Richie McCaw scored a crucial try in New Zealand's victory over South Africa in Soweto © Getty Images

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Players/Officials: Richie McCaw

Tournaments/Tours: Tri Nations

Teams: Australia | New Zealand | South Africa

The All Blacks may have underlined their status as the number one side in the world by reclaiming their Tri-Nations crown with a game to spare but captain Richie McCaw is adamant that there is still more to come from his side.

The Kiwis clinched the title with a dramatic 29-22 victory over last year's winners South Africa in Soweto last Saturday week and they are now heavy favourites to win next year's World Cup, which will be staged in New Zealand. However, McCaw is not getting carried away and believes that he and his players still have much to improve upon ahead of their bid to lift the Webb Ellis Cup.

"People talk about peaking, you only peak when you feel you can't get any better," the flanker said. "Sure we're happy with what we've done so far this year but we'd be kidding ourselves if we thought we were playing good enough for 12 months' time. We've still got to look at ways of improving and I think there's still a lot of potential to do that."

And McCaw believes that the All Blacks' upcoming tour of the northern hemisphere will tell them much about just well placed they are to win the World Cup.

"Definitely it's a bit of a dress rehearsal," he said. "I doubt 15 players will play all five Tests, it's about making sure we keep guys fresh but having the best team we can out on the field.

"That's what happens in a World Cup. Through the pool you've got to make sure that come the right time, everyone's played enough rugby but still have plenty of gas left in the tank and that's always a fine line to get right. I think that five-week block, it's important we build on what we've done in the Tri-Nations and not go backwards. We need to keep improving."

McCaw's desire to improve is hardly surprising that the All Blacks have repeatedly buckled under the weight of expectancy after going into a succession of World Cups as the overwhelming favourites to prevail. However, he insists that the past is the past and he is not dwelling on his country's propensity for 'choking' on the big occasion.

"It doesn't get me down," he said. "Sure I've been through the disappointments of not winning it but hopefully I'm going to be around to have another go at it. I'd love to win it but I don't get hung up to the point it rules my whole life.

"I want to enjoy the rugby now, I don't want to get to the end where whatever happens next year I've forgotten to enjoy the Test matches on the way. You've got to take some satisfaction from the fact the team's playing pretty well now."

Indeed, McCaw is particularly proud of New Zealand's current 14-match unbeaten run given that the All Blacks had a desperately disappointing 2009.

"A lot of it's come from a fair bit of disappointment last year; we took a good look at ourselves after the Tri-Nations," he said. "We haven't changed a whole lot, just the way we implement things. It's hard work that's got us to where most of the guys are playing pretty good rugby.

"There's not too much between the three teams at the moment in the Tri Nations but we've been able to get some confidence with how we're playing.

"What I was pleased about, especially the two tests we played against the Springboks in New Zealand, was that every opportunity we got, we took, whereas last year, we created opportunities but didn't take them.

"We put ourselves under pressure and allowed the Springboks to get ahead and when you do that, you play catch-up rugby. In the first four tests this year, we got ahead and could dictate.

"We're making the most of opportunities and making good decisions. Guys are a year further on, we realised we didn't quite get it right last year, a bit of confidence builds and you back yourselves. I think that's probably the main difference."