Result, not record, focus for McCaw

FOR Richie McCaw it’s not about getting mad, or misty-eyed, or reflective. The only thing on the mind of the All Blacks skipper in what is almost certainly his last test on Eden Park is to get even.

McCaw spoke to the media after the traditional captain’s run yesterday, striding to the sideline of the ground where the All Blacks haven’t lost a test since 1994 (to France) and where they haven’t been beaten by the Wallabies since 1986. It’s also the same place where McCaw so memorably raised aloft the World Cup in 2011 after the most exacting of finals (also against the French).

Tonight it will also be the ground where McCaw will surpass the record of Brian O’Driscoll and become test rugby’s most capped player with his 141st appearance.

But this week the All Blacks go up against a Wallabies outfit that rolled them just seven days earlier in Sydney and who are eyeing not just an end to their Eden Park misery, but the prospect of reclaiming the elusive Bledisloe Cup with either a draw or victory.

The cup hasn’t resided in Australia since they coughed it up to John Mitchell’s All Blacks in 2003, but after outplaying the All Blacks in Sydney last Saturday, Michael Cheika’s men are now 80 minutes from breaking a 13-year tenure.

It’s the prospect of repelling that raid, of restoring the true world order, of putting a few things right from the Sydney slipup and no doubt of silencing a few detractors that has McCaw most motivated ahead of his final test appearance in New Zealand.

The hoopla and the hurrahs, frankly, he could do without.

‘‘I haven’t allowed myself to get caught up in that because I want to train as hard as I can so I can play well on Saturday,’’ he said. ‘‘When you keep that focus you don’t get too caught up in those what might be’s and whatever. I want to enjoy the chance to play here again, and when you have a loss like last week it makes you want to play even more.

‘‘It’s a great place to play, but coming off last weekend it’s just exciting to get a chance to play here. I’d love nothing better than for us to put a good performance out there.’’