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Wed 11 Dec 2013 | 12:24
WIN a signed copy of All Black captain Richie McCaw's autobiography

37
Comments

This year we launched the All Blacks Channel, featuring and archiving latest updates and news from the World Champions, in association with AIG. To acknowledge their great year, we have two copies of The Real McCaw: The Autobiography to give away.

It's been a huge year for Richie McCaw and the All Blacks, after having won each of their 14 matches in 2013. McCaw was at the forefront, and despite a working with a body that has suffered just about every injury possible, the great man showed exactly why he is held in such high regard.

In his brutally honest autobiography McCaw discusses the family life that defined his character, learning to play the game on the farm and being inspired to fly gliders his his war-hero grandfather.

The 124 capped All Black has set the standard for all professional players. A natural leader of men both on and off the pitch, his autobiography gives great insight into what it's like on the front line. 

"Better on one leg during the Rugby World Cup than most players on two" - Pack Ackford 

The Real McCaw: The Autobiography by Richie McCaw is available now

WIN A SIGNED COPY OF THE REAL MCCAW
We have a few ways you can enter:

1 - Follow @Rugbydump and tweet: "I've just entered to win Richie McCaw's autobiography! @rugbydump"

2 - LIKE our Facebook post

3 - Leave a comment below discussing what makes McCaw one of the best

Entries close Thursday 26 December 2013. Only one entry per person per method. Good luck!

Posted By: Grant Constable

37 Comments

  • justburg
    4:54 AM 20/12/2013

    Richie-

    While there may be a few people who will fight the claim of greatest open side to play the game. I think it's safe to say that as of now Richie has earned the title.
    The man is The Description of what it takes to be a great rugby player. Leave everything on the field. Richie is a fantastic icon for what a rugby player should be off the field. Provides good will to man, volunteers to fantastic causes, and helped out during all of the earthquakes in NZ.
    For a man to out play everyone with a broken foot makes him an icon of the nation and is unbelievable. In all honestly, how many men on this planet can you think of who can deal with that pain for love of country, passion for the game, and love of the team? Everyone knows that if it were you, you would have thrown in the towel and that wouldn't have been a bad option. The fact that the Stadium of a Nation was there brought out the best in a man who had nothing he needed to prove, except that without a World Cup he wouldn't be happy. Sam Cane, you are fantastic!! But eat the shoes you are trying to fill are large and too large for you or anyone to fill for a long time to come

  • joeythelemur
    9:19 PM 16/12/2013

    Geez "Say", not "Saw"

  • joeythelemur
    9:15 PM 16/12/2013

    Saw what you like about playing on the edge of the law, but Richie is one of the greatest ever. Every side would love to have him and it's amazing how well he has withstood the demands of such a punishing position.

    The three qualities I think of in RM:

    1. Leadership - The ABs, Crusaders, and Canterbury give their all for this guy, and he earns that respect by his effort.
    2. Humility/Respect - I'm glad this was mentioned by others. He has a genuine respect for his mates and his opponents, as well as the players that have come before him. Jean DeVilliers is another guy in this vein.
    3. Drive - Always looking to get better, find an edge over his opponent, never giving up, and yes, getting away with as much as he can to help his team win. It's rare to see this level of commitment and he has channelled it brilliantly through his career.

  • joeythelemur
    8:54 PM 16/12/2013

    So in the process of trying to ping McCaw, you've jumped right ahead and insulted an entire country. Well done! I'm sure all those nice Kiwis are happy for you to point out their "facade."

  • joeythelemur
    8:49 PM 16/12/2013

    Hey Canuck, are you going to contribute to the conversation or just go on being a tosser?

  • echiappero
    12:11 AM 16/12/2013

    The lider of the best team in the world and one of the most successful in history. That speaks it better than anything else.

  • drg
    12:34 PM 15/12/2013

    Actually as someone said above, his humility is top class. I have seen some of the other players having a joke about it and in some ways seeming a bit big headed, but regardless of who the opposition is, McCaw always seems to have the utmost respect (in front of the camera at least). They could thrash a team like Italy and he'd still have something positive to say about them.

  • mcbuts
    7:55 PM 14/12/2013

    because stone cold said so

  • drg
    6:47 PM 14/12/2013

    His ability (and the AB's ability) to use the blackness of the jersey to blind the referees as to what goes on in a game allowing the AB's to get away with murder at the breakdown...

    Jokes - or truths - aside, McCaw plays to his strengths and his ability to adapt during a game and play to the referee is an amazing skill. All teams "try things" with the referee to see what they can get away with and McCaw is one that knows how to tiptoe that penalty line after he has found out where it is. Many times I have seen other flankers "try things", get penalised and then continue to do them and flap about being penalised again.

    McCaws general work rate and hunger is also brilliant. A star player and deservedly in almost everyones World XV.

  • 2:53 PM 14/12/2013

    Unbelievable at the break down...

  • whiteafrican
    4:59 PM 13/12/2013

    The problem is this: If you look hard enough a replay of a ruck situation at test level, you could probably find a reason to award a penalty to one side or the other on most occasions. But the Refs don't do that because it would ruin rugby as a spectacle. Nobody wants a stop-start game. Referees are under a tension between applying all of the rules and having a stop-start game. The same issue arises in lots of other sports (e.g. in football, look at all the shirt-tugging that goes on before a corner is taken - on the strict letter of the law, a ref could give about 10 penalties per match, but they don't because it would ruin the game).

