The new life of Richie McCaw, the rugby great who’s now got the chance to ‘truly help people’ every day

He is perhaps the greatest to ever play the game, with a rugby CV to put all others to shame. But Richie McCaw’s life now is very different to when he was captain of the All Blacks.

Whereas he was once the man leading New Zealand to back-to-back World Cup wins and a host of other honours in between, McCaw now works as a helicopter pilot and has found a new passion in competitive adventure racing. It is a remarkable change of pace for one of rugby’s true legends.

Starting in 2src16, McCaw’s passion for adventure racing and extreme sports has seen him take part in the brutal GODZone on numerous occasions. That is an annual, multi-day, non-stop, expedition-style adventure race held in New Zealand where competitors work in teams to trek vast distances. The event is the largest expedition-length adventure race in the world and widely regarded as the best. Last year, McCaw and his team finished second, completing the gruelling 666km journey in six days. To demonstrate how tough these races can be, McCaw’s iSPORT teammates were heli-evacuated off the GODZone course in the Fiordland National Park with a team member affected by ill health. Regardless, adventure racing has proved one way to ensure he doesn’t miss rugby after hanging up his boots in 2src15.

Read more: Dan Biggar’s beautiful message from his late mum that he cherishes every day

“I think I would have missed the game more had I not got into something that puts me on edge,” he told The Good, The Bad and The Rugby Podcast this year. “When you’re standing there looking at the opposition, you know it’s going to be a tough old battle. The racin