What a Lad

I’ve been looking forward to getting the great Willis Halaholo on What a Lad for a while now and man does he deliver with this one! From life as a troubled teenager, surrounded with the wrong crowd. To becoming a Six Nations Champion with Wales! I love hearing success stories like these and hearing the honesty Willis shares his story with is so cool. Willis was always a very talented player but its fair to say he didn’t quite have the discipline required to get to the next level. He became a father at 17 and was doing all the wrong things, drinking, fighting, drugs. He then had a moment where he realised he wanted to change his life and he decided he was going to give rugby a proper go. He moved to Southland by himself, slept on a couch and started carving up. Then came a Hurricanes contract which lead to a Super Rugby title, where Willis played a huge role. Willis then made the decision to move to Wales with Cardif and is now playing at the highest level of rugby as he runs out for the Wales International side, which were recently crowned the Six Nations Champion. This episode has so much in it, and there is so many lessons that can be learnt from it. Willis is an absolute lad for sharing and if you enjoy this episode please give it a share! Also the Merch is out now so if you enjoy the podcast please go get yourself some Lad gear to help this podcast survive. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Crossing codes seems to be a hot topic at the moment, so who better to get on What a Lad than one of the greatest to ever do it, Will Tupou. Will was a NRL sensation at a young age playing on the wing for the Cowboys in the 2010 and 2011 seasons. Who could forget his try in Golden Point vs the Knights, one of the greats! As a big league fan, I loved hearing what it was like going into that environment as a teenager, playing with some legends of the game. One of my favourite things about playing with Tups, was the amount of JT (Jonathan Thurston) stories he had, so there's plenty of those in this episode. After 2 years in the NRL Tups decided to change codes and head to the Western Force, where he made a seamless transition. His rugby union career has gone on to be a very successful one, playing international rugby for Japan at the 2019 RWC being a highlight. However, it was crazy to hear that he almost didn't play at the World Cup, due to some mental health struggles, something I never knew about playing alongside him. There is so much in this episode, which cover the highs and lows of professional sport and it was awesome to get Tups come on and share his journey so honestly. As you will hear, he is an absolute lad and if you enjoy this episode please give it a share. Also make sure you head over to www.whatalad.comwhere you can preorder some merch, or find discount codes for Straight Face razors or Pure Sport CBD. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stoked to have one of the great lads, Iopu Iopu Aso join me this week! Some players just can’t catch a break, in 2015 Iopu was in career best form, he had just signed with the Hurricanes and then injury struck. Not once, but 5 injuries in a row and 2 years later, Iopu was never able to get on the field for the Hurricanes. The man they call Fridge because of his work ethic, he was always working, doing all the rehab and everything he could to come right. Unfortunately though, injuries just kept happening! This took it’s toll on Iopu mentally and it was awesome to hear how he got himself out of a down hill spiral. There were still plenty of positives to come from his career, representing NZ at 7’s a huge highlight, winning the ITM cup with Taranaki and also although he didn’t get on the field he played a massive part in the Hurricanes 2016 victory! Having recently decided to hang up the boots after finding a new passion creating video and graphic content, Iopu has made a seamless transition to life after rugby. Go check out his work at https://www.instagram.com/iopu_iopuaso/?hl=en or https://www.instagram.com/iia_visualz/?hl=en As you’ll hear in this episode, the fridge is a champion lad and a team mate who would always have your back. If you enjoy this episode please give it a share, all shares are very much appreciated! To get involved with the What a Lad merch head to www.whatalad.com and go get some gear to help grow the podcast. Presales start as of today! The Pure Sport CBD and Straight Face promo codes are also on that website too! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode I catch up with the Irish legend himself, Jamison Gibson-Park and geez what a lad he is! The kid who was raised on Great Barrier Island, is one of those guys who is good at literally everything! He is still talked about almost everyday at the Hurricanes, as being the greatest mini team signing in history, after he carried the Mavericks to their greatest winning margin. He is soo gifted, so it's absolutely no surprise to see him going on to becoming one of the best halfbacks in world rugby. Jammo has had a very successful career, winning the ITM cup with Taranaki, Super Rugby with the Hurricanes, the Champions Cup and Pro 14 a number of times with Leinster and now he's at the pinnacle of the sport playing International rugby for Ireland. Like all rugby careers, it hasn't all gone to plan, with Jammo missing out on the NZ u20's a side he was expected to make. He was also completely blind shotted from the Blues after one minute being their starting halfback, to having no contract the next week. It just goes to show the brutal reality of professional sport and some of the challenges you face in it. After listening to this episode, I'm sure you'll realise what a great lad Jammo is and if you enjoy listening to this episode as much as I did please give it a share. Thanks to www.straightface.co.nz and www.puresportcbd.com for helping bring this episode to you and to get a discount from either of those partners all the information is on the www.whatalad.com website! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The man many of you have been waiting for, the lad, the All Black, Jeremy Thrush joins me for this one! Thrushy has it all, a great mo, a great laugh, a great jaw, an amazing voice and of course possesses incredible rugby talents. As he approaches his 36th birthday, Thrushy is still going strong, playing some great Super Rugby in Perth with the Western Force. A place where he has created a cult following, with his handlebar moustache as well as the passion he's been signing the team song (someone like you) with. In this episode we go through his impressive 14 year professional rugby career which includes playing for the Wellington Lions, over 100 games for the Hurricanes, 11 caps for the All Blacks, as well as a 4 year stint in the UK with Gloucester. Thrushy has plenty of good stories from his time in the game and he also give some great insight into the mental side of the game and the pressures involved with playing at the highest level. Thrushy is one of the real characters in the game, I loved having him on the podcast, I hope you enjoy this episode and if you do please give it a share. If you're after any information about the podcast or keen for a discount from one of our partners, then head over to www.whatalad.com or any questions just message me through the What a Lad instagram page https://www.instagram.com/what_a_lad_podcast/?hl=en Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The recently crowned Six Nations winner, Johnny Williams joins me on What a Lad this week and what a lad he is! At only 24 years old, the current Welsh international has had a rollercoaster career to date, with some incredible highs and some really low lows! Johnny started his professional rugby career at 18 years old, making his Premiership debut for London Irish. He then went on help England win the Junior RWC as he played a massive role for them. Then after being with London Irish through two relegations, a promotion and many injuries, he decided to move up to the Newcastle Falcons. In 2019 John boys career took a blow as he was diagnosed with testicular cancer which meant he had to go through surgery and chemotherapy. Obviously a extremely tough period for him to get through but hearing how he dealt with that set back and how quickly he recovered was inspiring. Then after moving to Wales to join the Scarletts, Johnny quickly made an impression and forced his way into the Wales international side. A side he grew up supporting with his Welsh father. As you'll hear in this episode Johnny is a great lad who has a huge future in the game. He's also doing some great work around testicular cancer awareness, if you feel ANY abnormalities in your balls please just go get them checked. If you enjoy this episode or know someone who you think would, then please share it, all shares are very much appreciated. