Last chance for colossal captains
All Black's 2011 World Cup winning skipper Richie McCaw, South Africa's 2007 World Cup final Man of the Match Victor Matfield, France's 2011 World Player of the Year Thierry Dusautoir and Ireland's iconic lock Paul O'Connell will all be hoping to lift the cup in October.
Three times world player of the year, World Cup winning captain and the world's most capped Test player – there is little 34-year-old Richie McCaw hasn't done, except confirm his retirement.
The 38-year-old Springbok legend Victor Matfield, 'Peter Pan' of Test arena, took his first steps to rugby greatness literally by accident.
Few people would begrudge Paul O'Connell if the Irish colossus was to lift the World Cup trophy on October 31, such has been his contribution to the game.
Most players would be content to have captained their country a record 51 times, been named 2011 world player of the year, won a European Cup and five domestic titles.
It is however, Thierry Dusautoir's final ambition to become the first French skipper to lift the World Cup trophy.
GOAT, the master of dark arts
Three times world player of the year, World Cup winning captain, the world's most capped Test player — there is little 34-year-old Richie McCaw hasn't done, except confirm his retirement.
Richie McCaw, the All Blacks talisman, has fuelled talk about stepping aside after the World Cup saying: "probably the likelihood is," but the great-man's mindset has been solely on the next game rather than indicate that the end is nigh.
"It's going to be a reality at some point. But, one thing I haven't allowed myself to get caught up in.
"I really want to be trying to go out and train as hard as I can to play well.
"When you keep that focus you don't get caught up in 'what might be'," added McCaw.
After 15 years at the top, the man they call Goat – Greatest Of All Time – goes into his last campaign with an outstanding record of 142 Tests, 125 won, two drawn and a mere 15 losses.
At the breakdown he is a master of the dark arts, unrivalled at scavenging turnovers, drawing frequent accusations of cheating.
Springbok lock Victor Matfield claims referees let McCaw "get away with murder" at the contact area.
McCaw dismisses such comment as "same old, same old" but does admit to pushing the boundaries to see what he can get away with.
He emerged on the international scene in 2001, making the All Blacks end-of-year northern hemisphere tour – after just eight minutes of Super Rugby for the Canterbury Crusaders.
He was first named All Blacks captain in 2004 at just 23 years of age.
In 2012 he became the first player to achieve 100 test victories.
There is one more for target for McCaw to add to his already impressive record – to become the first skipper to win consecutive World Cups.
"We're not going there to defend it because this isn't the same side that won it four years ago," he emphasised.
"Like everyone else you're back at the start, and it's whoever makes the best of the seven [games]- and you're only guaranteed four."
All Blacks coach Steve Hansen describes McCaw as a special player.
"What makes him extraordinary is his ability to play not just 142 tests, someone else will get there I'm sure … but it's the quality of his performances in 142 tests," Hansen said when McCaw overtook Ireland's Brian O'Driscoll as the most capped player.
"I don't think he's had a bad one. In his very first test he was player of the day and you could give him player of the day just about every time he plays."
McCaw, who dropped the ball with his first touch in his debut against Ireland in 2001, is regarded as a national treasure in New Zealand where.
He played with a broken foot to lead the All Blacks to victory over France in the 2011 World Cup Final.
By the end of the tournament his Test tally should be somewhere between 147 and 149, tantalisingly close to the 150 milestone and with the door "probably" but not definitely shut on his career after the showpiece event.
Injury made Matfield an accidental superstar
Springbok legend Victor Matfield took his first steps to rugby greatness literally by accident.
He grew up in the northern city of Polokwane (formerly Pietersburg) enjoying rugby, but it was as a cricketer that he first achieved fame.
Matfield played inter-provincial schools cricket until an injury led to rugby becoming his first choice sport.
His rise was steady and successful, culminating in him and Bakkies Botha forming arguably the best-ever lock combination – helping South Africa win the 2007 Rugby World Cup in France.
It was a dream combination that the great New Zealand All Blacks could sometimes match, but never master.
Botha, not shy to get involved in the physical stuff when necessary, wore the No. 4 Springbok shirt and jumped at the front of the lineout.
In the middle of the line wearing No. 5 was Matfield.
If Botha was the enforcer, Matfield was the general, barking out line-out commands in Afrikaans to various Springbok hookers.
He invariably won his own ball, often stole opposition throws, and got around the field amazingly quickly for a two-metre, 110-kilogram forward.
No Test legend is beyond criticism, not even one as revered by South Africans as Matfield, with detractors claiming he is a maul and ruck "inspector".
Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer still considers Matfield indispensible.
