What a Lad

Ben May is officially the oldest player to ever play Super Rugby and unofficially he is one of the most entertaining lads you will meet. The man affectively known as Old Dad to his team mates, has shown incredible durability in his 19 year rugby career. Which has seen him play for 11 different teams, including over 100 for the Hurricanes! With a career like that, there was certainly plenty to talk about in this one and as you'll hear Bamma is someone who will always tell it how it is. He shares so many good stories in this one, from all the different teams he has been involved with. I throughly enjoyed this one, I found myself laughing almost the whole way through. If you enjoy this episode or know someone who you think will, then please do me a favour and share this episode🙏🏼 This episode was brought to you by Swysh, the perfect gift idea for any sports fan! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Another round of Super Rugby and another What a Lad preview! As you may have heard last week, Tom Marshall has kindly offered to join the panel every week and has watched all last weeks footy to give us an insight. In this episode we recap the teams and players that stood out from last week. We preview and predict the games, as well as find some juicy match ups or players to look out for. We finish with our Fantasy Rugby review and selections we have made for the week. Including the tough decision of captain! Enjoy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The life after sport transition is something that plays on all athletes minds. It's hard to prepare for and you don't really know what you're in for until you're in it. For Filipo Levi he has gone through his transition and he has put all the valuable knowledge from his experience in to the recently published book, called "Tackle your Success". In this episode, Filipo shares some tips on how to have a successful career change and that doesn't have to been from sport. He talks about some of the challenges he faced and what helped him get through. We also go through the big mans rugby career which saw him play for Otago, the Highlanders, the Black Rams, Ospreys, the Tasman Mako, the Pacific Islanders and of course Samoa. From all those teams he has plenty of good stories that he shares throughout. I learnt a lot from this one and I hope you do too. If you do enjoy this episode, as always please give it a share. If you really enjoy what Filipo has to say make sure you get your hands on his book. https://www.filipolevi.com/tackleyoursuccess Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're trying something a bit different with this one and giving you a Marshall brother preview Super Rugby Pacific. We preview the games and highlight a key member from each team. We also give our predictions for top try scorer, niggle goat and Lad of the year. On top of that we also talk about our fantasy rugby sides and why we have picked up who we have and if you are keen to join the What a Lad comp follow this link and set one up https://sportsdeck.com/rugby/dreamteam/?action=join-group&code=224984 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Was it a try, or did he drop it? That has been the question that has followed Elliot Dixon since his incredible try to win the Highlanders their first ever Super Rugby title. However, the great Southern lad is much more than one try! He's has an outstanding career in NZ with the Southland Stags, the Highlanders, the NZ Maoris and of course the All Blacks. I found it super interesting hearing Elliot talk about his time in the All Blacks and why he didn't quite have the All Black career that many of us expected. He has also spent time in Japan with the Black Rams and he is now over in France with Biaritz. Through his travels he has plenty of great stories to share and to be honest not many tell a more honest and enjoyable yarn than Dicko. I throughly enjoyed this one, lots of laughs and some deeper moments as well. One thing I can guarantee you will learn from this episode, is that Elliot Dixon is an absolute lad! If you do find this episode enjoyable then please get it a share 🙏🏼 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Professional sport always sounds like the dream lifestyle but as you'll hear, in this episode from Denny Solomona, it does come with it's challenges. The honesty that Denny speaks with in this episode is so admirable and refreshing. It was crazy to hear what he was putting his body through, yet whenever he got on the field he was consistently one of the best. Having been signed with the Melbourne Storm at 15, it's fair to say everything happened pretty quickly. However struggling to ever get any game time behind the great Billy Slater, he headed over to the London Broncos. A move that in hindsight wasn't the best idea. Denny missed his family, his side was getting pumped and he struggled with the use of drugs and alcohol. However he still had plenty of success on the field in the Super League scoring a record number of tries in a season and being in the running for the Man of Steel award. Denny then changed codes, moving to Sale and instantly made an impact, making the England international side very quickly. However he was still suffering with mental health issues, a topic that he is very open about. Now he's in a great space heading back to NZ to give NZ rugby a crack and personally I cant wait to see him out there doing his thing. I really enjoyed this chat with Denny, I think there will be a lot of people who can relate to plenty in this episode. If you enjoy it or you know someone who would please give it a share, it's very much appreciated. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Most fans will know Victor Vito as the big physical beast, who is big fast and strong and has all the skills in the world. The Victor Vito you are about to hear is the very well educated, absolute lad, who gives a very open and honest breakdown of his rugby career to date. Most will remember the day Victor burst on the the World stage at the 2009 Wellington 7's, where he put on an absolute clinic. From that tournament he was instantly headlined as the next big thing, even labelled as the next "Jonah" Fast forward 13 years and Victor can look back on an incredibly successful rugby career. He's a Super Rugby winner and centurion at the Hurricanes, a double RWC winner with the All Blacks in 2011 & 2015 and since moving to La Rochelle in France he has played some of his best footy, playing well over 100 games. Anyone who knows Victor will know that he is a very intelligent man and is a real thinker. What really fascinated me in this episode, was that on reflection, how he felt that had held him back in his career. Often over thinking the game instead of backing his natural instincts. I really enjoyed this chat with the Wellington great, plenty of good yarns in this one. If you do enjoy the episode please give it a share on your socials and tag What a Lad. This episode is also out on YouTube as all my episodes from now on will be so go subscribe to the What a Lad channel and give this video a watch/like/comment if you can. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Season 3 of What a Lad is here and there is no better way to start the new season, than with one of the biggest lads to walk this earth, the great Ethan Blackadder! So many of you have been requesting Ethan to come on and for good reason, as he is the ultimate lad. Not only is Ethan a lad but he also has an incredible rugby journey. One that I think can have a positive impact on so many young players coming through. Although his dad, Todd Blackadder, was the All Black captain and Crusader legend, Ethan didn't enjoy playing rugby as a young fella, so he stopped. Only finding his love for the game, while playing 3rd XV rugby with his mates. Now an All Black himself, it's been awesome to see his journey, which started in the 'Nelson Rugby Football Club' B team and to see where he is now. I'm also really excited to see where he can get to. There is so many good yarns in this one and I loved trying to tap into the mindset of this special man because he just does things different. Anyway I hope you enjoy this episode, if you do please give it a share and lets make season 3 the best yet for What a Lad. If you want to support the podcast head over to www.whatalad.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

James Lowe has had an incredible journey to becoming the Irish International winger! The kid gifted with size, speed and skill, was always going to have a successful sporting career. However, getting there wasn't without some significant bumps in the road. At around 14 years old James was diagnosed with juvenile arthritis, which had him bed ridden on and off for around 3 years. For a kid who was extremely active, it was a very difficult stage in his life. He got through that once he found the right medication and was back on his rugby journey. Although after being the star of the NZ u20 trials, he missed out on selection, which to this day still puzzles him and anyone who trialed that day. He put that aside and put in some big performances for the Tasman Mako, which earned himself a Chiefs contract. His form for the Chiefs was so good, that he was literally on the edge of making the All Blacks for 2 years. He didn’t, and then decided to take up a contract in Ireland with Leinster. A fascinating story. Now playing for Ireland on the international stage, it’s been an incredible journey from the proud Nelsonian. If you enjoy this episode please give it share. Also thanks to everyone who has tuned in over the year, it’s been a pleasure bringing you so many absolute lads! Remember to head over to www.whatalad.com if you're keen to support the podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The lads just keep coming and honestly they don't get much bigger than Ardie Savea. The man who is leading the way for NZ athletes on and off the field, inspiring many, including myself, along the way. It was awesome to get Ardie on, who is no stranger to a podcast as he has one of the best going around, with the Ardie Savea podcast. In this episode we talk about Ardie signing on with NZ rugby for another 4 years and how he found the process of being his own agent. We obviously chat rugby and go through his incredible career which has seen him consistently be one of the best players in the world. And of course there was plenty to chat about off the field with his clothing business ASAV clothing and even some exciting plans going forward. As you'll hear and as you probably already know Ardie is an absolute lad who has had a incredible career with plenty more ahead. If you enjoy this episode please give it a share and if you want to support the podcast head over to www.whatalad.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jordie Barrett, yes the great Jordie Barrett, has come on what a lad and as he has always done on the field, he has well and truely delivered with this yarn! I throughly enjoyed listening back to this episode and we spoke about so much that it's hard to know where to start. What else is hard, is to believe that Jordie is only 24 years old! It feels like he has been around for ever and he certainly has some experiences from along the way. In his first ever podcast, Jordie opens up about some key moments throughout his career to date and openly discusses the future, which has had me thinking for days what's best for the great Hurricane and All Black going forward. As you'll hear Jordie is such a lad and if you enjoy this episode which I'm sure you will, please give it a share that helps the podcast out massively so it's very much appreciated. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There aren’t too many players who make the game of rugby look as easy as Will Jordan does, his speed and acceleration look effortless as he often leaves opposition scrambling. His rise to the top of international rugby has been special to watch. On top of that he is also great role model and one heck of a lad so it was great to get him on What a Lad and go through his journey. There are plenty of good yarns in this one and a very interesting insight into the path of a professional rugby player. Will shares some great advice throughout and speaks very openly about moments and decisions that he has faced. If you enjoy this episode please give it a share and make sure you tag what a lad on whatever platform you use so I can thank you personally 🙌🏼 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Pari Pari Parkinson is one of the most unique characters in NZ rugby. From his unique hairstyles on his 2.08m frame, to his often painted toenails and just his unique personality which he owns and doesn't change for anyone, makes him a lad! On the field the man is a beast, after a couple of dominate years for the Highlanders and the Mako, Pari was knocking on the door of an All Black call up. Unfortunately his NPC was cut short with Tasman with a horrific knee injury that looks set to put him out for 7-12 months. I loved this episode because it was so honest and I love Pari's care free nature that he approaches life. Often we can get caught up worrying about the past or the future, Pari just lives in the moment and has a good time doing it. As you'll hear in this episode Pari is a lad and if you enjoy this episode as much as I did listening back to it please give it a share. And if you're keen to support the podcast head over to www.whatalad.com and get yourself some merch. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The legend that is Damian Mckenzie joins me this week on What a Lad and geez what a lad he is! In this episode we talk about his recent signing with Suntory in the Japan Top League, which I personally think is a very astute purchase from them. We also hear all about his new drink 'Grins' which has launched this weekend, a side hustle with the great Stephen Donald and Anton Lienet-Brown and by all accounts its an outstanding drop! As always Dmac gives us an insight into his pathway to the top and reflects through his journey to date. Being a small man all the way through the grades, I love hearing how he never let his size be an excuse and he just knew he needed to be quicker and more agile. There's also plenty of great yarns thrown in the mix as well, from growing up with his brother Marty, some classic shield stories and we relive a few good pranks that regular listeners will enjoy. As you'll hear Damian is an absolute lad, who is an inspiring character who has a good energy to be around. If you enjoy this podcast please give it a share and help the podcast grow. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week I am joined by not just one great lad on the podcast but two of them! Who better to get on as a duo than All Black 7s stars, key Tasman Mako members and best mates Regan Ware and Andrew Knewstubb. Both lads have joined the Tasman Mako mid season this year after a few outside back injuries and both have had massive impact for the side helping them reach the Bunnings Cup final. Before joining the Mako they have both been a huge part of the All Blacks 7s success, playing big roles for them winning the Commonwealth Gold and an Olympic Silver medal. As you'll hear Stubby and Regs are both great lads who love a laugh and have plenty of good yarns from their time together to date. As always if you enjoy this episode please give it a share and if you're keen to support the podcast head over to www.whatalad.com and get your hands on something from there. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

New Prank Friday is back with a very familiar prank for What a Lad listeners, "Dougie" from TVNZ has already got Tasman Mako Jacob Norris on board for his new TV show. So his next step is to get his brother, Chiefs and Waikato Star, Ollie Norris on. The new TV show which involves some big names and plenty on nudity is sure to be a hit and its great to get a couple of great lads like the Norris brothers involved. As you'll hear Ollie does bloody well and he is an absolute lad so I hope you enjoy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The recent Moana Pacifica signing and Tasman Mako, Willie Havili joins me on What a Lad this week. Its awesome to see Willie back playing at the level that he is, after taking some time away from rugby to find his love for the game again. The honesty that Willie talks about his struggles in this episode is extremely refreshing. He talks about the pressure that comes with being the younger brother of All Black David Havili and also how hard he found it joining the Blues as a replacement player in his first professional year. However, how he's managed to turn his mindset around rugby is inspiring. He's taken all the pressure off himself by finishing his building apprenticeship and found hobbies outside of the game which has helped massively. There is also plenty of good yarns in this one from his journey so far and as you'll hear Willie is an absolute lad! As always if you enjoy this episode please give it a share and it you want to support the podcast head over to www.whatalad.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Luca Inch may not be a household name just yet but this lad is without a doubt one of the biggest characters in NZ Rugby. At just 20 years old, the big front rower has had a massive year, having starred for the NZ u20s side and now playing for his beloved Tasman Mako. Not an easy feat for a young front rower but Luca is one of the most promising front rowers in the country and he has a massive future in the game. However what I found interesting was how he has got to where he is. He was a nightmare for teachers during his schooling years but thankfully rugby kept him with a focus. He was also extremely close to pulling out of the Tasman Academy at the start of this year, thankfully he decided to stay. A year later he's playing at the highest provincial level and will soon have a super rugby contract! It's awesome to be able to give you an insight in to some of these future stars personalities and as you'll hear, Luca has plenty of personality! If you enjoy this podcast please give it a share, it all really helps and if you really love the podcast go and get yourself some what a lad merch at www.whatalad.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The legendary Jason Eaton is one of the most recognisable lads in Rugby. The long flowing mullet, the big bushy beard and the big 2 meter frame. Combine that with the personality of one of the biggest lads going around and this is what you get. A true All Black bolter having been named in the All Blacks after just one season of NPC with Taranaki. He shares what it was like going into that environment as a true bolter and some classic yarns from his time as an All Black, including the infamous trip to the Church. The man known as Pig, also shares plenty of good stories from his time at the Hurricanes where he became a club legend not just on the field but off it. Known for his love for a beer after the game, Pig was a lad who loved the game for the social aspect of it and made sure he never lost that throughout his career. Pig also shares about how he has found his transition out of rugby, after finishing up a great career in France with La Rochelle. He openly talks about the struggles that come with finishing rugby and where he is at now. I loved this chat with one of the greats, it had a bit of everything. If you enjoy this episode please give it a share, that'd be much appreciated! If you want to support the podcast head over to www.whatalad.