The Crusaders say that they are putting the highest possible stakes on their visit to the Stormers for a clash they say is must-win, and that includes giving McCaw the result his 100th match in the competition deserves.
McCaw will earn his 100th Super Rugby cap when he comes on to the field and the Crusaders say that they are will jump on board the Richie McCaw Super rugby century bandwagon if they have to.
What they mean is that they not only want to help McCaw celebrate his 100th cap in style but that they also feel they need to put in a big performanced to stay in the semifinal race.
The Crusaders stumbled on the first hurdle of their away leg last week against the Force and that result makes their match this weekend feel a bit like a final as they know it can make or break their year.
"Obviously it's a pretty big week, we're treating it as a potential season (clincher)," assistant coach Daryl Gibson told Stuff.
"The winner of this game continues in the comp, that's the way we see it. There are a number of things to play for - obviously our future in the competition, and also Richie's 100th game. "
"That's going to be pretty special for the team and also for Richie."
The Crusaders are embracing the fact that it's a milestone moment for the man they follow on a weekly basis.
"Richie was our player of the day in Perth, he had a huge performance," added Gibson.
"It's one of the things Todd (Blackadder) reiterated to the team this week.
"One of our most experienced players stuck out like a beacon against the Force and the best way to honour him and his performance is to put one in for him this Friday night."
Gibson reiterated the stakes the Crusaders were putting on this matchup against arguably the competition's most impressive team of the last month.
"Everyone in the team is very aware of the situation we've put ourselves into," he said.
"With the permutations and calculations that have gone on it pretty much looks like we need to get three wins to even make the top four, particularly with the run home other teams have.
"So this is it for our campaign in our eyes, and we need to win."
While the match will be a huge milestone for McCaw he is as usual playing it cool and taking the occasion in his stride but admitted it shaped as a pretty special weekend, all going to plan.
"I suppose it is pretty special to get to 100, and I guess it's something you can be proud of," said the Crusaders captain.
"But we're got to the business end of the competition, and it's a pretty important game to make sure we perform.
"You've got to approach it in a pretty similar way you would anyway, with a bit of an edge because of where we're at in the season."
McCaw also conceded that the occasion of earning his 100th cap would add just a little extra twist.
"People talk it down and say it's just another game, but you just want to play well, you want it to be a game where you perform and the team performs too."
"I guess for me it does add a little bit of an edge to make sure we do well, but I'd probably have that anyway given where we are."
The Crusaders have made four changes from the team that lost to the Force which was just their second loss of the season.
Corey Flynn returns to the team after recovering from his ankle problems and joins loosehead prop Wyatt Crockett, blindside flanker George Whitelock and fullback Colin Slade as regular starters back in the run-on XV.
Gibson concedes Flynn, after his long spell out, is the biggest risk in terms of selection.
Gibson said he had a feeling a response was coming from a Crusaders side strangely off its game en route to the republic.
"Probably the most disappointing thing about the Perth performance was that we'd talked at length the previous two weeks about our error rate and losing possession, and how easily we give it up.
"To go out and perform in the manner we did was hugely disappointing for everyone involved.
"There are a huge number of reasons why we need to perform and win this game on Friday and everyone will be drawing on that motivation."
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