Sam Cane’s potential successor addresses All Blacks hopes after ‘curse of the game’ struck in 2024
Dalton Papali'i and Sam Cane in action for the All Blacks in 2024.
Dalton Papali’i hopes that his injury woes are behind him and he can enjoy a positive year after a frustrating 2024, which saw him disappear from the All Blacks radar.
The Blues star was expected to have a big campaign and it began superbly as he played a key role in his franchise’s Super Rugby Pacific triumph.
Papali’i then started both of the All Blacks’ Tests against England before featuring against Argentina twice in the Rugby Championship.
However, he would not play again for Scott Robertson’s men as injury struck, which forced him out of the end-of-year series.
Papali’i’s injury issues
A thumb issue initially hampered the openside before he picked up a hamstring problem which wrecked the rest of his season.
That enabled Sam Cane to return to the side and the former captain took his opportunity with aplomb, starring as New Zealand improved towards the end of the year.
Cane has now retired from international rugby and Papali’i is one of the players who will hope to be his long-term successor looking ahead to the 2027 Rugby World Cup.
The loose forward insists that he is now injury-free and will start the Blues’ Super Rugby Pacific opener against the Chiefs on Saturday.
“The hamstring is all good now. I’ve got to keep working on it. Those sorts of things don’t go away quickly. It’s part of my routine now,” he told New Zealand Herald.
“It’s probably made me more professional, going in early, getting my prehab and rehab done, and leaving no stone unturned.
“That’s the curse of the game. It’s very rare you hear of someone going through rugby with no injuries. With the way the year ended it was frustrating but you’ve got to take the concrete pill.
“I accepted it last year and I feel I’m now in the best shape I’ve been coming into a season.
“People look at injuries as tough things, which they are, but you’ve got that extended time because you’re not on tour.
“I also saw the other side where you get to spend more time with family and friends than you would if you’re healthy.”
Consistent form
While Papali’i no doubt hopes to force his way into the All Blacks squad for the 2025 campaign, the flanker knows that he must first perform for the Blues.
The 27-year-old has admitted that he has set no specific Test “goals” this year but understands that, if his form is consistent, he will be rewarded.
“First things first I come into this campaign. I don’t really make any goals for the All Blacks. I have to play well for the Blues. This is a team I grew up loving,” the openside added.
“Hopefully that carries on to the All Blacks. The desire to go back-to-back with the Blues is high so my goals are here first.
“It’s good to be back, in the first week of Super again, and this is going to be a big one against the Chiefs.”
