Chiefs v Crusaders : MATCH THREAD : Sat 1st Aug

[JM2K6]

Huh, I've always been wary of criticising him on PR as I thought the Kiwis would assume I was trolling.

He's a really hard worker and a dump truck tackler but he's really not good with ball in hand, he can do a bit of heavy carrying in straight lines but it's usually not to great effect, and there's loads of players who are better jackals. He's got good breakdown technique though and the ABs do more with quick ball than any other team.

I never quite understood why he was always the go-to man, or why he was groomed as captain.

[FujiKiwi]

I think I've even seen avid Chiefs supporters acknowledge his limitations.

[Carter's Choice]

I never quite understood why he was always the go-to man, or why he was groomed as captain.

It's because Ian Foster is a clueless, talent-less hack. He was a undeserving Chiefs man who became the AB head coach, so it was only fitting that he promoted another undeserving Chiefs man to be his captain. Don't be surprised if future All Black squads are completely dominated by Chiefs players for the duration of the Foster era. His entire career has been defined by nepotism.

[Akkerman]

https://www.rugbypass.com/news/in-defen ... snt-exist/

In terms of general work around the field, Cane hits more breakdowns than any other loose forwards and has no qualms getting his head stuck in darks spaces so that other players can exploit the gaps he helps create with his breakdown play.

While Cane hasn’t been as prodigious as nabbing steals at the breakdown, that can partially be accredited to the fewer games he’s played under the new law interpretations, as well as to the fact that like McCaw in his latter years, that’s not a massive focus of his game compared to other openside flankers.

And to all the shock jocks who have questioned Cane’s abilities not as a player but as a captain, you only have to look to the recent player polls to see how highly regarded the Chiefs flanker is. 24% of the NZ Super Rugby players surveyed said Cane was the most respected player in the country (ahead of Brodie Retallick, Savea and Dane Coles). He was also voted the toughest player in the country, in a landslide victory (again, ahead of Retallick and Savea).

While there would have naturally been some players unhappy with Cane’s appointment – as there would have been with any appointment – it’s clear that the man is a natural leader and is esteemed amongst his peers.

Sam Cane may not be the best player in New Zealand – he may not even be the best loose forward in New Zealand – but he’s an exceptionally important cog in the All Blacks machine who has proven time and time again that he deserves the jersey and deserves the captain’s armband.

[FujiKiwi]

I don't think anyone's arguing that he's not tough and sturdy.

As even that article intimates, he might not make the team on merit.

Is he really such a "born leader", given the Chiefs' inability to become more than the sum of their parts this year?

[Ymx]

I don't think anyone's arguing that he's not tough and sturdy.

As even that article intimates, he might not make the team on merit.

Is he really such a "born leader", given the Chiefs' inability to become more than the sum of their parts this year?

It’s slight concerning purely based on the large number of losing bonus points for me.

Ie they’ve been close but still lost

[Sandstorm]

I don't think anyone's arguing that he's not tough and sturdy.

As even that article intimates, he might not make the team on merit.

Juan Smith was voted toughest and hardest-working player for years in SA. No chance we'd have him near the skipper's jersey....

[FujiKiwi]

A major point in that article is that Cane is the most-respected player by other players. (With 25% of the vote, or something like that).

If true, that would be an asset to a captain, but shouldn't be the determining factor in his appointment.

[Guy Smiley]

A major point in that article is that Cane is the most-respected player by other players. (With 25% of the vote, or something like that).

If true, that would be an asset to a captain, but shouldn't be the determining factor in his appointment.

No, you’d pick a bloke they hate, right.

[Trapper]

A major point in that article is that Cane is the most-respected player by other players. (With 25% of the vote, or something like that).

If true, that would be an asset to a captain, but shouldn't be the determining factor in his appointment.

No, you’d pick a bloke they hate, right.

I could be wrong but I would imagine he would pick Sam Whitelock.

This whole Sam Cane deserves it bullshit is just that, bullshit. I don’t blame him though, he didn’t pick himself for the job.