Sam Cane will be doing something on Saturday the former All Black captain has never done before. Peter O’Mahony will be doing something the former Ireland skipper has never done before. They will be playing in the same team.
More than that, Cane will be playing in a team led by O'Mahony. That might not strike anyone as noteworthy if they did not know the back story, and which sat as the elephant in the room for much of Cane’s appearance in front of the local rugby media after the Barbarians coach Robbie Deans had named his team for Saturday’s Qatar Cup game against the Springboks in Cape Town.
The back story is that Cane and O’Mahony have been intense rivals on the field. Or maybe that needs to be rephrased - the media and many sections of the rugby public, particularly in their respective countries, have not forgotten one of rugby’s most famous sledges and one that has been dragged up every time the pair have played each other since.
It was the British and Irish Lions series against the All Blacks in 2017. O’Mahony barked at Cane as the Lions took control of the second test - “You are just a sxxx Richie McCaw”. McCaw of course being the legendary former All Black World Cup winning captain who happened to play in the same position, openside flank, as Cane.
NEVER BEEN FORGOTTEN
That’s never been forgotten, just like former Wallaby scrumhalf George Gregan’s chirp to the All Blacks when five minutes from the end of the 2003 World Cup semifinal and it was clear the Kiwis were on their way out, he said “Four more years guys, four more years”.
And while the players will tell you it is all heat of the moment stuff on the field, it is clear that memories do linger. Cane in 2022 did interviews where he admitted that O’Mahony’s insult inspired him and motivated him.
All Black centre Rieko Ioane, ironically set to play for Ireland province Leinster next season, tried to avenge what was said to Cane all those years before by having some choice words directed at Ireland’s Jonny Sexton when Ireland lost their 2023 quarterfinal to the All Blacks.
His teammate Brodie Retallick went straight for O’Mahony at the end of the same game: “Oi, Peter, four more years you xxxxwit.”
After all of that it was understandable that in a good humoured press conference at the Barbarians hotel on weather-battered Camps Bay beachfront on Thursday, it seemed none of those present wanted to broach the subject.
But the elephant couldn’t just be left sitting in the room without being poked. So the last question broached the subject: “Sam, there are some players in the side you are playing in that you’ve had an intense rivalry with over the years. I don’t think I need to mention names. How has that gone?”
Cane, after a brief pause, decided he didn’t mind mentioning the name.
“Myself and Peter have shaken hands and we’ve had a few drinks together this week and like with all the other guys who I am playing with for the first time we have socialised together and got to know each other,” said Cane.
The former Chiefs player, who is now based in Japan, continued that sledging happens in the heat of battle and is maybe picked up as a narrative by the media and public but that didn’t mean that players hated each other away from the field. On the contrary, he said he felt honoured to be playing under O’Mahony, in what will be the Irish legend’s last game of representative rugby.
“This is my first game for the Barbarians, and it is also Peter’s. It is his last game of rugby, as it is for Cian (Healy, the experienced Ireland prop), and I feel privileged and honoured to be part of this last game for them and playing with them. The fact that it is their last game makes it extra special,” he said.
LIGHT HEARTED RIBBING OF THE PAIR
According to camp insiders there has been much lighthearted ribbing of the pair this week. Every time they sit together, the other players chide them. However, what Cane says is true - bygones are bygones, and the great brotherhood of rugby has once again come to the fore. As it often does with the Barbarians.
Former Bok captain John Smit related after one of his Barbarians experiences how he and Gregan, who he so often opposed across the battle lines when Gregan led Australia, got on like a house on fire once they got to know each other and became firm friends.
And then there was the experience of Bok lock Mark Andrews, who never gave any quarter against any opponent, and approached All Black games as if he was going into a real war and was apparently nicknamed “Psycho” by the Kiwis, when he roomed with All Black hooker Anton Oliver.
Andrews related how Oliver was gobsmacked by how genial the South African was off the field.
“He wanted to know why South Africans always went onto the field in such an angry mood, why we were always so angry. His experience of us off the field in that Barbarians trip was very different to what he expected.”
Andrews admitted after his career was over that he tried to avoid socialising with the opposition, particularly All Blacks, as he felt if he got to know them personally and got on with them it might lessen his drive to be physical and beat them down on the field.