MPs keen to have McCaw in their team

All Black skipper seen as good candidate for rucks and mauls of politics after rugby

If Richie McCaw turns his hand to politics after hanging up his rugby boots, a few political parties will be lining up to take him on board. Several leaders expressed at least some interest in having the All Black captain as a candidate yesterday, although the Act Party said he would need some rigorous vetting first.

That came after Prime Minister John Key made an offhand comment about the record-breaking loose forward moving into politics after his stellar rugby career. Noting a “Richie for prime minister” banner at Eden Park on Saturday, Mr Key said: “I thought, well not a bad option really.

“He has got a massive brand and you think how successful Colin Meads is now and Richie is at the starting point of that,” he told TV3’s Paul Henry show.

“He’s articulate, he’s an intelligent guy, there’s a range of things he could do.

“I don’t know if politics is one of those options. He has a lot of business interests and I’d think he’d pursue one of those.”

Aside from the occasional selfie with Mr Key after All Black tests, McCaw has expressed little interest in politics. But party leaders across the spectrum warmed to the idea of him joining Parliament.

Maori Party co-leader Te Ururoa Flavell said McCaw would “fit in well with our kaupapa”.

“It would be great to have the calibre of leadership that someone such as Richie McCaw would bring.

“In fact, we wouldn’t be surprised if he isn’t already a Maori Party member given our universal appeal to New Zealanders.”

Green Party co-leader James Shaw said McCaw was welcome to join the Greens, with one proviso: “Can he bring Piri Weepu with him?”

Labour leader Andrew Little said McCaw embodied many of the