What does championship preparation actually look like? Two days before the European Champions Cup final against Bordeaux, Northampton Saints head coach Sam Vesty pulls back the curtain on his approach to cultivating a winning team culture. The conversation reveals Sam's refreshingly counterintuitive leadership philosophy. Rather than adding pressure during finals week, he focuses on reconnecting players with their childhood joy for rugby, even announcing the team using photos of players as 10-ye...
May 25, 2025•1 hr 7 min
What does it take to build the most successful rugby talent pipeline in the world? Paul Galland, Head Academy Manager for the Crusaders, pulls back the curtain on the organization that consistently produces more All Blacks than any other in New Zealand. The secret starts with a seemingly simple philosophy: actions over words. When you walk into the Crusaders facility, you experience a culture where genuine care and authentic relationships form the foundation for everything else. Staff don't just...
May 18, 2025•1 hr 5 min
What happens when a coach who's traversed the globe leading elite teams for nearly three decades opens up about his most profound lessons? John Mitchell, whose remarkable career spans from All Blacks Head Coach to his current role with England's women's national team, reveals the transformative journey that reshaped his entire approach to leadership. Mitchell's philosophy is deceptively simple yet powerful: "Your leadership determines your culture, your culture determines your behavior, and beha...
May 11, 2025•1 hr
A masterclass in coaching philosophy with former Wallaby forward Matt Cockbain who unpacks the delicate art and science of building championship cultures across continents. Drawing from 15 years of professional coaching experience spanning Australia, Japan, and international rugby, Cobain shares profound insights about leadership that transcends technical skills. "The head coach coaches the head" emerges as a powerful central theme throughout our conversation. Matt reveals how mental preparation...
May 04, 2025•1 hr 2 min
What turns a group of talented individuals into champions? Mike Ruddock OBE—architect of Wales' historic 2005 Grand Slam—reveals it's about finding a cause worth fighting for. Ruddock takes us on a journey through the essence of team culture, from his early days coaching "super flops" Swansea to international glory. With refreshing honesty, he shares how posting negative press clippings created a siege mentality that transformed underperformers into winners. "If you've got an overarching cause t...
Apr 27, 2025•1 hr 3 min
Scott Lawrence, a pivotal figure in USA Rugby, joins us for an enlightening conversation that straddles the line between sport and data science. Drawing from his humble beginnings in the Midwest to his role as head coach and general manager, Scott shares the unique influences that have shaped his leadership style. He underscores the importance of both strategic thinking and community values, using his experiences from Life University and his time in the UK as a backdrop. We explore how Scott has...
Apr 20, 2025•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 6
Wayne Smith, one of rugby's greatest strategic minds, takes us on an intimate journey through his extraordinary coaching career, revealing the cultural secrets behind multiple World Cup victories with the All Blacks and Black Ferns. Known as "The Professor" for his analytical brilliance, Smith shares how he transformed struggling teams into champions by focusing on meaning beyond winning. From his innovative cultural work with the Crusaders using Shakespeare's Henry V to his complete reimagining...
Apr 13, 2025•1 hr 25 min
Check Ryan’s Outstanding drills here: https://x.com/CoachRyanMartin Discover the secrets of crafting a winning team culture with our guest, Ryan Martin, a professional rugby coach with a unique background in education. Transitioning from a 17-year career as a primary school teacher to the rugby field, Ryan offers a wealth of insights on resilience, trust-building, and the importance of valuing individuals. We'll explore how his experiences as a young father and educator have shaped his coaching ...
Apr 06, 2025•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 7
Richard Cockerill cuts through the buzzwords to deliver a masterclass in building winning cultures across two decades of elite coaching. The former Leicester, Toulon, Edinburgh, England and current Georgia coach shares his refreshingly straightforward philosophy: be on time, wear the right kit, and work hard – non-negotiable standards that have underpinned championship teams throughout his career. Cockerill reveals the evolution of his notoriously confrontational coaching style, explaining how h...
Mar 30, 2025•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 11
Conrad Smith unpacks the anatomy of winning team culture with remarkable clarity and authenticity. Drawing from his 94 tests with the All Blacks and captaincy experience with the Hurricanes, Smith reveals how culture transcends motivational posters and becomes a living force within truly great teams. Smith's framework for culture starts with vision—that high-level aspiration everyone buys into—but he quickly moves beyond theory to practical application. "Values are difficult," he acknowledges, "...
