Win is more important than personal milestone for All Blacks skipper McCaw
As flanker becomes the most-capped player in international rugby, he says beating Wallabies and retaining Bledisloe Cup means more
All Blacks captain Richie McCaw has downplayed his own personal milestone ahead of the Bledisloe Cup clash with Australia on Saturday and wants his side just to win the game.
The 34-year-old openside flanker will become the most capped player in international rugby at Eden Park when he makes his 142nd appearance, moving past Ireland captain Brian O’Driscoll.
I want to enjoy playing here and when you have a loss like last week it makes you want to play even more
McCaw joined O’Driscoll on 141 caps last week in a match the All Blacks lost 27-19 to the Wallabies in Sydney, giving Stephen Moore’s side the opportunity to lift the symbol of trans-Tasman supremacy for the first time since they lost it in 2003.
“One thing I haven’t allowed is to get caught up in that because I really wanted to train as well as I could to play well on Saturday,” McCaw told reporters at Eden Park on Friday when asked about becoming the most capped player in test rugby.
“When you have that focus you don’t get caught up in those what-might-be’s. I want to enjoy playing here and when you have a loss like last week it makes you want to play even more.
“The key is to let it fuel you, obviously, coming off a poor performance but just that in itself isn’t going to make it work.
