AUCKLAND – New Zealand Rugby Union will breath another sigh of relief after Chiefs flanker and heir to McCaw’s black no.7 throne Sam Cane recommitted to New Zealand rugby until at least 2017.
With 64 appearances for the Chiefs and 23 test caps after making his test debut in 2012, Cane said it wasn’t a hard decision to stay in New Zealand.
“I still have a lot of things I want to achieve in New Zealand. I am still relatively young and still have a lot to learn about the game and plenty of room to grow as a player.”
The 23 year old has been in fine form in this year’s Super Rugby Championship and as he is likely to feature heavily in the World Cup in September, many believed the Rotorua-born flanker could have practically named his price had the northern clubs been given any slight inkling that Cane wanted to relocate.
Cane joins a long and impressive list of current All Blacks that have re-signed beyond the end of 2015 including;
Julian Savea
Brodie Retallick
Dane Coles
Jerome Kaino
Wyatt Crockett
Kieran Read
Owen Franks
Sam Whitelock
Cory Jane
Aaron Cruden
Israel Dagg
Charlie Faumuina
Steven Luatua
Malakai Fekitoa
Sonny Bill Williams
Aaron Smith
Beauden Barrett
Luke Romano
Ryan Crotty
TJ Perenara
Dominic Bird
Patrick Tuipulotu