Richie McCaw names jaw-dropping all-time XV – and it's absolutely stacked

Monday, 07 April 2025 at 23:51

bySteven Smith

Richie McCaw's selection of players he has either played alongside or faced on the rugby field could rival any team from any era in the sport.

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Delving into historical records, the 40-year-old reserves his commendations exclusively for those players whom he genuinely holds in high esteem.

McCaw, born on December 31, 1980, in Oamaru, New Zealand, is a legendary former rugby player widely regarded as one of the greatest openside flankers in the history of the sport.

Captaining the New Zealand national team, the All Blacks, from 2006 to 2015, McCaw led them to two Rugby World Cup victories.

Known for his exceptional leadership, tenacity, and skill, he remains an iconic figure in rugby, earning numerous accolades and leaving an indelible mark on the game.

Extracted from a series of interviews, here is our interpretation of how his dream team would be arranged.

RICHIE MCCAW DREAM TEAM:

BACK-THREE:

15. Christian Cullen (New Zeland)
14. Julian Savea (New Zealand)
11. Jonah Lomu (New Zealand)

McCawon Lomu: “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.

"He is one of the absolute superstars of rugby. If you go to somewhere where rugby is perhaps not well known then the one guy they do know is Jonah. It's really sad that he's passed away at age 40. He was a legend of the All Blacks and a legend of rugby."

CENTRES:

13. Ma'a Nonu (New Zealand)
12. Jonny Wilkinson (England)

McCaw on Wilkinson: "He'll go down as one of the greats of world rugby."

HALFBACKS:

10. Dan Carter (New Zealand)
9. Aaron Smith (New Zealand)

McCaw on Carter: "There are a lot of good players but the guys who did it for a long time and that I've been lucky to play with is Dan Carter. In the final, he was sensational and he's been great for a long time. So to be able to play with him for the years I've been playing was pretty cool."

FRONT-ROW:

1. Tony Woodcock (New Zealand)
2. Dane Coles (New Zealand)
3. Olo Brown (New Zealand)

McCaw on Woodcock: "If you're looking for a night out, stay away from Tony Woodcock or go and see Tony Woodcock. He's been on the same team as me since I was 18, we played in age grade together."

SECOND-ROW:

4. Paul O'Connell (Ireland)
5. Brodie Retallick (New Zealand)

BACK-ROW:

6. Richard Hill (England)
7. Schalk Burger (South Africa)
8. George Smith (Australia)

McCaw on Hill: “Extremely gifted player who had all the ability in the world. When England needed someone to dig in he was your man. He had the full tool bag and quietly got on with it.”

McCaw on Smith: Speaking in a Q+A with World Rugby, McCaw's revealed former Wallabies flanker George Smith as the one he feared most on the field, saying 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.”

McCaw on Burger: "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."

Can you name all 28 clubs to ever appear in the Premiership?

London Welsh were the last new team to play in the Gallagher Premiership back in 2011 – can you name the others?

You have five minutes to name every club to have played in the Gallagher Premiership, all 28 of them, since the division was established back in 1987.

It’s more difficult than it sounds.

Good luck, and let us know how you do

Can you name all 28 clubs to ever appear in the Premiership?

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