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Liam Squire was one of the most feared players in world rugby, he had an incredible ability to throw his body into contact with zero thought of self preservation. While that approach created Liam Squire the player, it's taken a serious toll on the body of Liam Squire the man. He's had an endless amount of injuries throughout his career and hip pain, shoulder pain and knee pain are all things he now has to live with, as he moves into the next chapter of his life. In this episode you'll hear him speak extremely openly and honestly about some of the struggles throughout his career. Dealing with the fame of becoming an All Black, handling the comments on social media and all the pressures involved in the game which ultimately lead him to make himself unavailable for the All Blacks leading up to the 2019 RWC. There's so much in this episode and it gives you a great insight into the life and the mind of one of NZs most damaging players. He's also an absolute lad who loves a hunt and is just a genuinely humble great lad. If you enjoy this episode please give it a share, it helps out massively. If you're keen to support the podcast, go get yourself a lad hat or hoody from www.whatalad.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Macca Springer is one of the most promising young rugby talents in the country, having just turned 18 years old and has already made an impact at the Provincial level with the Tasman Mako. It's not often you have players so young, look as comfortable at the next level as Macca has, having already had 3 very good games at for the Tasman Mako. It's refreshing hearing a young player talk about what it's like to be living his dream as a professional rugby player and the heights he looks to reach in his career. I'm certainly looking forward to following Maccas career with interest. He is a player that I'd love to get on again throughout his career as he goes through the ranks because he's not just a talented player but as you'll hear he's also an absolute lad! If you enjoy this episode please give it a share and all the discounts and information are on www.whatalad.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There's a new TV show about to launch called "Brother Battles". It's a show where some of the most famous brothers in the country go head to head in all sorts of challenges. With the catch being they'll be doing all of the challenges naked. As the man in charge of TV content, I thought who better to call up than Tasman Mako legend and NZ Maori star Jacob Norris. The Norris brothers have had a rapid rise through the ranks the last few seasons so to get them on a National TV, going toe to toe in random challenges, with the likes of the Savea brother and the Barretts would be great to see. As you'll hear Jacob is such a good lad and I hope someone out there can make this show happen one day for him. If you enjoy this episode please give it a share and if you're enjoying the podcast please subscribe and go give it a 5 star review 🙏🏼 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Joseph Sullivan, the Olympic Gold medalist in rowing, the 2 time Americas Cup winner with Team NZ and an absolute lad! This really is an incredible story of someone who wasn't built to be an Olympic rower, who went on to become one of the greats. Purely through his mindset and effort. The story leading up to his Olympic gold medal moment is crazy. It's a moment that inspired the country and is one of the best moments in NZ sport ever. It won the best sporting moment of the decade at the Halberg awards last year. It wasn't just pre the Olympic yarns that blew my mind, as how Joe was treated after the event was also unbelievable. I think many Olympic athletes would be able to relate, that once the big event you've trained so hard for is over, it's a real challenge to get back to a "normal" life. As he was battling away in a dark space, Team NZ randomly came into the equation and Joe became a 2 time Americas Cup winner as a champion grinder. I really enjoyed hearing this story and as you'll hear Joe is an absolute lad who is pretty inspiring with what he has done. If you enjoy this episode please give it a share, comment or like so others can be inspired from this champion lad as well! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One of the greatest loose forwards in All Black history, @jeromekaino is on What a Lad this week and what a lad he is! The humble enforcer who has had an incredible rugby career, having played for Auckland, the Blues, Toyota Verblitz, Toulouse and of course he is a double Rugby World Cup winner with the All Blacks. Jerome has just recently retired from playing the game, after helping Toulouse win the Champions Cup and Top 14 double and he has now made a seamless transition into coaching. On the side Jerome along with his best mates, have started @mintwear.co which is a brand with the most comfortable undies I've tried. They also have a great message behind them around male body confidence and being all inclusive. If you're keen to try them with 20% off, head over to www.whatalad.com and all the information is on there. As you'll hear in this episode Jerome is such humble, easy going lad. Everyone who has played with him always said what a great lad he is and he was often one of the first people to make them feel comfortable in a new environment. It was an absolute honour to have him on the podcast and go through his journey. If you enjoy it please give it a share. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Grateful to have the king lad Isaac John on What a Lad and man there was plenty to talk about in this one! Starting with Isaac's successful NRL career, where he played for the Warriors, Panthers and Manly. He also got picked for the Kiwis from playing reserve grade! Then we go through the transition into business after footy where he has excelled. He has started up the YKTR clothing brand, which has since expanded into YKTR sports and is growing very quickly. He also has a very successful podcast in the Ice Project and has recently launched the Inner circle which is an online education platform. He's making big moves and it was awesome to hear how he went about it. As you'll hear Ice is an absolute lad, who has inspired so many throughout his journey, he's always willing to help others and is very generous with his time! If you enjoy this episode then please give it a share! