Debuted for Canterbury against North Harbour when coming off the bench for his only 18 minutes of first-class play that season. By the time he was included in the All Blacks' touring team at the end of 2001, he had played only 17 games for Canterbury. He would only ever make another 17 appearances for Canterbury, 34 in all, while playing 145 times for the Crusaders and 148 times for the All Blacks with one non-Test appearance for New Zealand which represents 328 first-class games.
Made his All Blacks debut at Lansdowne Road in Dublin against Ireland. New Zealand won 40-29 after being down 7-16 at halftime. Was named man of the match and played a key role in a vital try scored by Jonah Lomu. In the same year he was named the NPC Division One player of the year in the Steinlager awards.
In hindsight, this was possibly the first moment where it was identified that McCaw brought a little more to rugby than his openside flanker skills. Just after halftime a South African 'fan' decided he'd had enough of referee David McHugh and ran onto the pitch and assaulted the referee, pushing him to the ground which resulted in him suffering a dislocated shoulder. A couple of Springboks also helped contain the offender. McCaw said he wasn't too sure if he dealt with the matter appropriately but the two Springboks had dished out some on-the-pitch justice. It had already been a good year for McCaw as he claimed the first of his Super Rugby winners' medals earlier in the season when the Crusaders beat the Brumbies 31-13.
New Zealand regained the Bledisloe Cup for first time since 1997. Having won the first encounter against Australia three weeks earlier 50-21 in Sydney, the All Blacks secured the silverware, most importantly the Bledisloe Cup but also the Tri Nations with a 21-17 win which was a more impressive victory than the score suggests, Australia's losing margin being improved by a late try. However, in a World Cup year it was the Australians who would have the last laugh, beating the All Blacks in the semi-final to claim a final against England. New Zealand held the Bledisloe Cup for the remainder of McCaw's Test career. To cap it all it was the first year in which he was winner of the Kelvin Tremain Trophy for rugby player of the year at the Steinlager awards.
Captaincy was added to McCaw's CV when he took on the leadership of the Canterbury NPC side for the 2004 campaign. His ability in that role was soon evident and when captain Tana Umaga was rested on the end of season tour, McCaw led the All Blacks for the first time, against Wales. It was a close encounter as the All Blacks kept their winning record against Wales since 1953 alive with a 26-25 win.
With the added responsibility of captaining the Crusaders, McCaw's portfolio was widening and he led the side to the Super Rugby title when beating the Waratahs 35-25. To cap a great year the All Blacks beat the British and Irish Lions 3-0, the Tri Nations was sealed and at the end of the season a Grand Slam was achieved in the northern hemisphere via a 41-3 win over Wales, 45-7 over Ireland, 23-19 over England and 29-10 over Scotland
If there was a low point in McCaw's career this had to be it. A quarter-final exit at the hands of France in Cardiff, beaten 18-20. In the years since they had beaten France 45-6 in Paris in 2004 they had achieved a magnificent 47-3 win in Lyon, a 23-11 in Paris, both in 2006, a 42-11 win in Auckland and a 61-10 win in Wellington in 2007. Yet France got up and beat New Zealand, albeit controversially, at the World Cup. The fall out at home divided New Zealand almost until the 2011 Rugby World Cup. But it marked a lesson that would remain over the rest of McCaw's career.
So often McCaw's play has been encapsulated in the performance of his team. In 2008, after losses at home to South Africa (28-30) and away to Australia (19-34) when he didn't appear in either, he returned to inspire New Zealand a week later to reverse the score against Australia 39-10 and then another fortnight later he went one better when the All Blacks held South Africa scoreless 0-19 at Cape Town, the first time South Africa hadn't scored at in 105 years. Coach Graham Henry rated it as McCaw's best effort until that time. Having claimed the Tri Nations, there was time at the end of the year for another Grand Slam – 32-6 over Scotland, 22-3 over Ireland, 29-9 over Wales and 32-6 over England.
McCaw completed 100 Super Rugby games when playing the Stormers in Cape Town, unfortunately not able to celebrate with a win. But it proved a year of performance milestones as he and fullback/centre Mils Muliaina completed their 93rd Tests to become the most capped All Blacks and became New Zealand's most capped Test leader with 52 Tests, supplanting Sean Fitzpatrick's record. During the third Grand Slam tour he was involved in (England 26-16, Scotland 49-3, Ireland 38-18, and Wales 37-25), McCaw, and Muliaina, completed their 93rd Tests to be the most capped All Blacks and by leading the side for 52 Tests, the most capped All Blacks Test captain in history.
When McCaw, feeling no pain from a broken foot that threatened to derail his chances of playing the final, or the semi-final or the quarter-final, held the Webb Ellis Trophy aloft after an 8-7 win over France in the Rugby World Cup final, it was a signature moment in New Zealand's rugby history first and foremost, but for McCaw and those players who had been involved in Cardiff four years earlier, it was a weight-lifting exercise. Lifting the expectations of a nation from their shoulders after not having had the Cup in their trophy cabinet since 1987 – far too long for any self-respecting New Zealander.
The unprecedented scenes after about 62 minutes of the Bledisloe Cup decider against Australia at Eden Park, when New Zealand claimed a 41-13 victory will live long in the memory, longer even than the events of the Test match itself. What happened when McCaw was substituted from the field was a spontaneous outbreak of respect, affection and acknowledgement for one of the great contributions to not just the All Blacks but to New Zealand rugby. A standing ovation had never been seen before as McCaw left a rugby ground in his country for the last time.
History has its own way of acknowledging those who have had an impact on their area of specialty. That happened at Twickenham when McCaw, regarded as one of the finest to have played the game anywhere in the world, held the Webb Ellis Trophy aloft after beating Australia 34-17 in the 2015 Rugby World Cup final. It was the first time any player had led a side to two World Cup successes, let alone achieving the feat back-to-back. It was the first time any country had won the Cup for a third time and it signaled the end of a career that had featured in a world record 148 Test matches, 145 Super Rugby games, had won four Super Rugby titles, had been the most capped Test captain in rugby history, World Rugby's player of the year three times, New Zealand's player of the year four times and New Zealand sportsman of the year in 2011, the first player to win 100 Tests and also to captain his side for 111 Test matches.
Love him or hate (he is definitely hated more by the opposition supporters) you cannot deny is one' if not, the greatest to grace a rugby field. i'm just glad I had the privilege of seeing him in action.
Rugby will miss you but rugby will never forget the mark you made, who knows maybe the Queen will make a mark on his illustrious career, I saute you SIR. Come on Richie 'Say Yes to Knighthood'.
Jade Christopher Bentley Adams signing off
(@jcba & IG @jcba_official)
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