What a Lad is a podcast by James Marshall who talks to some of the biggest names and best lads on the planet. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
…
continue reading
Presented By Betcha Podcasts
Angus Ta’avao is one of the biggest characters in New Zealand rugby, someone who is always good value to be around and has a great ability to bring a side together with his personality. Angus has done it all: NPC champ with Taranaki, Super Rugby champ with the Blues, he's an All Black, TV star, saxophone shredder and he is still playing rugby as go…
…
continue reading
Oli Mathis is one of the most talented young players in the country. The Hamilton Boys star produced some of the most iconic NZ Schools performances we’ve ever seen. Whether he’s been playing loose forward or on the wing, the 20-year-old has been unstoppable playing for Waikato, the All Blacks 7’s side & the NZ U20s. In this episode, we chat about:…
…
continue reading
Jamison Gibson Park has gone on to be without a doubt one of the best 9s in world rugby! He's one of my favourite players to watch the way he plays with speed and controls the tempo of games while always nailing the basics. He was also one of my favourite team mates to play with because he was just a massive lad. 4 years ago this episode was record…
…
continue reading
Daniel Bell might not be a recognisable name for you all, but as soon as you hear that voice – you will definitely recognise the voice. The man widely regarded for having the greatest larynx in the country which we have heard delivering some of the great moments in Heartland Rugby! Donny Bell has an infectious love for the game and brings the fizz …
…
continue reading
Sam Darry is a massive lad! Standing at over 2 metres tall and at just 24 years old the man has achieved and been through a lot! And it feels like he is still just getting started, After dominating schoolboy footy, Sam signed with Canterbury young and then made a bold move to head north to the Blues, a decision that he felt gave him the opportunity…
…
continue reading
No one has won more Super Rugby titles than Mitchell Drummond! A man who has done it all in the red and black jersey, Drummy has won 3 NPC titles with Canterbury and a ridiculous 8 Super Rugby titles with the Crusaders – yes, 8 titles! Add to that a test for the All Blacks, a stint with the Barbarians, over 100 games for Canterbury, and being the y…
…
continue reading
Rugby fans don't get much bigger than Colin Mansbridge! Who also just happens to be potentially the most successful CEO in all sport, having been the Crusaders CEO for the last 8 years which includes 7 Titles! However, for many it was the way he handled himself and the organisation last season when Crusaders missed the top 8 which was most impressi…
…
continue reading
He’s trained the greatest All Blacks of the modern era, he's survived the pressure cooker of test rugby, and has done so for the past 18 years! Nic Gill, the legendary All Blacks trainer, sits down for one of the great yarns full of honesty, laughs, and elite-level insight. In this episode we cover: What makes him one of the most respected S&C coac…
…
continue reading
For this weeks Fan Favourite episode we throw back to one of the most powerful episodes to date, I’ll always remember this episode for the feeling of goosebumps I got down my spine as Michael Fatialofa shared his incredible journey. Fats was one of the toughest players on the field I ever played with and he proved he was even tougher off it after a…
…
continue reading
This one has it all — Scott Waldrom, one of the most explosive loose forwards to play the game, jumps on for an absolute ripper of a chat and does not hold back. From growing up as a rugby super fan idolising his hero’s to playing with legends like Jonah Lomu, Jerry Collins, Christian Cullen and Justin Marshall, to getting dropped from Sevens after…
…
continue reading
Marty Banks was a cult hero, fans loved him. He looked like your average kiwi bloke, tall, low muscle mass and ran a distinctive curly mop. On the field he was a point scoring machine, he kicked goals from everywhere and made a habit of scoring long range tries which his deceptive pace. That's the Marty we all knew from the screen. The Marty you'll…
…
continue reading
We got back to an early fan favourite for this one with the great Mark Stafford! The beauty of a podcast, you think you know someone well, then you sit with them on the podcast and you are absolutely blown away with their story. That is exactly how this episode with the great man Mark Stafford aka Staffy went. Staffy has had an incredible journey t…
…
continue reading
"Who's that new hooker at the Crusaders?" That's a question I'm hearing everywhere! Well in fact that man is Ioane Moananu and this is your chance to hear all about this great man in his first ever podcast. Now Ioane is incredibly humble and down to earth with a infectious laugh and cool story. From struggling to start for Counties Manakau to becom…
…
continue reading
Scott Fuglistaller was one of those champion team mates who did everything he could to be the best he could be. Unfortunately for the self acclaimed battler it was just never quite enough during his time at the Hurricanes competing with some pretty gifted athletes. He found a way though with moves to the Highlanders and then the Melbourne Rebels fo…
…
continue reading
Voted by you guys as the funniest episode ever! Charlie Gubb is one of my all time favourite Warriors, not just because of the way he played on the field (even though he was an absolute animal) but more importantly because of how big of a lad that he is off it. Gubby is the kind of team mate everyone loves to have in the team environment, loves a y…
…
continue reading
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 pla…
…
continue reading
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…
…
continue reading
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 ➖ H…
…
continue reading
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…
…
continue reading
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 worl…
…
continue reading
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. Havin…
…
continue reading
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 …
…
continue reading
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 forwar…
…
continue reading
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 Wor…
…
continue reading
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 w…
…
continue reading
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…
…
continue reading
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 c…
…
continue reading
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 …
…
continue reading
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 t…
…
continue reading
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 p…
…
continue reading
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 prou…
…
continue reading
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 ke…
…
continue reading
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…
…
continue reading
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 ret…
…
continue reading
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 Lauren…
…
continue reading
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 hangin…
…
continue reading
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…
…
continue reading
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…
…
continue reading
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 …
…
continue reading
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 jers…
…
continue reading
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 …
…
continue reading
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 p…
…
continue reading
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 …
…
continue reading
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 h…
…
continue reading
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…
…
continue reading
Bryn Hall has not only been one of the best 9's in NZ rugby for the last decade but he's also been the voice of the game for many with his gift to articulate rugby union in a way to relate to the masses on the Aoteroa Rugby Pod and in Commentary. What stood out in this episode for me, was just how dedicated Bryn was to achieving the dream of being …
…
continue reading
Shiray Kaka is the NZ Black Ferns 7s star who is also one of the biggest personalities in the game! Her bubbly energy combined with a unique ability to be real and share her feelings, made her a dream guest for this. Her journey through professional rugby hasn't been an easy one and this episode reflects that with plenty of laughs, a few tears and …
…
continue reading
Timoci Tavatavanawi is the Fijian powerhouse who has quickly become the most destructive ball carrier in Rugby. The man is an absolute nightmare to tackle with his combination of power and leg drive and just the physique which is has hard as rock. I t was awesome to get the man they call Jim on the share his journey from growing up in a Fijian vill…
…
continue reading
Jamie Hannah is one of the most impressive young players in our game, you don't often see forwards with the skillset and game awareness that this kid has as well as the engine and toughness to boot. He is one very impressive player. He is also a massive lad as well, growing up in North Canterbury living the good life on the farm riding motorbikes a…
…
continue reading
Cam Roigard is one of the most exciting talents in the game right now. In the last couple of years he has made every post a winner, rapidly climbing through the ranks after starring for Counties Manakau, carving up Super Rugby with the Hurricanes before heading of to the RWC with the All Blacks. It was here on the world stage where we all got to se…
…
continue reading