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One of NZ best comedians and NZ today host Guy Williams joins me this week for an absolute classic yarn. The local Nelson legend himself, has had a very eventful career and has never been shy to put himself out there. Which is great for us, as it means there was plenty of interesting insights to talk about in this episode. Some of Guys achievements include winning the Billy T award for comedy, in 2014 he was voted the Sexiest man in NZ, he's reached the charts with his hit song 'the Pigeon Song', he's worked in Radio on the Edge and has been part of plenty of TV shows, where he now has his own show NZ Today which is one of the greats! If you haven't seen any of those episodes, I strongly recommend you go check them out on Youtube. As you'll hear in this episode Guy is an absolute lad, who is obviously incredibly funny but he also has a deeper side to him and has plenty of knowledge to share. If you enjoy this episode please give it a share, tag what a lad podcast and you're a lad! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The man who possesses one of the deadliest side steps rugby has ever seen, Nehe Milner-Skudder, joins me this week on What a Lad to go through his rollercoaster journey. It's so easy to talk up Nehe because he is such a champion lad, who throughout his career has always been so good to all of his fans, his team mates and the game. On the rugby field he is lethal. For a period of time, he was carving up with every single touch of the ball, impossible to tackle 1 on 1 and he was the guy every kid in NZ wanted to be in the backyard. During that period, he won the Championship with Manawatu, he carved up Super Rugby with the Hurricanes and won the RWC with the All Blacks. He was flying! And then injury struck. It wasn't just one, it was injury after injury after injury, which has made it incredibly hard for him to get back to where he once was. However, what Nehe has done around speaking out about his struggles during his injuries, has been incredibly powerful for all other athletes. He is doing amazing work with mental health awareness by proving that even All Blacks can have their own struggles. It was awesome to hear in this episode that Nehe still has aspirations to play at the highest level, so I'm super excited to continue to follow his journey back to the top. As you'll hear in the episode, Nehe is an absolute lad whose rise to the top was pretty special to witness. If you enjoy this episode, please give it a share on your social media accounts, tag what a lad too so I can thank you personally. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There is no game without the man in the middle, so it was awesome to get one of the best referees in the world, Ben O' Keeffe on What a Lad to give an insight into one of the hardest jobs in the world. Ben, who at the age of 32 has quickly gone through ranks and is now one of the best in the game. Having recently returned from the Lions tour of South Africa, he gives some great insight into the pressure involved in being in charge of a test match like that. He also gives great insight into what life as a top referee is like. Rugby is such a tough game to referee as the rules are all so subjective. Yet, after almost every game played, if you read the comments they'll mainly be bagging the ref and his decisions. I hope this episode sheds some light into how difficult the job is and the fact that if you look at a game from one teams perspective there is always going to be missed calls. As you'll hear, Ben is a great lad, who loves his rugby and wants to do his best for the game. I certainly learnt a lot from this episode and I hope you do too. If you enjoy this one or you know someone who is always abusing the referees, then please share this podcast with them so they can understand what its's like out there in the middle. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's been a long time between pranks but when you have a young lad like Luca Inch around your environment, a prank was never far away. Luca is one of the most promising front rowers in the country, having recently played for the NZ u20s and is also in the 2021 Tasman Mako squad, at just 19 years old. He's also an absolute character, literally always smiling and he is just a real good lad to be around. Anyway for the prank, I knew that he really liked Cory Jane, so I called him up as Darren (Cory Janes mate) from the NZRU to see if I could stay at his house for the weekend. Anyway have a listen, if you enjoy it please give it a share. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One of the great personalities in sport, Kurt Baker becomes the 100th guest on What a Lad and there's no better lad to raise the bat with! Kurt's had an amazing career in the game and like most careers he's had his fair share of ups and downs. He's won everything possible in the NZ domestic game, ITM Cup Premiership and Championship, the Ranfurly Shield and of course Super Rugby with the Highlanders. A man potentially even more well known as the NZ 7s star has won World Cups, 2 Commonwealth Gold medals and has just returned home as an Olympic Silver Medalist. Although he's had an incredibly successful career on the field, it's the way that he has carried himself off the field which will have the most impact. A man who has always been himself and stayed true to who he is, Kruto is one of those team mates who makes going to training fun! Never shy of a bit of nudity and has created an interesting trend of people getting naked on a team mates shoulder after winning something. I really enjoyed this one with Kruto, he shares heaps of good advice throughout, as well as sharing some classic yarns along the way. If you enjoy this episode please give it a share so everyone can hear What a Lad Kurt Baker is! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Straight back from the Tokyo Olympics as an Olympic Silver Medalist, I was lucky enough to get the great Scotsman and the All Blacks 7s coach Clark Laidlaw on this week. Clarky has an impressive coaching CV having coached Taranaki, The Hurricanes, London Irish and is now the Head Coach of the All Blacks 7s side. I really enjoyed this episode, Clarky gave heaps of insight into the preparation to the Olympics and the actual event itself. We also discuss his time as an assistant coach at the Hurricanes and London Irish, where he shares some of the lessons he learnt from his experience at both of those clubs. As you'll hear, Craig is an absolute lad, who loves rugby, who has coaches some of the best players in the world and is always willing to share his knowledge. Also if you are keen to support his brothers Charity which Clark has biked 12 marathons in 12 days in isolation then follow this link below, its for a great cause https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/12in12in21 