16 May 2012

Cane keen to learn as much as he can from master McCaw

6:43 am on 16 May 2012

Flanker Sam Cane bolted into the All Blacks training squad after spending most of the Super Rugby season on the Chiefs bench, and while the 20-year-old's received big wraps from All Blacks coach Steve Hansen, he's not getting carried away just yet.

Hansen has described the New Zealand under-20 star as Richie McCaw's heir apparent, with Cane included in the 35-man squad ahead of Chiefs team-mates Liam Messam and Tanerau Latimer and the Crusaders openside Matt Todd.

However with five players to be cut from the training squad for the June tests against Ireland, Cane is realistic about his chances and says he's a long way off breaking McCaw's stranglehold on the number seven jersey.