McCaw scooped the top individual accolade at the IRB award at a function - held this year at the Kelvingrove Museum and Art Gallery in Glasgow, Scotland on Sunday night.

"To be singled out, there is no other word for it really: pretty awesome," said the All Blacks and Crusaders captain.

"There are certainly times when it does become tough, especially when you are not playing well or the team is not performing well, but there are so many good times to come with it.

"Look at the guys we have in the team and it's just special to be standing amongst them, let alone captaining them."

On an evening of celebration and reflection, New Zealand rugby won a hat-trick of awards with the All Blacks named IRB Team of the Year for the second consecutive year and head coach Graham Henry winning the IRB Coach of the Year award.

The All Blacks have been the outstanding team in 2006 and will finish the year at number one in the IRB World Rankings - a position they have occupied since June 2004.

McCaw sang the praises of coach Graham Henry's rotational policy and said the squad of 30 test-quality players would hopefully be the difference between peaking at a World Cup and not just in the previous year.

"I hope so. I really do hope so. It's hard to know. We're so far out," said McCaw.

"We've been there before when we think we are in a good state. We went well two months before the last World Cup and still got unstuck.

"We've got that in the back of our minds and want to have every scenario fixed up. It will be a huge challenge for us."

Last year's IRB Player of the Year Daniel Carter was again instrumental in the All Blacks' success and was short-listed for the top prize again this time, however, the outstanding leadership and inspirational performances of skipper Richie McCaw was a key feature of New Zealand's supremacy during the year.

The IRB Player of the Year award was considered by a panel of former rugby legends with 503 caps between them including Jonathan Davies, Keith Wood, Will Greenwood and Fabien Galthie, chaired by double Rugby World Cup winner John Eales.

All major Test matches during 2006 were considered with Australia's Chris Latham, South Africa's Fourie du Preez and Ireland lock Paul O'Connell all short-listed alongside McCaw and Carter for the prestigious award.
 
The IRB Awards also recognise the future stars of the Game and France's outstanding young fly-half Lionel Beauxis was named IRB Under-21 Player of the Year after starring in his country's triumph in the Under-21 World Championship on home soil this year, while Australia's Josh Holmes was named IRB Under-19 Player of the Year after a string of outstanding performances for his country on the way to the Under-19 World Championship title in Dubai.

The award for IRB Sevens Team of the Year went to 2005/06 IRB Sevens Series winners and current Rugby World Cup Sevens champions Fiji, while Samoa's captain Uale Mai was named Sevens Player of the Year.
 
The IRB International Women's Personality of the Year was awarded to England flanker Margaret Alphonsi and the IRB Referee Award for Distinguished Service went to recently retired test official Peter Marshall.
 
The Vernon Pugh Award for Distinguished service went to former All Black captain Brian Lochore, the IRB Development Award was given to Mike Luke, the Spirit of Rugby Award was presented to Bali bombings victim Polly Miller in recognition of her charity work for other burns victims since the atrocities.

The glittering ceremony also saw the  announcement of the inaugural inductees into the IRB Hall of Fame  that was launched during the Awards ceremony.

The IRB Hall of Fame has been established to chronicle the achievements and the special contribution of Rugby's players, coaches, administrators, match officials, institutions and individuals. Inductees will be announced annually at the IRB Awards.

To  commemorate the establishment of the IRB Hall of Fame and to recognise the proud history and traditions of the Game, including its origins,  William Webb Ellis and Rugby School were enrolled into the Hall of Fame. Accepting the Award on behalf of the school and its most famous pupil was Headmaster Patrick Denham.

IRB 2006 awards:
IRB International Player of the Year: Richie McCaw (New Zealand)
IRB International Team of the Year: New Zealand
IRB International Coach of the Year: Graham Henry (New Zealand)
IRB International U19 Player of the Year: Josh Holmes (Australia)
IRB International U21 Player of the Year: Lionel Beauxis (France)
IRB International Sevens Team of the Year: Fiji
IRB International Sevens Player of the Year: Uale Mai (Samoa)
Spirit of Rugby Award: Polly Miller
Vernon Pugh Award for Distinguished Service: Brian Lochore
IRB Referee Award for Distinguished Service: Peter Marshall
IRB International Women's Personality of the Year: Margaret Alphonsi
IRB Development Award: Mike Luke
IRB Hall of Fame inductees: William Webb Ellis and Rugby School