Super Rugby Pacific: Sam Cane lifts lid on injury recovery ahead of long-awaited Chiefs return

Sam Cane was named co-captain of the Chiefs for the 2022 season. Photo / Photosport

Sam Cane is raring to go.

It's been almost a full year since the All Blacks and Chiefs captain fronted for his Super Rugby side, after a pectoral injury kept him on the sidelines for the majority of 2021.

The injury required the star loose forward to undergo surgery, and he took the opportunity to have some issues fixed in his shoulder as well.

While he was unable to return to the Chiefs in 2021, the franchise is set to reap the benefits of Cane making his return to the pitch on the All Blacks' end of year tour, with limited minutes at international level giving him the ideal opportunity to test where his body was at.

Now, unlike many All Blacks who will miss time in the opening rounds of the competition as part of the return to play system allowing them to ease back into the swing of things, Cane will be running out to play the opening minutes for the Chiefs this weekend.

Ahead of the team's season opener against the Highlanders in Queenstown on Saturday, Cane gave an assessment of how he's tracking, and it bodes well for the Hamilton franchise.

"I'm in a great spot," Cane said. "It was nice to be able to finish last year playing some rugby. Although it was only about three games, just to be able to start this season like any other – I didn't have to get over that mental hurdle of getting out there and playing that first game and testing the shoulder.

"It's been tested as much as it can, it's come through really good, and I've had one of my better off-seasons, I think. I didn't really feel like I needed the mental break away from training and rugby because of the year that was last year, so I've been training right through and came back a wee bit early. So I'm just excited to start the season and excited about the group we've got."

Cane will lead a formidable Chiefs squad into battle this weekend as they look to kickstart their campaign. While fellow All Blacks Anton Lienert-Brown and Tupou Vaa'i will not feature, Samisoni Taukei'aho, Angus Ta'avao and Brad Weber will all make their return to the pitch from the bench.

Chiefs assistant coach David Hill said while Lienert-Brown and Vaa'i "could have played at a push", it would be better in the long run for them to have the extra week to prepare.

"There are some niggles that they've got that, because of the depth we have at lock and in the centres, we felt there was no need to rush them and force them into playing when they weren't 100.

"They've been training fully, doing everything, but it was a decision probably more towards it going to be a long year with challenges along the way."

Chiefs: Emoni Narawa, Shaun Stevenson, Alex Nankivell, Quinn Tupaea, Jonah Lowe, Josh Ioane, Xavier Roe, Pita Gus Sowakula, Sam Cane (cc), Luke Jacobson, Brodie Retallick, Laghlan McWhannell, Sione Mafileo, Bradley Slater, Ollie Norris.

Reserves: Samisoni Taukei'aho, Atu Moli, Angus Ta'avao, Naitoa Ah Kuoi, Kaylum Boshier, Brad Weber (cc), Bryn Gatland, Chase Tiatia.