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Richie McCaw with the Webb Ellis Trophy during the 2019 Rugby World Cup final between England and South Africa. Photo / Photosport
Richie McCaw, who was named World Rugby’s Player of the Decade this week, says his former teammate Dan Carter could have easily taken the award.
McCaw received the prestigious award over fellow All Black Carter nominees Kieran Read, Brodie Retallick and Beauden Barrett, as well as Frenchman Thierry Dusautoir, top five Irishmen Johnny Sexton, and Springbok Pieter-Steph du Toit.
The former All Blacks captain said it was a privilege to win the award from such a strong group of players.
“I feel very privileged to receive something like this, especially when you’ve been out of the game for a few years,” ZB told Newstalk. “When you look at the caliber of the players during that period, it’s very humbling.”
McCaw also paid tribute to Carter and the other All Black finalists in the category, who, according to him, were all “worthy winners” of the award.
“My old partner Dan Carter, there is no question that he must have been quite close. I was lucky in my time playing for the All Blacks having a guy like number 10 running things … so lucky to have him on my side. team that helped to be very successful.
“I think you could have argued for all those guys from the All Blacks – Beauden [Barrett] and Kieran Read and Brodie Retallick. I played alongside all those guys and they are all worthy winners of those awards every one of those years.
“It’s quite difficult to choose who was better or what. It’s all a bit subjective, isn’t it? But I think whenever you get an award like this, you realize that you can’t get it without having a good group of people around you.”
McCaw led the All Blacks to two World Cup wins in the decade and was named Player of the Year in 2010. He retired at the end of the 2015 World Cup.
He played 68 of his 148 test matches for the All Blacks between 2010 and 2019, captaining all but one, against Namibia at the 2015 Rugby World Cup, with a record of 61 wins, two draws and five losses.
McCaw was also part of the Team of the Decade alongside All Blacks Ben Smith, Ma’a Nonu, Carter, Retallick, Sam Whitelock and Owen Franks.
