Luke Jacobson shocked to be named All Blacks captain
Chiefs loose forward Luke Jacobson has been named captain of the All Blacks for their upcoming match against the Sharks in Durban. Jacobson expressed surprise and humility at the appointment, which was announced by coach Dave Rennie during a team huddle.
Why it matters
The captaincy of the All Blacks is a high-profile leadership role in international rugby, and this appointment signals a shift in team dynamics ahead of the South African test series.
Luke Jacobson never saw the captaincy coming.
The Chiefs loose forward was hoping to earn a starting spot against the Sharks in Durban, but was stunned when All Blacks coach Dave Rennie named him skipper for Wednesday morning's match.
"I think just a huge privilege. I'm pretty taken back by it. I certainly didn't think it would be an opportunity, but just really excited," Jacobson said.
In keeping with Rennie's desire to make the announcement a surprise, Jacobson found out he was captain at the same time as the rest of the team.
"We were in the huddle naming the team and I hadn't got any heads up, so I looked like a bit of a stunned mullet there, but it was a cool way to find out.
"Obviously it's something that I've just got to take with both hands. Just really humbled."
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