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Angus Ta'avao, what a lad he is! Man it was a good laugh to get one of the real characters in the game on What a Lad and go through his unbelievable journey! One thing I admire about big Gus is his ability to be himself in any situation, he's one of the few rugby players out there who is portrays himself exactly how his is in the changing rooms. He's always a real laugh and such a good lad to be around. On top of that he's also had an incredible rugby journey to becoming an All Black, with the year he made his debut, he had just been let go by the Waratahs and couldn't get a contract in NZ other than a temporary replacement player contract for the Chiefs. A true case of never giving up on yourself or your dreams and keep believing in yourself. There's so much in the episode, it's obviously full with humour but it's also very inspiring hearing how Gus has overcome the challenges that have been in front of him. If you enjoy this episode please give it a share, I'm sure you probably already know but this will just confirm to you What a Lad Angus Ta'avao is! If you want to get involved with Pure Sport CBD head over to www.whatalad.com for the promo code for 20% off this great product. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tim Bateman has probably been one of the most under appreciated rugby players in New Zealand. He's someone you don't really notice how much he does for a team until he's in your side. He has a massive influence on any team that he is involved with! His rugby brain is the best that I played with. So getting him to come on to What a Lad and give an insight into his 15 year professional career was awesome. Timmy was a school boy star for CBHS, who then forced his way into a very stacked Canterbury and Crusaders side at a real young age. He left NZ rugby in his early 20's to play in Japan and returned back to NZ 2 years later to join up with the Hurricanes and the Wellington Lions. Timmy was forced to head back to Japan, so that his wife Laura could get the best treatment she could for her multiple sclerosis, which she was diagnosed with in 2012. He then returned back to Christchurch for family reasons, before being offered a contract to finish up with the Crusaders. He has since retired every year but is currently still playing in Japan with the Toshiba Brave Lupus. Off the field Timmy is someone who's always been working at life after rugby and he now has two very successful businesses in the form of, the Cloud 9 float Club and O-Studios, which are both based down in Christchurch. Timmy is incredibly smart, inspirational, absolutely quality rugby player and what a lad. He is someone I always enjoyed talking to throughout my career and he goes even better on a podcast, so if you enjoy this episode as much as I did, please give it a share. If you're in the Christchurch area do your self a favour and go and experience a float at Cloud9 studios or go check out O-Studios. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Here is an absolute treat for you, Conrad Smith, the All Black great, the Hurricane legend and genuinely one of the greatest lads I've come across throughout my career. He is here on What a Lad! The man commonly referred to as Snakey, takes us on his journey that saw him go from being a skinny little half back who couldn't box kick or pass both way, to becoming one of the greatest centres of all time! There's so much in this episode, we talk everything from social media, dealing with injuries, dealing with pressure, the life after rugby transition, the great work he's doing for the charity 'So They Can' and of course plenty of rugby chat. Listening to this episode will just reinforce to you what a lad the great Snakey is, he's very intelligent, he has a great sense of humour and he is just a genuinely good person. He's someone who taught me so much throughout my career and he was always happy to help others. I'm sure that you will get a lot out of this episode and if you do enjoy it please share it. Conrad obviously doesn't have social media so we will need all the shares we can get with this one. Thanks for all the support so far, it's all very much appreciated. If you are keen to try the Pure Sport CBD oil, which has been loved by plenty of listeners already. Then head over to www.whatalad.com and you will see a link and the promo code there for you to enjoy. Any issues feel free to message me via https://www.instagram.com/what_a_lad_podcast/?hl=en Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Two English greats back to back! How good! This time I've got the great lad Brad Shields on to take me through his story and what a story it is! Brads a player who I felt was playing well enough to be an All Black for about 3 or 4 years back to back, while consistently putting in dominant performances for the Wellington Lions and the Hurricanes. That moment obviously never came, so to see him end up playing International rugby for England was pretty awesome to see and it's interesting to hear how that all happened. Like all professional sports people Shieldsy has had some massive highs, as well as some lows throughout his career, and dealing with the injury that made him unavailable for the RWC was obviously one of those. It was awesome to hear him share how that effected him so honestly and great to hear some advice for anyone else out there battling through it. As you will hear from this episode Shieldsy is a great lad, very inspiring and a good sense of humour. Make sure if you enjoy this episode please share it and extra points if you tag in What a Lad on whatever platform you use. If you're keen to change your life and try some Pure Sport CBD oil then head over the www.whatalad.com and find out how to get a 20% discount on this great product. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Not many people know this but todays guest Lewis Moody, is not only an English Rugby great and an absolute lad who is doing amazing things in this world, but he is also my brother in law. So it was awesome to finally get him on What a Lad, to go through his journey to becoming one of the greats. I had so much to talk to Lewis about for this one, obviously he had a very successful rugby career winning Premierships and Heineken cups with Leicester Tigers, winning the 2003 Rugby World cup with England, captaining them at the 2011 Rugby World Cup and representing the British and Irish Lions. All massive achievements! He's also doing amazing things with his foundation https://www.thelewismoodyfoundation.org/ which is supporting people and growing awareness around brain tumours. A massive killer! I urge you to go and check out that website and donate if you can. It's a non profit organisation, who are making a massive difference in peoples lives. They also do all sorts of crazy challenges around the world which would be an amazing experience to get on one of those. Lewis also gives about his thoughts around concussion which is something that I found really interesting. He more than most knows concussion, as his fearless and reckless regard for his body was tested over 300 times at professional level. It's fair to say the game is going the direction with concussion after hearing some of his stories! Anyway as you'll hear from this episode, Lewis is such a good lad doing great things. If you enjoy this episode please share it, they are all very much appreciated. Also head over to www.whatalad.com if you're after the discount code for Puresport CBD or Fortune Favours. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The legend of John Hardie joins me for this one and he does not disappoint! Currently with the Newcastle Falcons, Hardsauce is probably better well known as the Scotland international, the Highlander great or arguably the greatest Southland Stag of all time! Not only is he a great player but he is also a great lad, one who has plenty of stories to share from throughout his journey. Hards is also responsible for one of the greatest videos on the internet as he interrupts a news interview so he shares some insight into that scenario. Hards has had an amazing career with plenty of highs and also a fair amount of setbacks. It’s cool to hear how players ride the rollercoaster that professional sports brings! If you enjoy this episode as much as I did listening back to it then please give it a share! It’s all much appreciated! Head over the www.whatalad.com for all the details you need to purchase from our partners or check out what’s going on with the podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I'm mixing it up a little bit with this one, going deeper in to the very important topic of mental health. For this episode I'm lucky enough to get on Austin Hay, a young English rugby player who has recently had mental health struggles of his own. Austin is a champion lad who was really keen to open up and talk about it, to potentially help anyone else out there feeling the same. Austin aka the Seal is a guy I knew at Irish, as a real friendly bloke who always seemed happy so hearing he got to the point he wanted to take his own life really shocked me. It just emphasises how important it is to check on people, even the happy ones and just let them know you are there. It's not easy to come on a podcast and open up like this so I really appreciate seal for coming on and you can tell what a lad he is by being willing to talk to anyone out there who might want someone to talk to who has been through it. If you enjoy this episode or know of someone who may benefit from hearing this one please share it. And head over to www.whatalad.com to check out some juicy deals from puresportcbd or fortune favours or even just to check out some other episodes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With the Joseph Parker fight this weekend, I thought it was a perfect chance to release the Loni Uhila aka The Tongan Bear prank. This prank was done in 2016, just before The Tongan Bear was about to fight the Brown Butterbean on the undercard for a Joseph Parker fight. So we got prank expert Reggie Goodes to call him as someone from Ducco Events, basically to see if we could get him the fight Joseph Parker for 25k. Anyone who knows the Tongan Bear will know he's one of the best characters in the game, such a funny guy but he is also confident in the ring. Hopefully we can make this fight happen as it would be a great fight and it’d be great for Loni to get his 25k. If you enjoy this episode then please share it, thanks for all the shares to date and helping to grow the What a Lad podcast! For more information on the partners discounts head to www.whatalad.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I've held off getting this guest on as long as I could. I know you need to time your big names well, so I think now is a great time to take the podcast global and get on an international sensation, who has the self acclaimed best banter in world rugby, Jebb Sinclair! Jebb has represented Canada at two world cups, he's also represented them on the 7's circuit, he's played Super Rugby with the Stormers, he's won the Curry Cup with the Western Province and he's also a legend of the great club London Irish. He's obviously had a very successful career and some of the stories along the way are classic. Hearing how his Super Rugby career came about being one of the greats. Everyone who's played with Jebb will know what a character he is, and it's fair to say he's very well known for 2 things, banter and fights. He does not let us down here with either as he shares plenty of stories about both of those topics. As always if you enjoy this episode please share it and make sure you go check out www.whatalad.com for ways to get involved with our partners Puresport CBD or Fortune Favours. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We are back with a prank, it's been a long time! This one was found deep in the archives which takes us back to 2015 when a young Mark Abbot calls Hurricanes forwards coach Richard (hard parts) Watt. The situation for this one was, Watty had flown up to Auckland for an appointment and unfortunately his flight back to Wellington was cancelled due to fog. The Hurricanes had training the next day so Watty decided to hire a car and drive back himself. So we thought it'd be a great chance to jump in and see if we can wind him up somehow. As anyone who knows Watty will know he is one of the best lads you'll meet, however he does have a short fuse which has seen him clock up roughly 65 red cards during his rugby career. Anyway I hope you enjoy this one and as always if you do enjoy it please share it with a friend or on your social media platform and help grow the podcast. Any love is much appreciated! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 to become the face of the TAB and the face of sport here in NZ but he certainly had a few bumps along the way. He shares some mind blowing stories in this episode including one how he died in a car crash but was brought back to life, in an event that ended his rugby career. Staffy also gives some unreal insight in to what goes on behind the scenes at the tab and some unbelievable match fixing stories. I loved this episode as it has a bit of everything in it and you can hear what a genuinely great lad Staffy is! If you enjoy this episode as always please share it, this is a great one to share with anyone who is having a tough time. Pure Sport CBD and to try some of this unreal product head to https://puresportcbd.com/ and enter whatalad20 in the promo code for 20% off. Fortune Favours, to purchase any product with a 15% discount head to https://www.fortunefavours.beer/ and put whatalad in the promo code. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode I catch up with the Scotland international and London Irish star, Blair Cowan. I found this an interesting yarn hearing that Blair was someone who never really took rugby that seriously, he just loved playing the game. However when he did play the game he went hard! He has always been a player who just gets stuck into everything and he still is to this day. The man they call Steeve, also talks about the time he missed out on the Scotland RWC squad, which is a real eye opener into how brutal being a professional rugby player can be on you mentally. I loved my time at London Irish playing alongside this legend, he's top lad on and off the field, loved the banter and always delivered on the field! If you enjoy this episode please share it on your social media platforms it's all really appreciated. It's awesome to see What a Lad growing so thanks for all the support to date! Head over to whatalad.com to see how you can get redeem the discounts on offer for puresport or fortunefavours and get involved! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Man this episode with Robbie Flynn got me good, it is the classic case of talent vs discipline but with so much more to it. 