Rugby: 'It's just a sore foot' says McCaw

Richie McCaw faces six weeks on the sidelines. Photo / Getty Images

All Blacks captain Richie McCaw is unfazed by an injury that has sent many a rugby heart into overdrive.

McCaw suffered a stress fracture in his right foot during a Crusaders training session last week and will have surgery to inset a screw into the foot.

The injury layoff means McCaw will miss up to six weeks of the Super Rugby season for the Crusaders. The 30-year-old had been scheduled to make his return to Super Rugby on March 4 against the Waratahs after sitting out the first two rounds of the Super 15.

Being a World Cup year All Blacks' fans should naturally be worried but talking to Radiosport's Tony Veitch this morning McCaw said the reaction to his injury was a 'bit crazy'.

"End of the day it's just a sore foot. It's going to take a wee bit to come right but hopefully they forget about it once the rugby starts next weekend."

With 212 days remaining until the start of the Rugby World Cup, McCaw says that leaves plenty of rugby ahead with the Super Rugby and Tri Nations.

"It's still a long way from a rugby point of view. We've got a lot of rugby between now and then. I think for everyone that's the focus for this year.

"Six weeks out of an 18 week competition...it is a big part but it's not the whole lot."

McCaw says experience will help him bounce back and be match-ready for the Crusaders as soon as possible.

"It probably gets harder when you get older but you can still train and stuff and a lot of it's mental. You've got to get in and fit in and when you're a little bit older you know how to do that."

A scan late last week confirmed McCaw has a stress fracture in the fifth metatarsal of his right foot after he developed pain during a yo-yo running test.

"The injury is obviously disappointing, but it's not likely to be one that will bother me in the long term. I'll have the operation and then get on with my rehab and look forward to turning out for the Crusaders when I'm given the all-clear by the medical staff," McCaw said yesterday.

He met with a surgeon in Christchurch yesterday and has been booked in for surgery to insert a small screw into the bone.

Metatarsal injuries have been common among footballers in the English Premier League with Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney and Liverpool midfielder Steven Gerrard both suffering an injury to the fifth metatarsal in 2004.

Gerrard was out for 10 weeks while Rooney spent 14 weeks on the sidelines.

Crusaders midfield back Sonny Bill Williams is also hampered by a stress fracture to his fibula on his left leg.

Kieran Reid will captain the Crusaders in McCaw's absence.

Mark Stafford from the TAB said neither odds on the All Blacks winning the World Cup or the Crusaders winning the Super Rugby title have changed following news of McCaw's injury.

- Herald online/Newstalk ZB