Sam Cane will bring up a century if he takes the field in Wellington, in what would also be his last home international. Photo / Photosport
Sam Cane will bring up a century if he takes the field in Wellington, in what would also be his last home international. Photo / Photosport
Of the 12 All Blacks etched in the coveted centurion club few, if any, have pushed through comparable adversity to Sam Cane.
Cane is expected to emerge first from the tunnel for the All Blacks’ rematch with the Wallabies in Wellington this weekend but in a starkly contrasting capacity to the turbulence that marked his four-year captaincy tenure.
“It’s hard to put into words,” Cane said. “You need a bit of luck along the way to get to 100. The first 50 came reasonably quickly without too much trouble.
“This next 50, I’ve had to be patient. It’s tested me a bit more. I’ve had a few road bumps. It will be really nice to look back in time and crack that club.”
Achieving a milestone as significant as 100 tests for the All Blacks provokes pause to reflect. As Cane did so on Tuesday, resilience was the overarching theme.
Since debuting for the All Blacks against Ireland in Christchurch in 2012, coming off the bench at halftime after Kieran Read sustained a head knock to witness Dan Carter’s wobbly winning drop goal, Cane’s adversity reads like a rap sheet.
Emerging from Richie McCaw’s enveloping shadow was never easy, despite being long earmarked as his successor. After assuming the No 7 jersey, Cane endured a broken neck in South Africa in 2018 that threatened his career and ability to walk. While groggy following surgery, Springboks coach Rassie Erasmus, Francois Louw and Jesse Kriel visited him in hospital.
Then came the tumultuous Ian Foster era, when Cane led and consistently fronted through the dark days of the All Blacks’ 2022 campaign that included several unwanted team records.
Sam Cane celebrates the All Blacks' Rugby World Cup semifinal victory against Argentina. Photo / Photosport
After the All Blacks’ revival, against all odds, a split-second tackle earned him a red card in the 2023 World Cup final in France. Then this year, having recovered from a recurring back injury that sidelined him for the bulk of the season, Cane turned Scott Robertson’s head with his leadership qualities and respect from the inner sanctum to demand his place in the All Blacks.
“Rugby is a pretty good teacher of life and resilience,” Cane said. “Through the ups and downs, you have to pick yourself up and carry on.
“All those different challenges have tested my resilience at times but I’ve been able to keep things in perspective.
“When there’s times that challenge you, it’s always about how you frame it up in your mind. You can get down and feel sorry for yourself or you can look for positives, put a plan in place and start chipping away at where you want to be.
“Parts of it are hard but not in context of what some people go through. I’ve always tried to keep that in perspective. I’m lucky to be surrounded by family and this environment, the people here, help set you up to be the best you can be.
“I’m really grateful for the opportunities rugby has given me on the field but also to grow up as a man from the 20-year-old making his debut, not knowing much about anything, to now being 32 and to be constantly learning and evolving. It’s been awesome.”
Cane’s captaincy tenure was dogged by challenges that weighed heavily on his hard-hitting shoulders but by the end, with one of the great individual performances in the World Cup quarter-final triumph over Ireland, the respect he long held from his peers spread to his most ardent detractors.
“When I look back on those four years, they were fairly turbulent for numerous reasons. Covid the first year, I dislocated my shoulder the second year and only came back at the end, and then a few coaching changes the following year.
“It was only the last 16 months we had some real continuity leading up to the World Cup.”
Once he committed his future to Japanese club Suntory beyond this year, Cane’s quest to crack 100 tests assumed a different complexion. Relinquishing the captaincy left him vulnerable to a changing of the guard under Robertson’s regime.
Cane was content to play out his time in New Zealand back where it started with his home province, Bay of Plenty. Yet it speaks volumes of the respect he’s commanded that, when the crunch reached a crescendo in South Africa, Robertson relied on Cane.
“At the start of the year, there was uncertainty around where my body was at and what the year ahead looked like with the coaching changes and where they wanted to go.
“Once I got my back right, I had an attitude of making the most of every opportunity that came my way.
“Knowing it will be my last year playing rugby in New Zealand helps that and maybe takes a load of pressure off. It’s almost like starting your career again, taking opportunities when they come. That part about being an All Black never really changes.
“As it turned out, I’ve managed to get a few test matches under the belt, which has been super special. I’ve really appreciated every opportunity I’ve had.”
Returning to the All Blacks with a lighter mental load hasn’t sparked a change of heart. With two young boys to raise, Cane is almost ready for the next three-year chapter in Japan.
Before then, beyond this weekend, there’s the northern tour to consider. But as with this year, Cane knows nothing is guaranteed.
“Being an All Black for a long time, it’s pretty risky territory to have expectations of the team and the jersey. Nothing is ever given or promised. You’ve got to earn it. I honestly haven’t thought about the end-of-year tour. Absolutely if I’m picked and they see value in having me there, I’d love to continue representing the All Blacks throughout the rest of the year but there’s no expectations.”
For now, 12 years after his test debut, living, cherishing this moment, running out in front of a sellout crowd with his mum, dad, two sisters, wife and two best friends in the crowd – potentially for the last time with the All Blacks – is all that matters.
Whenever it’s all said and done, resilience will define Cane’s career.
