All Black Sam Cane spoke to The Country about his family's deer farm. Photo / Brett Phibbs
All Black Sam Cane spoke to The Country about his family's deer farm. Photo / Brett Phibbs
Today's Super Rugby Round-up on The Country is rather special as regular contributor Joe Wheeler managed to get an All Black with a farming background.
The recently engaged Sam Cane joined Wheeler for a chat to The Country's Jamie Mackay and Sam "Lashes" Casey and about his rural roots.
Cane'sparents have run a large deer farming operation in Reporoa since 1985 where they produce velvet and venison as well as deer velvet capsules.
Cane says both his parents grew up on dairy farms in Reporoa and suggests his father changed to deer farming as it suited his sleeping patterns better.
"The old man worked out pretty quickly he wasn't really that keen on getting up at four every morning."
Cane says his father Malcolm got into deer farming when it had just started in New Zealand, "you know when they were going into the bush and trapping deer and bringing them in and beginning to farm them."
Apart from velvet, venison and deer velvet capsules, Cane says his father's true passion is in the trophy stag business and they also run a hunting operation in Reporoa.
Deer farming is in Cane's blood and he says he would consider going into the business when he finishes his rugby career.
"Nothing really has captured me outside of rugby and got me too excited. I love being outside and working with animals so it's certainly something that I'll look into when the time comes."
Also in today's interview: The lads take a look at Super Rugby action and make fun of Lashes' lack of action.
