Richie McCaw, we are reminded by one of the tributes published today, turned down a knighthood after leading the All Blacks to the 2011 Rugby World Cup. He was not ready to retire and probably did not relish entering a ruck wearing a title.
Our greatest All Black captains, SirWilson Whineray and Sir Brian Lochore, were honoured well after their playing careers finished. Whatever happens at this year's World Cup, Sir Richie deserves to join them.
It is not often that even the greatest players go out at a time of their own choosing and therefore not often that rugby fans get to farewell one of them in a way that became possible at Eden Park last night.
For the crowd and television spectators throughout the country, it was a memory to keep.
Dan Carter also made his departure. Photo / Nick Reed
McCaw was not alone in making last night's test his swansong on home soil.
Dan Carter, another who will rank in lists of all-time greats, made his departure. So did Conrad Smith and Ma'a Nonu, and Auckland's local stalwarts, Keven Mealamu and Tony Woodcock.
It is rare for so many of their quality to finish their New Zealand careers at the same time, and slightly worrying for our prospects at the World Cup in England in a few weeks. If the All Blacks falter we will be too quick to blame the selectors for keeping faith with too many veterans. In one or two cases that might be so but as an excuse for failure it would be wrong.
World Cup knock-out rounds can be games of chance, decided on a referee's call. We make teams and players stake too much of their reputations on those few matches and if the worst happens, we may want to contradict today's tributes in a few weeks. If we do we would be wrong. We are right today.
McCaw, Carter and the others have already done enough to deserve places in the pantheon. If they carry the Webb Ellis Trophy out of Twickenham it will be the sweetest possible climax of their careers. But if they do not, they will have deserved today's accolades no less.
Fans too young to remember seeing the likes of Colin Meads, Kelvin Tremain, Ian Kirkpatrick, Sid Going or even Michael Jones will discover they treasure the memory of McCaw even more in future than they do now. Undoubtedly, he will rate with the all-time greats, as an open side flanker and a captain.
But it is his manner we admire most. Battle-scarred after every game, he speaks with the natural, cheerful modesty of the truly great.
Congratulations on your world record, Richie McCaw. You are a model Kiwi and we have been privileged to see you play.
