No surprises McCaw top tackler again ...

Pretty good for a player 'in decline'...way to show the young guns how it's done there King Ritchie...

Against France Richie McCaw was the top tackler with 17 tackles, five assists and no misses, followed by Kieran Read with 16 tackles, two assists and no misses, and Brodie Retallick with 15 tackles, five assists and just one miss. McCaw made a total of nine tackles and Read a total of 10 inside the All Blacks' 22.

Of the backs, Ben Smith was top tackler with nine tackles and one assist, followed by Aaron Smith with eight tackles, and Dan Carter, Ma'a Nonu, and Charles Piutau each with seven.

Nonu missed the most tackles for the All Blacks with a total of five, followed by Dane Coles with three, and Tony Woodcock, Liam Messam, and Piutau with two misses each.

No surprise that McCaw was yet again the top player for breakdown arrivals, being in the first three players on 24 occasions. Retallick and Whitelock were the next busiest, both with 15 arrivals. McCaw was also the top ball carrier for the All Blacks with six carries for a gain of 25 metres.

There's hope yet for the Springboks as  -In losing to the All Blacks the French have now suffered their worst test run since 1981, having won just one of their last nine test matches. They have won only 40 percent of their test matches under coach Philippe Saint-Andre

McCaw was always in my book a great loosie - but over the last two years here were a notable decrease in his performances - that was particularly clear in the  tests this year.

My statement as to the above are justified based on facts - not fiction.  I used the  ESPN stats and compared he figures of four tests played last year and the similar tests this year for comparison purposes:-

2012  tests

Ball carries    36   Meters gained  117 

Average gain per carry   =   3,25 meters 

Tackles made  49   Tackles missed 1

Missed tackle ratio         =    1,96 %

2013 tests

Ball carries    32   Meters gained  43 

Average gain per carry   =   1,34 meters 

Tackles made  49   Tackles missed 10

Missed tackle ratio         =    16,95%

If the above stats does not indicate deterioration in performances then observers must be blind.  

He is still a very good loosie (better than anybody we have in SA)  - but he is less effective than he was a year ago.   When under pressure he was this year much more inclined to give penalties away than he was in the past.  

 ...and would'nt King Richie make a fantastic All Blacks coach in years to come...

...there's a vision for 2020. Sir Richie McCaw - All Blacks coach...

...gotta feeling he'll be tormenting South Africans for many years to come...note how i did'nt say kicking your yarpy butts that time Bean Brain...Brycy ever thoughtful and just too courteous sometimes...