By Amanda Gillies
Steve Hansen's star player and captain Richie McCaw has decided he won't become a sir anytime soon.
It's been revealed the 30-year-old had an informal chat with Prime Minister John Key about receiving a knighthood – and while he was chuffed about the offer, it wasn't the right time.
"I think he was absolutely chuffed, honoured to be offered the knighthood, to have the chance to have that award bestowed upon him," says Mr Key.
"But he feels now isn't the right time while he is still playing.
"I think if we come back once he's retired, every chance we'll get a different outcome."
But has Mr Key broken protocol by speaking out? He admitted to 3 News it was "highly unusual".
"But because there was so much public discussion and discourse about whether he was on the list or not, because I couldn't comment afterwards and he couldn't comment easily afterwards, we then made the decision if we asked the question, we would answer it."
McCaw wasn't available today, but in an interview with 60 Minutes after the World Cup, he said he still had plenty of playing years in him and was more focused on winning the trophy again than having a title.
His Crusaders coach agrees he's made the right decision to remain just Richie.
"Could you just imagine the new All Black coach or the Crusaders head coach calling one of our players 'Sir Richie' every time we had to address him, it just wouldn't be right," says Todd Blackadder.
"He would get a lot of stick so he has probably done the right thing."
McCaw isn't the first to reject a knighthood. Actor Sam Neill turned it down, saying the idea of a title was "far too grand". Maori academic Dr Ranginui Walker also turned one down, saying they'd been debased because tycoons could simply buy them.
Richie doesn't feel that way, but if he got one now he'd feel a bit of a Richard.
3 News