Richie McCaw retirement: New Zealand captain to call it a day this week after leading All Blacks to second straight Rugby World Cup win
McCaw will hang up his boots after a record 148 Tests for the All Blacks
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Your support makes all the difference.Richie McCaw has made a decision over his future after leading New Zealand to a second consecutive Rugby World Cup crown, with the All Blacks legend set to retire from the game completely.
There had been a suggestion that after a record 148 Tests – 111 of which came as captain of his country – McCaw could delay the inevitable and play on. At the age of 34 years old, there was also the possibility that McCaw could end his international career but move to the northern hemisphere to land one last pay day with an Aviva Premiership club or Top 14 side in France.
But it looks as though the flanker has elected to call time on his career, and he is expected to announce on Thursday that he will retire immediately having become the first ever player to skipper his country to Rugby World Cup glory on two occasions as well as become the first side to retain the Webb Ellis Cup.
New Zealand Rugby [NZR] chief executive Steve Chew admitted that McCaw delayed his own personal decision for the benefit of the team so that his future did not become the biggest talking point through the World Cup.
"He wanted to go into 2015 and enjoy playing the year without really worrying about whether everything he did was the last time he did it. He didn't want the team distracted by that and now he has asked for a little bit more time before finally making a decision and announcement.
"He won't be too far away from getting to that point and if we give him a little more space and have a little more patience we'll all be rewarded with the ultimate answer shortly."
McCaw looks a certainty to be knighted in the not too distant future after helping New Zealand become the first nation to win the Rugby World Cup three times ahead of southern hemisphere rivals Australia and South Africa, with the 34-17 victory over the Wallabies in the Twickenham final set to be McCaw’s farewell moment.
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