By Nikki Gregg BBC Sport

RICHIE MCCAW FACTFILE Born: Omaru, 31 Dec 1980 Height: 6ft 2in; Weight: 15.6st Test debut: Nov 2001 v Ireland Caps: 33 (6 tries)

From May to July, two words dominated rugby column inches and bar-room discussions - "the breakdown".

Mere mention of them were enough to send a chill through Lions supporters, while a few players in the touring party simply scratched their heads in bewilderment.

Why were the Lions losing out so comprehensively in the contest for the ball? How could they crack the code?

Their difficulties didn't end there. For like yin and yang, "the breakdown", in New Zealand anyway, was synonymous with two other words - Richie McCaw.

Acclaimed as the finest open-side flanker of his generation, McCaw's prowess at winning ball at the tackle situation shone through in a one-sided Test series.

With the All Blacks now embarking on a potential Grand Slam tour of Britain and Ireland, the home nations' coaching staffs will be preoccupied with preventing the Canterbury Crusader from dominating rugby's key battle zone again.

"It's a contest every time and that's what I love about it," McCaw told BBC Sport.

"There's always going to be talk about introducing rules to make it easier to control, but it comes down to one referee having to interpret several things at once.

"As a team, you've got to figure out the best way to simplify it for the ref so it doesn't become a real scrap."

I thought, 'I don't want to go out there and make an idiot of myself' McCaw on his Test debut

With his speed, agility, power and instinct, McCaw - after only four years on the international scene - has become the best in the business at "simplifying" things for officials.

But it can be a fine line.

Take New Zealand's opening game of this year's Tri-Nations in South Africa, for example. On that day, the arch-poacher was repeatedly whistled up for transgressions.

"Some days it's easy, some days it's not," said the 24-year-old. "It'll never be perfect."

Strange to relate now, but when McCaw first donned the silver fern against Ireland in 2001, former All Blacks criticised his selection on the grounds that he lacked Super 12 experience.

"I couldn't eat my breakfast or lunch, I was that nervous," he recalled.

"I thought, 'I don't want to go out there and make an idiot of myself'. But as soon as I got on the field I felt really calm."

The novice promptly won the man-of-the-match award in a 40-29 victory, after which the then-All Blacks coach John Mitchell observed: "I think we'll see a lot more of this lad."

McCaw led the Canterbury Crusaders to Super 12 victory

Thirty two caps later, McCaw is already spoken of in the reverential tones reserved for Michael Jones and Josh Kronfeld, arguably the finest "loosies" New Zealand has ever produced.

This year has already been a remarkable one for McCaw and his comrades.

After leading the Crusaders to the last-ever Super 12 title, he played a pivotal role in dismantling the Lions and then reasserting New Zealand's dominance south of the equator.

Those successes were underlined by McCaw's nomination as IRB Player of the Year, with team-mates Tana Umaga and Dan Carter also on the list.

"It was quite a surprise to be honest," said McCaw.

"It's a pretty prestigious award but as a player you can't afford to look back at what you've achieved in the past, you have to look forward."

The next challenge is beating Wales, Ireland, England and Scotland on successive weekends.

All Blacks leave McCaw on bench

With coach Graham Henry intending to blood some new players and rest others, including McCaw himself for the first game, the flanker could even captain the side at least once.

And despite his desire to become part of All Blacks folklore and win all four, he accepts that a first World Cup victory in 20 years, two years hence, is the main goal.

I think people at home have begun to accept the All Blacks can't win every game

"We're here to win but they'll be tough Tests, we're under no illusions about that," he said.

"At the same time, you've got to look at the big picture. The coaches have got to get it right for the World Cup in two years' time.

"Since 2001 we haven't lost that many games at all. It just seems that vital ones, like World Cup semi-finals and Tri-Nations deciders, are the ones we haven't got right.

"I think people at home have begun to accept the All Blacks can't win every game but we've played hard and delivered some really good rugby."