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. Unfortunately, Robbie blew chance, after chance, after chance, as he struggled with self discipline and like many talented kids, he just kind of expected things to happen. Hearing Robbie talk about his upbringing was incredible and to say he had a tough start to life would be a massive understatement. His love for rugby throughout the episode is clear and self confidence that he has is refreshing to hear. Now Robbie is still playing in Italy with the club Vincenza at the age of 35. He can look back on his career and realise what a great opportunity he missed out on but he also wants to help anyone out there who's in the same position. Anyone who knows the man they call Megatron, will know he's a real character, who loves a good time so it was awesome to have him on What a Lad. I hope you all find this episode as inspiring and funny as I did and if you do know someone who would benefit from hearing this episode please share it with them. The website www.whatalad.com is now live so head over to there to check it out and look out for the merch drop in the next few weeks! There's also a link to puresport and fortune favours on the website along with the promo code for a discount on there stuff. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Many of you will be wondering who is Jacob Atkins? Well I can tell you right now, that he is a very talented rugby player and an absolute Lad who just loves code! Although the man they call Snakob may look like a man coming to the end of his career, he is only just getting started! Still just 23 years young, the kid has been involved with the English Premiership side London Irish, for the past 5 seasons. Snake has a massive work ethic, always trying to improve and is patiently waiting for his chance to get some consistent game time to prove himself. A struggle that so many rugby player face at some point throughout career, some longer than others! I personally found this a very entertaining episode, as the Snake shares some classic stories from his time at London Irish which just need to be heard. If you enjoy this episode, as always it'd be much appreciated if you could share it with someone who you think would like it and help grow the podcast. Don't forget to check out www.whatalad.com to see one of the great websites. And if you're keen to get in on the pure sport CBD action head to https://puresportcbd.com/ and enter whatalad20 in the promo code for 20% off. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For the first episode of season 2 I knew I had to get one of the biggest lads in the game on! Good news, I have got one in the form of the absolute lad himself, Marty Banks! Banksy, who has built a cult following throughout his career due to his laddish behaviour and his very recognisable image, with his tall skinny frame and lush curly locks! Not only is he a lad but he's also had an incredible rugby journey which has seen him experience some world experiences that not many players or people get to experience. He's played and lived in Russia, Italy, Reefton, Japan, Wellington, Dunedin and Nelson and has stories from each part of his journey. Banksy was also responsible for kicking the winning drop goal in the Super Rugby Final 2015 which caused heartbreak for many (including myself) but also caused so much joy for all the passionate Highlanders fans and Banksy himself. As you'll hear in the episode, Banksy is just a genuinely good lad, who's played out his dream as a professional rugby player and has had a heap of fun doing it! If you enjoy this episode please share it on whatever social media platform you use. Any shares are much appreciated! Also the What a Lad website www.whatalad.com is about to launch so stay tuned for some big moves in that space. Finally if you're keen to try out some PureSport CBD oil, head over to https://puresportcbd.com/ and enter the promo code whatalad20 to receive 20% off your order. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I've just squeezed in an extra episode (solo) before the first episode with Marty Banks is released tomorrow, just to update you all on the plans for What a Lad going forward. In the episode I talk about... Where I'm at with rugby. What I'm up to now. Some of the plans that I have for the podcast. The launch of some what a lad merch. The launch of the website www.whatalad.com If any of the above interests you then have a listen, if not tune in tomorrow for the big one Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Here we are, the last episode of season 1! For this one I felt the pressure to bring you one of everyones favourite lads and I think I have come up trumps here, with the champion lad and unbelievable player Brad Weber! Brad has had an incredible journey having played for Otago, Waikato, Hawkes Bay, the Chiefs, the NZ 20s, the NZ Maoris and the All Blacks! However, what makes his journey so incredible is that he was dropped from the Otago ITM cup side and he went from having no contract to becoming an All Black in the space of 2 years. He also had to come back from a the horrific broken Femur which he suffered at the Brisbane 10s. He's also 75kgs on a good day and like any small man in the game, he's been told many of times that he's too small to make it in rugby. In saying all that, Webby is not only inspirational, he's also bloody funny lad who is not afraid to say it how it is and he shares some absolute classic yarns in this one with such honesty! I know you'll enjoy this one so do me a favour and share this episode, this lads journey needs to be heard. Thanks for all the support throughout episode one, thanks to all the guests, the listeners, the sharers you are all very much appreciated and looking forward to bringing you more episodes in season 2 next year. Lastly, as always this episode was brought to you by 3 great partners and below is how you can get involved with any of them Fortune Favours, to purchase any product with a 15% discount head to https://www.fortunefavours.beer/ and put whatalad in the promo code. Delivered to your doorstep anywhere in NZ. Pure Sport CBD and to try some of this great product head to https://puresportcbd.com/ and enter whatalad20 in the promo code for 20% off. Its so good, You will not regret it! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Get ready for this one as the GOAT lad Andrew Goodman joins me, as we go through his journey as well as some classic yarns along the way! Goody in most known for being the Tasman Mako legend he is, having played 55 games, including captaining the side and has also transitioned into coaching them to back to back Premiership titles. He's also spent time in Japan with Honda Heat and Toyota Shuttle and spent 2 years over in Ireland with powerhouse side Leinster. Any one who's been lucky enough to play with Goody or be coached by him, will know what an absolute lad he is and I'm sure after listening to this episode you will see why he is considered as the GOAT. If you enjoy this episode, please share it to someone you think might enjoy it or even better add to your story to spread the word. This episode as always was brought to you by 3 great partners and below is how you can get involved with them Fortune Favours, to purchase any product with a 15% discount head to https://www.fortunefavours.beer/ and put whatalad in the promo code. Delivered to your doorstep anywhere in NZ. Mascaped, to purchase any product from them with a discount Go to http://manscaped.com/ and get 20% off + free shipping with the code: WHATALAD #manscapedpod Pure Sport CBD and to try some of this great product head to https://puresportcbd.com/ and enter whatalad20 in the promo code for 20% off. Its so good, You will not regret it! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode I catch up with the hardest player on this planet to tackle, Ngani Laumape. Unfortunately the audio quality on this episode is not great but Ngani certainly makes up for that with his chat and it was awesome to go through the journey of this powerhouse midfielder. Ngani talks about everything is this episode from his time with the Warriors, his transition to Rugby and he has heaps of good stories from his time in both codes. He has also had his fair amount of setbacks throughout his career, through injury and non selection and he shares some great advice for anyone struggling through that. People often assume Ngani is quite an angry guy but as you'll hear in this interview it couldn't be further from the truth, he loves banter and a good laugh and is an all round good lad! If you enjoy this episode it'd be much appreciated if you could share it and thanks heaps for all the support so far! This episode was brought to you by 3 great partners and below is how you can get involved with them Fortune Favours, to purchase any product with a 15% discount head to https://www.fortunefavours.beer/ and put whatalad in the promo code. Delivered to your doorstep anywhere in NZ. Mascaped, to purchase any product from them with a discount Go to http://manscaped.com/ and get 20% off + free shipping with the code: WHATALAD #manscapedpod Pure Sport CBD and to try some of this great product head to https://puresportcbd.com/ and enter whatalad20 in the promo code for 20% off. It's so good, You will not regret it! