I am confident they will. At least for another year or so. But I'd be lying if I told you that I wasn't a bit worried about their lack of form. Both players have been plagued by serious injury over the past 12 months, and neither have shown glimpses of their best form since 2010, almost two years ago. I am always wary of writing off champions, and these two certainly fit comfortably into that catergory, but I'd like to start seeing some signs of form between now and the Rugby Championship. Maybe the Irish series will be the perfect opportunity to ease these two into test match rugby?

nice

Richie certainly won't. In fact, he hasn't been at top form since it hit it's peak in about 2005. Still the best on the planet for most of the period beyond that point though...but he's just too slow these days, and given his age, speed is not something he's likely to ever get back.

So it begins. The greatest battle of our time.

Dan Carter looked to be building towards a peak for the World Cup. Excluding the second Lions test, I think we would have seen his best rugby in that tournament.

Impossible to continually play to the standards that they have done in the past, but McCaw looked pretty sharp at times in the Reds match.

Mate, we've raped you 23 times to nil. 108 years of shame-sex. You're our playthings. Hopefully Ireland provide a decent opposed training session to help DC and McCaw prepare for The Rugby Championship.

Oii,,hush !! Mockers etc...
England did the AB`s no favours by despoiling the under-fed pasty faced Irish like plastic dolls. They'll be a sterner proposition than most are anticipating and out to prove a point, I'm sure of that. They even managed to get two teams into the final of that quaint HC comp. that goes on for an eternity. Must count for something.

+1

What hurt most of all with his injury was the gut feeling we were about to witness some truely special performances from DC, wasnt just us kiwis that were robbed of that, rugby really missed out.

Lets hope he takes off in the irish series with a hiss and a roar to make up for lost time.

Are you being serious or just a petulant prick? The King was nothing less than inspirational last year and did it all on one hoof. He showed in the semi-final the level only Poocock can dream of.

Were you watching the same World Cup as me? He looked slow and pedestrian for large parts of the World Cup (and was totally outplayed by Dusitour in the final). Injuries may have had a lot to do with that, but as I said, you very rarely come back from injures faster...he was playing off pure instinct and drive, and was still a great player, but not within Galactic distances of the levels he achieved in the mid-noughties when he could win games single single-handedly.

Has been outshone in the NZ backrow for the last couple of years by Reid and Kaino, and personally I can't see that changing any time between now and him retiring...so no, I am not a petulant prick, although you sir appear to be sucking heavily on the precious pipe.

We won't see the best of McCaw n' Carter for the Saders until after the Irish tests.

I would also reckon they will both be in top form when the first test rolls around, along with a few others.

No need to worry, it's all part of the plan.

I also think that 2009 and 2010 IRB Player of the Year, who won a RWC on one leg and one eye, has been a shadow of himself since the mid-noughties.

I thought Dan Carter played exceptionally well last year at times.

McCaw no, not for me, but as all great players his game has evolved as he has lost the spring in his step, he is worth so much more than just his work around the field, as leadership often something seriously lacking in teams that are borderline 'great', it can make all the difference. He is still worth a hell of a lot to the AB's.

Carter will regain form, not a doubt in my mind about that. We haven't even seen him at ten yet. He was looking like something very special in the RWC and I don't believe the injury would have set him back much, I'm glad his is being 'eased' back in.

For 30 mins of the second half perhaps. For the first spell with NZ way on top he was more the fine.

For the final ten minutes, with the game on the line, he was immense and clearly the best player on the pitch. In absolutely everything. A monumental turnover and a piece of skill at the base of the ruck with time winding down which will go down as one of the finest pieces of individual play ever seen in a RWC final.

Say what you want about Dusitour in the RWC final. McCaw played the big final moments way better and his team won because of that.

