'He couldn't walk for three days': Dan Carter reveals the pain McCaw endured during the 2011 World Cup
Former All Blacks superstar Dan Carter has added yet another layer of legend to the already renowned reputation of Richie McCaw, revealing just how much pain his former captain endured to win a World Cup.
Carter, speaking to French rugby newspaper Midi Olympique about a range of topics, reflected on his time playing with McCaw and the 2011 season in which the All Blacks were attempting to break a 24-year drought when it came to holding the Webb Ellis Cup.
While Carter was famously ruled out of the tournament with a groin injury, he witnessed the extent of McCaw's toughness as he battled his own ill-health to help satisfy the desire of New Zealand rugby fans for a title on home soil.
In January of 2011, McCaw injured his foot during a training session for the Crusaders Super Rugby side. A week later he announced that he would miss the first six weeks of the season and receive invasive surgery that saw a screw inserted into his ailing hoof.
The foot never healed properly and the screw ended up causing more harm than good. By the time that became obvious, McCaw was left with the decision to either play through some serious pain and risk doing long-term damage, or miss the World Cup and a shot at redemption. We all know which choice he made.
However, it set up a situation that left his teammates feeling both awestruck and, by the sounds of it, a little squeamish.
"During this period, he completely forgot about the pain. Except after the games when he couldn't walk for three days. He was seen covered in sores and bruises, limping through the weekend. Then came the game and he would do the same again," Carter said.
"We wondered how he did it, but it inspired us all. He played and won a quarterfinal, a semifinal and a World Cup final with a broken foot. He wasn't training for those three weeks. He just walked the week, and put the pain aside for games."
While it was public knowledge at the time that McCaw had a nagging injury, he himself played down its severity in typically understated style.
"'Nah, I'll be fine,' I keep telling anyone who'll listen, media, team-mates, coaches, myself. 'Just can't train because it'll get a bit sore, but I'm ready to go. I'm good to go.' And I am. I believe it," wrote McCaw in his own book The Open Side about that campaign.
As it turned out, McCaw was fine. He not only led the All Blacks to a World Cup win in 2011, but to another in 2015 and went on to become the most-capped All Black of all time. Now that's how to play through the pain.
This article first appeared on the New Zealand Herald and is republished with permission here.
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Hard to disagree with the 5 points - with the exception that Wilson should be a squad member but, depending on the other loose forward selections, is not yet a shoo-in. McReight is. Aussie is looking a lot better this year and JS has some selection options. Also, Havili’s tendency to get caught, charged down is also a liability at times but he seemed focused (mostly) and is definitely a consideration for utility back-up. Still feel Reihana is a better prospect at 1st five for Saders.
Go to commentsThink it was a great defensive performance by Northampton. They didn't have stage fright in the first half, the Nienaber defense smothered them. They limited Leinster to 15-3 in the first half. It could have been over by then. A great try from Leinster in the start of the second half looked to have sealed it. But Byrne missed another conversion. Northampton started trying little kicks behind the Leinster wingers. Leinster messed one and Smith brilliantly made the conversion. Leinster decided to tighten the game after Byrne missed a straight forward penalty. A few errors got NH into the 22 and they scored and converted with a few minutes left. Another brilliant steal from Lawes saw NH have a final attack which was turned over by Conan. A classic semi final. World record attendance of 82,300. Leinsters 3 week preparation warranted for this one.
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