Retiring All Black skipper Sam Cane has given a raw and emotional recount of his red card in the Rugby World Cup final after his tackle on Springboks centre Jesse Kriel.
He described a level of overwhelming shock and disappointment that returns when thinking about what happened, and a huge sense of responsibility for “letting the team down.”
Cane told his story on Episode 2 of the All Blacks: In Their Own Words series, a review of the 2023 season and the ill-fated Rugby World Cup campaign.
The All Blacks had fallen into a 6-0 deficit and had just returned to 15 men with flanker Shannon Frizell back on the field.
“I know in Test matches it is about regaining momentum and nailing our next moment,” Cane said.
After gaining some key territory, a lineout throw inside the Boks’ 22 from Codie Taylor went array which was picked up by Damian de Allende and shovelled onto Jesse Kriel.
The Springbok centre spun around before running at the All Black captain, which he said caught him “off-guard”.
“Jesse’s done a full U-turn and he ended up running back towards me,” he recalled.
“I was caught off-guard a bit, it was quite an upright tackle. Then sure enough they stop play, yellow card.
“Then the sideline official came over and just said ‘it’s going to be upgraded to a red’.
“Even now just saying those words I feel tension and a sense of shock that I encountered in that moment, hits me again now.”
The moment became even more emotional when Cane locked eyes with his family members, sitting close by in the Stadium.
“All of a sudden I’m in the sin bin chair, look over my shoulder and all of our families are sitting right there.
“Look my parents in the eye, who have supported me for so long and come over to support me, my wife, my sisters, the other boys’ families who you’ve got to know closely over a long period of time.
“Just an overwhelming feeling that I’ve let my teammates down when they needed me the most.”
A rousing half-time speech led to a resurgent second half where they scored the game’s only try and just fell short by one point by 12-11, leaving two opportunities to take the lead on the tee.
Mental skills coach Gilbert Enoka said the team was “standing on the precipice” of writing the “greatest chapter in All Black history” having completely taken control of the game in the second half.
“As a kicker you always dream of those situations, and why some may see it as a high pressure moment, which it is, it’s just an awesome privilege to be in that position,” Mo’unga said.
Mo’unga hit the kick cleanly, expecting the ball to curve back right but the ball stayed dead straight and missed to the right of the posts.
“That still haunts me as a kicker you know. That could’ve changed the whole game,” he said.
Jordie Barrett’s penalty came with seven minutes remaining but again it sailed slightly left, “you just hope that you luck out really and have a pure strike.”