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The proud Southern man, Jamie Mackintosh aka Whopper, joins me this week to go through his eventful career to date. During his time in NZ, Whopper was a highly rated school boy who played a record number of games for the NZ age grade sides, making NZ Schools at 16! He then went on to become the face of the Southland Stags, the Highlanders captain and was even capped for the All Blacks. Whopper finished up in NZ rugby with the Chiefs and has since played all around the world including Montpellier, Ohio, Pau and he has just finished the MLR season in America with Austin. Now he is back in NZ, as the assistant coach of Otago for this seasons Bunnings Cup, ready to share his experience to the next generation. Whopper sprinkles priceless advice throughout the podcast, in an episode you don't want to miss. As you'll also hear, the big marn is an absolute lad, who has loved a beer and a laugh throughout his career and happy to share his stories in his gifted story telling way. If you enjoy this episode please give it a share, tag what a lad podcast it's very much appreciated. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Imagine a Super Rugby team made up of 2021 NRL players, the best players in League swapping codes, to compete in the Super Rugby Trans-Tasman competition. That's what we have done here in this podcast, so if you enjoy the NRL then this episode is for you. To help select the side I have called on some NRL and Super Rugby gurus, in the form of Hurricanes star Jackson Garden-Bachop, ex Warriors Legend Charlie Gubb and Liam Mitchell the Hurricane and (keyboard) Warrior. These lads all bring some great insight which makes for some good debate in making our team. Congratulations to all the men who were named, proud day for you all I'm sure. We are making some cool What a Lad Super Rugby Jerseys for this team, so if you are keen to have your own Jersey then head over to www.whatalad.com and check them out! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

He's back! Tom Marshall, the Tasman Mako legend has returned to the province where it all started for him. I was lucky enough to get him around to the What a Lad Studio, to talk about his return and also where he is off to next! Many of you would have already heard Toms journey to the top, in his episode in season 1, which gave us a good chance to get into some detail around his time in Japan. As well as that we discuss in depth about his return to the Tasman Mako! Toey also announces where he is off to next and answers plenty of great questions from you who sent them into the what a lad instagram account. It's always a good laugh getting the brother on the podcast so if you enjoy this episode please give it a share, tag what a lad in it. Any support is very much appreciated! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One of NZ rugbys biggest names is off! Liam Mitchell the Hurricane and Manawatu Turbo legend, has decided to head off shore with a deal that no one saw coming. He tell's all exclusively to the What a Lad podcast just because he is an absolute lad. Many of you will already know the Liam Mitchell story from his What a Lad episode in season 1, where he shared is journey from being in the 4th XV at school, to becoming the leader of the Manawatu Bucketheads and then becoming an official Turbo the following year! Now the great lad known as Chippy is off to ply his trade in Italy but as you'll hear thats about as much as he knows of the deal. It's always good getting good lads on the podcast, if you enjoy this episode then please give it share it's very much appreciated. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Youth suicide rates in NZ are out of hand and something needs to be done about it, so it was awesome to get the legend Solomon Alaimalo on What a Lad to openly share what he has been through. Even though he is so called 'living his dream' as a professional rugby player, the stresses and pressure that come with it can at some times be all too much. However the power of opening up and being vunerable is such a powerful tool, as Solomon has learnt through these difficult times. I hope this episode can help anyone out there who is finding life tough to be brave enough to talk about it. Solomon has also had a very successful career, he was a school boy star at St Bedes College before starring in the ITM Cup for Northland as a youngster. He found himself in the Chiefs setup almost straight away and as thing can happen in Rugby, it all happened pretty quick. He's has since had stints with the Tasman Mako and Waikato and he is currently with the Highlanders and the Southland Stags. As you'll hear in this episode Solomon is an absolute lad, who has a massive future ahead of him. It's so awesome to hear where he is at now mentally and I'm excited to see how the next few years go! If you enjoy this episode or you think that there's someone who would benefit from hearing it, please share it with them. It might just help someone who needs it the most. To support the podcast head to www.whatalad.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The legendary lad Otere Black is off! Absolute heart break for NZ rugby, as he leaves NZ shores straight after guiding the Blues to their first Championship in a long time! The beauty of him coming on the podcast is that you get the whole picture for his decision and you can understand why the 26 year old is heading to Japan. Oatsy talks about the offers that he received overseas, his options in NZ and how big of a factor Tokyo Disneyland played into his decision. Anyone who is a regular listener to this podcast will have already heard the Otere Black journey, as he came on in season 1. What hasn't changed is that he is still an absolute lad, I could talk to this man for days so it was great to get him on again! If you enjoy this episode please give it a share, all the support is much appreciated. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Unfortunately I can't release the Otere Black announcement episode I had planned, just yet. However I jumped on this podcast last week, which was hosted by Nelson College students Wil Thornalley and Ollie Inch. Both of these young men are very talented rugby players who have big futures in the game. Anyway I thought they did a great job, asked some good questions and had obviously put some time into it! If you enjoy it give it a share for the lads! A big couple of weeks coming up for What a Lad with some great guests lined up so stay right on! