Sam Cane’s All Blacks test career: The highs and lows of an All Blacks great

Sam Cane ends his All Blacks career on Sunday morning against Italy. Photo / Photosport

All Blacks great Sam Cane will run out for the final time for New Zealand on Sunday when the 2024 season ends in Turin.

It will be his 104th test appearance for New Zealand, in a career that has featured a World Cup title, runners-up and bronze medals, along with 10 Rugby Championship titles.

Cane has featured in 82 test wins, 19 defeats and three draws and, heading into his final test, the loose forward has played around 5882 minutes for the All Blacks.

Test debut

Test 1 – All Blacks 22 Ireland 19, Christchurch, June 12, 2012,

Cane entered the field after the halftime break replacing Kieran Read to become All Black No 1113. It was a baptism of fire at a freezing AMI Stadium as the home side struggled to put away Ireland. Cane played a part in the lead-up to fellow rookie Aaron Smith’s try while the All Blacks needed a late Dan Carter drop goal to escape with a 22-19 win.

First test start

Test 2 – All Blacks 60 Ireland 0, Hamilton, June 23, 2012

A week later the young Chiefs flanker earned his first start at home ground Waikato Stadium. He had his first try for the All Blacks five minutes into the test before nabbing a second after the break. The Herald report said Cane had a “David Pocock-like presence”. He was eventually replaced by Adam Thomson with 10 minutes remaining in a big win for the All Blacks.

Sam Cane scores the first of his two tries against Ireland. Photo / Photosport

First test defeat

Test 23 – All Blacks 19 Australia 27, Sydney, August 8, 2015

Cane had a near-perfect start to the first three years of his test career. For the first 22 outings he was on the winning side 21 times with a 12-12 draw against the Wallabies in 2014 the only slight blemish, along with his first yellow card against Japan in a 2013 win.

But in his fourth season in black, he eventually tasted defeat for the first time, coming off the bench in an eight-point loss at ANZ Stadium. To be fair he only played the final seven minutes with the All Blacks down 27-19 when he came on.

First test as captain

Test 26 – All Blacks 58 Namibia 14, London, September 24, 2015

At 23 years old, Cane was named as skipper for the Rugby World Cup pool match at Olympic Stadium in London. It was an easy win and a fine start as captain. It was one of two starts at the tournament for Cane with Richie McCaw playing his final tournament for the All Blacks.

Sam Cane and Richie McCaw during the 2015 Rugby World Cup. Photos / Brett Phibbs

One minute final

Test 31 – All Blacks 34 Australia 17, London, October 31, 2015

If you’re going to play the final minute of a test match this is the one to choose. Cane replaced McCaw who received a standing ovation at Twickenham with a second straight World Cup title locked away. Cane got to run around the field briefly, helped Keiran Read secure the kickoff, before Ben Smith launched the ball into touch and the celebrations began.

The regular starter

Test 32 – All Blacks 39 Wales 21, June 11, 2016

With McCaw retired, Cane was anointed the All Blacks No 7. He became a regular starter beginning with the home series against Wales. In the 61st minute, he was replaced by a young Hurricanes loosie called Ardie Savea.

An Irish defeat and revenge

Test 38 – All Blacks 29 Ireland 40, Chicago November 5, 2016

Test 40 – All Blacks 21 Ireland 9, Dublin, November 19, 2016

The rivalry between the All Blacks and Ireland became a great rivalry under Cane’s watch, from his test debut to a fitting final win in Dublin this month. Cane played the entire 80 minutes of New Zealand’s maiden defeat to the Irish. A few weeks later the All Blacks won a brutal encounter in Dublin, in between which Cane captained the All Blacks for a second time, leading them to a win in Rome.

The Boks thrashing

Test 48 – All Blacks 57 South Africa 0, Auckland, September 16, 2017

Cane played the Springboks 16 times and this was easily the most one-sided. The likes of Kolisi, Etzebeth and du Toit were on the receiving end at Albany. It wasn’t close. The scoreline ended up being ridiculous – the sort of number kids make up in the playground to reflect their imagined dominance and yet there it was: New Zealand 57, South Africa 0.

It was around this time Gregor Paul labelled Cane “the All Blacks‘ most under-appreciated player”.

The 50th

Test 50 – All Blacks 18 Australia 23, Brisbane, October 21, 2017

Year five as an All Black and Cane had quickly reached No 50. Unfortunately, it wasn’t an occasion to celebrate. Earlier in the season Cane started in all three of tests against the British and Irish Lions. This was the third showdown against the Wallabies in 2017 and Reece Hodge extended the home side’s lead with a 55m penalty with three minutes left. The All Blacks had a late chance on attack but Cane knocked on to end the test.

Ardie Savea is congratulated by Sam Cane after scoring against Samoa in 2017. Photo / Greg Bowker

Fractured neck

Test 60 – All Blacks 32 South Africa 30, Pretoria, October 6, 2018

After a collision with Springboks loose forward Francois Louw in the 35th minute of the comeback victory, Cane stayed down and then looked in obvious pain. He underwent surgery in Pretoria to repair a fracture on the lower right side of his neck and remained in South Africa for a week to recover. It ended his season and he didn’t play another until the following July.

World Cup defeat

Test 67 - All Blacks 7 England 19, Yokohama, October 26, 2019

Another World Cup semifinal and Cane’s first defeat at the tournament. He was named on the bench with Scott Barrett starting in the loose forwards, a decision by Steve Hansen that backfired as England dominated the first half. Cane came on at the break when they were down 10-0 but the All Blacks couldn’t recover, knocked out by Eddie Jones’ side.

The new captain

Test 69 – All Blacks 16 Australia 16, Wellington, October 11, 2020

2020 was a weird time with all the Covid disruptions. Cane was revealed as All Blacks captain in May but the All Blacks didn’t take the field until October. Both sides had a chance to win it with Hodge’s 82nd-minute penalty attempt hitting the post.

All Blacks captain Sam Cane leads the All Blacks out to the field in 2020. Photo / Photosport

The coach-saving win

Test 82 – All Blacks 35 South Africa 23, Johannesburg, August 13, 2022

Cane was Ian Foster’s man. He was his choice for captain but after a scrappy start to the 2022 season, with a home series defeat to Ireland, Foster was reportedly facing the chop. The All Blacks responded and Cane crossed over for his 16th test try in a great win at Ellis Park.

The quarter-final epic

Test 93 – All Blacks 28 Ireland 24, Paris, October 14, 2023

Ireland again in one of the great All Blacks World Cup wins. Cane was given a perfect 10 in the Herald ratings in possibly his greatest performance in the black jersey.

The red

Test 95 – All Blacks 11 South Africa 12, Paris, October 28, 2023

Just heartbreak for the skipper in the World Cup final. There is no debating Cane’s dismissal, under current rules. In a sloppy rather than malicious tackle, Cane made direct shoulder-to-head contact with Jesse Kriel in the 27th minute. Cane’s red card will haunt the All Blacks for a long time after they dominated the second half. Had they retained their full contingent, or a few kicks went over, they could have prevailed.

Match referee Wayne Barnes shows a red card to Sam Cane during the 2023 Rugby World Cup final. Photo / Photosport

Bringing up a ton

Test 100 – All Blacks 33 Australia 13, Wellington, September 28, 2024

Much better than the 50th milestone, Cane became the 13th All Black to play 100 tests and it was in a fitting farewell, joining long-time teammate TJ Perenara to play their final tests on New Zealand soil.