McCaw all square against the old foe

Richie McCaw has never forgotten the brutal working over he got from Corne Krige in his first test against the Springboks, at Wellington in 2002.

Just 21 and playing his seventh test, McCaw was given a Springboks welcome that will stay with him for the rest of his career.

"I got dealt to pretty well that day," he recalled yesterday.

"I thought that was just the way it was against South Africa. But I asked a few of the boys afterwards and they said, 'No, that didn't happen to us'.

"Corne Krige was one. He got me on fairly regular occasions."

Talk about a glutton for punishment.

Since then McCaw has pushed every boundary on the rugby field - other than foul play - and knows he will have to ensure that when the All Blacks meet England at Twickenham on Sunday, they get within one win of a Grand Slam.

"There are times when you think, 'What did I do that for'. You get hurt and think, 'Geez, I'm not going to do that again'. But you get up, shake it off and carry on.

"I always think I've done my job if I get a few marks down my back or a few words from the opposition."

McCaw has had some of his toughest battles against England - notably in 2003 at Wellington when the visiting forwards and their scavenger, Neil Back, gave him a torrid time in a 15-13 England win.

The ledger against England now stands at one apiece for McCaw after he got his revenge in the 36-3 win at Dunedin last year.

Having not played England for almost 18 months has McCaw a little uneasy, not knowing totally what to expect from their pack, but the English know every detail of what they will get from the man in black, No 7.

McCaw terrorised Back and his Lions mates in New Zealand this year at the breakdown, and was king of that area again in the 45-7 stroll over Ireland last weekend.

On Sunday, he faces a grizzled England pack with a physical No 7 in Lewis Moody who will be tested to the limit.

"Often a seven is a more annoying player. When you've got the ball they're going to stop you playing our game.

"We try to eliminate them as much as possible. Sometimes that can open up opportunities for the other loose forwards."

McCaw won't have any of the praise that rates him as a New Zealand matchwinner, just behind Daniel Carter.

He points out that dominating at the breakdown has plenty to do with how the tight five are faring over their opposites, hopefully disrupting their set-piece ball.

A mighty clash is in store between a giant England pack who dominated Australia, and an All Blacks front five who have rarely been bettered in the past year.

"Getting over the advantage line makes it so much easier to win nice ball, and it's so much harder if the attacking team are getting across the gain line to be effective," McCaw said.

"England have a pretty good forward pack and that's allowed their loosies to be menaces.

"This week's definitely going to be a step up physically. Last week wasn't quite as physical as I anticipated, to be honest."

- NZPA