McCaw ready for landmark test

All Blacks captain Richie McCaw will get to create history and become the first New Zealand player to earn 100 test caps, after waiting an extra week after a calf injury ruled him out of the clash with Japan.

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Just the 19th player to become an international centurion, McCaw said that he was happy just to get on the field, after coming through the final captain’s run at Eden Park unscathed.

"It's been a bit of a long week after last week's false start. My focus was to get through training to be right for tomorrow and that's been pretty good," McCaw said.

"The last couple of days I've certainly got pretty excited.”

“Putting the personal stuff aside, it's a pretty big game anyway. The fact that it's your 100th adds a bit to it but I'm just excited at the chance to be out there and play in it, it should be great."

"Had it happened last week it would still have been pretty cool. I wasn't worried either way. But now it's come down to this occasion I suppose the thing is to make sure it is a good memory."

Playing their first tier one opponent since they lost to the Wallabies in the final match of the Investec Tri Nations, McCaw felt that the tempo and focus had increased since two opening World Cup wins against Tonga and Japan.

"I think the guys are in pretty good shape," he said.

"We want to perform well.”

“It's going to be a lift in intensity compared to the first two weeks."