New Zealand loose forward Luke Jacobson will captain the Waikato Chiefs in 2024, the Super Rugby franchise announced Tuesday, with All Blacks skipper Sam Cane currently in Japan.
Jacobson, who has played 18 Tests for New Zealand and 63 games for the Chiefs, was part of the All Blacks squad which narrowly lost to South Africa in last year’s Rugby World Cup final.
“It’s not really a role I search for, but one I’m bloody proud to fill,” Jacobson said in a statement.
He will be the Chief’s sole skipper in 2024. The Hamilton-based side had co-captains last season with Cane, now at Japanese club Tokyo Sungoliath, and scrumhalf Brad Weber, who has since joined Stade Francais, sharing the job.
The Chiefs lost last year’s Super Rugby Pacific final to the Canterbury Crusaders, who won the title for a seventh consecutive year.
“I’m looking forward to working with the team and doing everything we can to go that one step further this year,” Jacobson added.
The Chiefs host the Crusaders in their opening Super Rugby fixture on February 23 after travelling to Japan for two warm-up games against local teams, starting this weekend against the Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights.
