I don't know if there is an objective way of saying who is the best of all time. Some would argue David Campese is the best try scorer of all time playing for a tier 1 nation and scoring scoring 64 tries. In 101 test matches I'd say that it's less impressive than someone like Christian Cullen who scored 46 tries in 58 tests. Same with McCaw - he managed one more try than Colin Charvis in 33 more tests. I think saying "he played for a great team" is a bit of a cop out as he was part of the team being great. No one would say "Sure, Michael Jordan was good - but the Chicago Bulls were a great team, they won heaps". I guess you can only really try and guess at the impact a player has had over their career. I'd certainly put Richie McCaw as the best openside flanker - but there isn't any objective criteria I'd argue defines it. He has accomplished an awful lot, has won pretty much everything a player playing for one team can. I would argue the accomplishments can go on longer:
He's won
4 NPCs
5 Super Rugby ***les
9 Rugby Championships
10 Bledisloe Cups
1 Lions Tour
1 Rugby World Cup
3 IRB Player of the Year (I don't care if you think he didn't deserve it in 2009 - in my opinion he deserved it in 2008 over Shane Williams, when he won everything at every level NPC, Super Rugby, June Series, Tri Nations, Grand Slam)
Then there are his individual records which have already been listed. He certainly has been with a lot of successful teams, but I'd argue teams generally more successful with McCaw. I hope we win the RWC in 2015 and then he calls it a day, as while he has been amazing it would be better for him to call it quits by then. He will probably be the most capped player of all time and go out without fading so dramatically. It's already clear he's not quite the McCaw he was 2003-2008.
As for people criticizing his arrogance. You're wrong. He's not arrogant. He's just stoic beyond the point of being personable. People in New Zealand have to watch him sell Versatile Homes on television - the 2 by 4 planks occasionally in the background looks like it could take his place and you would never know. Being boring isn't a crime.
He's won
4 NPCs
5 Super Rugby ***les
9 Rugby Championships
10 Bledisloe Cups
1 Lions Tour
1 Rugby World Cup
3 IRB Player of the Year (I don't care if you think he didn't deserve it in 2009 - in my opinion he deserved it in 2008 over Shane Williams, when he won everything at every level NPC, Super Rugby, June Series, Tri Nations, Grand Slam)
Then there are his individual records which have already been listed. He certainly has been with a lot of successful teams, but I'd argue teams generally more successful with McCaw. I hope we win the RWC in 2015 and then he calls it a day, as while he has been amazing it would be better for him to call it quits by then. He will probably be the most capped player of all time and go out without fading so dramatically. It's already clear he's not quite the McCaw he was 2003-2008.
As for people criticizing his arrogance. You're wrong. He's not arrogant. He's just stoic beyond the point of being personable. People in New Zealand have to watch him sell Versatile Homes on television - the 2 by 4 planks occasionally in the background looks like it could take his place and you would never know. Being boring isn't a crime.
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