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The physical punishment Richie McCaw took from South Africa in the 2015 semi-final
The 2015 Rugby World Cup was Richie McCaw’s last hurrah in his storied career as he led the All Blacks to historic back-to-back World Cup victories.
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The All Blacks had to beat the Springboks in the semi-final to keep their hopes alive and they faced off against a vaunted South African pack that included Duane Vermeulen, Schalk Burger and Francois Louw in the back row.
There was no shortage of physicality as other Springbok forwards like a young Eben Etzebeth and enforcer Bismarck du Plessis brought fear in the tight five. One of the biggest hitters in international rugby was also on the bench, in Springbok loose forward Willem Alberts.
McCaw and his All Black pack had to rise up to the challenge to one of the most imposing South African forward packs in recent memory.
Richie McCaw: “I said it was going to be a huge step up in intensity and physicality, and it was. The win is pretty satisfying. I’m happy.”
— Rugby World (@Rugbyworldmag) October 24, 2015
The All Black captain got his side after a fast start after setting up Jerome Kaino for an early try in the corner, but as the Springboks accumulated penalty goals a tight tussle ensued.
McCaw had to take significant punishment at the ruck as the Bok pack tried to manhandle the All Black leader to prevent him from spoiling their ball.
At one point Du Plessis jumped on McCaw’s back and got him in a headlock while he was preventing Louw from pilfering the ball.
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In one brilliant steal, McCaw snatched the ball from under the nose of No 8 Vermeulen who was too slow to start his clean out after Damian de Allende placed the ball.
The openside made a rock solid tackle on Adriaan Strauss, stopping the hard-running hooker dead in his tracks while bystander Etzebeth tried to remove McCaw from the tackle but couldn’t. The collapsed tackle ended in another turnover won for McCaw.
The Bok frustration become clear as the match wore on with prop Jannie du Plessis losing his cool at one point, flapping his arms in attempt to push him away before slamming into his back.
After the heroic 20-18 victory McCaw became embroiled in controversy after a supposed elbow to Francois Lous, sparking a media circus over whether he would be suspended for the World Cup final.
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A bloodied Louw required 20 stitches to his forehead to fix up the two wounds but the Springbok flanker was unsure of how his injury occurred, stating: “I’m not sure, I think it was at the bottom of a ruck”.
If deemed deliberate, McCaw could have been charged with striking with the elbow which carried a two-week suspension at the time.
Could Richie McCaw be in trouble? https://t.co/1uMtdpiUNq pic.twitter.com/TmZMlVHSlH
— The42.ie Rugby (@rugby_ie) October 24, 2015
48 hours of English press obsessing over Richie McCaw’s elbow begins now.
— Toby Manhire (@toby_etc) October 24, 2015
Absolutely no way Richie McCaw misses a World Cup final for that. Maybe…JUST MAYBE…if he wasn’t Richie McCaw.
— Jonathan Bradley (@JBradleyBT) October 24, 2015
Richie McCaw would need to shoot someone on the pitch to get cited before a World Cup final #elbowgate
— Andrew Moon (@mrandrewmoon) October 24, 2015
Agreed. Head up, eyes on ball carrier. Clearly accidental https://t.co/W3PkEM5ke6
— Liam Napier (@liamnapiernz) October 24, 2015
In a column for Stuff in defence of the All Black captain, Kiwi writer Duncan Johnstone said that Louw was ‘accidentally clipped’ and called the media circus ‘insulting’.
“There are two things you can expect the moment the All Blacks step foot in Britain – the haka will be questioned and McCaw will be labelled a cheat,” he wrote.
“A look at the evidence shows McCaw’s full focus is on the ball carrier as he comes around the back of a ruck.
“Louw finds himself in the wrong place at the wrong time to be accidentally clipped.
“To suggest McCaw would attack a defenceless player with his elbow is simply insulting.”
The often-vilified openside, who took his fair share of punishment from the opposition, escaped sanction and was free to play out his final test in the Rugby World Cup final against Australia.
Comments on RugbyPass
Lets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
10 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
9 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
10 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
9 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
34 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
34 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
5 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
6 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
22 Go to comments