While he was playing to standards he set himself he had no intention of leaving the test stage.
His focus was on the job tomorrow and wearing the No 7 jersey and leading the All Blacks when they defend their World Cup crown next season.
A shade over three years ago we saluted McCaw when he became the first All Black to reach 100 test caps and now he's gone past Pinetree's record for most appearances.
It's continuing proof of McCaw's multi-layered attributes.
His physical capacity is matched by his mental strength to deal with a mounting array of off-field inquiries while he remains the talismanic leader of the team.
Why stop, he inquires, when his form is strong and his love for the game and the All Blacks is as vibrant as ever.
Who knows what the All Blacks selection plans are or how injuries intrude in the rest of the tour.
Let's say McCaw keeps his game ticking over from the bench against Scotland and then leads his team out for the last test of the year against Wales.
He will head for summer, his gliding, his bagpipes and as much private downtime as he can get after 137 internationals.
Next year the All Blacks have five tests (Samoa, Argentina, South Africa and two against Australia) before they could play a possible seven in a World Cup campaign.
Let's imagine that happens and McAwesome appears in every match.
He will reach 149 test appearances to jump well clear of Brian O'Driscoll's world record 141 test high.
Would one more test in 2016 make McCaw's career any more exceptional?
We know the answer and have done for some time. Bloody McAwesome.
