Sam Whitelock will be New Zealand’s substitute captain for the remainder of the team’s Northern Hemisphere tour, All Blacks manager Jason Ryan said.
Sam Cane retired from the team after suffering a cheekbone fracture. Cane suffered two minor facial fractures in the 38-31 win over Japan in Tokyo on Saturday and had to return to New Zealand while the rest of the team traveled to Europe.
The All Blacks will face Wales in Cardiff on Saturday, followed by tests against Scotland in Murrayfield on 13 November and England in Twickenham on 19 November.
“Sam Whitelock will be the captain of the All Blacks for this tour in the north and Ardie Savea and Beauden Barrett will be the vice-captains,” Ryan told the New Zealand Herald on Monday.
“Sam is very experienced and respected in the squad. He has played over 100 test matches and has a lot of experience, so he’s the right person for the job.
“It was pretty straightforward and really well supported by the vice-captains.”
34-year-old Crtusaders Lock has led New Zealand as a substitute captain on several occasions and led the All Blacks to the decisive September rugby championship victory over the Wallabies at Eden Park.