McCullum eyes McCaw chat during Cup

Black Caps skipper Brendon McCullum may well seek tips from Richie McCaw on how to win a World Cup on home soil.

New Zealand cricket captain Brendon McCullum says a catch-up with All Blacks rugby counterpart Richie McCaw could be on the cards at the business end of the World Cup.

McCullum is a friend of fellow-Cantabrian McCaw, who was also schooled in Dunedin over the same period.

The pair were united at the tournament's opening ceremony in Christchurch on Thursday but McCullum says he didn't take the chance to tap into McCaw's thoughts on winning a home World Cup.

The flanker held the Webb Ellis Cup aloft at Eden Park in 2011, ending a five-tournament drought which had ramped pressure sky-high in a rugby-mad country.

Pressure is also on McCullum, given the Black Caps' recent form and their failure to advance past six semi-final appearances at the 10 previous Cricket World Cups.

"What they (All Blacks) were able to achieve, winning at home after being without the trophy for so long and the expectations they dealt with - especially in rugby - was amazing," McCullum said.

"You are in awe of how they did that. There will come a time when you will lean on those sorts of people, maybe later in the tournament if we find ourselves in that situation."

Black Caps coach Mike Hesson could also glean some wisdom from All Blacks mentor Steve Hansen.

The pair met on a high-performance coaching course six years ago.

They caught up in Christchurch earlier this week during New Zealand's warm-up match against Zimbabwe.


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Source: AAP


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