All Blacks captain Richie McCaw is to miss the first three rounds of the Super 14 competition on a "sabbatical".

Crusaders assistant coach Daryl Gibson said McCaw was expected to return to Super 14 rugby duty for their team in the fourth round of the competition which kicks off this weekend.

"Richie's obviously taking a sabbatical in that period - normally when All Blacks take sabbaticals it can be up to six months, so we're fortunate Richie's decided that he's only taking three weeks off.

"It's pretty good and a mark of the man, really."

A round four return would see McCaw step out against the Blues in Christchurch on March 6.

Local bookmakers have installed the Crusaders as competition favourites, the return of star first five-eighth Daniel Carter from an Achilles tendon injury suffered in France seen as key.

Carter was on his ill-fated French sabbatical last year when the seven-time champions somehow scraped into fourth place while struggling on attack for the entire campaign.

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