All Blacks confirm captaincy replacement
Sam Whitelock will be New Zealand’s replacement captain for the rest of the team’s Northern Hemisphere tour, All Blacks forward coach Jason Ryan has said.
Sam Cane withdrew from the squad after suffering a broken cheekbone.
Cane incurred two small facial fractures in their 38-31 victory over Japan in Tokyo this past weekend and had to return to New Zealand while the rest of the squad travelled to Europe.
The All Blacks are due to play Wales in Cardiff on Saturday followed by tests against Scotland at Murrayfield on November 13 and England at Twickenham on November 19.
“Sam Whitelock will captain the All Blacks for this northern tour and Ardie Savea and Beauden Barrett will be vice captains,” Ryan told a media briefing on Monday.
“Sam is really experienced and respected in the group.
“He’s played 100-plus test matches and experienced a lot so he’s the right man for the job.
“It was pretty straightforward and really well supported by the vice-captains.”
The 34-year-old Crusaders lock has led New Zealand has been a replacement captain on a series of occasions and led the All Blacks in September’s Rugby Championship-clinching victory over the Wallabies at Eden Park.
