Star-struck locals get snaps of Richie and Gemma

Harriet Enright (left) got this snap with Richie McCaw and Kylie Harper.

Recently retired All Blacks captain Richie McCaw created a stir around town yesterday, being spotted at the gym and a local cafe.

McCaw trained at Aspire Health and Sports in Bethlehem yesterday morning before stopping for a coffee with girlfriend Gemma Flynn at Tauranga's Love Rosie and visiting Tauranga Intermediate.

Both McCaw and Flynn, a Black Sticks player, happily posed for photos when approached by fans.

Liam Morrison celebrated his 17th birthday with a picture of Richie McCaw.

One such fan was Liam Morrison, who celebrated his 17th birthday yesterday.

"I was working out at Aspire, me and a group of people were training.

"Then we saw him walk in the door and we were like, 'we should get a photo with him', so we went and got one.

"I was kind of star struck."

Love Rosie staff Louise Pudney (left) and Holly McNabb got a photo with Richie McCaw when he stopped in at the cafe yesterday. Photo / Supplied

Liam said McCaw was "really good about it" and took photos with a number of people that lined up after spotting the star.

It was a "really good" birthday present, Liam said. He is in the Bethlehem College First XV and aspires to one day don the black jersey.

The staff of Tauranga cafe Love Rosie got a "nice surprise" when McCaw and Flynn dropped in for a coffee.

"He was pretty mobbed by the ladies that came in," owner Brent Beamish said. "He's sort of a national treasure, isn't he?"

The cafe is well-known for its Richie McCaw slice - a decadent chocolate brownie with cream cheese - and staff made sure he was given a piece to try.

Mr Beamish said a friend he used to work for in Auckland came up with the recipe and named the slice.

"She wanted to meet him. She thought if she named something after him she would, sooner or later. She wanted to marry him. Ironically she didn't [meet him], I did. I'm not going to tell her."