McCaw wants All Blacks to be better

http://www.allblacks.com/news/19595/McCaw-wants-All-Blacks-to-be-better James Mortimer - (9/06/2012)  


Despite leading the All Blacks to their second World Cup success last year, captain Richie McCaw has demanded his team rise to higher levels against Ireland.


McCaw, who will run out for his 104th test appearance tonight, was a satisfied captain as he glanced out at Eden Park during the team's final training run.

Constant references to the All Blacks World Championship status has never failed to bring the slightest of smiles to the face of McCaw, but he said he wanted their global triumph to boost them to new heights in what was a new test season.

"From the experiences we have been through last year, you just have to use them to your advantage," McCaw said.
 
"If we're not trying to be better then we may as well do something else and that is the attitude I am seeing.

"Most of the guys have been around for a while but we have to take another step up.

"And I think that's the attitude I've seen, those guys are loving being back here and want to be better at it. This game is the best place to start that." 

While not subjected to a Tuesday night test match like the Wallabies, McCaw said a quick assembly for the All Blacks had meant that somethings may be missed with a new coaching regime and debutant international players.

However McCaw accepted this as part of the job, and while he felt there was a chance his team would make early season mistakes, he said how they then responded to them was where they would be judged.

"It's never going to be perfect and we have to accept that there will be some mistakes," he said. 

"But it's how you react to those sorts of things that is the key. 

"I think we have had a pretty good training week. A lot of the guys have been in this environment, know how we do things, so it hasn't taken too long.  Perhaps if you had a bit more time there would be a few more things you'd do. But at the end of the day, the excitement of test footy and getting into it, that's what it's all about."

"So it's been the usual hectic week but I think we are in a good space."