Taha Kemara is one of the most talented players in the country, he's fast, he's tough, he has an incredible skillset and more importantly he is a champion lad! For a 21 year old he has certainly experienced plenty of highs and lows from the game already some parts that stood out for me were.. - Growing up as a bigger sized kid which lead him to playing prop until college. - His time at Hamilton Boys and the influence Nigel Hotham had on him - Signing with the Crusaders for 3 years straight out o...
Apr 12, 2025•1 hr 3 min•Season 6Ep. 268
After 5 years of What a Lad here is one of your selected favourite episodes with the great Robbie Flynn. Robbie is was widely regarded as one of the most talented players in the country but as we all know talent will only get you so far. The beauty of this episode is how honest Robbie is with what held him back from fulfilling his potential. Robbie Flynn really should be a household name. He should be known as a rugby player who played at the highest level, with the natural talent that he had. U...
Apr 06, 2025•1 hr 11 min•Season 6Ep. 267
Andy Ellis is one of the most well connected lads on the planet and after this episode it’s clear to see why. He’s the ultimate ‘yes man’, happy to give anything a crack which is evident by his list of achievements. Some of his achievements include… ➖ Hosting the no1 TV show in NZ ‘Moving Houses’ ➖ Having the no1 song in NZ with C-City Brothers ➖ Hosted the morning radio show ➖ Qualified landscaper ➖ Business owner of Black Origin (Wagu Beef), Gravity (internet company), Hello Kiwi (internet dom...
Mar 30, 2025•1 hr 19 min•Season 6Ep. 266
Harry Wilson in 2023 missed out on the Wallabies RWC squad and was even struggling to make the Australia A side! Fast forward to 2024 and he is not just in the Wallabies but he's captaining his country to some of the best form they have been in for a long time. For the last 5 years Harry has been one of the best loose forwards in Super Rugby, where his work rate and collisions are up there with the best in the world! At only 25 years old, he's got a massive future still ahead of him! Some other ...
Mar 16, 2025•1 hr 1 min•Season 6Ep. 265
Kyle Preston is someone who deserves every bit of success he gets. His work ethic is unmatched and to hear his journey and how he has stuck to the plan even when he wasn't getting the rewards was truely inspiring. Having had one of the all time great Super Rugby debuts a few weeks ago scoring 3 tries, it was an opportunity for Kyle to show the world he was as ready as he knew he was. Whether it was doing body weight exercises till tears, kicking and passing at the park by himself for 2-3 a day o...
Mar 02, 2025•1 hr 2 min•Season 6Ep. 264
The fact that Christian Lio-Willie is a qualified dentist still blows my mind! Almost every player I have spoken to has said it's too hard to juggle both but this man has done it! How he has got to this point has been some effort, juggling huge days of study while playing professional rugby, he mentions he had to plan every minute of the day. Having focused on his study straight out of school after a recommendation from his mum, Christian felt like he may have missed the boat on his rugby career...
Feb 16, 2025•1 hr 4 min•Season 6Ep. 263
Get ready for one of the most inspiring episodes yet with the legendary lad Morgan Mitchell. Born deaf, Morgan’s journey to becoming a professional rugby player was never going to be easy. Although he was an absolute beast on the rugby field from a young age, he was always told that he would never be able to play professional rugby. Thankfully the man who is known for his stubbornness was not having a bar of it and did manage to debut for his beloved Southland stags in 2014. He has since gone on...
Feb 02, 2025•1 hr 13 min•Season 6Ep. 262
With Super Rugby just around the corner, who better to talk to than the Super Rugby CEO Jack Mesley. The fact that Jack was keen to come on What a Lad and share his very honest thoughts on the game and where it is heading, is proof that this man will do what he can to grow the game. Transparency was a big part of what Jack wants to see going forward and he certainly leading the way with how open he was around the challenges Super Rugby is facing but also some great ideas he has around the opport...
Jan 19, 2025•1 hr 9 min•Season 6Ep. 261
Tom Walsh has been one of the best shot-putters in the world for the last decade so it was an honour to get him on What a Lad for this one. Plenty of people have suggested over the years to get him on and I can see why, he isn’t just good at what he does but he’s a massive lad with an incredible mindset which has seen him win Gold Medals at the World Champs (outdoor and indoor) and the Commonwealth games while twice picking up a Bronze at the Olympics Some parts that stood out for me were.. How ...
Dec 15, 2024•1 hr 22 min•Season 5Ep. 260
Everyone who has played with Brayden Mitchell will testify that he is one of the greatest lads to play the game, he was a champion team mate on and off the field, who loved a good time and could always back it up when on the pitch. Some of the stories and reflections that the man they call Scratcher has in this episode were incredible to hear. He was so honest, held back nothing and can tell a seriously good yarn! Some bits that stood out for me in this one were... How hard the struggle of retir...
