Red card given to All Blacks captain Sam Cane in Rugby World Cup final won by South Africa

All Blacks captain Sam Cane has become the first man to be red carded in a men’s Rugby World Cup final.

The 31-year-old was sent off for a yellow card that was upgraded after his shoulder made contact with Springboks centre Jesse Kriel in the 28th minute. Initially sent for 10 minutes in the bin, the tackle was reviewed and deemed a red by the TMO match official Tom Foley.

The deciding factor in the decision appeared to be that Cane was very upright, with no bend in the tackle at all.

Speaking after the final whistle, with the Springboks victorious winning 12-11, Cane said he was “extremely gutted and disappointed.”

“First of all that the team had to play the final with 14 men for the last 50-odd minutes. I thought the courage they showed out there tonight was incredible.

“The whole team are absolute warriors and look it’s tough. I’d like to say well done to South Africa - back to back. They’ve been a fantastic team, they’ve had a tough road to the final and they showed time and time again they find a way to win.”

The All Blacks were losing 3-9 when Cane was sent off, with Handre Pollard extending it to 3-12 in favour of South Africa a few minutes later.

It comes after All Blacks blindside flanker Shannon Frizell was given a yellow card in just the second minute after falling on Springboks hooker Bongi Mbonambi’s leg during a ruck.

Cane is just the 11th All Blacks player to be shown a red card.

In Cane’s hometown of Reporoa, the Woolshed Tavern opened early for the final. Ngakuru resident Jamal Treanor, watching from Cane’s hometown pub said the red card decision was “bloody shit; it’s an absolute ripoff. It’s a shocker.”

But Treanor said it is “the World Cup Final”.

”They’re not there for tiddlywinks as Tana Umaga said.”

In the 45th minute, Springboks captain Siya Kolisi was sent to the sin-bin after a high head-on-head tackle on Ardie Savea. It was sent to the TMO for a review but it wasn’t deemed bad enough for a red. Kolisi was bent at the waist and it appeared the initial contact was a shoulder to Savea’s chest.

Then, with eight minutes left, winger Cheslin Kolbe was sent for 10 minutes after a deliberate knock-on near halfway. Jordie Barrett attempted to convert from the penalty – and take the lead for the All Blacks – but missed.

All Blacks red cards

Cyril Brownlie v England 1925 - Kicked an English player on the ground

Colin Meads v Scotland 1967 - Kicked Scotland five-eighth David Chisholm

Sonny Bill Williams v Lions 2017 - Connecting with his shoulder to the head of Lions wing Anthony Watson

Scott Barrett v Australia 2019 - Dangerous shoulder to the head of Wallabies captain Michael Hooper

Ofa Tu’angifasi v Australia 2020 - High contact on Wallabies winger Tom Wright

Jordie Barrett v Australia 2021 - Collecting Marika Koroibete in the head with boot

Brodie Retallick v Japan 2022 - Dangerous clean-out on loose forward Kazuki Himeno

Angus Ta’avao v Ireland 2022 - Colliding heads while attempting to tackle Ireland centre Garry Ringrose

Scott Barrett v South Africa 2023 - Two yellow cards

Ethan de Groot v Namibia 2023 - High contact on Namibian loose forward Adriaan Booysen

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Luke Kirkness is an Online Sports Editor for the NZ Herald. He previously covered consumer affairs for the Herald and was an assistant news director in the Bay of Plenty. He won Student Journalist of the Year in 2019.