McCaw legacy to continue for four more years

[Darwin]

All Blacks captain Richie McCaw will stay loyal to New Zealand Rugby for four more years. One of the greatest players in New Zealand history, 30-year-old McCaw announced today he has re-signed with the New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) until 2015 and said he was confident he can see out the duration of his four year contract with the New Zealand Rugby Union.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/all-blacks/5051034/McCaw-legacy-to-continue-for-four-more-years


No surprise to see McCaw re-sign with the NZRFU, but I was slightly surprised to see him sign for 4 years, given his age and the physical nature of loose-forward play. I'd imagine he may only have another season or so in the 7 Jersey before switching to 6/8, as he slows with age.

 

[TRF C A Iversen]

Brad Thorn is 36 and still pretty quick in the forwards for his position. I'd imagine that Richie at 30 may go most of the way in the number 7 jersey.

Also, if he stays injury free for a fair while longer I can see him extending his most tries from an All Black forward not just into the 20's, but may even push for 30 with an ounce of luck. Maybe he wants his legacy to exceed Colin Meads, because he's shaping up to be the first All Black forward to have that sort of success, longevity, profile etc since him.

 

[nickdnz]

Brad Thorn is 36 and still pretty quick in the forwards for his position. I'd imagine that Richie at 30 may go most of the way in the number 7 jersey.

Also, if he stays injury free for a fair while longer I can see him extending his most tries from an All Black forward not just into the 20's, but may even push for 30 with an ounce of luck. Maybe he wants his legacy to exceed Colin Meads, because he's shaping up to be the first All Black forward to have that sort of success, longevity, profile etc since him.

Wouldn't be suprised. I think McCaw was fairly open about wanting to stay on. Glad to see McCaw, Carter, Mealamu, Smith, Read etc stay on, however I'm getting bloody fed up with the SBW obsession. Todd Blackadder said that Sonny Bill Williams is as important to the All Blacks as McCaw and Carter. ********. Without SBW, the All Blacks went on their second largest winning streak of all time, and he's not even a certain incumbant. The amount of money and regard people seem to place on resigning SBW (probably on only another year or two year deal) is pathetic, especially with a suggested sebatical period to play rugby league. How has he earned this?! Don't mean to turn this into an anti-SBW thread, just don't understand why people seem to think this, besides his name constantly in the media.

Back to McCaw-Good to see him resign. He'll be pretty damn old by the time the 2015 RWC rolls around, especially considering someone like Thorn is an exception to the rule. He'll certainly leave with an amazing legacy. In four years time, he may even have as many test caps as George Gregan (he'd need to play almost 10 tests per year though) and if he plays in 39 more games, he'll have played more games than Colin Meads. He'll almost certainly be New Zealand's most capped player and New Zealand's most games as captain.