Bitter rivals: McCaw and Cooper
Related links
Teams
Also see
All Blacks captain Richie McCaw has admitted in his new autobiography that his personal feud with Quade Cooper turned nasty.
In his autobiography, The Open Side, which was released on Tuesday, the record-breaking All Black flank revealed he regrets letting his on-field battle with the Wallabies fly-half last year become personal.
"There was a bit of post-game controversy around Quade Cooper's attempt to knee me in the head as he was extricating himself from a ruck," McCaw wrote.
"The intent of what he was trying to do pissed me off more than the execution. Shortly after that happened, I was carrying and should have passed, but I lit up and I saw Quade standing in front of me and clattered into him instead.
"I was disappointed in myself doing that, letting it get personal. There's no need - players like Quade get sorted. Sooner or later they get their beans."
McCaw also reveals that he backed Graham Henry to be reappointed as All Blacks coach ahead of Robbie Deans, under whom he played at the Crusaders, because he questioned Deans' ability to work collaboratively.
"Robbie doesn't appear to want to be challenged by his assistants and won't allow the kind of full-on debate that Ted [Henry] encourages with [Wayne] Smith and [Steve] Hansen," reads one extract.
"Robbie's approach is to say, 'This is what we're doing,' then convince people that's the way it's got to be. He's very good at that.
"But when you look at the record of Robbie's assistant coaches, there's quite a lot of turnover and fallout. Robbie's intransigence and reluctance to delegate might have been a factor ... if you look at the names of some of Robbie's assistants. Colin Cooper, Vern Cotter, Don Hayes, Todd Blackadder. It's tempting to draw the conclusion that if Robbie gets a strong assistant coach, the assistant won't last, and if he gets one that lasts, he's not that strong.
"The applications in front of the NZRU are telling. Robbie hasn't named his assistants, though [then Auckland coach] Pat Lam's has been mentioned in some reports. But Pat hasn't coached at Super 14 level yet. So the question actually is: Graham Henry, Wayne Smith and Steve Hansen or Robbie Deans and unknown assistant coaches? That's a critical difference right there.
"...so when [NZRU CEO] Steve Tew phones me for an informal catch-up on this and that, I tell him I'm happy to work with either, but I do have a view on which option might be better for the All Blacks."
Comments
new_j4a says...
@ruckingkiwi, the only evidence that they have given so far is the Parra incident in the RWC....and that was debated to death and to anyone objective who wasn't trying to justify eye gouging, it was clearly not intended.....McCaw was looking up.....but of course there are a lot of mind readers out there who can certify that he went in with malicious intent. I think that it is some sort of "tall poppy" syndrome that makes them want to tear down the reputation of the greats. I have only seen RMcC throw a punch once and that was aimed at the head of the idiot fan who tackled the ref at Loftus.
Posted 08:27 20th October 2012
ruckingkiwi says...
Carpelone, I wasn't aware that McCaw played against the Stormers this year?
But feel free to produce the footage, after all, having "honed a technique" over 250 first class matches, there must be plenty footage out there.. surely you can produce something to substantiate your claims?
Posted 18:24 19th October 2012
Carpelone says...
I agree with Norm.
McCaw has honed a technique for clearing the ruck, bringing his right knee forward.
This is how Parra's injury happened, I saw him repeating it against the Stormers this year.
As you all know, this can cause severe injuries to ribs, head and kidneys.
I have to say that it is not professional and this may be the cause of such mixed feelings about him among his colleagues.
New_j4. Sorry, I am unable to refer to it precisely
Posted 10:27 19th October 2012
new_j4a says...
@Norm, provide the video clips or match, date, minute:second you lying sack of shite. It's easy to make unsubstantiated claims. Prove it.
Posted 21:43 18th October 2012
Carpelone says...
Fantastic comments, guys. That was amusing.
I am afraid, but McCaw would be around for many years to come as a coach. His assessment of Dingo was impressive yet ruthless and clearly pointed out a well working brain.
Trinats.
You failed me. The list of the things created by McCaw is not exhaustive, you should have add to the one you copied breaking scrum engagement before the ball quits and clearing rucks with his right knee aimed at the head of the tackler.
Posted 16:31 16th October 2012
Trinats2 says...
Trader2:
Unlike Mccaw, I have no need to cheat !!!
Posted 15:05 15th October 2012
Trinats2 says...
isthatrightref:
Not a "real Queensland" you have a black top !!!
Come up to the Paddo, I'll buy you a drink or seven, I'll be the guy with the big smile after the game !!!
Posted 13:02 15th October 2012
Trader2 says...
Sorry Tricheat just doesn't wash, cheat cheat cheat. (boring isn't it)
Posted 12:31 15th October 2012
isthatrightref says...
