Sam Cane’s return to the No. 7 jersey for the All Blacks could emerge as one of the most compelling rugby narratives of the year.
All Blacks head coach Scott Robertson has announced three changes to the match-day 23 for the Rugby Championship test against the Springboks, set to take place in Johannesburg on Sunday morning (NZT). Cane will step in as openside flanker, replacing Dalton Papali’i, who has been sidelined due to a thumb injury.
The only other adjustment involves the reserves, with loose forward Samipeni Finau selected to add impact in what promises to be a physically demanding clash at Ellis Park, where around 62,000 fans are expected. The backline remains untouched.
Cane’s only appearance in the black jersey this year was as a substitute during the win over Argentina in Auckland about two weeks ago. He last donned the All Blacks No. 7 jersey when he captained the team against the Springboks during the World Cup final in Paris last October, a match marred by a red card he received for a high tackle on Springboks midfielder Jesse Kriel. This incident forced him to watch from the bench as the Springboks clinched a narrow 12-11 victory.
Despite Scott Barrett now holding the captaincy, Cane has continued to play a significant role in preparing the team to take on the Springboks on their home ground.
Cane has had a challenging year, hampered by a serious back injury that required surgery in March, which limited his appearances for Suntory Sungoliath in Japan, with his last game for them in January. After returning to New Zealand, he made some appearances for his local club in Bay of Plenty and participated in pre-season matches for his province.
The upcoming match against the Springboks will mark Cane’s 97th test for the All Blacks, and it is poised to be one of the most challenging tests in Robertson’s coaching journey.
The All Blacks lineup includes: Beauden Barrett, Will Jordan, Rieko Ioane, Jordie Barrett, Caleb Clarke, Damian McKenzie, TJ Perenara, Ardie Savea, Sam Cane, Ethan Blackadder, Tupou Vaa’i, Scott Barrett (captain), Tyrel Lomax, Codie Taylor, Tamaiti Williams.
Reserves are Asafo Aumua, Ofa Tu’ungafasi, Fletcher Newell, Sam Darry, Samipeni Finau, Cortez Ratima, Anton Lienert-Brown, and Mark Tele’a.