Richie McCaw wants a new flag

Former All Black captain Richie McCaw has revealed the moment he decided that New Zealand needed to change its flag.

In a Facebook post this morning, McCaw shared a picture of the New Zealand and Australian flags hoisted high and side by side at Twickenham during their Rugby World Cup final match in October last year.

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In his post, he wrote "This is the moment when I decided a new flag would be great for our country.

"Running out at Twickenham and seeing the two flags looking so similar. The silver fern has always been the special symbol on the All Black jersey that represents who we are as kiwis, so the new flag with a silver fern as a part of it would be a great option I believe."

McCaw isn't the only high profile All Black to declare where he stands on the flag debate. Dan Carter earlier this week also spoke out that it was time for change.

Just minutes after McCaw made his post this morning, he received a variety of views -- some heated -- with a lot of fans unimpressed with his stance.

Jean Elizabeth Rangiwai was "disappointed" by his stance.

"Seems like you are selling out on our tipuna who fought and gave their lives ... please do not be a John Key and try sway the voting ... "

Andy McCondach wrote, "Ritchie, Ritchie, Ritchie, I love you man. But if you're trying to tell me that the moment you realised the flag had to change was when when you ran out to play the RWC final?! Please, do me a favour. We are not idiots. If you had a valid opinion you would have made it well before then. I'd follow you over the parapet into war but not if you're going to jump on the bandwagon of the John Key gravy train."

But there were still plenty who supported his views.

Peter Simmons replied, "With u Richie -- was there at the game and had people asking around me why the flags were the same ... C'mon kiwis yeah maybe there could be better options ... quite simply this is the best option we have to make a change."

Philip Charles Parkes also agreed. "Well said Richie. Times they are a changing, as the song says. Time to ditch the Union Jack from our flag."