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode I catch up with All Black legend, Aaron Smith. In 2007 both Aaron and I missed out on the NZ u19s and I clearly remember sitting in the room with him afterwards both gutted! Fast forward 13 years and the man is now the most capped All Black number 9 in history with 95 caps, while he's also played 150 games for the Highlanders! Thats not to mention the fact he has also represented the Manawatu Turbos, the NZ Maoris and the North side. It's fair to say there's not many players left in the game that have played that amount of games while staying loyal to just 1 club at each level. The man they call Nuggy also shares all sorts of good stories from his journey to the top, starting as a small Fielding lad who just loved to pass. There is plenty of valuable lessons in this episode for any aspiring young rugby player and as you'll hear Nuggy is an absolute lad! As always if you enjoy this episode, please share it and if you want to ask any of my guests a question or just follow the journey head to the link below https://www.instagram.com/what_a_lad_podcast/?hl=en This episode was brought to you by 3 great partners and below is how you can get involved with them Pure Sport CBD, to try some of this unreal product head to https://puresportcbd.com/ and enter whatalad20 in the promo code for 20% off. I've had heaps of good feedback from this! Fortune Favours, to purchase any product with a 15% discount head to https://www.fortunefavours.beer/ and put whatalad in the promo code. Delivered to your doorstep anywhere in NZ. Mascaped, to purchase any product from them with a discount Go to http://manscaped.com/ and get 20% off + free shipping with the code: WHATALAD #manscapedpod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Here's a prank from late Super Rugby Aotearoa, where we call one of the best finishers in world rugby, Rieko Ioane. So for this prank, our prank expert Reggie Goodes makes the call, as he is looking to sell more shares in his dodgy adult DVD store, Fiesta Videos. Being a DVD store investment in todays climate is always going to be a tough sell, however, he had obviously just signed up Shaun Stevenson for 43k for 40% of the business so he was feeling pretty confident with the call. For those who know Rieko well, tell me he's an absolute lad and enjoys a good laugh. As always if you enjoy this episode, please share it and if you want to ask any of my guests a question or just follow the journey head to the link below https://www.instagram.com/what_a_lad_podcast/?hl=en This episode was brought to you by 3 great partners and below is how you can get involved with them Fortune Favours, to purchase any product with a 15% discount head to https://www.fortunefavours.beer/ and put whatalad in the promo code. Delivered to your doorstep anywhere in NZ. Mascaped, to purchase any product from them with a discount Go to http://manscaped.com/ and get 20% off + free shipping with the code: WHATALAD #manscapedpod Pure Sport CBD and to try some of this great product head to https://puresportcbd.com/ and enter whatalad20 in the promo code for 20% off. Its so good, You will not regret it! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I never thought this day would come, Finlay Christie coming on What a Lad but we did it! It was a pleasure to sit down with this Scotland born legend, as he talks through his pathway to becoming one of the best halfbacks in the country. The man they call Red didn't have your conventional pathway to the top, after starting off as a talented gymnast before switching to rugby basically for the social side of the game. It wasn't until a standout club season down in Christchurch that his career took off and shortly after made both the Makos and the Chiefs very quickly. Finlay also talks about where he is at in terms of his international career with Scotland, who, as you could imagine are very keen to get this super talented man back to his country of birth. As you'll hear in the podcast Red is a true lad, very chilled, loves a desiel but when he gets on the field is very competitive and is as mad as a snake! If you enjoy hearing Finlays story please share it or tell someone about it who you think might like it. I really appreciate all the support to date! To follow the journey head to the link below https://www.instagram.com/what_a_lad_podcast/?hl=en Thanks to my 3 great partners for helping bring this episode to you Fortune favours, to purchase any product with a 15% discount head to https://www.fortunefavours.beer/ and put whatalad in the promo code. Delivered to your doorstep anywhere in NZ. Mascaped, to purchase any product from them with a discount Go to http://manscaped.com/ and get 20% off + free shipping with the code: WHATALAD #manscapedpod Pure Sport CBD and to try some of this great product head to https://puresportcbd.com/ and enter whatalad20 in the promo code for 20% off. You will not regret it! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode I catch up with the NZ Halberg award winner for the best sporting moment of the year 2017 and potentially the decade Mitchell Hunt. Hunty who was born and raised in Nelson, talks me through his journey which has seen him go on to play for Auckland and the Crusaders. He's also had an outstanding first season with the Highlanders in 2020 and has helped lead the Tasman Mako to yet another final in the Mitre10 cup. Although being born and raised in Nelson, Hunty is a proud North Island representative and we spend a good chunk of the episode reliving the famous prank call from Dennis the media manager of the North side. As you'll hear in this episode Mitch is an absolute lad, who at only 25 has plenty more to offer in the game, which includes being a big part of the Mitre 10 cup final with the might Tasman Mako tomorrow night! If you enjoy this episode or just this podcast in general please share it, subscribe or follow to help make it grow. If you're keen to follow the journey head to the link below https://www.instagram.com/what_a_lad_podcast/?hl=en As always thanks to the 3 partners for bringing this episode to you, heres how to get involved with them Fortune favours, to purchase any product with a 15% discount head to https://www.fortunefavours.beer/ and put whatalad in the promo code. Delivered to your doorstep anywhere in NZ. Mascaped, to purchase any product from them with a discount Go to http://manscaped.com/ and get 20% off + free shipping with the code: WHATALAD #manscapedpod This is the perfect Xmas gift for any lad in your family Pure Sport CBD and to try this great product head to https://puresportcbd.com/ and enter whatalad20 in the promo code for 20% off. This product is unreal for anyone who's struggling with joint or muscle pain, anxiety, sleeping issues and so much more, check out the website to see how it might help you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode I catch up with a man very well known for his stories, Hurricanes scrum coach, Dan Cron. Crono has had a pretty unique pathway through the coaching ranks which has seen him involved with teams including the Black Ferns, Northland, Tonga, Samoa, Kubota in Japan and of course the last 10 years with the Hurricanes. Crono is a champion bloke who loves a yarn and he certainly delivers with some classic stories from his career in this episode. He also gives some good insight in to some of the players he's coached and what makes a successful rugby player. As always, if you enjoy this episode please share it and if you want to ask any of my guests a question or just follow the