Sam Cane, the All Blacks captain, shared a heartwarming story ahead of his 100th cap for New Zealand. Six years ago, during a match against South Africa, Cane suffered a serious neck injury that could have ended his rugby career. The injury happened in 2018, when he collided with Springboks player Francois Louw.
After surgery, Cane was alone in the hospital, as the rest of the All Blacks team had already flown home. However, South Africa’s head coach, Rassie Erasmus, along with players Francois Louw and Jesse Kriel, visited him in the hospital. This kind gesture made a huge impact on Cane.
Although he was groggy from the surgery, he remembers bits of their conversations and deeply appreciates the effort they made to check on him. “It’s something I will never forget,” Cane said.
Despite facing many injuries since then, Cane returned to rugby and led the All Blacks to the 2023 Rugby World Cup. He plans to continue playing internationally until the end of 2024 before moving to play in Japan.
Reflecting on his journey, Cane says it took patience and resilience to reach 100 caps, especially after his injuries. He also feels rugby has taught him important life lessons and helped him grow as a person.
From his debut at 20 to now being 32, Cane says he has learned a lot about life and resilience, and he remains grateful for the opportunities rugby has given him.
