New Zealand head coach Steve Hansen has claimed that Richie McCaw and Dan Carter will go down as the two greatest players to have ever played for the All Blacks.
McCaw became the first player to captain his side to two Rugby World Cup titles in his 148th Test match this evening, while Carter scored 19 points in a man-of-the-match display at Twickenham.
It is expected that McCaw, alongside Carter, will announce his retirement from international rugby in the wake of the unprecedented defence of the trophy, and Hansen has no doubt as to where they lie in the pantheon of greats.
"With regards to whether it's the greatest team or not, that will be for other people to decide. I can talk a little more about the players, I know a lot more about that," he told Sports Mole.
"Yes, I think he is probably the greatest All Black we've ever had, meaning Richie, and Dan is a close second. The only thing that probably separates them is one is a flanker, and you shouldn't play 148 Test matches as a flanker - that's unheard of. You put your body on the line every time you play there.
"There was a lot of talk going into this game about the loose forward trio, and I think, without wanting to be disrespectful to the other guys who I thought played really well, I think our trio tonight won that battle, and Richie was the leader of our trio. We're very fortunate to have players like that, and the opportunity will come now for somebody to try to be better than Richie, or better than Dan. Both of them are great players."
Fellow All Black stalwarts Ma'a Nonu, Conrad Smith and Keven Mealamu also retired after this evening's 34-17 victory over Australia.
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