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Man I enjoyed this one with one of the Highlanders greats, Lima Sopoaga! Lima has had a very successful rugby career, having started with the Wellington Lions at just 18 and then moving down to the Highlanders not long after. He's also played for the Southland Stags and of course he's represented his country at the highest level, playing for the All Blacks! For the last 3 years Lima has been over in the UK playing for the Wasps, where he openly talks about the struggles that he had adjusting to the different style, something that I could really relate to. In this episode we discuss everything from Limas time at school, his Super Rugby winning season with the Highlanders, including the famous kick over the head! We also discuss his time in the All Blacks, how hard it was missing out on the RWC squad and the reason for his move to the UK. It was great to sit down and chat with one of NZs great lads and it was cool to hear all about his journey! If you enjoy this episode please share it and if you really enjoy it, then please go and get yourself some lad merch, what a lad coffee or any sponsors product from... www.whatalad.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Alex Malcom may not be your house hold name but if you do enjoy your rugby, then you probably know his Facebook page 'The Legend of Marty Banks'. His page is of course named after one of What a Lad listeners favourite guests, Marty Banks and to hear how the whole page came about is pretty crazy. To think that Alex now gets asked for his autograph or for a selfie at rugby games, for being the man behind a social media page, is something that he is still getting use to. From being a self acclaimed "awful" rugby player, to starting up this page as a bit of a joke, it's pretty cool to see where it is at now. After hearing how much time that Alex puts into his page, it's no wonder that he has had the success that he has. To think that he has done it all for his love of the game is pretty inspiring stuff. As you'll here Alex is a lad who is looking to use his platform to have a positive influence on the game which is awesome to hear! Also if you haven't heard of his page go give it a follow https://www.facebook.com/watch/martybanksrugby/ Also if you want any information on What a Lad products or sponsors discounts head over to www.whatalad.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Reed Prinsep is a great lad who has always enjoyed wearing his Speedos. So what we've got here is an old prank from the archives, where our What a Lad prank expert Mark Abbott, calls a young Reedo and offers him the deal of a life time to team up with Speedos. As you'll hear this prank, it really tests the composure of even one of the great pranksters and Reedo handles himself like the lad he is, under all sorts of pressure. As always if you enjoy this episode please share it and if you're keen to help support the podcast, head over to www.whatalad.com and go place a bid on one of the WLR jerseys! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Not many people had a crazier 2020 than the great Scott Steele. After being let go by London Irish just before Coronavirus hit, he found himself back at his parents house in Scotland, looking for a job, wondering if he will play professional rugby again. Fast forward 6 months and Scott Steele is making his International debut for Scotland after receiving a lifeline from the Harlequins club in the English Premiership. A crazy story and it's awesome to hear some of the lessons that he has learnt from his experience. Steely has been a premiership regular having played well over 100 games for London Irish, after playing a handful for the Leicester Tigers in his earlier years. A man with many talents, who has never been afraid to enjoy his time off the field as well. As you will hear, Steely has plenty of great stories from his journey to date and he is an absolute lad who shares his stories with refreshing honesty. If you enjoy this episode if you could share it to whatever social media platform you use that would be much appreciated. All shares are helping make this podcast grow so thank you! Also if you're keen to help the podcast stay alive, head over to www.whatalad.com and get yourself some lad Merchandise, what a lad coffee or some Pure Sport CBD any love is all much appreciated! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Beauden Barrett is one of the best players in world rugby and one of the best lads you'll meet. It was awesome to get him on What a Lad and go through his journey to date as his journey is one of the greats! In the episode we talk about everything, from what his life was like growing up in his super talented and rugby mad family. We reflect on his incredible career at the Hurricanes and touch on some of his favourite memories in the All Blacks, including that incredible try in the 2015 RWC final. We also cover his move to the Blues, how he has found his time in Japan with Suntory and much more. If you like Beauden Barrett as much as I do, then you'll love this episode and as you'll hear he is an absolute lad! If you do enjoy it please share the episode and tag what a lad podcast in it and if you want to help the podcast grow head over to www.whatalad.com and treat yourself to something on there! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I was shocked last week to hear that one of Englands most promising young players had to retire due to concussion. It was therefore great to get young Theo Brophy Clews on the podcast and hear how it all happened. Concussion is a huge topic in the game right now and a topic I enjoyed talking about in this episode. Theo who is just 24 years old has been recommended to give up the game that he loves, due to concussion symptoms which is not an easy decision. An England age grade representative, who also debuted for London Irish at just 17, Theo had a huge future ahead of him in the game! The man they call Boris for telling boring stories, will surprise many of his peers in this one as he shares some classic yarns from his rugby career. As you'll hear, Boris is a great lad and someone who will be very missed in rugby. In saying that, he is also someone who will be extremely successful out of the game in whatever he chooses. If you enjoy this episode please share it, especially with anyone who has suffered or is suffering from concussions.. this might just help. Also head over to www.whatalad.com and support the podcast by getting yourself some Lad merchandise, What a Lad Coffee or some PureSport CBD. It's all very much appreciated! