Dan Carter and Richie McCaw Both Name The Toughest Opponent They Ever Faced

Carter and McCaw have now both hung up their boots so they can speak a little more openly than they may have during their long and successful careers.

The legendary fly-half hooked up with former captain McCaw for the first of a two-part interview.

Topics range from McCaw’s bagpipe skills to his unique pre-match ritual. The former skipper’s relentless attention to detail and goal-setting was the stuff of legend.

Carter said: "He bowled me over about 5m when I tried to tackle him in one of my first games. A superstar. Gutted I never played with him."

McCaw said: "When I first became an All Black he was in the team. To play alongside a guy you have watched as a young fella was pretty amazing. He made me look silly in training more than once”

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MCCAW SAID: "Over the years I've played him a few times and you always know he's there. He was always pretty big defensively and in the breakdown area. A menace"

CARTER SAID: "He had some blinding games in big moments — none more so than in the 2007 and 2011 World Cup games against the All Blacks."

DID YOU KNOW? He broke the record for most tackles in a match, making 38 tackles against the All Blacks in the 2007 World Cup

CARTER SAID: "You might of heard of him? Former England captain and Toulon player Jonny is probably the closest thing I've seen to the perfect rugby player."

MCCAW SAID: "He'll go down as one of the greats of world rugby.”

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MCCAW SAID: "You can come up against another tough team but never feel like you have had a tough match against your opposite. But with Burger you knew where they are going to be and how hard they play near the ball."

CARTER SAID: "I kept looking at my All Black jersey wondering if I had a target like in the middle of the jersey or something because he kept coming for me. He was having a huge battle with our big forward pack. He just kept going. He didn’t stop. He was physical and just his leg drive was incredible. A real competitor and absolute top bloke off the field as well. His mindset was a little bit different when he was out there competing. That just made him such a tough opponent to come up against.”

McCaw said: "Smith was always pretty tough. I remember playing him when I was in the under 19s against Australia and remember then thinking just what a good player he is. I've never seen a guy as gifted in all facets of the game.”

Carter said: "I used to hate playing this guy because he was so bloody good. A true legend of the game."