Richie McCaw won't rush his return back onto the playing field. Photo / Getty Images.
The sight of Richie McCaw running pain-free and taking part in some contact work at Crusaders training was a welcome one but the All Blacks captain won't rush his return to the playing field.
McCaw hasn't played since the World Cup, when he was badly affected by a foot injury,
and he is the only World Cup-winning All Black who hasn't returned to action. The 31-year-old had surgery on his foot soon after the tournament and last week had the screws removed.
He was loathe, however, to put a date on a return. It had been thought as little as a fortnight ago he might return to face the top-of-the-table Stormers this weekend but will miss that game and it's doubtful he will suit up against the Hurricanes the following weekend.
The Crusaders' trip to face the Waratahs on April 29 looms as the earliest possibility. He could opt to play for his local club - Christchurch - but he's not the sort of player who needs to prove his fitness at that level and, after 103 tests and 110 Super Rugby games, knows what his body is capable of.
"I still don't want to put a date on it because I just need to see how the next couple of weeks progress,'' he said. "I had a wee op to get the screws out and it feels pretty good so all on track. The next couple of weeks I will build into full training and then, I guess, we will make a decision from there.
