Cane captaincy future-proofs All Blacks team

Regeneration has been a feature of Steve Hansen’s four-year All Black coaching reign and he shows no signs of slowing down.

Undoubtedly the World Cup is the focus right now, but appointing Hansen through to 2017 only encouraged the head coach to constantly peer further ahead.

That was evident this week when he anointed Sam Cane the fifth-youngest captain in All Blacks history.

With Richie McCaw and Kieran Read on the bench against Namibia, the easy choice was to give the leadership duties to experienced campaigners Liam Messam or Keven Mealamu. Both have led their respective Super Rugby sides on many occasions.

Both would have relished the role. Both, though, won’t be involved next year, with Messam to chase sevens gold and Mealamu hanging up his boots. Neither offer the same upside.

This is why Hansen cast his eye to 23-year-old Cane. His leadership abilities won’t be seriously tested against the world’s 20th-ranked team but that doesn’t change the fact it’s valuable experience. Next time he is called on to fulfil the role, no-one will blink an eye.

It’s yet another example of future-proofing. The All Blacks talk a lot about enhancing the legacy; being custodians of the jersey. To do that you must always consider what might happen next; always have a contingency plan.

Under Hansen, the All Blacks success has reached new heights, winning 43 of 48 tests. Much of that success can be attributed to replenishing stocks.

Since 2012, Hansen and his management team have introduced 35 new players to the All Blacks. Outside backs Waisake Naholo, Nehe Milner-Skudder and hooker Codie Taylor were the latest additions this year.

Cane’s captaincy debut after 25 tests and just 11 starts, not only shows the esteem he’s held in but how meticulous the All Blacks planning is. It stretches deeper than most appreciate, with Beauden Barrett and Colin Slade taking 40 minutes each of the goalkicking responsibilities against Namibia to ensure both get practice.

Next year with McCaw retired, Read will assume the captaincy mantle, having performed the role eight times already. But should the No 8’s form or fitness wane, there is now another clear deputy on standby. By the time the 2017 British & Irish Lions series is com- plete, Read will be 32. Cane may be ready to take over.

‘‘If you look at the immediate future, Richie will come back in and be the leader,’’ Hansen said.

‘‘After that you’ve got Kieran Read likely to be the next fulltime guy and after that you’re saying who will drop in?

‘‘We could have easily gone for someone like Liam for example. He’s got a lot of mana and respect in the team.

‘‘But he’s not going to be here next year so it’s a great opportunity to future-proof and give someone who we have a lot of faith in a chance.

‘‘If something happened to Read next year and he wasn’t available then you’ve got someone who has already had a go of it.’’