News about Sam Cane

ALEX BYWATER: At the conclusion of England's series defeat by New Zealand last month, Steve Borthwick looked on the bright side of two narrow losses by the cumulative margin of just eight points. Despite the national head coach's positive outlook, you got the feeling his team missed a huge opportunity to record a statement win over an All Blacks side so used to being seemingly invincible on home soil. That sense of one that got away was only emphasised further last Saturday when Argentina did what England couldn't and beat New Zealand with a famous 38-30 win in Wellington. 'They realise they're in a cycle and this is the start of it,' former All Blacks captain Sean Fitzpatrick told Mail Sport of his country's class of 2024.

EXCLUSIVE BY CHRIS FOY: The Lions are in talks about facing a combined Pacific Island XV in Melbourne next year, in a potentially blockbuster tour fixture between the first and second Tests against Australia. Following the collapse of the Rebels franchise, which had been based in the state capital of Victoria, officials from Rugby Australia and the Lions have been contingency planning to establish alternative opposition options for the game on July 22, 2025 at Marvel Stadium. Initially, there were indications that an invitational side would be created under the banner of Australia 'A' or Melbourne, based on a squad of Australian players, but the focus has now shifted to an imported solution. Mail Sport understands that talks were due to take place today (Thursday) in Paris, between RA and Lions board members, with the fixture change among several items on the agenda. Sources have revealed that the latest scenario being discussed is for a Pacific Islanders team to take on the Lions - armed with leading Test players from each of Fiji, Samoa and Tonga, subject to co-operation from the unions in those countries.

ALEX BYWATER: Leicester's hopes of retaining Jasper Wiese, the South African World Cup champion, have been put into jeopardy after he was offered a huge sum of money to play in Japan. Earlier this year, the Springboks saw their global glory in France thanks to a tenacious No 8 Wiese. Since joining the Tigers in 2020, he has been a crucial and influential figure in their success, who has been instrumental in them winning the Premiership in 2022.

ALEX BYWATER: With Leicester's World Cup champion Jasper Wiese earning adorers around the Channel, French rugby's raid on the Gallagher Premiership shows no signs of ending. Jack Willis, Jack Nowell, Sam Simmonds, Henry Arundell, David Ribbans, and Joe Marchant have all seen internationals in their TOP14. Kyle Sinckler and Lewis Ludlam are both expected to leave their homelands after being lined up to join Toulon for the first time next season.

ALEX BYWATER: Top English official Barnes put the curtain down on his remarkable career less than a week after being threatened with death after the World Cup final. Barnes, 44, was the man in the middle of South Africa's victory over New Zealand in Paris, but after he dismissed All Blacks captain Sam Cane, he was the subject of horrific online bullying. Owens, a former Welsh referee, was recruited by World Rugby's platform alongside Barnes. They will be remembered as the best two officials of the modern era together.

Wayne Barnes, the leading official, has resigned five days after refereeing the Rugby World Cup final. During South Africa's 12-11 victory in Paris, the English official's last match was one of his most difficult, with Barnes revealing the first red card in a men's World Cup final to New Zealand captain Sam Cane. It was one of a string of controversial decisions made by Barnes, who later became the object of death threats.

Welcome back to the Soul of Sport. KEVIN QUIGLEY, the Rugby World Cup's best-in-the-Serial, was in Paris for the final of the Rugby World Cup. South Africa came out on top in the competition once more, retaining their crown by a single point against New Zealand in what was a dramatic final that certainly lived up to expectation. On what was the sport's finest night, which culminated in triumph for the Springboks, our photographer caught the best scenes from the ground, including the build-up, blood, sweat, and tears.

SIR CLIVEWOODWARD: My first thought as I awakened on Sunday morning following the World Cup final was for New Zealand captain Sam Cane and how he would be feeling. I loved the last of the 48 matches in France. It was a magical trip. South Africa is well done, because I think the best team won the tournament, and that is what you want. However, I'm sure Cane is furious because he was banned from speaking with Jesse Kriel in Paris, but it's a big but for me.

After 34 minutes, the All Blacks captain was supposed to the bunker for his high tackle on Jessie Kriel 29 minutes in, and the yellow card was changed to a red. His shoulder had struck Kriel's head, and after English referee Wayne Barnes had dismissed the player, it was ruled highly risky after a investigation.

THE STRADE DE FRANCE, NIK SIMON: The heat was so intense that the Webb Ellis Cup may have been squeezed and compressed into gold bullion. South Africa was remarkably successful in a tight but thrilling final as Cheslin Kolbe listened with his finger tips as the first nation to be crowned champions four times. It was the peak of the season. The rain poured and at times it felt like a rugby apocalypse of eviscerating physicality. A superheavyweight fight that came right to an end. It was gloriously ugly. The argument is persuasive. Low scoring but high stakes, with 14-14 against 14 after a red card for Sam Cane and a yellow card for Kolbe. In the South African corner, there were riots of joy and relief as they continued to fight a desperate defensive battle. Pieter-Steph du Toit made an incredible 28 tackles, the bulk of which were so strong that they would reverberate throughout Paris.

