apparently Cane had more back problems in Japan, then more cards. Given the increased physicality of the competition over previous years, I'd be surprised he'd return 100%, but doesn't his contract finish in 2027 anyway?
Has Sam Cane done much of note while in Japan?
Openside flanker is a problem position, but I don't see the current version of him as the solution.
I don't know if one should trust this website but it says Cane is returning to the chiefs: https://lionsseries2025.rugby/super-rugby-squads-2026/
(under Chiefs, more than halfway down).
@nostrildamus said in All Blacks 2026:
I don't know if one should trust this website but it says Cane is returning to the chiefs: https://lionsseries2025.rugby/super-rugby-squads-2026/
(under Chiefs, more than halfway down).
Don’t trust that site lol. It has Fergus Burke and Taniela Tupou playing for the Western Force, as well as Ardie leading Moana.
@Canes4life said in All Blacks 2026:
@nostrildamus said in All Blacks 2026:
I don't know if one should trust this website but it says Cane is returning to the chiefs: https://lionsseries2025.rugby/super-rugby-squads-2026/
(under Chiefs, more than halfway down).Don’t trust that site lol. It has Fergus Burke and Taniela Tupou playing for the Western Force, as well as Ardie leading Moana.
well at least it has imagination!
@nostrildamus said in All Blacks 2026:
@Canes4life said in All Blacks 2026:
@nostrildamus said in All Blacks 2026:
I don't know if one should trust this website but it says Cane is returning to the chiefs: https://lionsseries2025.rugby/super-rugby-squads-2026/
(under Chiefs, more than halfway down).Don’t trust that site lol. It has Fergus Burke and Taniela Tupou playing for the Western Force, as well as Ardie leading Moana.
well at least it has imagination!
Ioane still playing for the Blues and Julian Savea’s still at the Canes.
@Canes4life said in All Blacks 2026:
Tupaea shifts out one to get the best players on the park.
Danger is QT may stop being one of the best players when shifted out one
@Jet said in All Blacks 2026:
Some nice touches from Rieko today. Tidy try at the end too, but the legs look gone.
Is it legal to suggest Rieko did some good stuff?
@reprobate It's usually his strongest point his defence isn't it?
Conversation about Ioane playing 13 is similar to the who-should-be-captain one. Until somebody stands up and says ‘It’s me. Put me in the 13 jersey for the next decade and close the door.’ then you have to consider all options, be it a player slightly or not so slightly out of position or the best of an uninspiring bunch.
It’s not like we’re in the era of great 13s across world rugby either.
@game_film said in All Blacks 2026:
Conversation about Ioane playing 13 is similar to the who-should-be-captain one. Until somebody stands up and says ‘It’s me. Put me in the 13 jersey for the next decade and close the door.’ then you have to consider all options, be it a player slightly or not so slightly out of position or the best of an uninspiring bunch.
It’s not like we’re in the era of great 13s across world rugby either.
AJ Lam has been playing very well. People mention Fainga'anuku but he hasn't be close to Lam this year. Lam is a big loss.
Having said that these stats would suggest that the hypothesis that Ioane is a physically spent force have been falsified.
@Chris said in All Blacks 2026:
Real chance of making the ABs this season wether you like it or not is Chay Fihaki, Has had some good feedback from the new coaches,
Things they like good pace,Height for Ariel game,big boot and they like his physicality on the tackle especially around the ruck area where the Crusaders use him.
He does hit hard when he nails them,on the outside he is caught out sometimes as he drifts in and leaves too much space on the outside.
I've no problem with him making the team based on form. It was his unmerited inclusion under the previous regime that was the issue.
@Chris said in All Blacks 2026:
@KiwiMurph said in All Blacks 2026:
@Chris Japan might have freshened up Cane and we are struggling for 7s.
Are we to the extent we need a 35 year old with a broken body.
Savea or Lakai are 7s Kirifi as well I dont think we are struggling there, 6 and 8 yes.
That's a monumentally shit take Chris. Savea doesn't play openside, Lakai is playing well at 8 - which is Ardies position apparently - and Kirifi is simply too small for Test rugby.
@Canes4life said in All Blacks 2026:
@Chris said in All Blacks 2026:
@KiwiMurph said in All Blacks 2026:
@Chris Japan might have freshened up Cane and we are struggling for 7s.
Are we to the extent we need a 35 year old with a broken body.
Savea or Lakai are 7s Kirifi as well I dont think we are struggling there, 6 and 8 yes.Cane can fuck off. A player like Kirifi deserves that spot ahead of him all day of the week and twice on Sunday. Cane was super average when he left and he’ll be even shitter now.
Cane could turn into Stephen Hawking and still have more impact at Test level than the wee midget.
@Jnr said in All Blacks 2026:
@reprobate said in All Blacks 2026:
@sparky said in All Blacks 2026:
@booboo His numbers were good. Not a man of match performance but a key player delivering in what was in effect a knockout game for his current team.
For me, he's the guy the pretenders for the ABs 13 shirt need play better than.
Haven't watched the game so can't comment on the quality of performance but the numbers are very good via rugbypass. For both teams he was:
2nd in carries
2nd in line breaks
1st in metres carried
1st in defenders beaten
2nd in try assistsNo defensive stats of note (which is what the whole game looked like on the highlights I saw).
He's had one good game. And many people have commented he's flattered to deceive the rest of the season.
This is like anointing Finau the reincarnation of Kaino after, again, one decent game.
Let's see a consistently high level first.
It was a standout game. And exactly how many starts has Finau had this season?
@antipodean said in All Blacks 2026:
@Canes4life said in All Blacks 2026:
@Chris said in All Blacks 2026:
@KiwiMurph said in All Blacks 2026:
@Chris Japan might have freshened up Cane and we are struggling for 7s.
Are we to the extent we need a 35 year old with a broken body.
Savea or Lakai are 7s Kirifi as well I dont think we are struggling there, 6 and 8 yes.Cane can fuck off. A player like Kirifi deserves that spot ahead of him all day of the week and twice on Sunday. Cane was super average when he left and he’ll be even shitter now.
Cane could turn into Stephen Hawking and still have more impact at Test level than the wee midget.
That's a monumentally shit take @antipodean