McCAW HOPING TO END ALL BLACK HURT
When Richie McCaw held aloft the Philips Tri Nations trophy following the All Blacks’ 28-24 Bledisloe Cup victory at the Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane in mid-September, it went some way to dulling New Zealand’s collective pain, inflicted after last October’s World Cup quarter-final failure against tournament hosts France. But All Black number 1014 knows, in spite of his team being crowned the best side in the Southern Hemisphere for the sixth time in seven attempts, there is still a long way to go before the disappointments of that 20-18 defeat at the Millennium Stadium are fully exorcised.
Post-France, though Graham Henry retained his position as national coach having been handed a two-year extension in December, there followed much bloodletting. Selectors, with eyes on winning the only trophy to have eluded New Zealand’s grasp in 2011, on home shores, ushered aside certain Test veterans in order to blood young talent.
In less than 12 months three-fifths of the side have changed and after some initial teething problems, the new-look All Blacks have made impressive strides in this transitional season - before the Tri Nations success there was a whitewash of touring sides, England and Ireland. Captain McCaw, however, has set his sights on a Grand Slam tour of the Northern Hemisphere in November to cap off what will be an impressive year and reaffirm New Zealand’s position as champions of the world, albeit unofficially.
The 27-year-old openside flanker, whose team take on Australia in Hong Kong before a gruelling schedule in Britain that includes games against Scotland, Ireland, Heineken Cup victors Munster, Wales and England, is in buoyant mood ahead of the tour.
"It will be a very busy month but will be very exciting too," McCaw, who announced himself on the international scene with a man-of-the-match display against Ireland in Dublin seven years ago on a similar tour, suggests. "After the unique Test against Australia we have the four Home Nations, who all provide different challenges. It'll be tough but it will be satisfying if we win.
"Winning the Tri Nations was a big lift - it was something we really wanted to do. After the disappointment of last year there was a lot of negativity about the rugby in New Zealand, so we really wanted to ensure that we did it right. We had some new players and we had two losses in a row, but the guys bounced back from that, and to come out on top on top against two other good sides was pretty satisfying. It’s gone some way to alleviating some of the pain of last year.
"But it is important we have a good tour now. It's been a challenge this year because we have had quite a lot of experience move on. But we still have a good group of guys who have been around a while and have experienced what it is like in the UK.
"The guys that haven’t played in the UK before are excited about it, and the guys that have need to ensure we use that excitement to make sure the team performs every week. If we do that, we’ll hopefully finish off the year really well. It’s been good up until now, but if we don’t have a decent tour it could easily not be so good - we can’t just go into it expecting to win every game."
McCaw has led out the All Blacks in 29 of his 65 appearances and believes that 62-year-old Henry is the right man to build the foundations of World Cup success in three years’ time. The 2006 IRB World Player of the Year, who was mystifyingly overlooked for the five-man shortlist in September (or last month, depending when you go to press), is relieved that the team and the New Zealand public can finally begin to look ahead.
"From October until the first game we had this year, against Ireland back in June, it was all looking back," he continues. "But once we got a couple wins, we could start talking about the next game and the lead up to the Tri Nations. To some degree the issue of the World Cup was put to bed. Now that the All Blacks are starting to win a few games, it looks a lot better.
"A number of the new guys in the side have impressed me too. No6 Jerome Kaino, a big but athletic man, has huge potential. Against Australia in the final game of the Tri Nations, the hits he was putting in were inspirational. Richie Kahui, who’s been playing on the wing, but could play in the centre, is another big man with a lot of skills and one to watch this tour."
He believes the Southern Hemisphere’s mastering of the experimental law variations, which have only come in effect this current season in Britain, might provide the All Black with the upper hand on tour. "It will help," he says, "and it may change our approach a little bit. They improve the game, in my opinion, but I don’t think it is 100 per cent right yet - there are some things that could be done away with. But if the referee is strong at the break down, then you get some good rugby."
McCaw lists Sean Fitzpatrick, who won a record 92 caps for the All Blacks, and his old Canterbury Crusaders captain Todd Blackadder as his greatest idols. He also holds England’s 2003 World Cup winning captain Martin Johnson in high regard, having witnessed first-hand his influence. Five years ago 13-man England defeated the All Blacks 15-13 - the last time they have done so - in Wellington, and one man, who is now in charge of the England team, was central to that.
On the 38-year-old former second row, McCaw adds: "I remember they had two players in the sin bin and Johnson was the one running the camp. You could see watching him play in the World Cup in the final [which England won 20-17] he was in charge, doing the business himself and setting the example.
"The way he played, going out and produced the goods on the pitch, was inspirational. And he didn't seem afraid to drag other guys to come along with him. If they weren't pulling their weight he would make that known. His influence will start to come through for England now, too. I'm sure when we play them in London it will be a hugely different team from the one we played here in June."
McCaw’s team face Johnson’s England at Twickenham on November 29, in the final game of their tour. If things go according to plan the All Blacks, with their new fusion of youth and experience, will be on course for a Grand Slam of the Northern Hemisphere and a year of world domination. And, more importantly for New Zealand, closer to neutralising the hurt of last October.
