adminLONDON. — New Zealand captain Richie McCaw refused to get carried away after the world rugby champions left themselves just one game away from a perfect year with a 30-22 win over England at Twickenham on Saturday. The All Blacks’ latest victory took their tally for 2013 to played 13, won 13 and meant only Ireland, in what will be New Zealand’s final match of the season in Dublin next weekend, could stop them from retaining their 100 percent record.
No international team in the professional era has enjoyed a perfect calendar year, with the New Zealand side led by Wayne Shelford, that won all seven of their Tests in 1989, the last major nation to achieve the feat when rugby union was still an amateur sport.
New Zealand themselves came close to perfection again when they won 11 games and drew one under John Hart in 1997.
But they will be overwhelming favourites to make it a perfect 14 out of 14 record this year following Ireland’s 32-15 loss to Australia at Dublin’s Lansdowne Road on Saturday.
But McCaw, speaking to reporters before the Wallabies’ wrapped up victory, said it was vital New Zealand did not get ahead of themselves.
“We’ve given ourselves the opportunity — the key is not turning up thinking it will happen,” he said.
The All Blacks set about making amends for last year’s record 38-21 loss to England at Twickenham when wing Julian Savea scored the first of his two tries with fewer than two minutes on the clock. — AFP.
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