It's been 21 years since the All Blacks last won the Rugby World Cup, yet captain Richie McCaw believes the All Blacks can still gain lasting fulfillment from their other achievements.

All Blacks fans reacted in shock as they witnessed the defeat to France at last year's World Cup. The All Blacks were overwhelming favourites to win the tournament as they dominated Test rugby for a number of years.

They top the world rankings, stormed last summer's Tri-Nations for the fourth consecutive year and will complete New Zealand's third successful grand slam tour if they beat England on Saturday.

While the World Cup remains elusive, McCaw believes other honours should also be cherished.

"You have to be able to gain lasting fulfillment without winning the World Cup," McCaw told NZ Sporting Life.

"It's not easy when you have disappointments but hopefully we can put them into context. We can be proud of what we've accomplished this year.

"It would be awful to have finished your career having achieved some of the things we have, even up to now, and not feel like you've done good."

One of those achievements was New Zealand's clean sweep of the home unions in 2005, a feat that will be repeated if England are beaten at Twickenham on Saturday.

With morale battered by their record 42-6 defeat to South Africa, England are expected to provide flimsy opposition to the world's best team fielding their strongest line-up, including McCaw and Dan Carter.

But McCaw does not expect Martin Johnson's side to raise the white flag.

"They'll be hurting and will want to come out and get it right and show they're a good team," he said.

"We've been in a similar situation ourselves this year. We were beaten twice by the Aussies in July and it was a horrible time.

"When you get a chance to put it right, and luckily they have a chance seven days later, that's what you have to do.

"We're expecting them to throw everything into it and they will de desperate. We have to match that intensity or else it will be a long day."

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