Daniel Carter, Richie McCaw and Luke Romano during the All Blacks first full team training session, held at the teams base The Lensbury, Teddington, Middlesex, London. Photo / Brett Phibbs
Richie McCaw has started as he means to go on at this World Cup - leading from the front.
McCaw, as usual, was the first player on to the training pitch this morning; an example he has set countless times as captain of the Crusaders and the All Blacks.
In this
case it was done at the All Blacks' hotel and training base in south west London, The Lensbury, at the start of what was their first proper training session of the tournament.
Asked about McCaw's actions, his back-up Sam Cane replied: "It epitomises what he is about, I suppose. He leads this team and does it on and off the field with his actions. It's just who he is and it's what makes him such a great leader. The rest of us who are there, we aim to reach high standards and he sets them."
Cane's teammates at the press conference, Sonny Bill Williams, to his left, and Colin Slade, to his right, then chimed in.
"Sammy's always second out, just so you know," Williams said.
