AUCKLAND, New Zealand — “He’s just an ordinary bloke from Kurow but he can do extraordinary things.” That was how New Zealand Coach Steve Hansen described his captain, Richie McCaw, after his record-breaking 142nd test for the All Blacks.
The bloke from the small rural town on the South Island of New Zealand has been doing extraordinary things on the rugby field since 2001, but he was just one of several senior players who produced standout performances Saturday against Australia at Eden Park.
The 41-13 victory, in which the All Blacks retained the Bledisloe Cup for the 13th straight year, was the final match in New Zealand for Daniel Carter, Ma’a Nonu, Conrad Smith, Tony Woodcock, Keven Mealamu and, in all likelihood, McCaw, and the comprehensive five-tries-to-one victory was a fitting home finale for them.