Richie McCaw faced plenty of tough opponents during his All Blacks career, but there was one rivalry that always had extra bite — Quade Cooper.
McCaw did not do public spats. He got on with it, won 148 Tests and lifted two Rugby World Cups.
But he and Cooper were never going to be mates on the pitch, or off it.
Their clashes became a major talking point whenever New Zealand faced Australia. There were shoves, words and plenty of niggle.
Cooper grew up in New Zealand and once saw McCaw as one of his heroes. That changed when he chose to represent the Wallabies.
He later admitted he felt he had to make himself hate McCaw before facing him.
“I kind of was like, ‘I’ve got to develop this, I’ve got to hate him too,’” Cooper said on the Bloke In A Bar podcast.
Quade Cooper’s infamous Richie McCaw incident
The rivalry properly boiled over in 2011.
Cooper was cited after appearing to knee McCaw in the head during a Tri-Nations match. He was cleared at the time, but later admitted it had been deliberate.
He also said he regretted not owning up to it sooner.
That made Cooper public enemy number one in New Zealand before the 2011 Rugby World Cup. Home fans booed him every time he touched the ball.
McCaw did not say much publicly. He rarely did.
But there was clearly no love lost. Their meetings had shoves, words and plenty of afters — the sort of stuff that made an All Blacks-Wallabies Test feel even bigger.
Cooper later said he had spoken to McCaw and felt embarrassed when looking back at the incident. You can also see why Quade Cooper became one of rugby’s most debated figures.
The opponents Richie McCaw truly rated
Cooper was not among the players McCaw highlighted when asked about the toughest opponents of his career.
That honour went to Wallabies breakdown king George Smith. McCaw said every meeting with Smith was “a tough, tough battle”. He praised a player who could turn a ruck in seconds.
He also had huge admiration for France captain Thierry Dusautoir. His display helped knock New Zealand out of the 2007 World Cup.
“In the World Cups, Thierry Dusautoir has had two phenomenal games against us,” McCaw said in an interview with Rugby World.
Lewis Moody was a different sort of problem
McCaw also had plenty of time for England’s Lewis Moody.
“Mad Dog” was not the biggest back-rower around. He was not the flashiest either. But he threw himself into everything.
McCaw said: “I had a lot of respect for the way he played.”
Moody chased kicks, hit rucks and put pressure on backs. He was the sort of player you noticed all afternoon.
Schalk Burger and David Pocock also made McCaw’s list. His full rundown of the toughest opponents he faced makes for serious reading.
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PLAY THE ULTIMATE DRAFT →5 Richie McCaw facts you might not know
1. He turned down being called “Sir Richie”: McCaw was offered a knighthood after the 2011 World Cup win. He turned it down because he was still playing. He later received New Zealand’s highest honour instead. Read more here.
2. He could fly the team home: McCaw became a qualified helicopter pilot while still an All Black. Rugby retirement simply gave him more time in the air.
3. His World Cup record is untouchable: He remains the only captain to lift the Webb Ellis Cup twice. He led New Zealand to glory in 2011 and 2015. World Rugby’s Hall of Fame tells the story.
4. He scored more tries than most flankers dream of: McCaw crossed 27 times in Test rugby. Not bad for a player better known for living at the bottom of rucks.
5. He married an Olympic athlete: McCaw married former New Zealand hockey international Gemma Flynn in 2017. The pair are one of New Zealand sport’s great power couples.
