Rugby World Cup: Will Sam Cane stay as All Blacks captain with new coach?

Foster didn't want to light any fires on his way out the door.

"I don't want to say anything about that, because it's not my decision,'' Foster said. "All I know is how highly I regard him [Cane], and this team regards him. I don't want to be giving out advice.''

Whether other peoples' opinions about Cane will influence Robertson is unclear.

What we do know is this: Robertson, like any new coach, will have firm views on how he wants his team to be run, and the appointment of the skipper will be crucial to achieving his targets.

The coach-captain relationship matters a great deal. They have to trust each other, to have each other's backs, and ensure everyone, players and staff, understand the game plan.

The pressure on the coach and captain is immense. The players, too, share that burden but they are less exposed if things go wrong.

If a captain is playing well, it's easier to earn the respect of his peers. Robertson will want a leader who is playing so well that his name is the first on the team sheet.

Openside flanker Cane's form fluctuated during his four years as Foster's captain.

Injuries influenced some performances, and when he was absent, Ardie Savea, Sam Whitelock, Aaron Smith and Brodie Retallick wore the captain's armband.

This year Cane took everything up a level. His output for the Chiefs was excellent, and he carried that through to the All Blacks.

Cane looked more comfortable in his own skin during the World Cup, and was outstanding during the quarterfinal.

Robertson couldn't have helped be impressed. The following week, in the semi against the Pumas, Cane wasn't quite as hot, but he was still very good.

Then everything fell apart during the 12-11 loss to the Springboks in the final.

Cane's world collapsed when he struck Springboks' midfielder Jesse Kriel with a high tackle in the 27th minute, and had a yellow card upgraded to red.

Despite being reduced to 14 men, the All Blacks almost defied the odds to record a famous victory.

A high error-count, some dubious decisions by the officials, a missed conversion by Richie Mo'unga and a wide penalty shot by Jordie Barrett contributed to their downfall.

If it was to be Cane's last game as captain of the All Blacks, it was a grim way to finish up.

Afterwards, his team-mates rallied around him, centre Rieko Ioane saying the All Blacks still believed they could win even though they were down a man.

Hooker Codie Taylor said Cane was "our captain and he's earned the right to have that banner''.

"Rugby is a game of inches and milliseconds these days. Unfortunately, he was on the bad side of that, you've just got to be clean. I feel for him and I know he'll be gutted,'' Taylor said.

"I don't think words will change the way he's feeling. Our country lives and breathes rugby, he was on the wrong side of an unfortunate event. I just want NZ to get behind him. I bet there are a lot of people out there saying a few negative things about Cane-o but he's a top man, and he puts his body on the line every time he puts that jersey on.

"Stand by him not against him.''

Robertson, himself a former All Blacks loose forward, would, in all likelihood, have felt sorry for Cane.

But he will also have his own ideas of who should be leader, and given Scott Barrett has captained the Crusaders since 2020, Robertson could be tempted to elevate him to lead the national team.

Lock Barrett and Robertson had formed a respected partnership at the Crusaders, the former having replaced Sam Whitelock after he skipped Super Rugby in 2020 to play in Japan.

No 8 Savea could be another option, given he has experience and, like Barrett, would be one of the first players to be picked.

The arrival of Robertson, along with his assistants, will usher in a new era for the All Blacks.

Foster, having previously assisted Sir Steve Hansen for eight years, coached the team for the last four years. Hansen had coached it for eight. His predecessor, Sir Graham Henry had been the boss for eight.

Some of Foster's staff had been around since Henry's era. Darren Shand was appointed manager in 2004, but his time has come. So, too, has that of Gilbert Enoka, who worked with Shand in helping manage the team, and was also a mental skills coach.

They walk out the door with a large contingent of other support staff. Highly regarded strength and conditioning coach Nic Gill will stay.

Of Foster's assistants, only forwards coach Jason Ryan, will continue. The rest, including Joe Schmidt, will cut their ties.

It would be easy to misunderstand Robertson, to think he's too easy going to be in charge of the All Blacks.

As he jigged and breakdanced after the Crusaders won each of their Super Rugby finals since he took over the team in 2017, it created an impression that he was too whacky for the international stage.

It would be dangerous to underestimate Robertson, however. He is a shrewd operator, capable of culling players he doesn't think are up to scratch or not putting in a big shift at training.

He likes his players to be tough, to play right on the edge and to not fear getting hurt.

Robertson can also make unpopular decisions for the benefit of the team. Who could forget the time when he ditched popular and long-serving prop Wyatt Crockett, who had played 202 games for the Crusaders and was to retire after that season, ahead of the final against the Lions in 2018.

Robertson said at the time it was the hardest decision he made in his career.

Now Cane must wait to see if Robertson can make another tough call. Whatever he decides, All Blacks supporters will have their views.

Robertson is going to have to ruffle feathers. He just has to make a call. And it has to be the right one.