Gregor Paul: Why the All Blacks can survive and thrive without Richie McCaw

Life without Richie McCaw isn't so bad. Photo / Getty Images / Herald Art

No Richie, no biggie.

If ever there was evidence of how far this All Black side has evolved it came when the team to play Tonga was named.

McCaw was left out to recover from a bruised thigh and the world didn't come to a grinding halt.

There was no need for the coaches to debate the contingency on either the playing or captaincy front.

Sam Cane would take the No 7 shirt and Kieran Read would be the skipper and it would just about be business as usual.

It's not quite a well-worn routine, but the All Blacks have had to play without McCaw several times since 2012 due to injury and his sabbatical in the early part of 2013.

Each time they have done it, they have won. Each time they have done it, Read has impressed with his captaincy, while Cane has contributed significantly.

Obviously the All Blacks would rather their skipper was playing, but they don't fear being without him like they used to. They not only know what will happen if he's not there, but they can play good football without him.

They can hold their shape, make good decisions and be the same presence on the field.
This wasn't the case in 2011. Not even close. McCaw didn't play against Japan in the pool round and Adam Thomson, a natural No 6, was hustled to the openside. Keven Mealamu was captain but not necessarily because he was the natural deputy. He was the most senior player in the starting XV and having done it once before, he was asked again.

When McCaw missed the game against Canada, it was Victor Vito who was thrown the No 7 jersey and Andrew Hore the captaincy.

The All Blacks had neither an obvious or proven alternative at either openside or skipper at the last World Cup - hence the anxiety about McCaw's broken foot.

If he hadn't been able to fight his way through it, the All Blacks probably wouldn't have won. The collective decision-making wasn't there. The All Blacks had experienced players, not really experienced leaders, though.

When the pressure really came on in the final it was McCaw, almost by sheer willpower alone, who dragged the rest of his side to victory.

He was the only man who stayed resolutely calm throughout and persuaded his teammates - both in deed and word - that they could hang on and win.

It's all so different now - and it's not solely the specific contingency options. The All Blacks have a wider base of leaders than they had in 2011.

Now they have a group of nine players who have responsibility for running the team and while the captaincy will be Read's against Tonga, he and the coaching team will be expecting a number of players to make their voices heard.

"Leadership plays a big part on and off the field," says head coach Steve Hansen. "It is one the things that shows the strength of the group. If you get it right off the field, it doesn't matter who captains the team on the field.

"There are a number of people out there who have to make decisions. The key thing about leadership is playing well so whether you are a first test starter or playing your 144th - that's your first job in leading.

"If you stay longer in the team then obviously you get given more tasks and more responsibilities and we have got plenty of people in this team that can cope with it.
"Reado has been there and done that before so it is pretty seamless."

- Gregor Paul in Newcastle