McCaw: This year has highlighted Cane's leadership quality
Richie McCaw was in Invercargill on Wednesday in his role as a Westpac Ambassador. He paid tribute to his fellow All Black centurion and No 7 during a chat with The Southland Tribune.
Richie McCaw feels 2024 has probably highlighted to others what he had been aware of for a while.
That is the importance of Sam Cane as an All Black - and in particular what he brings to the team as a leader.
Cane is likely to play his 104th and final test match against Italy in Turin on Sunday morning (NZT) before wrapping up his career in Japan from next year.
McCaw was in Invercargill on Wednesday in his role as a Westpac Ambassador. He paid tribute to his fellow All Black centurion and No 7 during a chat with The Southland Tribune.
“We had him in the senior leadership group in 2015 and you could see he was a leader then. He wasn’t afraid to speak up and say what he thinks,” McCaw said.
“He’s had to cope with a lot. He has the neck injury to deal with and he was captain through Covid.”
There’s another significant challenge that Cane has had to deal with that McCaw himself was obviously not going to point out.
Cane had to fill McCaw’s All Blacks No 7 jersey when McCaw hung up the boots following the 2015 Rugby World Cup, and then eventually the captaincy duties.
McCaw is regarded as one of the All Blacks’ all-time best players and captains. In fact most people have him pencilled in at the very top of the pecking order.
For Cane, he resembled a follow-up act to the Beatles in their prime when he took over as the All Blacks’ openside. He was always going to struggle to win over some in the rugby public given he had McCaw’s boots to fill.
But through Cane’s 2024 All Blacks swansong - which some wondered whether he get - there’s a feeling most are now appreciative of what Cane has brought to the All Black jersey as a person and player.
McCaw felt Cane’s leadership qualities have been on show this year, even after being replaced by Scott Barrett as the All Black captain.
“This year probably highlighted that [leadership]. There was the change in captaincy which would not have been easy, but he just got on with it.
“From what I hear he has been really good in the team this year.”
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McCaw’s rugby involvement is limited these days, in terms of being in and around teams.
He said he was keen to distance himself from that for a while after retiring, although that doesn’t mean it might not happen in the future.
He is part of New Zealand Rugby Commercial Board though - it’s a role that might feel like he’s been put through a South African ruck at times.
New Zealand Rugby has its challenges commercially.
Included in McCaw’s other current roles is his position as a Westpac Ambassador.
It sees him involved in various speaking engagements around the country - the latest being in Invercargill on Wednesday at a Westpac Smarts event hosted by the Southland Business Chamber.
About 460 people showed up to the Civic Theatre to listen to McCaw’s insights.
The event included a chat on stage with former professional rugby referee Paddy O’Brien who is now the Invercargill Licensing Trust president.
It was a reunion of some sort for the pair, given their rugby careers crossed paths. McCaw played his first first-class game in 2000 while O’Brien refereed his last first-class fixture in 2005.
Rather than simply making his speaking engagements about rugby McCaw said he tried to translate his experiences into useful tales that can be viewed through a business lens.
Wednesday was McCaw’s second visit to Invercargill this year given he was part of the Westpac Chopper Appeal Ride from Queenstown to Invercargill in May.
McCaw confirmed to The Tribune that he intended to be back in 2025 to take part in the next Westpac Chopper Appeal Ride.
He said he loved the charity event and how the community got behind it. A highlight for him was the chance to visit the rural schools.
McCaw is as fit as he has ever given, he’s taken part in various events, including adventure races since retiring from rugby.
The 230km ride from Queenstown to Invercargill was not a race but more about working together to ensure everyone got to the end, and for McCaw, he loved that part of the event.