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The current All Black assistant coach and absolute lad John Plumtree joins me this week on What a Lad to go through his incredible career to date. Plum has a very impressive CV, where he represented Taranaki, Natal Sharks, Hawkes Bay and even the South Africa 7s side. As for a coach it's even more impressive, having coached Swansea, Wellington, the Sharks, the Hurricanes, he was also the assistant coach for Ireland and Japan and now of course he is with the mighty All Blacks. Plum gives some great insight into the selection process for the All Blacks, the pressure that comes with coaching them and gives some great advice to any aspiring coaches. He also shares plenty of good stories from his time in the game and as you'll hear in this episode he is an absolute lad so it was a pleasure having him come on. If you enjoy this episode please give it a share and if you're keen to help the podcast grow, head over to www.whatalad.com and get yourself some Lad merch, What a Lad coffee or some puresport cbd. Any support is very much appreciated! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With Super Rugby Trans Tasman underway I thought it was a great time to get an Aussie great on What a Lad and who better than the lad himself Brendan Mckibbin. Brendan had a very successful rugby career having played for the Queensland Reds, he won the Super Rugby with the Waratahs, he became a London Irish legend, as well as that he got as close as you can get to becoming a Wallaby! There's so much in this episode, Kibbo loves a yarn and he shares some absolute classics in here. He also gives some insight into his mindset throughout his career around the fear of failure which is a huge part of rugby and something I found really interesting. As you'll hear, Kibbo is a great lad, unfortunately his mic was playing up a bit but the yarns were too good to not post it. If you enjoy this episode or any of the What a Lad episodes go help the podcast out by get yourself some Lad merch, some What a Lad Coffee, a straight face razor or some Pure Sport CBD all is very much appreciated. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After the recent episode with Mark Abbott where we spoke about a few pranks, I thought it was a great chance to play one of my favourite pranks that he did during his time in the Hurricanes info committee. This prank is on the legendary Hurricanes try scorer and absolute lad Ben Lam. Those who know Blam will know he's a pretty low key kind of guy and very switched on customer so it was always going to tough going. However for this prank we follow a similar format to many of the other pranks, where we find a product with the same name as a player and see if we can form some sort of a partnership. For Ben Lam who else other than NZ Beef and Lamb. If you haven't heard the pranks involving Fletcher Smith, Pita Ahki or Dalton Papali'i yet, make sure you scroll the archives and give those a listen. If you enjoy this episode then please give it a share. Also head over to www.whatalad.com for the one stop shop on podcasts, merch, discounts! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is it, the moment you have all been waiting for (until it got leaked haha) but that's all good because in this episode we have one of the best lads in the game on the podcast, talking in depth about a huge decision in his career. TJ Perenara is without a doubt one of the most influential players in rugby, you only have to look at the impact he has had with the Red Hurricanes in the Top League to see that. It's no wonder that there were plenty of teams wanting him on their books and plenty of fans wanting him to be apart of their team. I guess it was the interest from the Sydney Roosters in the NRL, that made the whole decision even more interesting. The idea of TJ playing in the NRL got everyone talking and giving their opinion as to how he would go. In this episode he talks about just how close he did get to making the switch and he shares his own thoughts as to how he would have gone. At the end of the day TJ has made the decision on what best suited him and his family and it was really cool to hear the whole background to his final decision. As you'll hear, TJ is an absolute lad and he has come on the podcast before, so if you haven't heard that one, make sure you scroll back through the archives and listen to his full journey as well. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It was great to get me old mate Mark Abbott aka Jared on the What a Lad podcast and go through the big marns journey. After being let go from the Canterbury Academy, Jared decided to back himself and move up to Hawkes Bay a move that instantly paid off. He made the Hawkes Bay ITM Cup squad and after just 5 games he got a phone call from Mark Hammett who was keen to get him involved with the Hurricanes. Jared went on to have a very successful career at the Hurricanes and he was a massive part of the sides culture. Jared then moved to Japan taking up a contract with the Coca Cola Red Sparks and he gives a great insight into what life is like in Japan on and off the field. He also shares his insight into the Japan Top League and what that competition is like. As you'll hear Jared is a champion lad who has a great sense of humour so it was awesome to get him on What a Lad. If you enjoy this episode please share it on any social media platform you use., it's much appreciated! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're trying something new for this one, I've got 3 absolute lads on who have all been on before, Marty Banks, Jackson Garden Bachop and Tom Marshall as we try to pick an NRL side out of 2021 Super Rugby Aotearoa players. Switching codes has been a hot topic lately and it's always interested me to think which players would make a successful transition. How we did it was, we all picked our own team and with out comparing sides until the podcast we tried to come up with a side. Not an easy task but it does make for some interesting debates. If you think you can pick a better side head over to the What a Lad instagram page and give it a go! The person with the best team will win a very juicy prize! Also make sure you share this podcast, it helps out massively. Also we will be getting jerseys made for this team, only one in each position so if you're interested in owning a WRL personalised jersey stay right on and the info will be out soon! Side not- if you haven't heard the full What a Lad episodes with either of these 3 lads, go back through the archives and check them out! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.