McCaw retires

errlloyd

Just announced a press conference that his last game was the world cup final. He's gonna become an airline pilot. The second greatest back rower ever following the career path of the greatest backrow ever (Victor constello).

Stheno

Seems like this World Cup will cause a raft of retirements.

Surprised he is leaving the game to become a pilot, must be an unfulfilled dream

ThisRegard

I thought he cancelled his press conference in light of the death of Lomu?

CatFromHue

He's big into his gliding and where he's from is a great spot to do it. I suppose the next step is powered flight.

errlloyd

Apparently it was actually commercial helicopters so maybe I'm wrong.

Cookie_Monster

errlloyd wrote: »

Apparently it was actually commercial helicopters so maybe I'm wrong.

that sounds right. He's well know for heli's down here.

if you could, why not. Queenstown etc makes it easy with the huge number of touristy heli options.

should have stayed for the 150 though I reckon.

Clegg

Best of all time?

Poor Sam Cane.

LuckyGent88

Absolute legend. To be able to perform at the level he has, in his position and the way he has no regards for his health is simply astonishing.

The one time I met him while living in Christchurch he was an absolute gent and allowed me to take a photo even though he was out for a run.

He has a massive interest in flying so no surprise that's the path he will now go down.
There was that one dream I had that he would join Munster to see out his career.

Enjoy retirement Kurow Kid.

Journeyman_1

It seems a shame for someone that is playing so well to just retire, but I can only wish him all the best. He is a legend and better to go out a little early than to have form drop off a cliff or risk injury. It's not like there is anything else he can win/prove. Super Rugby, every international shield possible, tri-nations/RC, Bledisloe, World Cup. Seems like a genuinely nice guy too.

Good luck Ritchie, Air stewards, be on the lookout for offside aircraft!

ted1

Odd day to announce it. You really got to wonder about BODs 18 month farewell tour when you see other greats bow out with such little fanfare

CatFromHue

ted1 wrote: »

Odd day to announce it. You really got to wonder about BODs 18 month farewell tour when you see other greats bow out with such little fanfare

I think what happened to BOD has influenced other players in how they deal with their retirement.

thebaz

Clegg wrote: »

Best of all time?

Poor Sam Cane.

in any other week , I would have said so - incredible what McCaw achieved , probably no one else will ever achieve such , 2 WC's , 148 caps - legend for once is apt.

But, sadly this week is all about remembering Lomu , so for me Lomu is/was the Greatest - if such things exist in rugby.

nehe milner skudder

what a week ........

a pro on and off the pitch. Never seen him falling out of a nightclub with a slapper on his arm. No scandal. No contract disputes. Didn't entertain chasing foreign coin.

A brave player.not the biggest by any stretch but pound for pound the toughest.
Perpetual motion on the pitch.
Thoroughly enjoyed watching him play.


The Best Ever

For one last time.........

"Black 7 roll away "

swiwi_

No need to "Black 7 roll away" there NMS

ABs winning percentage with McCaw: 131/148 (15 losses, 2 draws) = 89%
ABs winning percentage without McCaw 19/27 (7 losses, 1 draw) = 70%

Lansdowne holds a place in Richie's heart: "It was a hell of a stadium to play at, a real rugby stadium, a big crowd - something I'll always remember, very special"

Best of luck to him for the future. He might be the pilot when some of yis fly to NZ for the Lions tour...

mfceiling

Apparently at the press conference the journalists had to ask him to move as he was on the wrong side of the table!!

Tox56

Phenomenal player in fairness

Jawgap

errlloyd wrote: »

Apparently it was actually commercial helicopters so maybe I'm wrong.

Yes, helicopters - he'll no problems flying in sideways for a landing!

Joking aside, I wonder which aspect of commercial helicopter flight he'll be taking on - it'd be pretty cool to climb aboard and find him as your pilot! I'd imagine he's aiming for name recognition and some kind of VIP-type operation.

errlloyd

Jawgap wrote: »

Yes, helicopters - he'll no problems flying in sideways for a landing!

Joking aside, I wonder which aspect of commercial helicopter flight he'll be taking on - it'd be pretty cool to climb aboard and find him as your pilot! I'd imagine he's aiming for name recognition and some kind of VIP-type operation.

The VIP is meant to be in the back of the chopper though! Sounds like he's doing what we're all told to do, find something you love and make it your job. He likes flying choppers. I have to say I am jealous of him, and I am not jealous of many rugby players post rugby careers.

padser

Great player,

I'll never understand how or why he used to get away with so much but that's what makes him one of the greats I guess....

death1234567

padser wrote: »

Great player,

I'll never understand how or why he used to get away with so much but that's what makes him one of the greats I guess....

