Cane ‘not good enough to play for ABs’
Stuart Barnes believes All Blacks captain Sam Cane should be dropped from the national side.
The former England and Lions first five-eighth, now rugby pundit, has called on coach Ian Foster to summon the courage to make the tough call if New Zealand are to flourish at next year’s World Cup.
Writing in The Times, Barnes said despite the All Blacks’ 42-19 season-opening victory against Ireland at Eden Park last Saturday night, there was ‘‘a huge problem’’ at the heart of the side.
‘‘Sam Cane may be a fine leader of rugby players, but he is not good enough to play for the All Blacks,’’ he wrote.
Barnes felt there ‘‘were two outstanding openside flankers’’ on the park in the test – Ireland’s Josh van der Flier, and ‘‘the other wore New Zealand’s No 8 jersey’’ [Ardie Savea].
‘‘Yes, Cane works hard. He makes his share of tackles but none of them are destructive. They are the sort of tackles that, frankly, any professional open-side should make.
‘‘Savea, when he makes them, hits harder. He shifts the gainline. He also has a fabulous pair of hands. His acceleration into the air at lineouts, combined with those soft hands, is a key part of the All Blacks’ set piece.
‘‘His powerful, surging runs are a prime element in getting his team across the gainline while his capacity to merge pace and power.’’
Barnes noted Savea had a direct hand in 21 of the All Blacks’ points, while Cane spent the best part of the game marking space on the fringes of the breakdown, prior to his 67thminute substitution, at which Savea took over the captaincy.
‘‘Cane doesn’t shift a ruck, nor does he pressurise the ball-carrier with the sort of breathtaking hit he himself suffered at the shoulders of [Garry] Ringrose earlier in the match.
‘‘Against the Springbok captain, Siya Kolisi, Cane would struggle to compete.
‘‘On the other hand, Savea is a match for any openside on the planet. The All Blacks have other options at No 8 but none of them are hugely experienced at test level.
‘‘If New Zealand are to find their best back-row blend before next year’s World Cup, the hard call has to be made, with Cane relegated to the bench or jettisoned completely.
‘‘This win could be a launchpad to greater things if the management has the courage to act.
‘‘Cane may be New Zealand’s unsung hero. The trouble is, there is simply not enough to sing about.’’