Rugby: Cane gets nod to tackle Highlanders

Fans will be expecting Sonny Bill Williams to play a starring role for the Chiefs this season, beginning from tonight in the clash with the Highlanders. Photo / Christine Cornege

Bay of Plenty youngster Sam Cane has been given the opportunity to provide an answer for one of New Zealand rugby's most perplexing questions: who is the heir apparent to Richie McCaw at openside.

Cane will start for the Chiefs in their season opener against the Highlanders in Hamilton tomorrow night on the back of some strong pre-season form. In doing so he gets the nod ahead of 2009 All Black Tanerau Latimer and 2008 tourist Scott Waldrom.

"He's played really well pre-season and was quite outstanding last week," said coach Dave Rennie in explaining the decision to go with the 20-year-old from Reporoa.

Cane made his debut for the Chiefs against the Lions but his first starting assignment was against Richie McCaw and the Crusaders in Napier. Part of the under-20 world championship squad, Cane was also named New Zealand's age-group player of the year.

Like McCaw, Rennie said one of Cane's great strengths was the ability to play a ball-in-hand game and nose to the ground.

"He's a reasonably big boy. He's very aggressive and reasonably destructive when it comes to cleanout. He's got good continuity skills and he's just a good kid, who works hard at keeping learning."

It was a tough call on Latimer, part of the Chiefs' leadership group, one Rennie said the coaches could have debated for hours.

"It was a really tight decision. We did haggle over it for a while. Lats is part of our leadership group and bringing him on late in the game could be really valuable for us."

The Chiefs wrapped up their pre-season with a loss to the Hurricanes in a storm at Taupo. It was the first run for Sonny Bill Williams but he showed enough to earn him the No 12 jersey in a potentially lethal centre pairing with Richard Kahui.

"He's ready to go. The conditions were woeful. It was pick-and-go first then kick for the corners' sort of game, so he didn't get much ball in his hands but he's training well and we expect him to do the job."

"Expect" is the right word. There has not been this much expectation about a Super rugby season in Hamilton since local hero John Mitchell rolled back into town in 2001. Most of that expectation emanates from the signing of Williams and, to a lesser extent, Aaron Cruden.

Three players - Kane Thompson, Jackson Willison and Alex Bradley - were not considered because of injury but Rennie should be thankful he's not in southern coach Jamie Joseph's shoes.

The Highlanders were forced to delay naming their side until today, as they give several players until the last minute to prove their fitness.