journey head to the link below https://www.instagram.com/what_a_lad_podcast/?hl=en This episode was brought to you 3 fabolous partners and to get involved with a special discount from any of them see below Fortune Favours, to purchase any product with a 15% discount head to https://www.fortunefavours.beer/ and put whatalad in the promo code. Delivered to your doorstep anywhere in NZ. Pure Sport CBD, to try some of this great product head to https://puresportcbd.com/ and enter whatalad20 in the promo code for 20% off. You will not regret it! Mascaped, to purchase any product from them with a discount Go to http://manscaped.com/ and get 20% off + free shipping with the code: WHATALAD #manscapedpod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode I catch up with one of the most talented and most exciting young talents coming through the NZ ranks at the moment, Leicester Fainga'anuku. Leicester was a school boy superstar, he was just like he is today big, strong and fast! However, all his life wanted to play rugby league, loved it and never saw rugby union as an option. As a 15 year old kid, he had a very difficult decision to make, whether he goes to Australia to take a contract with the Sydney Roosters and live his dream or stay and play Union with his brother Tima with the Tasman Mako. Leicester also talks about his time playing against All Blacks at the age of 15, his time with the Crusaders, his selection in the South team and some exciting plans for his future. Leicester is a great young lad, who could be anything in this game or whatever he pursues so it was awesome to sit down and talk through the journey. If you enjoy this episode or know someone that you think will please share it, it all helps. If you want to ask any of my guests a question or just follow the journey head to the link below https://www.instagram.com/what_a_lad_podcast/?hl=en This episode as always was brought to you 3 fabolous partners to get involved with a special discount see below Fortune Favours, to purchase any product with a 15% discount head to https://www.fortunefavours.beer/ and put whatalad in the promo code. Delivered to your doorstep anywhere in NZ. Pure Sport CBD, to try some of this great product head to https://puresportcbd.com/ and enter whatalad20 in the promo code for 20% off. You will not regret it! Mascaped, to purchase any product from them with a discount Go to http://manscaped.com/ and get 20% off + free shipping with the code: WHATALAD #manscapedpod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With the exciting new partnership What a Lad has formed with Pure Sport CBD, I just had to get on the Co Founder, the self acclaimed journeyman and absolute lad himself, Grayson Hart. So I first met Grayson as an under19 NZ super star, he was one of the true guns in the side, he even started ahead of Aaron Smith. He played for Auckland and the Blues at a very young age and was air marked the next big thing. Hearing from Grayson of the journey leading up to that and through his time in Auckland was incredibly interesting, as he reflects with real honesty. Grayson then moved to Aussie for a fresh start with the Waratahs and shares a great yarn of his times with Michael Cheika. Then he was off to Scotland, with a Scottish passport, where he played for Edinburgh, Glasgow and he even achieved his goal of playing international rugby for Scotland. After struggling with a knee injury and living off pain killers, he decided he needed to do something about it. This is what inspired him to set up his business Pure Sport CBD. This is such an awesome product helping so many people around the world, it was cool to hear what he's been through to get to where it is now and the plans going forward. Grayson has played the last 3 years in the UK in the Championship and is currently playing for the Bedford Blues. I hope you find this podcast as interesting as I did, I love hearing players speak with real honesty about there own careers. If you enjoy the episode it'd be much appreciated if you shared it. Also if you're keen to try Pure Sport CBD then head over to the website https://puresportcbd.com/ and enter the promo code whatalad20 for 20% off! Any questions on it message me. Shoutout to fortune favours beer, to purchase any product with a 15% discount head to https://www.fortunefavours.beer/ and put whatalad in the promo code. Delivered to your doorstep anywhere in NZ. Also shoutout out to Mascaped, Go to http://manscaped.com/ and get 20% off + free shipping with the code: WHATALAD #manscapedpod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For this prank we go back a few years to when current All Black assistant coach John Plumtree was coaching the Hurricanes. Plum had just had a back operation mid season from carrying the side, so we got one of the great doctors, Dr Rogan Joshua to call him to see if he could get him to miss his flight with the team. Both myself and Reggie Goodes were a bit nervous of losing our spot pranking the coach so we handed this one to a very good info committee member, @mkainga who does a great job! As you'll hear in the prank Plum is a very loyal man who always puts the team first and he also has a great sense of humour. As always if you enjoy the prank please share it or if you're just keen to follow the journey head to the link below https://www.instagram.com/what_a_lad_podcast/?hl=en With 3 partners now on board head to any of the following links to purchase some of these great products at a juicy discount! Fortune Favours- to purchase any product with a 15% discount head to https://www.fortunefavours.beer/ and put whatalad in the promo code. Delivered to your doorstep anywhere in NZ. Pure Sport CBD- to purchase any Pure Sport CBD product head to https://puresportcbd.com/ and put in whatalad20 to receive 20% off Manscaped- Go to http://manscaped.com/ and get 20% off + free shipping with the code: WHATALAD #manscapedpod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The king of Blenheim joins me for this one, as I sit down and go through the career of Tasman Mako legend Quentin MacDonald. Although Q has only ever played for one Provincial side in Tasman, he certainly has done the rounds with other teams having played for the Crusaders, the Blues, the Chiefs, NZ Maori, Munster and even 100 games for Oyonnax in France. From a young age you could always tell that he was going to have a very successful career in Rugby and it was awesome to hear about it in more detail, from all the different moves he had to do to all the new enviroments that he went into. Not only was Q a great player but has always been a great lad, he's always smiling, he loves a beer and can do a great creed impression! As always if you enjoy this episode as always please share it and if you want to ask any of my guests a question or just follow the journey head to the link below https://www.instagram.com/what_a_lad_podcast/?hl=en This episode was brought to you by fortune favours, to purchase any product with a 15% discount head to https://www.fortunefavours.beer/ and put whatalad in the promo code. Delivered to your doorstep anywhere in NZ. This episode was also brought to you by Mascaped, to purchase any product from them with a discount Go to http://manscaped.com/ and get 20% off + free shipping with the code: WHATALAD #manscapedpod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I've said it before but I'll say it again, you can't have a podcast called 'What a Lad' without getting the best lads in the game on! So the lad himself Tim O'Malley was an absolute must! He may not be one of the biggest names I've had on but he certainly is one of the best lads and he has been a massive part of the recent success of the Tasman Mako. As well as the Tasman Mako, the man they call Bruce has also played for the Utah Warriors in America and the NEC Green Rockets in Japan where he's carved it up for his respective teams. Bruce is also very well known for his off field antics and has a big influence in driving a good team culture. As you'll hear from the podcast, Bruce is a great man and it was great to have him come on and share his story and some really valuable life lessons. As always if you enjoy this episode as always please share it and if you want to ask any of my guests a question or just follow the journey head to the link below https://www.instagram.com/what_a_lad_podcast/?hl=en This episode was brought to you by fortune favours, to purchase any product with a 15% discount head to https://www.fortunefavours.beer/ and put whatalad in the promo code. Delivered to your doorstep anywhere in NZ. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The setting was perfect, the backdrop of the famous deck which over looks the sea, the shiny new bike just to my right with the sofa seat attached and a cold fortune favours in hand. Podcast settings don't get much better and to share it with Samoan International, Kieron Fonotia one of the real lads in NZ rugby, was special. Big Fonny has had an incredible career having played for the Tasman Mako, the Crusaders, the Ospreys and the Scarlets and he has some absolute classic yarns from his experiences throughout his journey. I love the honesty that Fonz brings to the podcast, he's a man who is not afraid to say it how it is. I finished this podcast with sore checks from laughing so that's always a good sign. It's awesome for NZ rugby to have the experienced players come back to the province where it all started for them and it's been awesome to see the influence Fonny has had on this Tasman Mako team. He's a lad! As always if you enjoy this episode as always please share it and if you want to ask any of my guests a question or just follow the journey head to the link below https://www.instagram.com/what_a_lad_podcast/?hl=en This episode was brought to you by fortune favours, to purchase any product with a 15% discount head to https://www.fortunefavours.beer/ and put whatalad in the promo code. Delivered to your doorstep anywhere in NZ. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, I catch up with the one of the most promising players coming through the NZ ranks at the moment, young German sensation Anton Segner! Anton who was born and raised in Frankfurt Germany has had a very unique journey! As a big kid, he in love with Rugby the first time he picked up the oval ball. As a young 15 year old, he decided to leave his family and come to NZ as a 6 month exchange student. He made the Nelson College 1st XV and quickly developed into one of NZs best school boys, playing 2 years in the NZ schools team. Anton in his first year out of school, made his debut for the Tasman Mako last week with an impressive 30mins off the bench. As you'll hear in the podcast he's a great young man who does all the right things and I honestly believe he's going to be a big part of NZ rugby in the years to come! As always if you enjoy this episode as always please share it and if you want to ask any of my guests a question or just follow the journey head to the link below https://www.instagram.com/what_a_lad_podcast/?hl=en This episode was brought to you by fortune favours, to purchase any product with a 15% discount head to https://www.fortunefavours.beer/ and put whatalad in the promo code. Delivered to your doorstep anywhere in NZ. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When you've been playing Rugby professionally for the past 15 seasons for teams which include, the Crusaders, the Highlanders, the Chiefs, NZ Maori, NTT Shining Arcs and the All Blacks you're bound to have some stories! It doesn't stop either as our man Isaac Ross is still going strong having recently signed with the Tasman Mako for this seasons Mitre10 Cup. With all those experiences, I was really looking forward to this one and he certainly does not disappoint! After Isaac made the All Blacks, he left the NZ rugby scene at a young age to head to Japan, where he has spent the last 10 years. Back then it was seen as a big move to not chase the All Black dream but he talks about he reasons behind leaving NZ and also talks about his time in Japan. It was interesting to hear what it was like for him going into all the new environments he was apart of and he also shares classic yarns about what it was like rooming with some of the greats Richie McCaw and Brad Thorn. Isaac has only been with Tasman for a short time but has made a big impact and would have to be one of the friendliest team mates I've ever had and the definition of a lad! If you enjoy this episode as always please share it. If you want to ask any of my future guests a question or just follow the journey head to the link below https://www.instagram.com/what_a_lad_podcast/?hl=en And as always this episode was brought to you by fortune favours, to purchase any product with a 15% discount head to https://www.fortunefavours.beer/ and put whatalad in the promo code. Delivered to your doorstep anywhere in NZ. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode I catch up with the youngest journeyman in NZ rugby Dan Hollinshead. Dan has played for Bay of Plenty since leaving school and has also had stints with Agen in France, the Coca Cola Red Sparks in Japan as well as being involved with the NZ 7s team, the Chiefs, the Crusaders and the Highlanders. Shedsy has had an eventful career to date with lots of new experiences which he openly shares some great stories about in this episode. He also speaks about some of the hard decisions he has had to make throughout his career to try to and progress it. After having spent a season with Shedsy in Japan, I quickly realised that he's an absolute lad who enjoys a good time and is also very talented rugby player! A man who when gets an opportunity will make a name for himself. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode I catch up with Tasman Mako and Chiefs legend Alex Nankivell, who takes us through his journey to date. Its hard to believe but Alex has played the past 6 seasons with the Tasman Mako and is now one of the senior players at the age of just 23. He was a crucial part of the sides first ever Premiership victory last season and he talks about what that year was like including the big after season celebrations! Nanks also talks about the loss of his brother to cancer at a young age, which has inspired him to become an ambassador for Cure Kids, who are doing amazing things in that space. Head to https://curekids.org.nz/ to check them out or help out and donate. Nanks is a bloody good lad off the field! I think everyone who's played with him realises just how good he is on it and that he hasn't reached his full potential just yet. I personally expect a big couple of years from the lad! If you enjoy this episode as always please share it. If you want to ask any of my guests a question or just follow the journey head to the link below https://www.instagram.com/what_a_lad_podcast/?hl=en This episode was brought to you by fortune favours, to purchase any product with a 15% discount head to https://www.fortunefavours.beer/ and put whatalad in the promo code. Delivered to your doorstep anywhere in NZ. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Anyone who has had the pleasure of playing with or just knowing Otere Black, will know that he is one of the best lads you could meet! One of the greats! So it was awesome to have him come on the podcast and talk about his journey. For someone I thought I knew really well, I learnt so much about Oatsy in this podcast. Immersed in Maori culture his whole life, it was awesome to hear the passion he has for his culture and the honour he had representing the NZ Maoris at a young age. Oatsy also talks about what it was like moving to the Blues for an opportunity, only to have 2 of potentially the greatest 10s to play the game, in Beauden Barrett and Dan Carter, to move up there the following year. Otere also talks about recently becoming a father, why he moved to BOP, his time at the hurricanes, how he stays so calm no matter what the situation and heaps more. I hope you enjoy this podcast as much as I did recording it. