RICHIE McCaw admitted a sense of satisfaction was the over-riding feeling after winning the Rugby World Cup replacing the relief of 2011.

Four years after lifting the William Web Ellis Trophy, the flanker did it again, but said there was a different emotion this time around.

Talking to one of the men who will never play for the All Blacks again in Conrad Smith, he gave a rare insight into his emotions.

"I was talking to Conrad about it and there's a different feel to 2011," he said.

"The game was a bit tighter going into the last few seconds and it was just a massive relief four years ago, whereas this time we saw it more of rather than having to win because of all the reasons have gone before - this was an opportunity we really wanted to take.

"And turning up at the final, we just wanted to do our jobs the best we could.

"At the end rather than a huge sense of relief, it was more satisfaction we got the job done.

"So I think that's really different although you have the same joy and excitement, there's a different edge to it in terms of last time we won it, the time before we'd been knocked out early.

"It was a little bit different but it'll sink in over the next wee while I'm sure.

"It's quite hard to actually put into words.

"It's hugely satisfying.

"We had huge belief before we came here that we'd do each step along the way right and I guess qualifying for the final was what we wanted to be in.

"Then in the final, yes the game got tight and it was a tough match, but there was almost a sense of - we came here to do a job and we got the job done.

"The guys are very happy, but it's different to when you hope.

"When we got there, we expected to do our best, and if the other team was better than us on that day then so be it.

"But we knew if we did that we'd give ourselves a pretty good chance so we're just satisfied we got those pieces of the puzzle right and achieved what we're after."

McCaw's coach Steve Hansen hailed the 34-year-old as the best player ever to have worn the famous black jersey and the flanker hopes the team's legacy will speak for itself.

"I think when you become an All Black and you come into the team there are a lot of good men that have come before you," he said.

"The All Blacks for 100 plus years have more often than not have gone out and performed well on the field and that's what you feel - that responsibility straight away.

"No person is bigger than the team and your job is just to enhance and add something to that legacy.

"You don't have to do anything more special than what's got you there, but it's doing it every week that's the key.

"That's one thing I've always been big on is that it's not so much being the hero every week, it's just doing your job the best you can to serve your team and I think when you've got 23 men that do that every week - that's how you enhance it.

"And then you have moments like this tournament that let you add to that legacy."

Part of that legacy will be Steve Hansen, whose record of played 52, won 49 and lost three is peerless in the game.

McCaw was quick to point out the head coach was the man driving the squad.

He said:  "Steve has led the way in terms of attitude and what this team is aspiring to do.

"The standards that are kept has led from the top and that makes it easier to follow along.

"I think in 2012 after the last World Cup it would've been easy to roll into that year and life off what you've done previously, but the standard was set right back up higher again and we were going to play and have the world champion tag and deserve that each year.

"That's been the attitude the whole way through and 12 months ago the focus really came into what we wanted to do in this last six weeks and the relentless desire to be better and keep improving and add to the legacy of the All Blacks is led from Steve and the management.

"It's not just a player thing - it's a squad of 51 - that have along the years done everything they can to get us into shape.

"Having pretty much everyone available tonight shows what sort of people we've got as support staff.

"We're very lucky as players to have the men and women helping us."

In the post-match press conference, the captain was asked a strange question highlighting that the happiness of winning a World Cup quickly fades away to leave the players feeling empty.

But McCaw was not too convinced.

"I understand what you're saying, but you've got to enjoy these moments," he said.

"One thing in this tournament is that it's been hard at times when the pressure comes on to actually enjoy what you do, but sometimes we think the end goal is going to be the happy part.

"But it's doing the hard work along the way you enjoy and that makes the end goal - if you achieve it - so good and you can sit back and smile.

"That's one thing personally I've tried to do is enjoy these past six weeks and to get the results as well, I feel pretty warm inside and proud of the men you've been into battle with and done lots of stuff with over the years.

"We've been through a lot together."