Few doubt to any great extent the way in which Richie McCaw's autobiography is set to dominate the charts in New Zealand this year.
After all, if you were any kind of rugby patriot, wouldn't you also want to relive first-hand the experience of finally bringing home the Webb Ellis trophy after an agonising wait of 20 years?
But for those outside the patriotic circle, you might be looking for other things. Perhaps a vicious criticism of Quade Cooper, perhaps a few secrets from the inner circle, perhaps a revelatory sentence or two concerning the much-talked-about gouge by Aurelien Rougerie in the final.
Forget it.
This is not an autobiography that is going to cause much of a stir beyond the boundaries of those deliriously happy Kiwis. Quade Cooper gets a line or two, the gouge is a moment '...in the washing machine of bodies... a hand like a half-closed fist or claw banging across my face, looking for my eyes.'
The circus surrounding the re-appointment of Graham Henry in 2008 gets a good mention, with McCaw making us quite clear why he thought Henry was deserving of another go.
Harking further back to the past, that tackle on Brian O'Driscoll is dealt with as well, with the reprehensible spin doctoring of Alastair Campbell coming under significantly more scrutiny than much of the tour itself.
Even the 2011 final merits only a short chapter, a mesmerising minute-by-minute reminder of just how close France came to ruining the AB dream again.
Again... even now, with Bill safely tucked in among the rest of them in the trophy cabinet, that 2007 defeat to France still rankles. Of some 260 pages, most of the first 60 deals either with the match or its aftermath. The rest of McCaw's career seems to be measured by this peculiar benchmark; every triumph, every disappointment, every attempt at building mental resolve is weighed up against this peculiar yardstick of the one inexplicable defeat.
You find out much of his upbringing, none of which is a surprise. A rugby-mad kid from the sticks who just wanted to get better and better. You are given a glimpse into the world of gliding, McCaw's second great passion. You get to realise just how close he has become with many of the players.
But most of all it is the narrative that grips, the streams of consciousness of injury, disaster, triumph, all the capsules in time of a player who has, since 2003, lived in capsules of 80 minutes a time, most of them spent in 'that split second of time and space at the breakdown, a collision zone where 100-plus-kilogram bodies are hurtling from diverse points of the compass towards a small ovoid focus. Success or failure can be measured in microseconds. Openside flankers live or die in those slivers of time.'
A spill-all this is not. But thanks to one of the finer rugby brains of all time and some excellent wording from co-writer Greg McGee, a riveting rugby read it most definitely is.
By Danny Stephens
Comments
kinsman says...
@passtheball, yamahakiwi, Am with passtheball on McCaw and MJ. MJ was certainly a freak at the time and his speed and athleticism allied to size made him a star at the time. Additionally his phenomenal ability in the lineout before lifting was permitted. I've never seen the stats but reckon there would have been very few who could leap higher from a standing jump. McCaw for me though is a better all-round player who also acts as a talisman to the team. Looking at stats of wins with and without McCaw shows his true value as leader. I thought Mourie was a great thinking captain but for me, the best captain NZ have had is Sean Fitzpatrick. NZ without him were a completely different animal and when he retired, results really fell off the proverbial cliff. As for unlucky players, I played in the 80's against the likes of Gordon Simpson (Scotland), Liam Barry and Duane Monkley. I was an openside flanker so feel reasonably placed to judge and can assure you, there really was no comparison between the first two and Monkley. Was stunned that either of the first two made international level let alone Barry making the AB's and equally stunned that Monkley didn't.
Posted 08:48 16th December 2012
passtheball says...
Stun the Mullet - I was in the stand in 2007 and the overwhelming impression was of a referee out of his depth, lacking in experience. The other was the lack of penalties, for offside in particular in the red zone in the second half, so those stats re penalties are not surprising.
YamahaKiwi - I used to think MJ was the man but for me in recent years McCaw has surpassed him in his all round game. His impact on a game in all areas is amazing. His captaincy has improved too. Agree with you re Cane - so far - but the unluckiest 7 ever is Duane Monkley who was extraordinary and way better that so many who played in the ABs during his decade + of top seasons. Also unlike Brewer, Henderson, Jones and Kronfeld - all forever injured - Monkley was only injured in his final season. Some players are just unbreakable it seems - Zinzan B, Messam are other examples.
Posted 07:49 16th December 2012
phillipk says...
While Richie is certainly on of the top flankers in rugby, he is also the most consistant in terms of play for the last almost decade. Others have surpassed him, sometimes only for a season but usually for a game. David Pocock has shown how good he is on most occasions, as with others - but none have lasted with the same match to match intensity that Richie brings. A number of opensides have had better of him in games - most notably from Australia - none have been so long lived in the game or so consistantly at the top. Like the All Blacks that he leads - there will be better teams, but to beat them you have to show the best you have. While other teams may beat the AB's in a game - at this stage none have the enduring consistancy that both Richie and the AB's bring to the game.
