From fighting fires in a helicopter to completing 180-mile bike rides, double World Cup-winner Richie McCaw has been living life to the full.
McCaw announced his retirement from the game not three weeks after he won the 2015 World Cup against Australia at Twickenham. The 148-cap flanker has since gone down as one of the greatest ever to play the game of rugby.
Despite this, the 42-year-old says he has fully taken a step back from the sport.
Speaking to 98fm, McCaw said: "Apart from coming to the odd game here and there to watch as a fan, I really have taken a full step back from it and actually I’m pretty much full-time flying helicopters as a commercial pilot now.
“So that’s now my new day to day gig and it’s a lot of fun.”
Piloting aircraft was initially nothing more than a hobby, as well as his role as an instructor. However, when New Zealand town Kaikoura was hit by an earthquake in 2016, the rugby icon was propelled into humanitarian aid.
The Crusaders man worked alongside charities to deliver supplies, medical equipment and resources to and from Kaikoura.
"I took the fire crew up just to make sure everyone was OK in the houses and the roads that were stuck there," he said.
McCaw's yearning to help people didn't stop there, though. One year later he volunteered as a fire fighter during the 2017 Christmas Day fire in Canterbury. 20 fire trucks and five helicopters were deployed to the scene in Hororata on the day, and flying one of them was the burly back-row.
The Kiwi's partner Gemma Flynn posted a picture of the family stood in front of the helicopter, with McCaw draped in a fire-fighting boiler suit, with the caption: "Merry Christmas from Mr & Mrs McClaus. Santa was out fighting fires but arrived home in time for tea."
McCaw has also participated in a "flying milk run". He delivered to four schools in a helicopter as part of the Fonterra Milk For Schools programme.
The former All Blacks captain was recently in London for the Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla. He was invited to represent New Zealand as part of an 18-strong delegation that also included Willie Apiata, who was the first recipient of the Victoria Cross for New Zealand.
He's big on his cycling and running, and rode with Welsh Tour de France winner Geraint Thomas back in January this year.
In April, McCaw and partner Gemma welcomed their third baby girl to the family, Ella Mae. She joins Charlotte and Grace, born in 2018 and 2021 respectively.
Combining his passion for flying with his passion for cycling, six weeks ago he rode 250 kilometres (155 miles) from Queenstown to Invercargill to raise money for Westpac NZ rescue helicopters.
McCaw also looks a lot different nowadays. He's lost much of his rugby-playing physical prowess, no longer requiring the huge muscle mass that is synonymous with Test match players in the modern game. His passion for cardio has helped to carve out a more streamlined physique, with reports suggesting he has lost up to 20kg (more than three stone)
As recent as one week ago, McCaw completed a 300 kilometre (186 miles) bike ride entitled the 'Alps 2 Ocean Trail'. He wrote on Instagram: "We started at Mount Cook in -6 degrees before biking through a hoar frost around Twizel and Omarama. Some testing conditions but definitely worth it for the scenery."