No one cares bro...

think you need to go and watch the final again

yes, dusitour played very well, but his team didnt win - mccaws did, the reason, moments like 76m mark

that moment encapsulates why mccaw basically won that rwc for his team, even though his team pretty much choked on the day, perceived ref bias / silly conspiracies aside

- mccaw was immense that game, a game where read and kaino were totally out played by their opposition, and the foward pack in general

and overall, no, read and kaino havent outshone mccaw at int. level over the last few years, despite read being arguably the worlds best no.8 atm, and kaino having a great year in 2011 -agree that he has slowed down, thats about it

he doesnt get the turnovers which bought about the perception of super human heroics in the mid noughties, as his game plan has changed with age, but his influence on the ABs ability to win the big moments, and hence the big games, was stronger than ever right up until the end of last year -when it really counted, and not just his captaincy

this year he seems to have slowed down even more, but its an open book at this stage

Maybe carter can reinvent himself Tim Horan style. Maybe.

McCaw has been overtaken by the young pups. He was very very average on the weekend. Pocock, Brussow and Warburton are all ahead of him now and I can't see that changing.

It will be harder for Carter imo. Backs don't age well, and form tends to drop sharply once they hit 30. McCaw on the other hand still has the ability to dominate in my opinion. In the last test that he played, the RWC final, he produced one of the finest performances of his career. He's played only 3 SR matches this year, and I expect him to be fully up to speed by the time of The Rugby Championship.

The Irish tour should see them warmed up nicely for the SupeRugby finals, and that's when they'll start to hit their straps I think.

I've got my doubts that Carter & McCaw will ever regain top form again. It's harder for players to come back from serious injuries at age 30, as opposed to age 21.

I think the ABs are going to struggle this year. But better to struggle in 2012 than 2015.

I'm not sure Ireland is good preparation for the Rugby championship. I would have much preferred to see the ABs play more quality opposition in Romania or Georgia.

Carter yes, McCaw no (no real reason -gut feel).

KG

Well, we'll have to agree to differ. Personally I think you are projecting his 'leadership' onto the team, and then attributing the All Blacks winning to it...when I believe it would cope without him in his current guise.

Yes, he still makes steals, and yes, now and again they are at crucial points in crucial games...but overall, his influence isn't close to where it once was in my opinion, and I seriously think kaino and Reid have outshone him. Those two have been dynamite over the last couple of years, to such an extent that you wouldn't/haven't noticed any degradation in McAwe's abilities.

Maybe they have got to the best form they are capable of already

Carter has the body to easily last the next 5 years, havent you seen those underwear commercials.

I hope you're right about McCaw. I think it's harsh to call 'ageing' on Carter when he looked to be in form of his life not even 7 months ago. There have been glimses of his speed so I don't think that is a worry. I think outside backs seem to notice quickly when they lose that half a second of gas, rokocoko very much so. But I don't think Carter will find it hard to hit form again, guess we'll never really know where he's at till he starts running out at 10.

No he wasn't, and no he hasn't. In his first run-on match for the season he led the Crusaders for tackles, rucks and runs. He's still the big dog in world rugby and will take some catching.

What a load of bollocks.

They both seem to be easing back into form and fitness
Don't know how anyone can judge them on the little they have played
Only injury will deny them their top form in the next two years (at least) imo

A lot of posters are going to look really stupid when both Richie and Dan are nominated for IRB Player of the Year 2012

He was rubbish on the weekend by his standards. Just because the rest of the Crusaders forward pack were puppydogs doesn't change that.

I am awfully conflicted as I would love Ireland to beat the AB's but then since Scotland have only ever managed a draw (they wuz robbed) I would never hear the end of it. What to do what to do?

Indeed, Read has been so prominent over the last couple of years that you can't even spell his name properly.

No
EOT/

Of course they wont- the are too old. However, 90% of their top form still makes them special and that'll do

I'll run with that, Enz. Well, tbph, I'll amble.

This, Carter of 2009 Lions vintage was a beauty to behold

Ahhh, 2005 you old bugger. Time moves faster as you get nearer to the end - just like a toilet roll.