@ master baiter... not all kiwis live on the coast: even the ones who appeared in The GC were shipped in for the shoot & have now gone back to their real homes...
I myself live have worked in Browns Plains & Slacks Creek, lived mostly in Marsden but also in Hillcrest. Is that "real Queensland" enough for ya?
Might see you at the Caxton pre- or post-match Saturday. I'll be the guy in the black top.
Posted 10:30 15th October 2012
Trinats2 says...
isthatrightref:
You are on the Gold Coast ? It's hard to find any Aussies living there, never mind "real" Queesnlanders !!!
APV1:
Next wish, a win at Briso next week for Aus.
Posted 23:33 13th October 2012
Trinats2 says...
Trader2:
Count the characters, I needed to change (no numbers) a few and leave out a few to fit within the 1900 character count !!!
Or have I cheated and broke into PR site and changed my post to reflect what I said in my new post. Unlike McCaw I have no need to cheat !!!
Posted 23:29 13th October 2012
Trader2 says...
Norm write a book and tell us all about it. I was about 5 inches from the Parras "incident" (well maybe a bit further). How close were you? It has been done to death and we all know what the concensus was. I cannot recall the Darcy incident so you can have that one.
Posted 13:00 13th October 2012
Trader2 says...
err Trinats you actually need to have the "inverted" around the whole copied text, I cannot see that, can anyone else?. Luckily Ferdie was on to it. Sorry Tricheat the tag sticks, now we know why the site has blocked you, you have done this before, you have form. Shame shame shame.
Posted 08:41 13th October 2012
isthatrightref says...
@ APV1... have you learned nothing? One never catches the master baiter in a lie - as soon as you claim to have done so he counters that it was all a wind-up (!!!) at the expense of his legion of kiwi/ saffa/ pommy mates... I do agree, however, that he's utterly unlike any other Queenslander I've met in my almost 3 years living here. Clearly an import, like so many of his beloved Reds & wobblies :-)
Posted 06:49 13th October 2012
Norm says...
Right love McCaw as a player but have a sneaking suspicion he is a bit holier than thou.
He's right Cooper needed/ needs more sorting out than the worst wendy ball prima donna on the planet. However McCaw himself is a sneak thug on a given day. I am not taling about his skirting the rules on the breakdown, that is playing the ref, I am talking more about the filth disguised as commitment. McCaw talks about Cooper's knee but in the last 2 years I have seen him put his knee in Parras and Darcy, neither as blatant as Coopers attempt on him but both clearly avoidable and both pretty much took the recipients out of the game.
Great player and what I describe is a cynical but real part of the game, what stinks is that here he calls out another player for golden balls himself has a substantial degree of form for!
Posted 00:01 13th October 2012
isthatrightref says...
Apart from being even funnier than a post from the master baiter (but deliberately so rather than unitentionally), the spoof excerpt is also a reminder that we shouldn't take the game or ourselves too seriously? Otherwise we end up all bitter & twisted and/ or delusional, not mentioning any @names, just saying...
Also worth a read on GAGR is a spoof report from "honourary All Black" Berrick Barnes on the differnces between the coaching styles of Deans & Hansen... best bit for mine goes somehing like "Read isn't actually human, he was invented in the future by SkyNet"... what's more, the comments on this & the McCaw piece make far more interesting reading than 90% of the sh1te pedalled by the usual suspects on here...
Posted 23:24 12th October 2012
APV1 says...
@ Trinats2 - Your wish is my command:
http://www.greenandgoldrugby.com/exclusive-a-letter-from-berrick-the-all-black/
Posted 16:53 12th October 2012
Trinats2 says...
Cheat ? turn it up. It's a copy and paste, clear to see with the inverted "?" !!! geez you guys are dumb.
Have attempted to use direct links to this site before, but they have been blocked ??
have also copied and paste before from the site.
APV1
Can you link "Berrick the all black" from your side of the world please !
Posted 14:59 12th October 2012
APV1 says...
I can take no credit - all Ferdie this one. A quick google of "Hugh Cavill" and it was at the top of the results.
@ Trinats2 - if you can't be funny, be informed. If you can't be either, don't bother posting. You see where I'm going with this..?
And, having lived in Qld (FNQ, to be accurate), I found most of the locals to be honest, honourable and fair. maybe the tropics have gone to his head and he needs to head south...
From now on, perhaps he should be renamed:
Richie McTrinats2 (aka Cheating Ba$tard!).
CHEAT! CHEAT! CHEAT!
Posted 10:28 12th October 2012
Ramage says...
What has our Trinuts been plagiarising other people's work and not giving the real author due credit? Surely not ? There is only one word for this and it needs to be repeated CHEAT! CHEAT! CHEAT!
Posted 07:15 12th October 2012