Genre - Sports, Documentary
Runtime - 3 x 60 mins
Language - English
Country of Origin - New Zealand
Status - Available
Rights Available - Worldwide (*excluding NZ)
Inside The Chiefs Rugby Club: Taniwha Unleashed
Nestled along the banks of the Waikato River in the rugby heartland of Aotearoa, the Chiefs Rugby Club stands as a breeding ground for international superstars. For the first time, an Emmy Award-winning documentary crew has gained unprecedented access to the inner sanctum of this iconic club, steeped in rich Māori culture, as it navigates the intense world of professional rugby.
This three-part series offers a rare, front-row view of the incredible highs and devastating lows experienced by both the men’s and women’s squads throughout a gruelling year in the Super Rugby Pacific competition. The stories are told with candid interviews, uncompromising coverage and footage gathered from every angle of the rugby world. The cameras capture the lives of staff, coaches, players, families, and supporters, revealing their struggles and triumphs as The Gallagher Chiefs and Chiefs Manawa – the men’s and women’s teams – seek victory (some might say redemption) in the championship after last year’s heartbreaking losses in the finals.
The Chiefs' blueprint for success is deeply rooted in their profound connection to Māori culture, a source of unparalleled strength that fuels every player on and off the field. Central to this is the spiritual being known as the Taniwha, a protective force that players channel in their battles—whether it’s Liam Messam stepping into his first pro boxing match post-rugby or Chelsea Semple fighting her way back into the Chiefs Manawa after becoming a mother.
This series uncovers how this deep cultural connection may be the key to their success, perhaps even the difference between winning and losing it all.
On every bend, a chief; on every bend, a Taniwha.