When Richie McCaw held aloft the Philips Tri Nations trophy following the All Blacks’ 28-24 Bledisloe Cup victory at the Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane in mid-September, it went some way to dulling New Zealand’s collective pain, inflicted after last October’s World Cup quarter-final failure against tournament hosts France. But All Black number 1014 knows, in spite of his team being crowned the best side in the Southern Hemisphere for the sixth time in seven attempts, there is still a long way to go before the disappointments of that 20-18 defeat at the Millennium Stadium are fully exorcised.
Post-France, though Graham Henry retained his position as national coach having been handed a two-year extension in December, there followed much bloodletting. Selectors, with eyes on winning the only trophy to have eluded New Zealand’s grasp in 2011, on home shores, ushered aside certain Test veterans in order to blood young talent.
In less than 12 months three-fifths of the side have changed and after some initial teething problems, the new-look All Blacks have made impressive strides in this transitional season - before the Tri Nations success there was a whitewash of touring sides, England and Ireland. Captain McCaw, however, has set his sights on a Grand Slam tour of the Northern Hemisphere in November to cap off what will be an impressive year and reaffirm New Zealand’s position as champions of the world, albeit unofficially.
The 27-year-old openside flanker, whose team take on Australia in Hong Kong before a gruelling schedule in Britain that includes games against Scotland, Ireland, Heineken Cup victors Munster, Wales and England, is in buoyant mood ahead of the tour.
"It will be a very busy month but will be very exciting too," McCaw, who announced himself on the international scene with a man-of-the-match display against Ireland in Dublin seven years ago on a similar tour, suggests. "After the unique Test against Australia we have the four Home Nations, who all provide different challenges. It'll be tough but it will be satisfying if we win.
"Winning the Tri Nations was a big lift - it was something we really wanted to do. After the disappointment of last year there was a lot of negativity about the rugby in New Zealand, so we really wanted to ensure that we did it right. We had some new players and we had two losses in a row, but the guys bounced back from that, and to come out on top on top against two other good sides was pretty satisfying. It’s gone some way to alleviating some of the pain of last year.
"But it is important we have a good tour now. It's been a challenge this year because we have had quite a lot of experience move on. But we still have a good group of guys who have been around a while and have experienced what it is like in the UK.
"The guys that haven’t played in the UK before are excited about it, and the guys that have need to ensure we use that excitement to make sure the team performs every week. If we do that, we’ll hopefully finish off the year really well. It’s been good up until now, but if we don’t have a decent tour it could easily not be so good - we can’t just go into it expecting to win every game."
McCaw has led out the All Blacks in 29 of his 65 appearances and believes that 62-year-old Henry is the right man to build the foundations of World Cup success in three years’ time. The 2006 IRB World Player of the Year, who was mystifyingly overlooked for the five-man shortlist in September (or last month, depending when you go to press), is relieved that the team and the New Zealand public can finally begin to look ahead.
"From October until the first game we had this year, against Ireland back in June, it was all looking back," he continues. "But once we got a couple wins, we could start talking about the next game and the lead up to the Tri Nations. To some degree the issue of the World Cup was put to bed. Now that the All Blacks are starting to win a few games, it looks a lot better.
"A number of the new guys in the side have impressed me too. No6 Jerome Kaino, a big but athletic man, has huge potential. Against Australia in the final game of the Tri Nations, the hits he was putting in were inspirational. Richie Kahui, who’s been playing on the wing, but could play in the centre, is another big man with a lot of skills and one to watch this tour."
He believes the Southern Hemisphere’s mastering of the experimental law variations, which have only come in effect this current season in Britain, might provide the All Black with the upper hand on tour. "It will help," he says, "and it may change our approach a little bit. They improve the game, in my opinion, but I don’t think it is 100 per cent right yet - there are some things that could be done away with. But if the referee is strong at the break down, then you get some good rugby."
McCaw lists Sean Fitzpatrick, who won a record 92 caps for the All Blacks, and his old Canterbury Crusaders captain Todd Blackadder as his greatest idols. He also holds England’s 2003 World Cup winning captain Martin Johnson in high regard, having witnessed first-hand his influence. Five years ago 13-man England defeated the All Blacks 15-13 - the last time they have done so - in Wellington, and one man, who is now in charge of the England team, was central to that.
On the 38-year-old former second row, McCaw adds: "I remember they had two players in the sin bin and Johnson was the one running the camp. You could see watching him play in the World Cup in the final [which England won 20-17] he was in charge, doing the business himself and setting the example.
"The way he played, going out and produced the goods on the pitch, was inspirational. And he didn't seem afraid to drag other guys to come along with him. If they weren't pulling their weight he would make that known. His influence will start to come through for England now, too. I'm sure when we play them in London it will be a hugely different team from the one we played here in June."
McCaw’s team face Johnson’s England at Twickenham on November 29, in the final game of their tour. If things go according to plan the All Blacks, with their new fusion of youth and experience, will be on course for a Grand Slam of the Northern Hemisphere and a year of world domination. And, more importantly for New Zealand, closer to neutralising the hurt of last October.
Labels: All Blacks, New Zealand, Richie McCaw
