All Blacks captain Richie McCaw announced his retirement from rugby at a press conference held in Wellington on Thursday, November 19.
“I guess I made no secret this year that this would be my last,” said McCaw. “It didn’t feel final until, perhaps, right now.”
"I'm hanging up my boots having accomplished everything I could have ever dreamed about in the game. Knowing that I was able to end my career by helping the All Blacks win the Rugby World Cup Final is a hugely satisfying feeling," he said.
After the All Blacks won the Rugby World Cup this year, McCaw kept quite insisting that the country and his team should continue celebrating their second victory in a row.
Talking about his future plans, McCaw said, “I am heavily involved in the Christchurch Helicopters company, they are great people and I'm excited about the opportunities there. Aviation is something I'm passionate about, I'm going to carry on flying and work towards getting my commercial pilot licence.
"I'm now really excited about starting the next chapter of my life. I'm looking forward to the future and what it may hold."
McCaw ends his career with a record 148 tests. He captained the All Blacks in 109 tests and won 130. McCaw played in four World Cups and was named world player of the year in 2006, 2009 and 2010. He made his international debut in 2011 at the Dublin vs Ireland match.