All Black skipper McCaw goes out on top

He said a new career awaits him as a commercial helicopter pilot.

"I'm going to be hanging up my boots, the end of my rugby days," the 34-year-old told a press conference which opened with a minute's silence for All Black legend Jonah Lomu, who died on Wednesday.

Last month McCaw, a three-time World Rugby player of the year, became the only captain to ever claim back-to-back World Cups, the pinnacle of a career that has seen him anointed as one of the all-time greats.

McCaw said he had been considering retirement for a while and the time felt right after New Zealand's 34-17 win over Australia in the World Cup final at Twickenham.

"That last game, to have that as the lasting memory of the last time on the pitch -- pretty satisfying," he said.

"The other thing I'm proud of is I played some of my best rugby in the last couple of weeks. To finish on that note is pretty good."

During a 15-year career, McCaw earned an unprecedented 148 Test caps and New Zealand Rugby chief Steve Tew said he was the best player he had ever signed.

"Richie has been the most influential player of his generation, if not of all time," Tew said.

"His playing statistics tell the story, but Richie has also made a very significant contribution off the field as well."

- 'Hell of a ride' -

McCaw envisaged himself becoming involved in rugby again in the future but said he needed to "step back" from the game for some time to pursue other interests.

"It's has been a hell of a ride," he said. I don't sit here sad, I actually sit here just happy with what I've done, the experiences I've had and looking forward to what's in the future."

McCaw, a keen aviator, said he had lined up a post-rugby career as a commercial helicopter pilot.

He has already been in action since the World Cup as part of an aviation team helping South Island winegrowers save their crops by using helicopters to fan early-morning frost off the grapes. 

"I am hugely passionate about it, it will never replace the thrill of running out in front of 80,000 but it is not far short of it," he said.

All Blacks coach Steve Hansen joked that McCaw "couldn't catch, couldn't pass, couldn't run" when he first saw him playing as a "pimply-faced schoolboy".

But Hansen said the outgoing skipper turned himself into one of the game's legends through sheer hard work.

"You've got to pick the right time to go and he couldn't have picked a better time," he said. 

"He is on top of the heap, he's made his own decision and we'll be forever grateful for what he has done for the All Blacks."

Asked to nominate a three career highlights, McCaw's first choice was surprisingly New Zealand's shock quarter-final loss to France in the 2007 World Cup.

McCaw faced damning criticism of his captaincy from the New Zealand public in the wake of the loss but said the lessons learned laid the foundation for subsequent success.

"That may be a weird one to pick out, but that's certainly made the last few years really enjoyable for what we've achieved," he said.

His other picks were his first Test in 2001 against Ireland -- "standing there beside my heroes" -- and last month's final, "holding the World Cup up again".

"There's been a lot of good ones, I guess," he added.