Mccaw rated the greatest player of all time

Richie Mccaw has been dubbed ‘‘quite possibly the greatest rugby player of all time’’ by former British and Irish Lions coach Sir Ian Mcgeechan, who named him alongside five other All Blacks in his Dream Team.

Mccaw, No 8 Zinzan Brooke and hooker Sean Fitzpatrick were the three All Blacks forwards selected by Mcgeechan, who had already named Jonah Lomu, John Kirwan and Dan Carter in his backline for an Dream Team series published by the Daily Telegraph.

Earlier in the series, Mcgeechan said former Wales and Lions halfback Gareth Edwards was his favourite player of all time, but he pronounced the ‘‘peerless’’ Mccaw ‘‘quite possibly the greatest’’.

‘‘Like all the greats, he changed the parameters of what was possible, of what a seven could do,’’ Mcgeechan wrote.

‘‘Apart from his physical attributes, which were significant, it was his understanding of the game, his knowledge of the laws, which made him such a brilliant player. It ensured that at key moments of the game, when others might hesitate, he could make decisive contributions.

‘‘He knew exactly what he was allowed to do, and crucially so did the referee. His communication with the referee, and with his team, was first-class. Some felt it went too far, that New Zealand got away with murder.

‘‘But that was part of his strength as a captain and a leader – he knew how far to push and when he was penalised he adapted.’’

Mcgeechan, said Mccaw was part of a great All Blacks openside flanker lineage, and part of the reason why New Zealanders put back row forwards ‘‘on a pedestal’’, whereas Europeans tended to venerate first-fives.