of Richie McCaw after the 2015 World Cup.
Up until the end of 2018, Cane was regarded the premier No. 7 in the country for the very attributes mentioned above, but his neck fracture against the Springboks in October of that year opened an avenue for Savea to improve his standing in the pecking order.
An impressive end-of-year tour with the All Blacks was followed up by a barnstorming Super Rugby campaign last season, creating a selection dilemma for the national selectors of how they were going to fit all of Cane, Savea and captain Read into starting roles.
Cane and Read were ultimately retained in their favoured positions of openside flanker and No. 8, while Savea was thrust into the blindside flanker spot to alleviate the self-imposed absence of departed Highlanders bruiser Liam Squire.
As one of the most robust loose forwards in the world, Savea’s transition to the short side of the scrum was seamless.
His explosive ball-carrying, eye-catching pace and defensive work rate stood out to the point that the Hurricanes star blossomed into one of the best players on the planet.
More pertinently from a Kiwi perspective, though, Savea’s positional switch exemplified his versatility across the back row.
Even while donning the No. 6 jersey, the 26-year-old was often used off the back of the scrum to best utilise his prowess with ball in hand.
It’s that fluidity throughout the loose forward positions that Foster will look to when the time comes to picking his first All Blacks team of the year, whenever that may be.
“We’ve shown we can both get them on the park at the same time which we’re excited about,” Foster said at the time of Cane’s captaincy announcement earlier this week.
“Certainly, when you look at form from last year, both players were good enough to be selected.
“We’ve looked at the versatility of Ardie and Sam so we’ve got some really good options there. Some of that might be influenced by who puts their hand up as the third loosie.
“There’s plenty of room for people to impress in that six-eight role and we’ll look at the combinations from then on.
“Ardie is a massive part of our plans, as is Sam Cane. I’m pretty sure we’ll find a way to get them both playing, and playing really well.”
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With Cane’s and Savea’s places in the national side virtually untouchable right now, the focus will shift to deciding who will accompany the pair in New Zealand’s loose forward trio.
The exit of Read to Toyota Verblitz in Japan’s Top League means Savea could well make a permanent move to No. 8, a position that may prove to be where he is most effective.
Alternatively, he may be retained at blindside flanker if a promising option emerges at No. 8.
Blues youngster Hoskins Sotutu certainly fits that bill after a series of spellbinding performances for the Auckland franchise this year before Super Rugby was ground to a halt in March.
So too does Crusaders rookie Cullen Grace, who would presumably be used as a blindside flanker at international level after flourishing there in Super Rugby.
Not only would his height be a valued asset at the lineout, but his inclusion in an All Blacks side would allow Savea to maintain a place at the base of the scrum.
However, both Grace and Sotutu have stern competition in the form of two-test Chiefs youngster Luke Jacobson and three-test Blues tearaway Dalton Papalii.
Jacobson, in particular, has been earmarked for future success, although a run of injuries has hampered the 23-year-old’s progress in recent times.
Outside of that quartet, nine-test blindside Shannon Frizell has brought a physical edge since entering the professional scene two years ago, but the former Tongan age-grade football representative has struggled for form in a depleted Highlanders outfit this year.
The same can be said of experienced Hurricanes utility forward Vaea Fifita and Blues veteran Akira Ioane, both of whom are yet to find the vein of form that first made them All Blacks three years ago.
Elsewhere, long-serving Chiefs flanker Lachlan Boshier caught the eyes of many early on in this year’s Super Rugby, while Hurricanes sophomore Du’Plessis Kirifi remains a long-term option in the years to come.
Regardless of who fits in alongside Cane and Savea in the national side, it’s undeniable that the depth of quality loose forwards throughout New Zealand leaves the All Blacks in good stead when they next run out onto the park.
No matter where Savea is deployed to complement the services of his skipper in the coming months, Foster can rest assured that his back row stocks will remain unaffected – if not enhanced – by the selection of Cane as his side’s captain.
Comments on RugbyPass
Except for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
33 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
33 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
33 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
33 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
33 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
33 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
1 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
33 Go to commentsArdie’s preferred position 7? Where do they get these writers from? I've no idea where he's playing in Japan, but the previous two seasons he wore the 7 jersey exactly twice.
17 Go to commentsNot good to hear Ulster described as “financially troubled”. Did not think it was getting to that level. I would hope the Irish system of spreading players of talent away from Leinster would kick in now. Better to have a Leinster fringe player with Ulster or Connacht, then getting only a few games a season in Dublin. 10, for example, would seem to be a case for spreading the talent. I would not be at all adverse to a SA man coming in as head coach/DR. Ludeke is worth trying. Certainly got a long and impressive coaching career at this level…..149 games in SR, then Japan, 30 years experience. And Ulster’s ledger of successful SA coaches and players is on the positive side. Is talk of Ruan Pienaar interested in coming back as a coach…..could be a good combination with Ludeke. And Pienaar and family would have no settling in to do, one would judge. He loved life in Ulster when there, by all reports.
1 Go to commentsSome thoughts to consider here, Sam. Thanks
2 Go to comments