Few doubt to any great extent the way in which Richie McCaw's autobiography is set to dominate the charts in New Zealand this year.
After all, if you were any kind of rugby patriot, wouldn't you also want to relive first-hand the experience of finally bringing home the Webb Ellis trophy after an agonising wait of 20 years?
But for those outside the patriotic circle, you might be looking for other things. Perhaps a vicious criticism of Quade Cooper, perhaps a few secrets from the inner circle, perhaps a revelatory sentence or two concerning the much-talked-about gouge by Aurelien Rougerie in the final.
Forget it.
This is not an autobiography that is going to cause much of a stir beyond the boundaries of those deliriously happy Kiwis. Quade Cooper gets a line or two, the gouge is a moment '...in the washing machine of bodies... a hand like a half-closed fist or claw banging across my face, looking for my eyes.'
The circus surrounding the re-appointment of Graham Henry in 2008 gets a good mention, with McCaw making us quite clear why he thought Henry was deserving of another go.
Harking further back to the past, that tackle on Brian O'Driscoll is dealt with as well, with the reprehensible spin doctoring of Alastair Campbell coming under significantly more scrutiny than much of the tour itself.
Even the 2011 final merits only a short chapter, a mesmerising minute-by-minute reminder of just how close France came to ruining the AB dream again.
Again... even now, with Bill safely tucked in among the rest of them in the trophy cabinet, that 2007 defeat to France still rankles. Of some 260 pages, most of the first 60 deals either with the match or its aftermath. The rest of McCaw's career seems to be measured by this peculiar benchmark; every triumph, every disappointment, every attempt at building mental resolve is weighed up against this peculiar yardstick of the one inexplicable defeat.
You find out much of his upbringing, none of which is a surprise. A rugby-mad kid from the sticks who just wanted to get better and better. You are given a glimpse into the world of gliding, McCaw's second great passion. You get to realise just how close he has become with many of the players.
But most of all it is the narrative that grips, the streams of consciousness of injury, disaster, triumph, all the capsules in time of a player who has, since 2003, lived in capsules of 80 minutes a time, most of them spent in 'that split second of time and space at the breakdown, a collision zone where 100-plus-kilogram bodies are hurtling from diverse points of the compass towards a small ovoid focus. Success or failure can be measured in microseconds. Openside flankers live or die in those slivers of time.'
A spill-all this is not. But thanks to one of the finer rugby brains of all time and some excellent wording from co-writer Greg McGee, a riveting rugby read it most definitely is.
By Danny Stephens
Comments
abfixit says...
At the risk of repeating what has already gone re: the comparison between MJ and RHM. MJ was, at the time without peer. That is what I felt make him stand out and very rightly so. RHM being in a later era where competition is more intense at the top level still stands out. I will waive any desire to compare and make a choice because they were/are very great players. I feel priveleged to have watched these 2 play. This is not to cast aside the many others who, though did not continually play at that level did contribute to the development of these 2. Without serious competition it may have been that neither would have developed as they have/had.
Posted 14:44 21st December 2012
Trinats2 says...
APV1:
Many.
Posted 09:22 19th December 2012
APV1 says...
@ Trinats2 - you have Kiwi mates? I find that hard to believe..!
(I do hope Google hasn't let me down and this says what I want it to say)
Meri Kirihimete me te Hape Nû Ia
Posted 16:45 18th December 2012
ferdie says...
McCaw may be on the verge of having his recent biography become the best-selling ¿rugby book¿ of all time.
Kevin Chapman, head of publisher Hachette states the book has sold approximately 120,000 copies worldwide, including over 20,000 copies sold in the UK.
Chapman believed that the best-selling rugby book in the world was the autobiography of former England captain Martin Johnson, which sold 70,000 copies.
Posted 12:54 18th December 2012
Trinats2 says...
Can someone please send me the last few chapters ? I was cheated out of these in my copy, or is that the point !!!
Ahh just stirring again. Have bought two copies, one for a kiwi mate in London and one for myself. Happy and safe xmas to all my kiwi mates here around the world.
Posted 11:57 18th December 2012
nzmaoriboy says...
@firepower! that is so original..ha ha..If he is a cheat..then pretty much every modern day openside worth his SALT can also be classified as cheats (Warbutton,Ferris,Broussow,Pocock,Martyn williams,George smith,Waugh,Dussatoir..bla bla bla..bla bla bla...) Im sure if you run the Footage the M.O's of said players would be close to identical! But Obviously as with most things rugby..Mccaw was just better!
The "Cheat' adage is such a lark excuse..It's the worn out catch cry of the few whom I bet make excuses for a lot of things which don't go their way (in life).However I digress! the book is OK..as you would expect of a player still playing..Dude days pay due respect to the abilities of Dussatoir & the french team so good on him ay! Peace
Posted 06:38 18th December 2012
Ramage says...
@APV1 lol,lol,lol and a very Merry Christmas to you and your family and a Happy New Year to you.
Posted 01:48 18th December 2012
jash says...
rubbish..he wanted limelight to be on him...cry baby
Posted 23:34 17th December 2012
hybrid187 says...
