Disappointed Whitelock keen to help new captain
Sam Whitelock has no issue admitting he’s gutted to miss out on the All Blacks captaincy but make no mistake, this leadership race was no Simon Bridges-style rolling.
Despite his disappointment at new All Blacks coach Ian Foster opting for the other Sam (Cane) as his captain from 2020, Whitelock is now comfortable enough with the decision that he didn’t even need to trot out that well-used line of ‘‘he has my full support’’ in 15 minutes of media commitments yesterday.
‘‘I would have liked to have had the opportunity,’’ Whitelock told Stuff. ‘‘I’ve had a bit of a taste of it in previous years and I would have liked to have had [another] go.’’
Whitelock captained the All Blacks for the first time against Wales in 2017 and then a handful more times in 2018 when Kieran Read was injured.
The smart money was on Whitelock replacing Read in 2020 until Foster named Cane at the helm earlier this month. In the days before Foster made that announcement, he called Whitelock to deliver the bad news personally – a gesture Whitelock appreciated despite it not being what he wanted to hear.
The call gave the 117-test All Black time to process the news and turn his disappointment to a positive of how he could support Cane and still express his own leadership.
‘‘It allowed me to work out how I can help Sam, help Fozzy [Foster] out and work out what’s the best step for me going forward and where can I have the greatest influence and impact.
‘‘I’m keen to help him [Cane] out where I can.
‘‘Would have loved to have had the opportunity but at the same time, I know there’s so much that goes into it and you don’t need the captaincy armband to help people out and make a difference,’’ Whitelock said.
‘‘I can still have a big impact whether I’m captain or not.’’
Whitelock, who signed a new deal with New Zealand Rugby (NZR) through until after the 2023 World Cup, had his short-term contract with Japanese club Panasonic cut short because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Before Covid-19 suspended the Japanese Top League, Whitelock was on an Nzr-approved sabbatical that would have seen him miss the entire Super Rugby season. But with the sporting world in limbo the veteran of 143 games for the Crusaders is back training at Rugby Park and couldn’t resist a return in Super Rugby Aotearoa.