What a Lad

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.

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.