All Blacks captain Sam Cane to face Sanzaar scrutiny over pitch ...
Sky Sport
The captain said he was "deeply disappointed" in himself after the incident.
All Blacks skipper Sam Cane is set to come under scrutiny from Sanzaar for kicking out at a pitch-invader after their test win over Argentina.
Cane said he was “deeply disappointed” in himself over the incident after the Rugby Championship test match in Mendoza on Sunday morning.
The All Blacks captain was standing with his team-mates after the 41-12 win over the Pumas at Estadio Mavinas Argentinas when the pitch-invader ran past him.
The openside flanker then swung his leg at the person, who fell to the turf, before quickly getting back to his feet as he was chased.
Sanzaar chief executive Brendan Morris said the incident will be reviewed, with the spotlight possibly on Cane having brought the game into disrepute.
"We have only seen limited footage of the incident, so will review tomorrow, following review of a formal report from the match manager," Morris told Newshub.
Nicolas Aguilera/AP
All Blacks captain Sam Cane is tackled by Argentina's Julian Montoya during The Rugby Championship match in Mendoza.
A New Zealand reporter on the field at Mendoza at the time of the incident said the pitch-invader Cane tripped was one of may.
“I have no real issue with what Sam Cane has done here,” Newstalk ZB’s rugby editor Elliott Smith said on Twitter on Sunday.
“The pitch invaders were coming from left, right and centre from fulltime - I suspect there would have been 15 or so at least. One nearly took out Damian McKenzie and I as we were speaking for Sky.”
Former All Black Israel Dagg backed Cane’s actions.
Sam Cane/Instagram
Sam Cane apologises for foot tripping pitch invader in All Blacks v Argentina test in Mendoza on July 8, 2023.
“I would have done the same tbh .. maybe a lazy no arm shoulder!! Stay off the field,” Dagg tweeted.
Cane apologised for his actions on his Instagram page and spoke to the pitch-invader.
“Tonight after the game I made an error in judgement which was totally out of character for me,’’ Cane wrote.
“I am really sorry. I feel awful and am deeply disappointed in myself. I am trying really hard to make contact with the person involved to apologise for my actions and make things right.’’
“Through the help of many good people, I managed to track down Roman. Had a good catch up with him and his friends and I’m glad that we could leave things in a good place,” Cane wrote.
