Sam Cane, left, and Ardie Savea are set to square off in a top-of-the-table clash in Wellington tomorrow. Photo: Photosport
Opinion: It's a huge moment for ardent fans of day time rugby this Saturday. The Hurricanes and Chiefs will kick off at 2.35pm in the afternoon due to circumstances beyond anyone's control. I mean, who knew that putting up new lights would be hazardous in windy conditions, and that it would be windy in Wellington?
But that's not all. Up in Apia, today's game between Moana Pasifika and the Queensland Reds is also starting in the daytime, although 4pm on a Friday is hardly helpful to generating any sort of TV audience here in New Zealand. It's unlikely Sky TV is particularly happy about either of these developments, given that there is a very good reason from their end as to why games kick off in the evening.
To be fair, in Moana's case that's kind of missing the point of their Apia fixture. For Samoan rugby fans, this has been a long time coming - ever since Moana Pasifika were announced as a venture, they signalled their intention to take games to the islands. It will be interesting just how much of the public in Apia they can engage with after the success of the Fijian Drua's home matches so far.
Moana Pasifika. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
For the fans in Wellington though, this is slightly more frustrating. Everyone claims to love afternoon kickoffs till they actually happen, especially at this time of year. A 2.35pm start is almost exactly the same time as senior club rugby is being played across the city, meaning that no one in those grades will get to see the game live.
The biggest issue is that it's not just any game either. For the first time in a long time, the Hurricanes play against the second placed team on the table while being in first. It's another All Black-laden clash, with ground zero being where two thirds of the presumed test loose forward trio will go at it in the breakdown.
While Ardie Savea hasn't really hadn't had to prove anything to anyone (other than the judiciary that he was sorry for a gesture to the Rebels' halfback) this season, it's not quite as straightforward for Sam Cane. He is the first All Black captain since Reuben Thorne to constantly have to answer questions about his form, but Cane has consistently been answering them so far in 2023 as the Chiefs have assembled a perfect record through seven rounds.
It's a big turnaround for Cane from when he assumed the captaincy full-time. In 2020's disrupted season, the Chiefs went winless in Super Rugby Aotearoa under Warren Gatland, meaning fans got to see an All Black captain try and explain loss after loss on a weekly basis. Kieran Read and Richie McCaw never had to do that.
Sam Cane is having an impressive season so far, Jamie Wall writes. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Even though Tana Umaga's Hurricanes side never won a title, he never had to endure a form slump as bad as nine in a row. Thorne's reputation for winning at the Crusaders was so respected they made up a team song about him.
But now, it's really hard to not see Cane leading the All Blacks out as the starting openside. He hasn't missed a tackle all season, is at the heart of the Chiefs' very likely title intentions, and the prospect of himself, Savea and either Dalton Papalii or Scott Barrett at blindside is probably enough to assuage some of the cynics in regard to the All Blacks' World Cup chances.
That's not to say there aren't plenty of concerns in other areas of the All Blacks, but Super Rugby Pacific - for all its current faults - is showcasing some pretty compelling selection and form cases right now.