Sabbatical has its

It has been a rare week off playing for the All Blacks captain. Toby Robson took advantage and sat down with Richie Mccaw for a rare oneon-one interview. I’ll certainly be fresher come next week.

QWhat do you make of the perception that the All Blacks team is getting a bit on the old side?

AWe have a thing in New Zealand that just because you hit a certain age we look at all the things you do wrong rather than the things you do right.

Yeah, some people fall off and physically, injuries come into it, but a lot of it comes down to that mental side and whether you have that burning desire to still do it. As soon as that goes then the form, everything will follow.

But if we have a culture of guys who say ‘‘why can’t you be [older]’’ then guys will be excited by it and if the workloads are managed somehow then, hey there’s no reason why not.

QAre you worried about not being able to reach the same playing level you are at now after you come back from your sabbatical next year?

AIt’s a risk, no doubt. I think the benefits will outweigh the risks. The other side of it is if I’d gone into next year and worn myself down and that mental desire to be there starts to waiver then you are useless anyway.

But look, yeah, I’m at that part of my career where you know there are no guarantees anyway. You control what you can. I have an opportunity to come back physically in pretty good shape and mentally raring to go.

If that doesn’t happen then it was never going to happen. I have that chance to do that.

QSomeone else will have to take your place in the Crusaders and All Blacks. Are you concerned they may be hard to catch?

AIf someone flies past you, well that’s just life isn’t it. As long as you do everything you can to be your best. I believe guys get worried about who is coming behind, but if someone is good enough to pass you then so be it. As long as you do what you can. Selection and all that, well, it’s out of my control anyway, that’s how I look at it. What are you going to do with your break? I’m looking to have the summer at home, December, January and then put aside three months to shoot overseas, probably the (United) States somewhere.

QWhat does a week off do for a professional player in the modern age with the amount of rugby you guys play? Does it make a big difference, to have 80 minutes where your body isn’t put through the wringer?

AIt will pay off next week definitely and probably the week later to be honest instead of trying to play four in a row.

Look, we’re at a time in the year where I could probably play four in a row, it’d probably be OK because you know you have a break at the end. But I’ll certainly be fresher come next week.

If you play Saturday, then Monday-Tuesday are still recovery mode whereas a few of us will be well and truly ready to go [against Wales].

So from a physical point of view that’s good and from a mental point of view when you are training and helping the team you get a bit of rest more than if you were preparing to play.

The reason for a few of us not playing this week isn’t so much about giving us a rest, it’s more to ensure the team has a crack and that’s bloody important for this team going forward that guys have all had a chance.

If we get a good performance against Italy then it’s a pretty good position to be in with 30 guys who have all performed.

QFinally, Richie, two of New Zealand’s Super Rugby franchises have sold half their licences. What do you make of the move towards privatisation? Do you have any concerns about private ownership?

AThe key is who is running the cutter. The coaches are going to want the best out of their players. The clubs over here (in Europe) worry just about what’s happening (to them) and I guess that’s what you get with private ownership.

But the coaches [in New Zealand] understand they can’t afford to hammer guys if they want them right at the business end of the season. With test matches in