Farewell to Richie McCaw and Dan Carter: Sport’s greatest double act

New Zealanders have been fretting just a little about this emotional Carter and McCaw farewell storyline. Is this World Cup one tour too many for the pair of them? Ian Chadband finds out

One of sport’s greatest double acts is about to enter its last compelling tour. In New Zealand’s perfect world, under some beautiful long white Twickenham cloud, Richard Hugh McCaw, rugby’s ultimate warrior leader, and Daniel William Carter, its perfect 10, would take one final All Blacks bow together as world champions.

It is every New Zealander’s wish. A nation fancies that it would only be fitting if their two colossi, who have not just been the inspiration behind a phenomenal era of success for the All Blacks but have also proved themselves to be models of humility as well as supreme excellence for 12 years, could bow out with one last crowning dual accolade. Yes, McCaw, the most-capped player and most prolific winner in Test history, and Carter, its biggest points scorer, may have won the World Cup on home soil four years ago but Carter did a noble job of adopting a brave face as he had to endure watching the final injured from the sidelines. Somehow, that did not feel right.