Richie McCaw

Infobox Rugby biography
name = Richie McCaw


birthname = Richard Hugh McCaw
nickname = Richie [ [http://stats.allblacks.com/Profile.asp?ABID=1006 New Zealand All Blacks Player Profiles, Match Details and Statistics ] ]
birthyear = 1980
birthmonth = 12
birthday = 31
placeofbirth = Kurow, Otago, New Zealand
age = 27
height = height|m=1.87
weight = convert|106|kg|stlb|abbr=on
ru_position =Openside flanker
allblackno = 1014
allblackid = 1006
ru_currentclub = Christchurch
ru_nationalyears = 2001-present
ru_nationalteam = New Zealand
ru_nationalcaps = 63
ru_nationalpoints = (65)
ru_ntupdate = 7 August, 2006
super14 = Crusaders
super14caps = 61
super14points = (85)
super14years = 2001-present
super14update = 7 August, 2006
ru_province = Canterbury
ru_provinceyears = 1999-present
ru_provincecaps = 29
ru_provincepoints = (45)
ru_provinceupdate = 7 August, 2006
other = yes
occupation = Professional rugby union footballer
university = Lincoln University
school = Otago Boys' High School

Richard Hugh "Richie" McCaw (born 31 December 1980 in Kurow, Oamaru) is a New Zealand rugby union player. He plays in the openside flanker position and is the current captain of New Zealand. McCaw also represents Canterbury in the Air New Zealand Cup (formerly the National Provincial Championship, or NPC) and the Crusaders in the Super 14.

Early life

Born and raised in Otago, McCaw started playing rugby as a seven year old and having moved 150km south to Dunedin in 1994 to become a boarder at Otago Boys High School, he was selected for the 1st XV. He made an impression as he was selected for both Under 19 and Under 21 National sides.

McCaw first made his name in 1998 in the secondary school rugby final against Rotorua Boys High School. He scored the only points for his team in a 5-5 draw. His playing talent earned him a scholarship to the rugby programme at Lincoln University in Christchurch where he studied agriculture. This allowed him to be selected for both the Canterbury NPC side, and then the Crusaders Super 12 team. At the age of 20, he was selected for the All Blacks , making his debut against the Irish where he proved himself with a man of the match performance.

Career

McCaw was sidelined for the middle part of 2004 with a head injury, but came back mid-way through the Air New Zealand NPC to captain the Canterbury side to a stunning final victory over Wellington. He earned the Air New Zealand NPC Division One Player of the Year for his effort.

A tireless worker who reads the game well, McCaw was voted as Newcomer of the Year by the International Rugby Players Association in 2002.

He was brought up in North Otago and educated at Otago Boys High, where he played his rugby at No 8.

He had an outstanding 2003 Rugby World Cup and won the New Zealand player of the year award at the 2003 and 2006 Steinlager Rugby Awards.

He was awarded the IRB Player of the Year award in 2006 after being a finalist in both the International Rugby Players Association and IRB awards in 2003 and again for the IRB in 2005.

Now into his seventh season of Super 14, McCaw led Canterbury to the NPC title in 2004 and then took the Crusaders to back-to-back Super 14 titles in 2005 and 2006 before assuming command of the national team. In 2008, the Crusaders were once again victorious under McCaw's command.

Achievements

*2001 Under 21 player of the year

*2002 NPC Division One Player of the Year

*2003 Kelvin Tremain Memorial Trophy for Player of the Year

*2004 NPC Division One Player of the Year

*2006 Kelvin Tremain Memorial Trophy for Player of the Year and Captain of New Zealand National Rugby Union Team

*2006 IRB Player of the Year

*2007 EA Sports "Rugby 08" Cover

Notes

External links

*All Blacks|id=1006|name=Richie McCaw
*cite news| url=http://www.allblacks.com/index.cfm?layout=displayNews&newsArticle=8116 |title=McCaw extends NZRU contract until the end of 2011 |publisher=allblacks.com |accessdate=2008-06-09 |date=2008-06-08
* [http://crfu.co.nz/crfu/index.cfm/12,502,78,32,html Profile at Canterbury RFU official site]
* [http://www.itsrugby.co.uk/player_1730.html Statistics itsrugby.co.uk]
* [http://www.allblacks.com/index.cfm?layout=playerProfile&playerID=1121 All Blacks profile]

Persondata
NAME=Richard Hugh McCaw
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=Richie McCaw
SHORT DESCRIPTION=New Zealand Rugby union footballer.
DATE OF BIRTH=31 December 1980
PLACE OF BIRTH=Oamaru, New Zealand
DATE OF DEATH=
PLACE OF DEATH=