Sam Cane

Cane has been sidelined for four-to-six months with a pectoral injury that will likely keep him out of the July test schedule, which is expected comprise of two Italy tests and a clash against Fiji.

While speaking to media earlier this week, Savea labelled the loss of Cane as a “massive blow”, but was hopeful his fellow loose forward can make a swift recovery.

“It’s unfortunate but I know with Sammy, he’s strong and he’s been through the trenches before with previous injuries so I’m sure he’ll come back stronger and better,” Savea said.

That’s huge praise from the All Blacks skipper, who has spilled blood for the Chiefs for 10 years, and has gained a reputation for his high level of commitment and dedication to the game on and off the field.

Chiefs coach Clayton McMillan also had no hesitation in naming the uncontracted 21-year-old for his Super Rugby debut, despite still being a replacement player, ahead of more experienced loose forwards such as Mitchell Brown and Mitchell Karpik.

More former players have joined a class-action lawsuit against World, England and Wales rugby, which alleges a failure to protect them from the risks caused by concussions.

Those players include ex England international Steve Thompson, who at 42 has been diagnosed with early onset dementia and probable chronic traumatic encephalopathy.

Former All Black Neemia Tialata is also part of the legal action.

He now has headaches and mood swings and other symptoms related to the several concussions he suffered during his career.

Cane, who led the All Blacks to the defence of the Bledisloe Cup and the Tri Nations title in his first year as skipper, claimed the Kelvin R Tremain Memorial award during a made-for-TV special on Sky Sport.

At the start of the year no-one dared predict openside flanker Cane, who replaced Kieran Read when he retired from test rugby after the World Cup in Japan, would have to negotiate such a difficult year.

The other nominees are hooker Dane Coles and halfback Aaron Smith.

The nominees for Black Ferns player of the year are Chelsea Alley, Kendra Cocksedge and Kennedy Simon.

Aaron Smith is also in the running for the Tom French Memorial Māori Rugby Player of the Year, as is Māori All Blacks Captain and hooker Ash Dixon and World Sevens Series winner midfielder Stacey Fluhler.

A breakthrough season for Fluhler also sees her a nominee for Black Ferns Sevens Player of the Year, along with playmaker Kelly Brazier and halfback Tyla Nathan-Wong.

The ACT Brumbies pair have come in at first and second-five to replace the injured James O'Connor and Matt Toomua in a backline where the seven players have only five more caps between them than captain Michael Hooper (101) has himself.

The match in Sydney also doubles as the third Bledisloe Cup test between the sides, with the Wallabies needing to win to have any hope of winning the series.

A win for the All Blacks would mean the retain the trophy for an 18th straight year.

The Chiefs flanker was give the job despite a lack of international rugby on the horizon.

It was 8 years ago that Cane made his debut for the All Blacks as a 19 year old, but he'd tasted higher level rugby at the age of 16 when he spent a week training with the Chiefs.

He'd always been ear-marked for bigger and better things.

The 28 year old has played 68 tests for the All Blacks, three of those as captain.

Cane has co-captained alongside Charlie Ngatai, Aaron Cruden and Brodie Retallick for the past four seasons, but will take the reins on his own this year. 

"Sam has co-captained the Chiefs since 2016," explained Gatland. "He is an experienced campaigner who is well respected by the players and management. 

"We believe it was important to identify one person this season to lead the team and that individual would be supported by the team's leadership group."

Curry and Underhill, who England coach Eddie Jones has dubbed "The Kamikaze Kids", have been standouts in England's strong forward pack at the World Cup.

They got the better of Michael Hooper and the world class David Pocock in their quarter-final in Oita on Saturday to advance to the semi-finals for the first time in 12 years and face the All Blacks in Yokohama.

"Underhill and Curry have been pretty impressive," Cane said. "They've both got a huge appetite for hard work and have very good skill sets. They have been really impressive."

Colin Cooper's side dug themselves out of a 0-4 hole at the start of the season and overcame the loss of key players to injury to book themselves a quarter-final against Argentina's Jaguares in Buenos Aires.

Cane said the New Zealanders had been written off at various stages during the season but managed to rally each time to stay in touch.

"There's been numerous times throughout the year when it was like 'the Chiefs are out of it', or 'they're pretty much done', or 'they're a slim mathematical hope'," he said.