Red card will be with me forever, says All Blacks skipper Cane

Distraught New Zealand captain Sam Cane said he "would have to live forever" with the red card he received in the 12-11 defeat to South Africa in Saturday's Rugby World Cup final.

The 31-year-old sat pitch-side looking astonished as referee Wayne Barnes waved a red card, upgrading the yellow he had initially been shown for a high tackle on Jesse Kriel.

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Cane had hoped to make history by skippering the All Blacks to a record fourth title - instead he became the first player to be sent off in the sport's showpiece.

It was the Springbok captain Siya Kolisi, who had been yellow-carded himself early in the second half, who lifted the trophy.

For Kolisi it was a second time, for South Africa a record fourth.

"We have been at the tournament for two months and anything around the head has ramifications," Cane told reporters.

"I am not here to say whether it is right or wrong, it can't be changed.

"Unfortunately, it is something I will have to live with forever."

Head coach Ian Foster was similarly downcast, though extremely proud of how his side had taken it to the wire, despite playing one man down for around 50 minutes.

The 58-year-old was slightly bemused Cane had got red, while Kolisi did not have his yellow card upgraded for a similar tackle.

"I don't want to be us talking about red cards," said Foster. "It is what it is.

"There will be a plenty of time to analyse that. The game has got a few issues it's got to sort out.

"That's not sour grapes. There were two similar incidents one was a red, one was a yellow (for Kolisi).

"That is the game."

Foster, though, was fulsome in his praise of the forlorn-looking Cane sitting beside him.

"I think we've all