Rugby | Sam Kane (New Zealand captain) heads to Japan (Tokyo Songoliat) for a season

All Blacks captain Sam Kane will join Japan’s Tokyo Songoliat for the 2024 season, the New Zealand Federation announced on Friday. Kane, who is taking a break from his contract with New Zealand Rugby, will return to the country in June to be eligible to play for the vice-reigning world champions. . The third grade played in the painful World Cup final in France less than a week ago, losing to South Africa 12-11, during which they were punished with a red card.

“When the opportunity arose to play for Suntory in 2024, it seemed like the right time, after the World Cup, to try something new.“, announced Sam Keane who will find South African winger Chelsen Kolbe, a recent World Cup winner, at his new club. The Japanese rugby season will start in December and end in May 2024, so the 31-year-old will not play for the Chiefs – who he played for a year ago. 2011 – which will kick off the 2024 Super Rugby campaign in February.

The All Blacks will host England in a series of test matches next year, before they begin their defense of their Rugby Championship title, under their new coach, Scott Robertson.