'I had my time': Cane stands down as All Blacks captain after signing new deal in Japan
Sam Cane has stood down as All Blacks captain and might have played his final Test after signing a new three-year deal with Suntory.…
Veteran fullback Mils Muliaina has been named captain of an All Blacks rugby squad that features three new caps to face France and Italy in home Test matches next month.
Two Crusaders forwards are among the new caps — lock Isaac Ross and prop Wyatt Crocket — along with flanker Tanerau Latimer, who played for the Chiefs in their 61-17 loss to the Bulls in the Super 14 final at Pretoria on Sunday.
Muliaina, who captained the Chiefs, takes the leadership for the first time from Richie McCaw who is unavailable with a knee injury.
Captain option Rodney So’oialo hasn’t been named in the squad, with the veteran Hurricanes No.8 struggling with a neck injury and in need of rehabilitation according to coach Graham Henry.
“Rodney has had an incredibly demanding Super 14 season, starting in 13 of the Hurricanes matches this year and that follows several years of intense, top-level rugby,” Henry said.
“We are taking a proactive approach and giving him some time to recover and rehab.”
Henry said So’oialo would return to the All Blacks for the Tri-Nations series.
Players not considered due to injury include McCaw (knee), Chiefs winger Sitiveni Sivivatu (shoulder), Blues lock Anthony Boric (toe), Crusaders halfback Andy Ellis (ribs), Crusaders hooker Corey Flynn (forearm), Hurricanes loose forward Scott Waldrom (back) and Canterbury five-eighth Daniel Carter (Achilles).
Meanwhile, Hurricanes lock Bryn Evans and Canterbury and Crusaders prop Owen Franks have been called into the wider All Blacks training squad as lock and prop cover.
The All Blacks play France at Dunedin on June 13 and Wellington on June 20 before hosting Italy at Christchurch on June 27.
Squad: Backs: Mils Muliaina (capt), Cory Jane, Joe Rokocoko, Rudi Wulf, Richard Kahui, Conrad Smith, Isaia Toeava, Ma’a Nonu, Stephen Donald, Piri Weepu, Jimmy Cowan, Brendon Leonard
Forwards: Jerome Kaino, Tanerau Latimer, Adam Thomson, Liam Messam, Kieran Read, Brad Thorn, Ali Williams, Isaac Ross, John Afoa, Neemia Tialata, Tony Woodcock, Wyatt Crockett, Andrew Hore, Keven Mealamu.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.
Sam Cane has stood down as All Blacks captain and might have played his final Test after signing a new three-year deal with Suntory.…
Seven months after the Springboks sensationally elected for a scrum from a mark inside their 22-metre line during their run to a fourth Webb…
Column: So, elite test rugby might be going to Qatar. Interesting. I can’t say I’m too enthused. Nothing to do with sportswashing, but we’ll…
Australian rugby has many problems - financial crisis, ever-shrinking audiences, shortage of coaching expertise, Greg Martin, etc etc. But one problem which I have…
By my count, the Brumbies have played three teams of consequence this season. The first two - the Chiefs and Blues - thrashed them…
Chiefs coach Clayton McMillan says it’s “purely coincidental” that Semipeni Finau has put on a massive, late hit on a fourth fly-half in nine…