The GOAT.

Former All Blacks and Wales head coach Steve Hansen has coached some over the very best players the world has ever seen.

The New Zealander won two World Cups with the All Blacks, once as an assistant coach in 2011 and once as head coach four years later in 2015, defeating Australia convincingly in the final.

Along the way, he’s had the pleasure of coaching the likes of Beauden Barrett, Kieran Read, Richie McCaw, Dan Carter – but one of them stood above all the rest and that was his skipper.

In a wide-ranging interview with Wales Online, Hansen has proclaimed Richie McCaw as “the best rugby player the world has ever seen.”

McCaw played an incredible 148 Test matches in a truly remarkable career, captaining the All Blacks on 110 occasions. He only lost twice on home soil in 61 games and lost just 15 in total out of those 148 games.

He was also named World Player of the Year no fewer than three times and scored 135 points for his country – making him the highest-scoring forward in New Zealand history.

And as if his two World Cup aren’t enough – McCaw can also boast four Tri-Nations titles, three Rugby Championships and two Grand Slams. Safe to say Hansen is probably right. McCaw is the undisputed GOAT. Simple as.