Skipper McCaw’s focus on completing final mission

It is widely expected that Richie McCaw will retire after tomorrow’s World Cup final against Australia, and yet New Zealand’s decorated captain is still refusing to make an announcement.

All Blacks boss Steve Hansen continually hails McCaw as “the game’s greatest-ever captain”, and the 34-year-old can cement that status by retaining the Webb Ellis Cup this weekend.

In refusing to admit the Twickenham showdown will be his 148th and final Test, and last turn in rugby, McCaw took the art of captaincy to the nth degree.