Posted 00:09 16th December 2012
Sasquatch says...
Give us a copy please PR, I can't find it anywhere in this backwater city called Cape Town.
The editor says.... It should be released in South Africa in January. Look out for a competition on our sister website, SARugby.com
Posted 23:06 15th December 2012
Sasquatch says...
@yamahakiwi:
Very interesting read. Would love to hear your AB All time XV, as well as a World All time XV. Completely agree with your views on Michael Jones, I always got the feeling that he was underrated despite being rated highly, if that makes any sense?
Posted 23:04 15th December 2012
yamahakiwi says...
Further to my first post. I definitely don't think he was the best player in the world. He is no longer first to rucks and this year probably saw the least amount of ruck turnovers gained by an AB team for several seasons which is worrying for the future for a team that has one its biggest weapons in counter-attacking from turnover ball.
While he still has a huge workrate, it was noticeable this year the number of tackles he missed, especially against Wales & England, and some of them were pretty bad misses.
He is a great player but sadly I don't think even with a 6 month sabbatical that he'll last till the 2015RWC. I thought this year showed that while the mind still wants to, the body is starting to give up.
Unfortunately, unlike McCaw, Kronfeld and Jones who have impressed me straight off, I can't say the same of Sam Cane. He may yet grow to be a legend but he doesn't seem to have that outstanding glow about him that the other three have had. For the first time in a long time NZ doesn't seem to have an outstanding new 7 coming through when the latest legend is starting to give way. There are some good 7s but no one outstanding. It seems instead that Australia has the better depth in that one position at the moment.
Posted 13:45 15th December 2012
yamahakiwi says...
jmanngod - Sorry I have to disagree. As an AB fan who has seen my fair share of excellent AB open side flankers over the years starting from watching as kid in the 70s, he is a great player and legend.
However, I think there are a few too many posters on here who have rose tinted glasses concerning McCaw. Of course All-time XV selections are subjective, but in my case both Michael Jones and Josh Kronfeld would be listed before McCaw simply because their suport play and lines have always been better than McCaw's. McCaw is probably the best of the three on the floor at the ruck though Kronfeld was very good there as well. For me Michael jones has always been the best no.7 there has ever been in world rugby and McCaw hasn't changed that view. Jones was THE player that moulded modern day open-side flanker play. His athleticsm and anticipation (granted McCaw is very good in that area too) is still second to none IMHO.
While McCaw has been a good captain and lead by example I don't think he is as good as Graham Mourie was. There were several tests during the Graham Henry period where the ABs played pretty averagly in the first half and were losing or close to it but were a different team in the 2nd half. To me that says to get the team changing its play and adapting to the circumstances took a half time talk. Even for all the things that went against the ABs in terms of ref calls and pens not given in 2007, one of the things that has always struck me was why for example when the ABs won two early throws against the French on a French lineout in obvious trouble, did neither Richie or Dan Carter alter the game plan on the field to kick out more and really put the squeeze on the French. This is what AB teams have traditionally been great at - seeing a weakness and seizing on it. But it didn't happen that day. And the blame squarely rested with McCaw (and Carter).
Posted 13:32 15th December 2012
Sincero says...
Should have called it 'the Cheat Sheets'.
Posted 12:43 15th December 2012
StunTheMullet says...
2007 gets a mention mainly due to the gazzilion unawarded penalties against France (at least 11 in kickable positions) and that in RWC 2007 69% of penalties went to the team in possession while the ABs got a big fat zero while having 73% possession and 72% territory in second half.
Get Sir Grahams book as a companion to Sir Ritchies and try Chapter 10.
Posted 08:44 15th December 2012
KiwiLad says...
In a democratic country there is a prime minister, In NZ we also have King Richie.
One of my staff was recently dealing with an Irate motorist, Who screamed
"Dou you know who the F___ I am?"
His responce was " Unless you are Richie McCaw I dont give a F--- who you are
Merry Xmas from the Kingdom of Richie..
Posted 00:51 15th December 2012
jmanngod says...
Now - when an ALL TIME XV is chosen McCaw's would be the first name on the team sheet; with several other ABs. M Jones will have to happy wearing 6
Posted 00:20 15th December 2012
dangerous says...
Looking forward to getting this one under the tree. Go and watch Geordie shore, neighbours or jerry springer if you want a "stir" I would rather be inspired.
Posted 23:38 14th December 2012
Isograford says...
Seems strange timing to me. With probably only a few more years left in his career, why not wait until you're retired and then really dish the dirt.
Still, he's never one to blow on-field incidents out of proportion himself, unlike some others recently and in 2005, so good on him.
Posted 23:28 14th December 2012