Mar 23, 2025•1 hr 16 min•Ep. 10
Frans Ludeke, legendary rugby coach with over 30 years of experience spanning South Africa to Japan, reveals the leadership principles that have defined his remarkable journey. Having transformed the Kubota Spears from a struggling second-division team to Japanese champions, Frans shares how authentic leadership and genuine care create the foundation for sustainable success. "Take your wins to your heart and your losses to your head," Frans advises, describing a mental approach that allows coach...
Mar 16, 2025•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 9
Rugby has always been about far more than the scoreboard. At its heart, it's about belonging—being part of something bigger than ourselves. Few understand this better than Glenn Delaney, whose coaching journey has taken him from Nottingham to London Irish, Canterbury, the Highlanders, the Scarlets, and now Mitsubishi in Japan. "Culture is an observation that others make of you," Glenn explains, breaking down his triangular leadership philosophy of values, behaviors, and identity. Rather than pre...
Mar 09, 2025•58 min•Ep. 8
Trust and connection are the cornerstones of any winning sports culture. In this engaging episode, we're joined by rugby legend James O'Connor, who reflects on his incredible journey in professional sports. With nearly two decades under his belt, James shares his unique insights on how coaching significantly shapes team dynamics and individual performances. Coaches play an instrumental role in creating an environment where players feel safe, valued, and heard. James emphasizes that open and hone...
Mar 02, 2025•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 7
Chris Webb, a luminary in high-performance sports management, shares captivating stories from his tenure in rugby, spanning World Cups with top teams like Australia and Japan. Tune in as Chris recounts his journey from rural New South Wales with aspirations of becoming a stock and station agent, to a career in rugby management. His reflections on people management and the value of making each day meaningful provide valuable life lessons, offering listeners wisdom from both his professional and p...
Feb 23, 2025•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 5
Rugby enthusiasts and culture aficionados alike, prepare for a fascinating conversation with Paul Tito, affectionately known in the rugby world as "Fish." A seasoned veteran whose career spans over 25 years, Paul shares his journey from New Plymouth Boys High School to captaining renowned teams like the New Zealand Maori and Cardiff. Discover how his transition from player to coach has been fueled by a commitment to fostering team culture and leadership. With his trademark honesty and humor, Pau...
Feb 16, 2025•1 hr 19 min
Renowned rugby coach Johan Ackerman joins us to reveal the secret to building a successful team culture — one that emerges organically from the collective rather than being imposed from the top down. Through his experiences across the globe and his time in the police force, Johan explores how fostering a supportive environment where players contribute to the team's cultural fabric is key. Listen as he shares insights on balancing professional and personal relationships, especially when coaching ...
Feb 09, 2025•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 4
Kieran Crowley, a rugby legend and former All Black, joins us to unlock the secrets of building team culture across borders. Discover how Kieran's journey from New Zealand to Canada and Italy has shaped his understanding of cultural dynamics in international rugby coaching. His stories from the field provide a rich tapestry of insights into the delicate art of managing diverse teams, navigating logistical challenges, and embracing the existing cultures before making impactful changes. Trust and ...
Feb 02, 2025•49 min•Ep. 3
Rugby legend Steve Hansen joins us to unravel the secrets of building an unbreakable team culture. Discover how the invisible thread of shared values can bind not just sports teams but businesses and families too. Steve shares his philosophy that team priorities should always come first, offering practical insights on fostering open dialogue and making tough decisions when individual goals clash with the collective vision. Through his experiences, we learn the importance of living these values c...
Jan 26, 2025•55 min•Ep. 2
What if the key to a thriving sports team lies not just in strategy, but in deeply understanding its cultural fabric? Join us as we sit down with the legendary coach Eddie Jones, who unpacks the essence of culture and leadership in sports. Eddie shares captivating stories from his coaching journey at Leicester, with the Springboks, and the Japanese team, illustrating how recognizing and respecting a team's core cultural values can lead to remarkable growth. Discover how authenticity and player f...
Jan 19, 2025•47 min
I’m Ben Herring, and I want to welcome you to Coaching Culture with Ben Herring . If you’re looking to sharpen your coaching craft by exploring more than just drills and tactics, you’ve come to the right place. Coaching Culture is your weekly deep-dive into the often-overlooked “softer skills” of coaching—cultural innovation, communication, empathy, leadership, and motivation. Each episode features candid conversations with the world’s top international rugby coaches, who share the personal stor...
Jan 06, 2025•4 min•Ep. 1
