Sam Cane during a New Zealand All Blacks training session. Photo / Photosport.co.nz
Sam Cane during a New Zealand All Blacks training session. Photo / Photosport.co.nz
Sam Cane's return to rugby this weekend has come under a cloud with a change in alert levels for southern Waikato.
Cane is expected to run out for the King Country Rams in their Heartland Championship clash against Whanganui in Taupō on Saturday, however with several players in the teamnow affected by the change in alert levels, King Country have been left scrambling to put contingencies in place.
King Country coach Craig Jefferies said they were working to get players out of the affected areas before the level change comes into effect at 11.59pm tonight.
"We're working on plans as to what we can do, but we're waiting for guidance from NZR as well. They have the say so we're waiting for direction from them, but we're also working on a plan to get them to training in Mangakino, the boys that are affected, and then either house them in Mangakino or in Taupō. But that's a very fluid plan."
The side have already had three players make themselves unavailable, two of which were in the starting XV, adding to a further three who were forced to rule themselves out when Hamilton rose in alert levels earlier in the week. Six players of the team's 28-man squad are already unavailable.
"Work commitments, you know? Farming and that sort of thing, they just can't leave the farm," explained Jefferies.
"One's feeding calves, another guy's got a boss who's already under the pump because half his staff is stuck in Hamilton. We can't be too hard on them because it is what it is; it just makes it bloody difficult to get a rugby team together.
Sam Cane and Ardie Savea of the All Blacks run through drills during a New Zealand All Blacks team training session at Eden Park. Photo / Getty Images.
"We've still got to deal with the guys that weren't ready with injuries and stuff like that and other things holding them back. So, we're working through all the options – guys that are fringe players coming in. We're not sure exactly how this is all going to play out."
While King Country were planning to play, Jefferies said it would depend on how New Zealand Rugby felt about the situation, as they were not willing to take any risks around the health of their players.
With plenty of attention brought to the fixture due to Cane's return, Jefferies said he wanted to do whatever was possible to provide a product that was up to the standard of Heartland Championship rugby.
"We know there's going to be a lot of eyes on it. It is a Heartland game, we've got a product that we believe in and want to protect as well, so we've got to do that justice by having as strong a team on the field as we can possibly field.
"We're working on the pretext that we're going to get these lads out, but the reality is we might not be able to. It will become clearer in time."
