Rugby: Cane raring to go for Chiefs

Reporoa's Sam Cane (right) works out a fitness schedule with Tauranga-based All Blacks trainer Nick Gill. Photo / Getty Images

Sam Cane is back with the Chiefs refreshed and fully fit with a massive playing schedule ahead of him this year.

The Bay of Plenty open side flyer started training last week following his enforced rest after the All Blacks' end of season tour last November.

"I got back from the end of year tour early December and the first couple of weeks are pretty much doing no exercise at all and just doing what you like I suppose," Cane said. "I spent a couple of weeks at my new home in Hamilton getting things organised and settling in. The next couple of weeks leading into Christmas was going for a few runs and just maintaining, not setting any new records in the gym in terms of fitness.

"I had Christmas in Reporoa with the family and then a week after that up to New Year's in Papamoa. First week of January I caught up with the All Blacks physios and trainers and nutted out a plan up until last Monday which was our first day back at the Chiefs. So I got some good work done in that two- to three-week programme."

Cane is impressed with how fit the Chiefs players seem to be ahead of the 2015 Super Rugby campaign.

"The boys are in very good nick. Our trainer Phil Healey says it is one of the fittest, if not the fittest Chiefs side he has been involved with for seven or eight years," Cane said. "We obviously have added a bit of size to our backline this year which is exciting and we have the same hard working forwards willing to put their heads down and do the grunt work. And over the last few years it has been a trend that we have plenty of depth so there will be lots of competition for places."

With the Rugby World Cup looming as the massive elephant in the room in 2015, it must be hard for the players to ignore it and focus on Super Rugby.

Not so, said Cane.

"It is a big campaign with the Chiefs and All Blacks know they have to play really well for their franchise first and foremost. Playing for the Chiefs is a team you love playing for and you want to see them do well and be part of a team that is doing well so you put all your energy into that," he said.

"Little steps have been put in place by the All Blacks management to ensure we don't get worn out and over used. Other than that we are focused on this [Chiefs] campaign."