McCaw ‘chuffed’ to roll arm over

Richie McCaw will reunite with former All Black and Crusader team-mates Kieran Read and Israel Dagg, but it will be in cricket rather than rugby.

Two-time World Cup winning skipper McCaw, the most capped All Black in history with 148 tests, has been confirmed for the Black Clash Twenty20 match at Christchurch’s Hagley Oval on January 25.

The 37-year-old is the latest addition to Team Rugby, who are being mentored by his former All Blacks coach Sir Graham Henry. He is the sixth player Henry has signed up for the clash against Team Cricket, with Black Ferns and Canterbury halfback Kendra Cocksedge also secured.

Not to be undone, Team Cricket have followed up with former Black Caps and Canterbury allrounders Nathan Astle and Chris Harris.

‘‘I’m always up for a challenge and this certainly is a big one,’’ McCaw said.

‘‘It’s a fantastic event for Christchurch and a chance to catch up with some old mates in the process, so I’m chuffed to be a part of it.’’

While rugby was always No 1 for McCaw in his youth, he had one season for the Otago Boys’ High First XI cricket team in his last year at school in 1998 and was a left-arm seamer and handy batsman.

He took part in T20 charity matches for the Crusaders during his rugby playing days and umpired the 2011 Christchurch Earthquake Fundraiser T20 match at the Basin Reserve in Wellington.

Last October, McCaw, who retired after leading the All Blacks to the 2015 Rugby World Cup, lined up against Otago Boys’ for the Willows Cricket Club in an invitational game at their Loburn ground in North Canterbury. He scored 10 runs and took 2-41 from 10 overs with the ball.