"You need guys like Victor who are mentally tough," said the coach who shared many glorious seasons at the Bulls with Matfield.
"The World Cup is not about the team who wants it most because every team wants to win the competition for their country.
"I believe the guys who will win the 2015 World Cup are those who handle the pressure best because the pressure is immense."
Like many Springboks, Matfield was injured during the build-up to the World Cup.
While the lock may have been a reluctant matchday onlooker, the silver lining was that young Lodewyk de Jager emerged as an outstanding back-up lock.
Eben Etzebeth and Matfield will be, fitness permitting, the first-choice Springbok locks.
Matfield could lead the green and gold in some games depending on how quickly captain Jean de Villiers recovers from a broken jaw.
The lock retired after a 2011 World Cup quarter-finals defeat to Australia.
Persistent media reports that he would hang up his boots again after the World Cup proved far off the mark as he has signed for English Premiership club Northampton.
It will be the second overseas excursion for the holder of a record 123 Springbok caps, having played for French outfit Toulon.
O'Connell – Ireland's warrior king
Few people would begrudge Paul O'Connell if the Irish colossus was to lift the World Cup trophy on October 31, such has been his contribution to the game.
The lock will turn 36 on October 20, has been the engine room of the Irish pack for almost 13 years.
His developed a reputation as a top class swimmer, but he decided that he would like a go at the rough and tumble of rugby instead.
He became mesmerised by Munster, after jumping over the stadium wall to go and watch a game.
While O'Driscoll and his 'glamour boys' from Leinster played lively cavalier rugby pleasing to the eye, O'Connell drove a pack-oriented game for Munster, relying largely on Ronan O'Gara's boot for points.
Ireland coach Joe Schmidt, who had no hesitation in choosing O'Connell as his skipper for the title-winning 2014 Six Nations side, despite his injuries.
Various knee, groin and ankle problems had through the years caused him to miss many matches.
New Zealander Schmidt said back in November after seeing off the Springboks at Lansdowne Road that the word Mana – which means power, effectiveness and prestige in Austronesian languages – best sums up O'Connell.
"A guy who does not know how to give up. When he's done, he delivers again. Not many have the mental capacity that Paul O'Connell has,"said the coach.
"There are a lot of guys who physically get into good shape, but he's one of the most mentally tough players I've been involved with.
"I'm not sure myself how he does it."
On his third British and Irish Lions tour, in 2013 to Australia, he was asked to stay on by the coach Warren Gatland even though he broke his arm in the first Test.
O'Driscoll bowed out after the memorable win over France in Paris, to clinch the 2014 Six Nations crown – but for O'Connell the farewell could be even more glorious.
However, O'Connell knows all about performing below expectations as he experienced with the 2007 side who were regarded as World Cup dark horses but went out in the first round.
But he is also mindful of what winning the trophy can do for the individual as well as the country.
"If you can lift the World Cup you will go down in history," O'Connell said.
"Look at the English team that won it in 2003 – the only northern hemisphere nation to have ever done that.
"Those guys are legends. It would be great to fulfil our potential and play to the best of our ability in this year's World Cup."
Dusautoir seeks glorious adieu
Most players would be content to have captained their country a record 51 times, been named 2011 world player of the year, won a European Cup and five domestic titles but not Thierry Dusautoir.
His final ambition is to become the first French skipper to lift the World Cup trophy.
The Ivory Coast-born Toulouse star – who turns 34 in November – has not enjoyed the best of times either with club or country since he captained France to a surprise place in the 2011 World Cup final.
They were judged by many to have been unlucky to lose 8-7 to hosts New Zealand.
Dusautoir was named World Player of the Year on the back of his performances for France in that World Cup.
"Playing in a World Cup final has not happened to too many players in the world, and after that it would have been even better to have been crowned champions but we just fell short," said the 'Dark Destroyer'.
That nickname he earned for his fearless tackling especially when France upset the All Blacks in the 2007 World Cup quarter-finals where his total of 38 tackles was two more than their opponents managed altogether.
"It doesn't get much better than playing the All Blacks at Eden Park, but I always think the most important match is the next one and so I hope my best experience is still to come," he said.
Dusautoir, who won the first of his 67 caps against Romania in 2006, said that despite their poor form under national head coach Philipp Saint-Andre he still dreams of playing another final and this time winning the World Cup.
"Of course, maybe not against the All Blacks but in any case that is what we are working towards," said the captain.
Dusautoir – who has an engineering degree – has at times been accused of not being demonstrative enough when things have gone wrong.
With France expected to struggle, Dusautoir's experience and leadership will be much needed at the World Cup.
Source: Agence France-Presse
