Cane family at final to support their boy

FINAL: All Black Sam Cane (left), from Reporoa will start on the bench during the final tomorrow morning. PHOTO/BRETT PHIBBS

Sam Cane's family have some advice for him ahead of the Rugby World Cup final: "Do your best and enjoy the occasion".

The entire Cane family, from Reporoa, is currently in England cheering on Cane and the All Blacks.

Cane, a former student of Reporoa College and Tauranga Boys' College, has been named on the bench for the final against Australia tomorrow morning.

His younger sister Lia Cane, speaking to the Rotorua Daily Post on behalf of the family, said they were very proud of him and wished him all the best ahead of the final.

"We are very proud and happy to be over here as a family. We have really enjoyed and appreciated all the support from back home and from the Reporoa community especially," she said.

"We usually catch up with Sam on the morning of the game and the message is always the same, do your best and enjoy the occasion."

Cane has played in every match for the All Blacks at the 2015 Rugby World Cup, including captaining the team against Namibia in pool play.

Former Reporoa College sports co-ordinator Carol Holt said the whole township of Reporoa was behind Cane this weekend. Holt, who taught Cane at high school, said he showed plenty of determination even as a teenager to go far in rugby.

"He was just a genuine, all-round good kid and pretty determined. I think everyone who is going to succeed in sport needs that, and he had that determination."

She said it was evident he was a good athlete at school and he had a real passion for rugby.

"Sam's passion was rugby but he was good at a number of things, if he put his hands towards them.

"He was a good athlete, a good swimmer, just pretty much good at anything.

"He did a lot of sports until he got to a certain age and rugby became his passion."

She said the Reporoa township was very excited ahead of the final. "There will be a buzz everywhere in New Zealand, but especially here."

Holt said Cane's parents, Malcolm and Kathy, were very supportive of their children all the way through high school, so it came as no surprise the whole family had headed over to England to support him.