Richie McCaw is set to take some time away from the game © Getty Images

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News: McCaw to take six-month sabbatical

Players/Officials: Richie McCaw

Teams: Crusaders | New Zealand

All Blacks skipper Richie McCaw is likely to take a complete break from the game on his 'sabbatical' rather than pursuing a lucrative overseas move.

His Kiwi team-mates Dan Carter and Ma'a Nonu both exercised sabbatical clauses in their contract to move overseas and top up their coffers with Carter journeying to Perpignan and Nonu turning out for the Ricoh Black Rams. McCaw's never-say-die-attitude inevitably leads to injury and he is still showing some signs of the foot injury he sustained in the run up to the 2011 World Cup.

With the next World Cup three years away now, McCaw still harbours some hopes of turning out for the All Blacks in the global gathering but in the mean time, he is looking forward to recuperating away from rugby. He is likely to miss the majority of the 2013 Super Rugby competition and the All Blacks' Tests against France in June.

"The body takes a pounding regularly," McCaw said. "But it's when you lose that desire to get yourself over that and ready for the next week, that's when you start to have enough.

"Part of it is physical, but it's also mental. Over the years I've never really had more than a couple of months off unless it's been injury related so to be able to take a break, reassess and then play whatever time I've got left is a good opportunity."

McCaw will be 34 when the next World Cup comes around and he is keen to emphasise that he wants to be picked on merit and not reputation. "The big thing I want to make sure is there is not a perception I'm just hanging in there and just being around for the sake of it," McCaw said. "I still want to do it right and having that break is going to hopefully invigorate the next couple of years.

"Sometimes having a break here and there reminds you how much fun it is when you put the jersey on. I still absolutely love it."