Dec 08, 2024•1 hr 23 min•Season 5Ep. 259
Mark Nawaqanitawase has had one of the most eventful 12 months in sport! Firstly heading to the Rugby World Cup with the Wallabies before changing code to the 7’s format of the game for the Paris Olympics, where he narrowly missed out on a medal. He then changed codes again, this time to the 13 man game playing NRL for the Sydney Rooster to cap off what was an incredible 12 months. What stood out for me in this one was.. How his Fijian heritage plays a significant role in his identity and sports...
Dec 01, 2024•1 hr 11 min•Season 5Ep. 258
The life of a head coach can be as brutal at times and it's fair to say that Rob Penney has been on the receiving end of his fair share of public criticism. However, what I am excited to share with you in this episode is just what a champion man he is. From playing 100 games for Canterbury as a tough loose forward to becoming a Head Coach who has coached all around the world, the Rob Penney journey is a fascinating one! Some parts that stood out were... Firstly hearing his thoughts on the Crusad...
Nov 24, 2024•1 hr 42 min•Season 5Ep. 257
This week on What a Lad we are joined by Hugh Pyle who in my opinion is the greatest Australian rugby player never to be capped by the Wallabies. Standing at over 2 meters tall, Hugh's combination of skillset and workrate has seen him have a remarkable career firstly in Australia with the Rebels before moving to France, where he became a centurion with Stade Français. He finished off in Japan with Toshiba before calling time on his Rugby career. In his podcast debut, Hugh shares candid insights ...
Nov 16, 2024•1 hr 16 min•Season 5Ep. 256
Hamish Kerr is officially the greatest High Jumper in the world having recently won Gold at the Paris Olympics. However, what you're about to hear in this episode is an insight into the mind of the Olympic champion and you'll be amazed at how close he came to bowing out in the Qualifiers which in his mind would have meant retirement. The pressure that come on one single jump is insane and when you need to be relaxed and in flow when jumping how you handle that pressure is the difference. Some ot...
Nov 09, 2024•1 hr 44 min•Season 5Ep. 255
Christian Cullen is a legend. You only have to watch a few minutes of his highlights package to remind yourself how good he really was. The speed and agility, his ability to change direction at full pace, his deceptive strength, add on top his attacking mindset and his braveness in defence! He was a joy to watch. He's also such a champion man who prefers not doing things like this so super grateful to get him on. In this whopping 2 hour episode some parts that stood out for me How the working th...
Nov 01, 2024•2 hr 4 min•Season 5Ep. 254
Casey Laulala is one of the most likeable characters you'll meet with an inspiring story from growing up in Samoa to becoming an All Black. Some bits that stood out for me in this one were.. What life was like growing up in Samoa with 6 siblings including All Black Nepo Laulala The pressure Casey put on him self to impress his dad and make him proud How he focused his mindset was to achieve his goals His memories playing with and against some of the greats of the game Why he moved overseas and h...
Oct 26, 2024•1 hr 27 min•Season 5Ep. 253
Ross Filipo is one of the greatest lads in our game, whose journey through rugby has been nothing short of fascinating. Starting his rugby journey at 15, Ross shares his evolution from a talented but hesitant first five who could goal kick off both feet, to becoming the skilful and physical lock forward we knew him as. In this episode we explore key moments throughout his career, including: Early Years : Ross always had the talent however he was naturally inclined to just cruise before a change ...
Oct 19, 2024•2 hr•Season 5Ep. 252
When we talk about the greatest rugby family in this country ever, it's almost impossible to go past the Barretts. Kevin 'Smylie' Barrett was a Taranaki legend who also played for the Hurricanes, Beauden is a 100 game All Black, RWC winner and 2 x World Player of the year, Scott has captained the Crusaders to 4 Super Rugby titles and is the current Captain of the All Blacks, Jordie at just 27 has racked up over 50 games for the All Blacks and dominated where ever he plays. Kane was tracking the ...
Oct 11, 2024•1 hr 4 min•Season 5Ep. 251
Aaron Mauger loves rugby, he's so passionate about the game and he is so grateful for his involvement in the game and he's certainly been involved! From playing for Canterbury straight out of school, to becoming a Crusader and All Black not long after. He then moved to Leicester were he won premierships over there, before injuries forced him to retire at just 30. Post playing he was always going to stay in the game and with his incredible rugby knowledge has gone on to become a great coach! Some...
Oct 05, 2024•1 hr 40 min•Season 5Ep. 250
Everyone loves a battler and when it comes to one of the greatest battlers to ever play the game the great Laurence Corlett has to be up there. The man who debuted for the Hurricanes 10 years after his first class debut for Canterbury, the man known as Frank put in a 7 minute shift that will never be forgotten at the Hurricanes. The story of Laurence Corlett is one that has so many layers, he's a true yes man who put himself out there and he can tell one heck of a story. Some bits that stood out...
