Old boy McCaw still has plenty left

 

Remarkably, the 34-16 win over Wales was New Zealand's 88th victory in McCaw's 100 games as captain, a testament to his leadership skills, playing ability and the sheer strength in depth of the sport in his country.

 

The tireless Crusaders flank will be 34 when the World Cup comes around in England next year, but All Blacks coach Steve Hansen had no doubt his skipper, a three-time IRB World Player of the Year, would be on board.

 

"We've learnt some valuable lessons along the way this season on individuals," Hansen said.

 

"Everyone said at the beginning of the season, he [McCaw] is too old, Keven [Mealamu] is too old, but both have shown they've got plenty left in them.

 

"It's a remarkable achievement," Hansen added of McCaw captaining the team 100 times.

 

"I don't think in any contact sport it's ever been done. He should be very proud of himself, because we're very proud of him."

 

As an indication of his incredible longevity, notably in a position that demands incredible physical prowess, only 34 other players in the history of rugby union have won 100 caps or more.

 

Only Ireland's Brian O'Driscoll (84) and South Africa's John Smit (83) have come close on the captaining front.

 

McCaw said the victory over Wales in his 137th Test, following wins over the Unites States (74-6), England (24-21) and Scotland (24-16), was "very satisfying".

 

"It's one of the great places to play, the Millenium Stadium, and it was like that today [Saturday]," said McCaw, who guided the All Blacks to World Cup victory on home soil in 2011.

 

"You find a way to take the opportunities when they come about and come off the pitch with a what was a scoreboard which was reasonably comfortable in the end.

 

"It's a pretty proud moment from a team point of view and I guess from a personal point of view to have got the job done.

 

"We can go and have a wee bit of time off now and reflect on what's been a good year that we've finished off with a good performance."

 

Despite being in the hunt with 15 minutes to go, a dogged Welsh team paid the price for their heroic earlier defensive efforts and ran plain out of steam, allowing the New Zealanders to run in four late tries.

 

Former Wales No.8 Eddie Butler, writing in The Observer, said fresh replacements for the All Blacks helped "expose the Wales lineout, hogged the ball and steered the game to its conclusion, led all the way by the remarkable Richie McCaw".

 

"One hundred games as the All Black captain; 88 victories. Ridiculously good. A legend, a theory-smasher."

 

David Walsh, the chief sports writer for The Sunday Times summed up McCaw's contribution after he had a sprint at the line following a smart break by hooker Dane Coles.

 

"McCaw was captaining the All Blacks for the 100th time and still doing what he has always done, giving everything for the team," Walsh said.

 

Former Wales and British Lion prop Graham Price even suggested the All Blacks upped their game because of their inspirational captain.

 

"There was plenty of belief that a 61-year losing sequence was about to come to an end but unfortunately the All Blacks' self-belief is greater," he wrote in his Western Mail column.

 

"Perhaps there was also a Richie McCaw factor that the players could not contemplate defeat on the day the openside won his 100th cap as captain."