    So, in rugby, the art of being a great loose forward is understanding the tension that the ref is under, knowing exactly what will get you penalised, and being in the right places, with the right body position at the right time. That is what McCaw is so good at. He reads the game and he adapts his style of play to fit the situation. Is he sometimes on the ragged edge of what's acceptable? Of course - if he wasn't he wouldn't be doing his job.

  • fabruno
    11:47 AM 13/12/2013

    What makes richie mccaw the best? simple said but few can do.... COMMITMENT....

  • imontalvo
    3:21 AM 13/12/2013

    Richie McCaw is simply the best because he understands that rugby is a collective game, and that one's personal interest come on a far distant place from the team's own.
    He leads by example and never takes a step back, never ask somebody what he's not willing to do himself. He's proud and acknowledges the Allblack legacy like no other.

  • 12:02 AM 13/12/2013

    BOD should have had it in 2009. Don't know why he got it then.

  • 12:01 AM 13/12/2013

    Yeah but he deserved plenty that he didn't get called for. Kinda like admiring a corrupt politician for all of the money he got away with swindling.

  • jmg
    10:21 PM 12/12/2013

    One accolade that is underused when describing him is humility. One could get a big head when told all the time how good you are, but I have never seen or heard any evidence of him blowing his own horn, he will always compliment the team effort and never draw it back upon himself. When one remains humble, one will inherit good things. He has indeed done that.

  • roadpig
    7:34 AM 12/12/2013

    If I might interpret your post for the benefit of the rugby-loving public: "I don't know the rules, I don't know anything about rugby, and I don't like Richie McCaw because his team keeps beating my team. Its not fair, and he must be a cheat."

  • stripe
    1:36 AM 12/12/2013

    Doesn't give up.

  • docrugby
    9:52 PM 11/12/2013

    I obviously should have added an apostrophe after 'not'.Haha...a freudian slip..definitely not!

  • docrugby
    9:50 PM 11/12/2013

    Because whether you like him or not every team would want him in their side.A consumate professional,an inspiring leader and a superb exponent of the art of being an open side flanker.The very best.

  • geert
    7:30 PM 11/12/2013

    No metter what you hear about him. To old, injury bla, bla bla, bla....
    When he plays it's alway's with 100% comittement to the sport!
    Sir Richie, "See it, to believe it"

  • chiefyb117
    6:54 PM 11/12/2013

    He's the best flanker in the world, playing for the best (ranked) team in the world. He's absolutely everywhere on the pitch and is always at the top of his game

  • pipo
    6:07 PM 11/12/2013

    124 test matches. Captain of a RWC winning team. Captain of a team unbeaten in a whole year (first team to do so in the professional era). An All Black. What else is there to discuss? He is obviously among the best!

  • kocherb
    5:59 PM 11/12/2013

    He has such great vision of the game. He's Jedi-like, in that he can see things before they happen. Great vision. Just like Gretzky had :)

  • tdrsea
    4:22 PM 11/12/2013

    His ability to play on the wrong side of the law without being called up on it!

  • elcardana
    4:20 PM 11/12/2013

    Amazing talent!!!!

  • nmbowser
    4:15 PM 11/12/2013

    A fantastic flanker and a GREAT leader. Someone that everyone, regardless of position played can learn from

  • lifinnyc7
    2:50 PM 11/12/2013

    Richie is Thor.

  • alayafrench
    2:32 PM 11/12/2013

    Richie is a class act and the epitome of good sportsmanship. He is an amazing flanker and is full of heart. Plus he is gorgeous to boot!

  • ilegion27
    2:13 PM 11/12/2013

    He looks for work, as simple as that. The Loose forwards have to be all over the field, actively engaging in the defense or offense.

  • crmno8
    2:07 PM 11/12/2013

    He knows the rules as well as if not better than most referees, and he does the basics well.

  • eddie-g
    1:59 PM 11/12/2013

    So, from a Bok fan, and an open-side flank back when I played, three reasons why this guy stands apart:

    1. 3 times IRB player of the year, nominated a further 5 times since 2002.
    2. In any game against the ABs, the first question you ask is who is up against McCaw. Is there someone who can compete with him? Because if not, there's only going to be one result.
    3. Never complains about the treatment he gets from officials or opponents. He gets plenty, good and bad, but you'd never know it.

    For longevity at the top of the game, there's never been anyone better. And for most of his career, he's been right at the very top. Remarkable bloke.

  • ahmedjuan
    1:23 PM 11/12/2013

    always first to arrivals..as going gets tough he keep it through thick and thin..to rise on all occasion makes him a warrior on his own right..and with his very body on the line

  • chris_batera
    1:20 PM 11/12/2013

    McCaw is a kiwi monster of rugby!

  • mel_b
    12:54 PM 11/12/2013

    His ability to continually change the way he plays, adapt to referees and to changing game plans to remain the best player in his position in the world!

  • aj_2405
    12:45 PM 11/12/2013

    A very smart player, who always leads by example with his heart, brain and body.

  • bluebulls08
    12:37 PM 11/12/2013

    The best flanker; period. Known, but never seen (by referees).

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