Sep 28, 2024•1 hr 14 min•Season 5Ep. 249
Colin Cooper is one of the great great human beings, he's one of the wisest souls on the planet – a true legend of rugby in New Zealand with an incredible career spanning over four decades! Having played over 100 matches for Taranaki and represented the NZ Maori, and Junior All Blacks Colin has left a huge mark on the game as a player. After hanging up his boots, Colin transitioned to coaching, where he made his mark as the coach of the NZ U21s, an assistant at the Crusaders, the head coach of t...
Sep 22, 2024•1 hr 21 min•Season 5Ep. 248
Carlo Tizzano has burst on to the international rugby scene this season with an incredible work rate and tackle success rate and after this conversation it's easy to understand why. Growing up as an angry child, with 3 other brother constantly winding him up the aggression in his game was always going to be there. Having started out as a winger, he decided to move in to 7 a move with had plenty of doubters and even cost him a spot in the academy. However, as you'll hear Carlo has an incredible s...
Sep 14, 2024•1 hr 24 min•Season 5Ep. 258
Ross Devlin was your classic old school player, he threw his body and head into everything and was too tough to ever want to come off. Now Ross is convinced that he has CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy) from multiple concussions which included a very significant car crash. He now just wants to help others who may have it or even better prevent people from getting it. The key message in this episode is to try and help players, coaches, parents or whoever, that concussions and multiple concus...
Sep 08, 2024•38 min•Season 5Ep. 257
Bailey Simonsson is one of the best outside backs in the NRL and it was crazy to hear how close he was to giving up on the game! After a couple of years with the BOP Steamers and a short stint with the All Blacks 7's side Bailey returned home back to Australia with no professional contract. 12 months later and he's playing in the NRL final for the Canberra Raiders. This episode is another case of the different pressures that are placed on these guys in both codes of footy. The pressure to take y...
Sep 01, 2024•1 hr 11 min•Season 5Ep. 256
The Chris Eaton episode is one that left my cheeks sore from laughing so much, while also pulled on the heartstrings to bring tears in the eyes. This story is one of the most incredible stories yet. From growing up in Flaxmere which he would describe as "the hood", staying out of trouble growing up was about as hard as keeping the Hurricanes 9 jersey off TJ Perenara.After several last chances with Hawkes Bay relating off field incidents and a contract which involved no alcohol, Chris got through...
Aug 25, 2024•1 hr 28 min•Season 5Ep. 255
This week I am joined by Japanese royalty Lomano Lemek! The Japanese rugby legend who has been to the Olympics with the Japanese 7s side who finished 4th, He’s been to 2 RWC’s and has recently signed with Honda Heat again to take him through to 19 years playing professionally in Japan. From a young age Mano wanted to be a professional rugby player and being in the 1st XV at the age of just 14 made that a really realistic dream. However, after that season he failed to make any rep teams which rea...
Aug 18, 2024•1 hr 33 min•Season 5Ep. 254
Tamaiti Williams is one of the most exciting talents in the game, he's a whopping 196cm (6ft4) and 140kg (308lbs) with the speed and light feet of an outside back. He's got the skillset of a playmaker and most importantly for his position he's a beast at scrum time comfortably playing both sides of the scrum. All this at just 23 years of age! The potential of this champion lad is huge and it was awesome to go through his journey up until now. Some key bits that stood out for me... The emotional ...
Aug 11, 2024•1 hr 31 min•Season 5Ep. 253
Richard Kahui is one of those player that when fit was one of the best in the world and the unfortunate thing for him and all of NZ rugby fans was the fact that the "when fit" part was all to few and far between. The man known as Kaks had to go through 5 Full shoulder reconstructions plus another shoulder surgery in the space of 6 years which made fighting for the dream All Black 13 jersey a tough gig. It was also a real challenge mentally to continue to do everything possible to get back from t...
Aug 04, 2024•1 hr 34 min•Season 5Ep. 252
Daryl Mitchell is the NZ Black Cap who deserves every single bit of success he gets! From battling away in the NZ domestic league to becoming one of the best all rounders in the world he has had a unique pathway to becoming a professional athlete with a mindset we can all learn from. Some key parts of this chat were.. -Hearing how growing up with his dad John Mitchell who was an All Black coach and coached all around the world and the moves they made as a family. -Mitchell talks about his love f...
Jul 28, 2024•1 hr 8 min•Season 5Ep. 251
Joel Everson with potentially the craziest story ever on What a Lad! This episode will blow your mind and I’m sure it will also inspire you and I’m sure it will help many. Joel Everson is the 2:06m lock who had a 12 year rugby career playing for Canterbury, Southland, the Crusaders, Clermont and Hino in Japan. It was his time in Hino where his life was flipped upside down, coming out of a night club in Tokyo, surrounded by Police to then being locked away in a Japanese prison for 23 days. There’...
Jul 21, 2024•1 hr 24 min•Season 5Ep. 250