He got away with it because he is Richie McCaw. Any other player would have been sin binned routinely but if you're Richie McCaw and you're New Zealand captain then the rules of the game don't apply.

sydthebeat

death1234567 wrote: »

He got away with it because he is Richie McCaw. Any other player would have been sin binned routinely but if you're Richie McCaw and you're New Zealand captain then the rules of the game don't apply.

complete rubbish of course

he "got away" with it because he was fully versed in the laws and knew how to manipulate them to his advantage.

The amount of times ive seen him tackle and jackle for the ball from the opposition side, only for the pub crowd to shout "hes off side ref"....:rolleyes:

3 yellow cards in 148 test games is a testament to him knowing exactly how far to stretch the elastic of the refs patience.

phenomenal player

Quint2010

McCaw retires (to finally beyond the onside line)...

Jawgap

sydthebeat wrote: »

complete rubbish of course

he "got away" with it because he was fully versed in the laws and knew how to manipulate them to his advantage.

The amount of times ive seen him tackle and jackle for the ball from the opposition side, only for the pub crowd to shout "hes off side ref"....:rolleyes:

3 yellow cards in 148 test games is a testament to him knowing exactly how far to stretch the elastic of the refs patience.

phenomenal player

....and he 'played' the refs - in the sense he was clever enough to understand just how far he could go with different refs and then he went right to the limit.

Cheating? Absolutely not

Annoying? Sometimes

Clever? Absolutely

Larbre34

A talisman's talisman, the bug bear of any opposition, a physical phenom, hugely entertaining to watch as a neutral. No doubt the greatest of his particular niche, of his generation.

But neither the greatest player or even the greatest All Black of all time, and he would be the first to say it I suspect.

Happy retirement Richie.

swiwi_

Larbre34 wrote: »

A talisman's talisman, the bug bear of any opposition, a physical phenom, hugely entertaining to watch as a neutral. No doubt the greatest of his particular niche, of his generation.

But neither the greatest player or even the greatest All Black of all time, and he would be the first to say it I suspect.

Happy retirement Richie.

Depends how you define greatest. If it's the narrow definition of pure talent, then no he is not the greatest All Black of all time, but if you take the ensemble together, especially things like leading NZ on a broken foot in 2011, he is right up there. I can't comment on the likes of Meads etc, but for those older people who can, McCaw has become for them the greatest ahead of Meads.

TBH, I think you'll see how great he was when NZ start losing test matches in 2016!

shootermacg

Great player, humble, straight talking guy, no BS. NZ's greatest captain. Enjoy the retirement mate you've earned it.

corny

Great example on and off the pitch. Brilliant player too, not just at the breakdown.

For the record there was nothing especially crafty or magical about his cheating. He was often blatant and reckless. I think it was his insistence in giving the ref a decision at every ruck kind of made them immune to him. Something like that anyway.

Outstanding player and captain, probably the best I've ever seen anyway. I'd say a few of his opposition aren't too upset.

Over the last 18 months or so now starting with BOD there's been so many retirements of guys I've been watching for as long as I can remember really.

Larbre34

swiwi_ wrote: »

TBH, I think you'll see how great he was when NZ start losing test matches in 2016!

New Zealand might ship a few more points as so many of their lynch pins are moving on, but it'll hardly be a collapse. The same or worse turnover is happening in most of the world's leading sides.

swiwi_

Larbre34 wrote: »

New Zealand might ship a few more points as so many of their lynch pins are moving on, but it'll hardly be a collapse. The same or worse turnover is happening in most of the world's leading sides.

Yeah, I agree. Also I worry a bit about international rugby being devalued, Aussie losing too many players overseas.

But in those close games, the lack of experience of the likes of McCaw could prove the difference.

Larbre34

swiwi_ wrote: »

Yeah, I agree. Also I worry a bit about international rugby being devalued, Aussie losing too many players overseas.

But in those close games, the lack of experience of the likes of McCaw could prove the difference.

We're playing them twice next year, one can only hope!

swiwi_

swiwi_ wrote: »

Yeah, I agree. Also I worry a bit about international rugby being devalued, Aussie losing too many players overseas.

But in those close games, the lack of experience of the likes of McCaw could prove the difference.

He's such an intelligent player. Never panics, always knows how to make it back to win a game. In terms of raw talent he can probably be replaced but the top two inches, I don't think so.