@Kinsman cheers, will give them a call 1st thing in the morning. Virgin Megastore does NOT carry this book (yet).
Posted 21:03 17th December 2012
firepower says...
MICHAEL JONES is the BEST OPENSIDE FLANKER i ever seen. Richie McCaw is the best cheater and ball fetcher in rugby history LOL.
THANKS:)
Posted 19:42 17th December 2012
ArmchairGeneral says...
McCaw best without doubt. For a decade of excellence. His only weakness is when he rarely comes up against a team playing better on the day. Some players know how to win when they're not the best. David and Goliath style. Crusaders / ABs cant prepare you much for that. He can't do it; he just keeps trying to be better instead of outsmarting his better opponent. ABs should not pick Crusaders as captains but he's done ok I suppose.
Posted 19:41 17th December 2012
Kinsman says...
@hybrid187, Kinokuniya in Dubai Mall carries the book. Only 3 copies left though and I reserved one of those until I can drive up there.
Posted 16:53 17th December 2012
hybrid187 says...
Hey guys, anyone know where I can get this book in Dubai ??
Posted 14:18 17th December 2012
APV1 says...
@ yamahakiwi - as someone who also follows cricket (Rugby is first, cricket a long way back in a far-away second), I've always mooted the idea of who would win - a team of specialists, or a team of all-rounders? Would a team of Flintoffs and Kallis's beat a team of Panasars and Smiths, for example?
So to take that concept into the realms of rugby, could a similar things work? Could a team of back-row forwards (I view them as the most versatile players on the pitch), beat a team of specialists. Given the shape of some BRs, they might even manage to hold their own against a proper FR...
And if so, who would you have?
McCaw? Jones? Kaino? Brooks? Pocock? Croft? Hill? Back? Lobbe? Armitage? Read? Louw? Burger? Hari? etc...
Just food for thought.
"The editor says.... It should be released in South Africa in January. Look out for a competition on our sister website, SARugby.com"
That'd be the Ugly Sister then?
;-)
Posted 11:03 17th December 2012
nzmaoriboy says...
The RM vs M.J debate is a good one! and we will always return to the difficulty of comparing different players from different era's. M.J was my man as a youngster and was an absolute freak...athletic & dynamic coupled with power & speed! He pretty much revolutionized the way open-sides play over night. However I will tip my cap to Mccaw as he is the complete package! His ability to read a game and adapt accordingly in the heat of battle is without peer & is reflected but the amount of success he has enjoyed..People have pointed to the fact he has slowed a step..The same thing happened with MJ..he was moved to blindside at 30 & missed more games than played (they played less games too)..Mccaw to me now is not a genuine openside! due to the fact he is not required to be.. the secret to the AB's success at creating great loose forward combinations is simply down to the fact at how well the work together in Tandem..Other teams may have better players singularly (Thierry,Pocock,Lobbe,O'brien) But they cannot match they ability at how the Ab's Loosies & forwards work collectively...@yamahakiwi hence the less turnovers..Whitelock & Conrad smith are just as likely to steel a ball at a ruck as Mccaw, because of the NEW style of rugby we play. I just checked the Rugby championship stats..Mccaw had 26 more ruck arrivals than the next best player & 76 tackles with 2 missed! again a lot more than 2nd place..Not to bad for an old fella ay. share your thoughts peeps (keep constructive)
Posted 01:58 17th December 2012
Andy1000 says...
I'm a big fan of his but its not the best book. You get to know his dedication, that he respects the French more than anyone, his best mate is Ali Williams and he doesn't like the current Aussie team. Apart from that its just very detailed recollections of certain games without adding much. No major controversies or opinions of other players you expect with these books. The only two people really criticised are Wayne Barnes and Bryce Lawrence.
Posted 21:43 16th December 2012
StunTheMullet says...
@ passtheball - Sir Grahams post match video analysis, as described in chapter 10 of his book, paints an extremely ugly picture of what went on (or didn't in the case of Waynes world) that day.
In his opinion up to 40 missed penalties (primarily offsides as noted from the stands) taking into account multiple offences where should have been 17 definites.
Taking the 2 French tries away (first one France should have been penalised at scrum and second "that forward pass") the estimate is that the score should have been 42-3 or 42-6 to NZ taking into account 80% of kickable penalties kicked.
Posted 20:22 16th December 2012
Nicholas41 says...
24 years!...20 years indeed. They don't win it that often...
Posted 16:29 16th December 2012
Ben7 says...
Michael jones was better
Posted 10:48 16th December 2012
hellovanite says...
I have to agree with yamahakiwi people forget how long MJ was in the game and the impact he made. No he didn't have the leadership skills that McCaw has and maybe that is why McCaw is rated higher by most. Yes McCaw is better on the ground but MJ was everywhere on the pitch, he had great athleticism and exceptional speed. As a player he revolutionised the position and for that alone and for being party of the best provincial side the world has ever seen (Auckland of the late 80s early 90s) I would give the nod to MJ. Later as that speed gave way under injury he became a virtual brick wall tackling machine at 6. As for Monkley, yes it always made me wonder if he has some personality clashes with Mains and/or Hart
Posted 09:35 16th December 2012