BOMBSHELL: All Blacks to axe captain ahead of Bok Tests?

The Springboks are set to face the All Blacks in a blockbuster double-header in the first half of August, with New Zealand coming off the back of a humbling series defeat against Ireland.

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According to the Otago Daily Times, an inside source has now suggested that veteran loose forward Sam Cane is set to be removed as All Blacks captain for the two Tests against the Boks in the Rugby Championship.

Cane battled to impose himself in the series against Ireland, and is apparently no longer viewed as the right choice as captain, with lock Sam Whitelock set to take over the leadership reins.

Cane, who has captained the All Blacks 13 times, could apparently still keep his place in the starting lineup though.

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South Africa remain third in the World Rugby rankings, but their latest performance – after comfortably defeating Wales this past weekend – will certainly have served to build excitement ahead of the Rugby Championship.

Below is a reminder of the upcoming fixtures, with a double header against the All Blacks fast approaching on the horizon.

SPRINGBOKS’ RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP FIXTURES, INCLUDING A DOUBLE-HEADER AGAINST THE ALL BLACKS:

Saturday, 6 August: Springboks v New Zealand – Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit, 17:05

Saturday, 13 August: Springboks v New Zealand – Ellis Park, Johannesburg, 17:05

Saturday, 27 August: Springboks v Australia – Adelaide Oval, 07:30

Saturday, 3 September: Springboks v Australia – Allianz Stadium, 11:35

Saturday, 17 September: Springboks v Argentina – Vélez Sarsfield, Buenos Aires, 21:10

Saturday, 24 September: Springboks v Argentina – Hollywoodbets Kings Park, Durban, 17:05

It hurts so bad when losing a Test, but what we learned about the players and their character under trying circumstances with a little over a year to the RWC was invaluable. “Its never fun getting a loss next to your team in a Test match. Its really not lekka!” pic.twitter.com/Rc1Wfi6o0V

— Rassie Erasmus (@RassieRugby) July 18, 2022

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Meanwhile, Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber admitted that the thought of defeat couldn’t be entertained in the build-up to his team’s 30-14 victory over Wales on Saturday.

The result allowed the Boks to clinch the series, 2-1, following the opening week’s 32-29 Springbok victory at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria and the 13-12 defeat in Bloemfontein a week ago.

Nienaber said: “It was a final for us and we just had to deliver! There wasn’t an option of not delivering.

“It was not a polished performance. I think there’s a lot to build still. I thought the set pieces functioned well, but still there was a couple of hiccups there – at scrum time we’re still getting used to the brake foot thing – we will get better at that. We will have to build a lot still in terms of where we are.

“I think there’s a lot for us to work on. We created opportunities like last week which we didn’t capitalise on. We lost the ball between the five metre-line and the goal-line line five times last week and that’s probably the beauty of experience.

“We had a long conversation after last week we have to learn when we are in control of the scoreboard and there is 20 minutes left, how do we think and get aligned in what we’re going to do.

“I think this week we were much more aligned and clinical in almost how to play when we have scoreboard pressure and the type of style that we have to play to finish off the game – I thought it was a lot better than last week.”