Richie McCaw retires: New Zealand captain considered delaying retirement announcement after Jonah Lomu death

Richie McCaw has announced his retirement from rugby union with immediate effect, less than three weeks after captaining New Zealand to a second consecutive Rugby World Cup success.

The 34-year-old openside flanker retires as the most capped Test player in history, with the 34-17 victory over New Zealand in last month’s final coming as his 148th and final Test appearance.

McCaw’s decision has been expected to come on Thursday after reports in New Zealand earlier this week suggested he had decided to hang up his boots rather than take a lucrative pay day with a move to a northern hemisphere club. However, the sudden death of former All Blacks team-mate Jonah Lomu on Wednesday did make McCaw question whether the time was right to make the announcement, but in doing so he made a fitting tribute to the late legend of the sport.

"First of all, it was a big shock as well all know," McCaw said of Lomu's death. "My thoughts and condolences go out to his wife and two young boys and family. I was thinking about my experiences with Jonah. When I first became an All Black he was in the team. To play alongside a guy you have watched as a young fella was pretty amazing.”

McCaw made his debut back in 2001 when Lomu was an established name in the All Blacks fold, having starred at both the 1995 and 1999 World Cups. The flanker was included in New Zealand’s tour of Britain and Ireland that year, where he witnessed just how loved Lomu was around the world.

"We got to a training ground and there were hundreds of people in Ireland," McCaw said.

"I climbed off the bus and the whole mob came at me and I thought, 'this is pretty cool to be an All Black'. And they kept running past and behind me was Jonah … that was the man they were after. That really hit home to me about the superstar he was.

"So I just wanted to take a moment to express my condolences. He was a legend of the game, I think (he was) bigger overseas than he is here in New Zealand. There are a lot of people around the world that will be hurting at the loss of a great man and a great All Black."

However, after expressing his condolences to his former team-mate, McCaw confirmed that he had played his last game of professional rugby.

"Today, I thought about whether it was the right thing to do this,” he said. "But I'm going to be hanging up my boots. I sit here with no regrets as a rugby player. That last game as a rugby player was pretty satisfying.

"I'm hugely excited about the future. A couple of things I have in mind. I learnt to fly helicopters in 2009 and that's going to be my thing from now. It's something I'm passionate about."

McCaw made his All Blacks debut in the 40-29 win over Ireland in November 2001, where he was named man-of-the-match in a sign of things to come. McCaw won the International Rugby Players’ Association Newcomer of the Year award in 2002, before captaining the All Blacks for the first time in 2004 when regular captain Tana Umaga was rested.

After helping New Zealand whitewash the British and Irish Lions 3-0 in 2005, McCaw was named permanent captain the following year, with the Oamaru-born back-row going on to make a record 110 appearances as skipper.

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McCaw lifted the Webb Ellis Cup for the first time in 2011 as New Zealand won the Rugby World Cup on home soil, ending 24 years of hurt in the tournament, and just last month McCaw became the first captain to lift the trophy twice as the All Blacks retained their world crown.

McCaw retires with a record of 131 wins in 148 Tests, with just 15 losses and 2 draws, and he scored 27 tries on the international stage.

Current New Zealand head coach Steve Hansen and New Zealand Rugby chief executive Steve Tew appeared alongside McCaw and paid tribute to the record-breaking flanker. Hansen said: "On behalf of the All Blacks, we want to congratulate Richie on everything he has achieved in his career. All this success couldn't have happened to a better bloke and we wish him all the very best for the future.

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"In my opinion, he will go down not only as the greatest All Black of all time, but the greatest captain we have ever had and possibly the greatest player to have ever played the game in the modern era.

"To play 148 Tests is something to be marvelled at on its own, particularly with the physical demands of the position he plays. But the more impressive thing about those 148 games is the quality of the performances he produced. Having been involved in the majority of those Test matches, I can't recall him ever playing a bad game.

"His ability as a leader will be something he will be remembered for. Leadership doesn't come to anyone naturally, it's a learned skill.

"He's been an inspiration to us all. Not only has he enhanced the jersey during his time, but he has left a lasting legacy that will be talked about by many people long after we're all gone. It's been an absolute pleasure to have shared the road with him."