Richie McCaw will be hungry to end on high warns Neal Back
Barring injury McCaw, 34, is certain to lead the All Blacks at the World Cup in England as the reigning champions look to become the first side to successfully defend the trophy.
But New Zealand’s greatest-ever captain has endured a slow start to the Super Rugby season, prompting talk that his best days might be behind him.
“Richie McCaw is not firing on all cylinders by his own admission but you wouldn’t want to write him off, at all,” said Back.
“His breakdown intelligence, contact skills and decision-making are second-to-none.
“Richie is the best when it comes to managing referees, he knows the laws inside and out, and that’s an invaluable quality to have when it comes to the high-pressure matches.
“No-one has a better track record than New Zealand of putting together winning runs, something you need to do to win a World Cup. Richie’s leadership role in that cannot be understated.”
Back, a 2003 World Cup winner, believes there is plenty of life in the old dog yet.
“In 2003 I was 34, the same age as Richie, and my feeling is that if you’re good enough, you’re young enough.
“The Australian media tried to make a big thing of the age of our squad, calling us ‘Dad’s Army’, but I found the whole thing very humorous.
“I never took any of it personally, it was all water off a duck’s back, because you know yourself how hard you have trained and how well prepared you are.
“I felt super-human at that World Cup and unbeatable and that’s all that counts.
“It’ll be Richie’s last World Cup and probably his last season but all he’ll be thinking about is playing well enough to retain the No.7 jersey and winning the World Cup again. I don’t expect there will be any talk of retirement parties.”
Concussion ruled McCaw out of the Crusaders’ most recent Super Rugby game against the front-running Hurricanes, leaving team-mate Matt Todd and Ardie Savea – two of the candidates to replace him at No.7 – to go head-to-head.
With 22 caps, Chiefs‘ powerhouse Sam Kane, aged 23, appears to be the most likely heir apparent, especially as the young pretender got the better of McCaw when they met last month.
Back, the outstanding openside of his generation, says such fierce competition for his No.7 jersey will only serve to drive McCaw on in his quest to bow out on a high at the World Cup.
“Top players need pressure. He is going to have to push himself and that’s fantastic,” he said.
“In 2003 people talked about Richard Hill, Neil Back and Lawrence Dallaglio as being the back-row trinity but we came under extraordinary pressure from Joe Worsley, Martin Corry and Lewis Moody.
“At the end of the day the coach will pick what he deems the best team to get the job done, and I’d be surprised if McCaw isn’t in it.”
JON NEWCOMBE
*Neil Back was speaking on behalf of Robbie’s Rugby Festival, a charity event which raises life-changing funds for young people with cancer. Robbie’s Rugby Festival, in aid of the Robbie Anderson Cancer Trust and the Jake McCarthy Foundation will take place at Loughborough Grammar School on July 10-11
