Cane’s season ends with neck fracture
Openside out for at least three months but other injured players will be back for tour
Sam Cane never flinches, so it should not surprise his grimace as he left the field in Pretoria has revealed itself to be a break in his neck. After a collision with Springboks loose forward Francois Louw in the 35th minute of the All Blacks’ comeback victory, Cane stayed down and then looked in pain.
He underwent surgery on Sunday to repair a fracture on the lower right side of his neck and will remain in South Africa for a week to recover.
All Blacks doctor Tony Paige said there was no nerve damage but he will stay to monitor Cane’s progress.
While expected to recover, Cane will be out for at least three months and so will miss the northern tour which opens with the third Bledisloe test in Yokohama in three weeks.
“First, he’s got to get through the operation,” Paige told media in South Africa. “We have every confidence he’ll do well with that and then, like any fracture, it takes a couple of weeks and months.
“It will probably take about three months for the bone to get strong but we’ll just take it step by step.
“The operation is really just to keep everything in the right place so the bone can heal on its own accord.”
Like All Blacks captain Kieran Read following his spinal surgery late last year, Cane’s return to play will be a cautious affair.
“Many sportsmen have had this injury and people in other walks of life and they usually make a good recovery. It’s one level of the neck.
“Sam’s in good spirits. He’s obviously sore in the middle of the night, as you are the night after a fracture, but he’s being well looked after and is getting lots of support and texts and phone calls.”
Given concern around a break in the neck, All Blacks coach Steve
Hansen attempted to downplay fears.
“Once you remove the drama of it being a neck injury, you’ve just got to look at it and treat it like any fracture,” Hansen said.
“It’s obviously really disappointing for Sam and his family but the pleasing news is he’s been given great medical care from the time of the injury through the whole process, and best of all, he’s going to get a full recovery and play again.”
Cane’s injury weakens the All Blacks loose forward stocks but the impressive form of Ardie Savea should see him step straight into the No 7 jersey.
With Matt Todd playing under Robbie Deans at the Panasonic Wild Knights in Japan, Blues and Auckland prospect Blake Gibson probably heads the list of contenders to replace Cane on the northern tour.
Highlanders opensides Dillon
Hunt, a midweek tourist last year, and James Lentjes, who just made his return for Otago, are other options.
“We’ll have to get another one. Who that is yet, we’re working through the process. We’ve got to get one to replace Sam. Whether we take three on the tour, that’s another question.”
Elsewhere, news is much more promising on the injured brigade, with Dane Coles, Brodie Retallick, Liam Squire, Joe Moody and Nepo Laulala all now expected to head north.
Coles should make his longawaited comeback from knee and calf problems off the bench with Wellington in New Plymouth on Friday.
With one more game under the belt, his warrant, as far as the All Blacks are concerned, will finally be approved.
“It’s been a long process but we’re finally seeing some light at the end of the tunnel,” said Hansen. “He’s just about at the end of that tunnel, so if he gets through those games, not necessarily will he jump back straight into maybe the test against Australia, but he will certainly have enough footy behind him to get some time at some stage on the tour, which will be great.”
Hansen said Moody and Laulala would square off when Counties Manukau host Canterbury in the final round of the Mitre 10 Cup this weekend, and he will no doubt welcome Retallick back from his shoulder injury with open arms.
Hansen also revealed plans for the northern tour included taking a group of 19 additional players who will feature in the test against Japan.
That will allow around 22 players to fly to London early to prepare for the clash at Twickenham the following week.
Trainer Nic Gill will travel with the majority of the frontline squad to London on the Thursday. Hansen and the management group will remain for the one-off test in Tokyo on November 3 before joining the core squad in London.
The All Blacks ran similar split squads last year. Expanding the net to fringe players once again will grow depth while giving the All Blacks more time to settle in England and plot how to take down Eddie Jones’ men.