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode I catch up with one of the newest All Blacks named in the current squad, Quin Strange. He has been on such a crazy rollercoaster the past few weeks, from being named in the latest All Blacks squad, only to injure his ankle at his first week of training! Quin talks about all sorts of good stuff in this episode, from what it was like to be named in the All Blacks for the first time, to how he really feels about Jordie Barrett. Quin also takes us through his journey to the top, which saw him play for Collingwood, Nelson College, Nelson Rugby Football Club, NZ 20s, Tasman Mako and the Crusaders. The man they call Spiker is one of the real lads in NZ rugby who has a massive future in the game so it was awesome to have him come on 'What a Lad' to share his journey. If you enjoy this episode as always please share it to your friends or add it to your story. If you want to ask any of my guests a question or just follow the journey head to the link below https://www.instagram.com/what_a_lad_podcast/?hl=en This episode was brought to you by fortune favours, to purchase any product with a 15% discount head to https://www.fortunefavours.beer/ and put whatalad in the promo code. Delivered to your doorstep anywhere in NZ. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Here he is, the lad that most of you asked for, the super talented, the very popular, Louie Chapman! Louie has burst onto the NZ rugby scene this season with his impressive cameos off the bench for the Tasman Mako. At the raw age of just 20 Louie makes his podcast debut on 'What a Lad' to share insight into his path to professional rugby. His rugby story is obviously pretty short having just started but wee Russ also answers some good questions from some of you which gives you a good indication of what a lad he is! If you enjoy this episode as always please share it. If you want to ask any of my guests a question or just follow the journey head to the link below https://www.instagram.com/what_a_lad_podcast/?hl=en This episode was brought to you by fortune favours, to purchase any product with a 15% discount head to https://www.fortunefavours.beer/ and put whatalad in the promo code. Delivered to your doorstep anywhere in NZ. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Like I've been saying the past few weeks, pranks are getting really hard now! However, as always, when a new player arrives a new team, they are always vulnerable. So as soon as I heard Isaac Ross was joining the Tasman Mako, I knew that it was a good chance to try and give Jonty another crack. As you'll hear in the prank, Isaac is an absolute lad, a real good man and has been loving the prank since. Unfortunately the signal cuts out at the end so it doesnt get to finish but it's still worth a listen! As always if you enjoy this episode please share it. If you want to follow the journey head to the link below https://www.instagram.com/what_a_lad_podcast/?hl=en This episode was brought to you by fortune favours, to purchase any product with a 15% discount head to https://www.fortunefavours.beer/ and put whatalad in the promo code. Delivered to your doorstep anywhere in NZ. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Here's an episode I jumped on last week for one of the Nelson lads, Conner Karena, who is out there doing real good things with his podcast. It's always cool to jump on someone else's podcast, to see how they do things and a good chance to reflect on the journey that I've had. Conner has had some real good guests on his podcast, a couple of my favourite episodes are the ones he did with NRL star Brandon Smith and Tasman star Leciester Fainga'anuku which were both awesome yarns. If you want to check them out search 'An Ordinary Kiwi Podcast' on any podcast platform. After a big week of recruiting and suggestions from you all, I have a big list of guests lined up for 'What a Lad' over the next few weeks so stay right on. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For this prank I tried the exact same formula as the Billy Proctor prank but this time with Crusader and Tasman Mako star Leicester Fainga'anuku. Here I call up Leciester as a Dunedin radio host for a live radio interview but as we go live on air I introduce him as his brother Highlander and also Tasman Star Tima Fainga'anuku. In this situation you've got two options, either run with it as your brother or completely stuff up the "live" radio interview. Billy obviously went with option 1 but Leciester wasn't having a bar of it. Anyway I hope you enjoy this episode and as always if you do please share it if not all good. If you want to try the greatest brew on the market head over to https://www.fortunefavours.beer/ and purchase yourself some brews. Enter whatalad in the promo code for a handy 15% off. Enjoy! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This prank was inspired by real life events, for anyone who has a brother or someone who looks like them. When I came back to Nelson to see my family, I was always mistaken for my brother Tom and would get caught in conversations with people so far that it was just too awkward to tell them that it was me. I've had some very awkward conversations as Tom and that was what I was wanted to try and replicate in this prank. Anyway for the prank, we set up a 'Live' radio interview with Billy Proctor and when we go live on air, we introduce him as his brother Matt Proctor and ask him questions as his brother. My prank expert Reggie Goodes does this one and does a great job at convincing Billy he's on the radio. As always if you enjoy this episode please share it, any shares are much appreciated. If you want to follow the What a Lad journey follow the link below https://www.instagram.com/what_a_lad_podcast/?hl=en Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode I catch up David Havili, the most passionate man in NZ rugby. He's an All Black, a Crusader and of course the very inspirational skipper of Tasman Mako. Davie has had a tough run with injuries of late, including a bowel infection which was days away from ending his career! In this episode he also takes us through his rugby journey, which involved not being able to start for the 1st XV, to becoming the Crusaders 'player of the year' and becoming an All Black. Davie is well known across the country as being one of the best lads in the game, so it was awesome to have him on and share his stories not just on the field but off it. Thanks to everyone who sent in questions to the instagram page, it made for some good discussion points in this episode. If you're keen to ask questions to future guests or follow the What a Lad journey head to the link below https://www.instagram.com/what_a_lad_podcast/?hl=en Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For this prank we go back 2 years to when the big Samoan International, Kane Leaupepe, had just joined the Hurricanes halfway through the year. Whenever that happened it always meant there was a good chance for a new prank. So for this prank, I call Kane as Phil Collins the (made up) son of The Hurricanes owner, just to welcome him to the team. For those who don't know Kane, he is an absolute lad and a very switched on customer so he was always going to be a tough target. Anyway I hope you enjoy the prank, if you do please share it, if you don't all good! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode I finally get to catch up with my brother, Tom Marshall, who comes on to make his What a Lad debut! It was good times reminiscing on what life was like for us growing up, the relationship we had and all the weird stuff we use to get up to. Tom also takes us through his rugby career, from bursting on the the NZ rugby scene through the Tasman Mako and straight into a stacked Crusaders team. Then followed by his move to the Chiefs, as well as his last 5 years in the UK with Gloucester which included a horror injury run. The man they call Toejoe, also answers a lot of good questions that came in, including the question he's been avoiding for years about how he got his nickname. As always if you enjoy this chat, please share to as many people as you can and help grow the podcast and if you're keen to follow the journey follow the link below https://www.instagram.com/what_a_lad_podcast/?hl=en Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.