After captain Sam Cane's first-ever red card in a final, New Zealand would have to fight for Rugby World Cup glory with just 14 men. For his assault on Jesse Kriel, the All Blacks skipper was given a yellow card and a black flag, which culminated in him striking his opposite number with his shoulder while trying to communicate with Kriel's head. Referee Wayne Barnes dismissed the player, but Cane was forced to await the final decision after the incident was investigated by the bunker review officer.

The defending champion South Africa, which is also competing for the title No. 1, is awaiting New Zealand in the Rugby World Cup final next weekend. England, or Scotland. On Saturday, the semi-finals will be announced. There was a question mark over whether the All Blacks would be able to support physically and mentally their uleading attempt to topple Ireland in the quarterfinals. They did, outclassing Argentina's side in the first round of the inaugural tournament.

As they prepare for a last-four match against Argentina with the assistance of Dan Carter, New Zealand coach Ian Foster said his team had learned from their 2019 semi-final loss to England. The All Blacks have reached the business end of the World Cup for the fourth straight tournament, although they were on the wrong end of a huge disaster in Japan. England stunned the world by defeating the southern hemisphere giants to reach the final four years ago.

RORY KEANE: This one is going to be painful for a long time. Another World Cup quarter-final exit. Another Blacklash. At least Ireland went down fighting. Deja-vu and the depressing sinking sensation are among the reasons. The late siege at the endgame was heroic, but the seeds for this humiliating loss were laid long before the exhausting, yet fruitless final attack. Ireland has received so many accolades over the past 24 months, but opponents' timing was unstoppable. They won the game that mattered, just as much as they did in Tokyo four years ago.

Ian Foster, the All Blacks' chief, insists that his actors are ready to perform in Saturday's quarter-final showdown with Ireland, but that a disciplinary mistake has clouded their plans and deprived them of a star winger. After what was described as a violation of team protocol, Mark Telea was not considered for selection.

CHRIS FOY IN PARIS: On Friday night, they booed their President with gusto, then roared their tense team to victory, condemning New Zealand to their first-ever pool stage loss as France launched this home World Cup. In a large part of the conflict, France labored for so long to take advantage of their supremacy. Mark Telea's two attempts had propelled the All Blacks to victory, which would have spoilt the big launch party, but Fabien Galthie's home side grew into the game in the second half, and Damian Penaud's attempt gave them the spark to restart their campaign with a prized scalp.

As preparations for the Rugby World Cup continue, New Zealand and South Africa will go head-to-head this evening. The All Blacks came into the match off the back of a 23-20 victory over rival Australia earlier this month. South Africa defeated Wales 52-16 in their last World Cup warm-up match, with the Springboks.

The Bledisloe Cup has already been lifted (pictured right), but the All Blacks have promised to shame the Wallabies once more on Saturday in Dunedin. New Zealand has made 12 team changes, and captain Sam Cane anticipates a stunning 80 minute debut with the World Cup selection looming.

The Wallabies are set for an intense showdown as they gear up to face the All Blacks in Dunedin, looking to bounce back from their recent defeat

After Sam Cane's battled out and kicked a pitch invader in Argentina, rugby fans have rallied in support of him. On Sunday morning, the Kiwis were comfortably winners over Los Pumas in Mendoza, with the real drama coming after fulltime. As a number of pitch invaders took to the field, getting dangerously close to players, security forces were overwhelmed. Cane then took matters into his own hands, kicking one a lot as he neared All Blacks players.

CHRIS FOY - WORLD OF RUGBY SPECIAL: Raffi Quirke is 21, and he is approaching his 35th birthday. He is a young player who is already thinking and behaving like a senior pro - even like a mentor. His fact-finding trip to Australia would be a model for others to imitate. After six months out with a hamstring injury, Sale's rookie scrum-half was hurled straight into the England squad. Quirke, on the other hand, was determined not to go through the painful recovery process alone, but he also wanted to expand his horizons, so he went down Under to learn from some of the world's best rugby league teams and players.

After suffering a fractured cheekbone during New Zealand's 38-31 victory over Japan on Saturday, New Zealand captain Sam Cane will miss the remainder of his country's autumn tour. The 30-year-old back-rower will return from Tokyo to see a consultant to see if he needs surgery on the double break. In addition to subsequent games against Scotland and England, he will miss the All Blacks' match against Wales in Cardiff on Saturday.

The referee made a terrible call to send the match to the All Blacks in the dying minutes in what would be one of the most tense in the long history between the two countries. Mathieu Raynal was given a free kick against Australia's Bernard Foley for taking too long to kick for contact, and the Kiwis were awarded a match-sealing try shortly after to put the Wallabies' impressive comeback from 31-13 down.

Argentina beat the All Blacks in New Zealand for the first time, putting further emphasis on under-fire Kiwi coach Ian Foster. Emiliano Boffelli kicked six goals and converted a try to Juan Martin Gonzalez to lead Los Pumas to a stunning 25-18 victory on Saturday, cementing their position as the best in the Rugby Championship after three games. The Pumas won just their second match over the All Blacks in 34 tests and their first on New Zealand soil thanks to Boffelli's flawless kicking skills.