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.
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.
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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.”