Chasing Great

You get into habits of working hard. You get into habits of setting your sights pretty high — because that's what I've done for so long. Now part of me really craves that pressure. But another part of me realises it'd be nice one day not to have that.

– Richie McCaw

He's a reluctant hero.

– Former All Blacks coach Steve Hansen

...a glowing, full-throated paean to McCaw, who seems unaffected by his celebrity ... Chasing Great remains engrossing throughout, offering a close-up look at a very rough and tumble sport. Watching the film, it’s hard not to get swept up into the spirit of the fans and the players. Even for us non-rugby watchers.

– Film Threat reviewer Paul Parcellin, 3 March 2018

Doing something that no person's done before — that's what really gets me out of bed every day. So no team's won the World Cup back to back; no captain's won the thing back to back. To be the first team and the first players to do that...that's what gets me out of bed.

– Richie McCaw

This is a film for New Zealanders young and old; it will really connect with anyone interested in what it takes for an ordinary person to achieve phenomenal accomplishments.

– Chasing Great co-director Michelle Walshe

It's not that it doesn't lack for insight, emotion or story. But essentially Chasing Great is a faith-based movie designed for followers of our national religion ... it's hard to detect an unguarded moment among McCaw's interviews or those who worked with him.

– Anonymous NZ Herald writer, in a three and a half star review, 30 August 2016

In the Mind of a Champion

– Slogan on the poster for Chasing Great

What makes this documentary rather extraordinary are the interviews with McCaw in which he brutally dissects his own character and motivations.

– Otago Daily Times reviewer Christine Powley, in a five star review, 3 September 2016