Having dabbled in touch and cricket last weekend, Richie McCaw is now preparing for a more gruelling challenge.
The former All Black captain is to compete in the Godzone adventure race next year as part of the PwC Adventure Racing Team.
The team will complete a 500km course around Te Anau and Fiordland in March during the 10-day event. McCaw will combine with his 2016 team-mates Rugby Players Association chief executive officer Rob Nichol and Wanaka adventure racer Sarah Fairmaid.
Joining that trio will be Wanaka multisporter and champion kayaker Bob McLachlan.The team aims to raise awareness for the iSport Foundation set up by McCaw, alongside former All Black team-mates Dan Carter and Ali Williams.
It was an initiative begun by the trio to help children who wanted to play sport but struggled to do so financially.
"It will be a good way to kick off the new year and, to be honest, the temptation and massive challenge that Fiordland will throw at us was pretty hard to ignore," McCaw said.
"Godzone is the ultimate adventure and it really does test your limits in every respect.
"So it was pretty hard to not accept the challenge to race again with Rob, Sarah and Bob."
In 2016, McCaw’s team attracted thousands of spectators as they completed a 539km course through the Tasman region in five days.
There would be 100 teams from around the world competing at next year’s event, which includes mountain biking, kayaking, pack rafting, trekking and a ropes section.
