OMNISPORT 

All Blacks great Richie McCaw is not ready to retire after winning a second Rugby World Cup crown, claims former New Zealand international Justin Marshall.

McCaw guided holders the All Blacks to a second successive World Cup victory at the expense of Trans-Tasman rivals Australia 34-17 at Twickenham on Saturday.

The 34-year-old - hailed as the greatest All Black following the triumphant display in London - has been widely tipped to retire after the tournament and his 148th Test appearance but the New Zealand captain hinted at playing on post-match.

And Marshall, who amassed 81 Test caps for New Zealand between 1995 and 2005 - believes McCaw will prolong his illustrious career.

When asked about McCaw's chances of playing on, Marshall told Omnisport: "A lot. I had a chat with him before the tournament started. It wasn't a formal one or a media orientated one and when he talked about being in the All Blacks and playing rugby, I got no feeling whatsoever that rugby was out of his system.

"Where it's going to be is the biggest question. If he is starting to feel a bit of fatigue in New Zealand rugby there could be a sabbatical or some innovative decisions being made to keep McCaw in an All Blacks jersey. Why not?

"Did you see him out there today?  You can focus on [Ma'a] Nonu's try and [Beauden] Barrett's and the things Sonny Bill [Williams] did but if you watch McCaw's game he basically set up the first try.

"His work rate was incredible. He is not ready to retire."

While McCaw's future remains uncertain, stars Dan Carter, Keven Mealamu, Conrad Smith, Ma'a Nonu and Tony Woodcock are definitely heading for retirement.

"Massive creator in All Black rugby," Marshall added. "When you take Nonu and Smith out of the centres. Carter out of the pivot role. You take possibly Richie McCaw out of the loose forwards, and Mealamu and Woodcock out of the front row. That's an incredibly big dent in what the All Blacks have had in terms of consistency in a decade.

"The good thing, though, we saw the players of the future. While they have had this core group of experienced players and they will leave that big creator, secretly they have been starting to fill that creator up."