'All I can say…’: Scott Robertson remains coy about new All Blacks captain

All Blacks coach Scott Robertson has remained coy on who will succeed outgoing captain Sam Cane but has revealed there have been “discussions” with the playing group.

Earlier this week, New Zealand Rugby confirmed that 95-Test All Black Cane will step away from the international game at the end of 2024 after signing a three-year deal with Japanese club Suntory Goliath.

Cane, 32, is on sabbatical with the Japan Rugby League One outfit but has decided to relocate his young family to Tokyo after being granted an early release from his deal with NZR.

The Rugby World Cup winner mentioned in a statement that he’d “had my time” as captain with a new player set to lead Scott Robertson’s All Blacks against England in a blockbuster series.

But who that next captain is yet to be confirmed.

“There’s been conversations that have been had and discussions with players,” Robertson said about the All Blacks’ captaincy, as reported by Newshub.

“Yes, there has been. That’s all I can say.”

Ardie Savea will likely be seen as one of the frontrunners to replace Cane in the role this year with the reigning World Player of the Year captaining the All Blacks multiple times in 2023.

Seven-time Super Rugby winner Scott Barrett is another strong contender with the lock winning those titles under the tutelage of ‘Razor’ Robertson, including some as the Crusaders’ captain.

But even without the leadership role, Cane faces an uphill battle of sorts to make the squad after suffering an injury with Suntory earlier in the Japanese season.

According to Newshub , Robertson expects Cane to miss the Two Tests against Steve Borthwick’s England and the clash with Fiji in San Diego but he should be in the mix to play Argentina.

“He’s coming back from injury. He’s got to perform to be involved in the All Blacks and he knows that,” Robertson explained.

“He’s been involved in leadership meetings already, he’s got that leadership quality of being able to say the right thing at the right time.

“When you’ve played 95 Tests … you know what he takes. He’s available and if he performs and it’s up to me to pick him.

“He wanted to make sure he could look us in the eyes and tell us what he was thinking,” he added.

“e just wanted to talk us through it and by the end of the conversation it was pretty clear that the offer he had got was the right thing for him and his family.”