Learning curve.

Legendary All Blacks captain Richie McCaw says being dumped out of the Rugby World Cup in 2007 by France is one of the “best” things to have ever happened to him in rugby.

The All Blacks were overwhelming favourites heading into that tournament, boasting a squad littered with world class talent. But were unceremoniously dumped out the French in a fiery quarter final affair.

McCaw says for a while it was the “worst thing” to have ever happened him in rugby, but in time it became the “best thing” as he believes New Zealand wouldn’t have went on to win the Rugby World Cup in 2011 and again in 2015 had they not taken that difficult path to glory.

“People ask me what is the worst thing that happened to you in rugby? For a while I’d say the 2007 World Cup quarter-final but probably now I’d say it was one of the best things that happened to me,” McCaw told the A Few Hard Men podcast.

“Because I wouldn’t have put the time and effort and work into what happened for the [next] eight years … I don’t think the All Blacks would have been successful for the [following] eight years had we not gone through that.

“Yes, it was tough at the time but the learnings we got out of it and where it took us, the path it took us, wouldn’t have happened if we hadn’t gone through that.

“It showed you how tough it is to actually win a World Cup. It put that right in perspective. You never took anything for granted after that.”