The Luca Health Podcast

In this episode of the Luca Health podcast, Sam Peters sits down with Kosta Economou — physiotherapist, concussion specialist, and Luca Health adviser with over a decade of clinical experience across elite sport, including the Chelsea FC Academy, Olympic skiing, and the Vancouver Bandits. Kosta explains the vestibular and ocular motor system in plain terms, why your eyes really are a window into h...

Sam Peters sits down with world record holder Sam King to talk about his extraordinary journey from being the bullied "big guy" at school, through teenage Call of Duty addiction as the world's number one player, into a hard-charging London consultancy career, and finally to running 80 ultramarathons in 80 consecutive days — a new Guinness World Record for a man. Sam opens up about hi...

Sam Peters sits down with coach and teacher Richard Dixon to talk about his remarkable journey from playing at Oxford, France, and Japan to taking up a coaching role at Stade Toulousain, the most successful club in the history of rugby union. Richard explains the philosophy of La Pleasure du Mouvement (LPM) pioneered by Pierre Villepreux, the principles that have shaped Toulouse's DNA for more...

Sam Peters sits down with England 2003 World Cup winner Steve Thompson at his home in the northwest of England for an honest, wide-ranging conversation about life six years on from his early-onset dementia diagnosis. Steve opens up about the daily reality of living with the condition, the routines and treatments that help him manage, and the impact on his family. He reflects on a playing career in...

In S2, E3 of the Luca Health Podcast, Sam Peters travels to Mount Kelly School to speak with headmaster Guy Ayling about sport, education, player welfare, and the future of rugby in schools. Set against the backdrop of Dartmoor, this wide-ranging conversation explores how schools can balance the benefits of rugby with their responsibility to keep young people as safe as possible. Guy reflects on t...

In Season 2, Episode 2 of the Luca Health Podcast, Sam Peters is joined by former Wales international Alix Popham and Nick O’Leary for a powerful conversation about brain injury, player welfare, and the future of rugby. Recorded at London Welsh as part of Head for Change’s Big Rugby Debate, this episode explores the real-life consequences of head injuries in sport through Nick’s deeply personal st...

Season 2, Episode 1 of the Luca Health Podcast marks the start of an exciting new chapter. In this episode, Nick sits down with award-winning sports journalist and Concussed author Sam Peters to discuss his long-standing work investigating concussion in rugby, the cultural challenges around player welfare, and why education remains so important across schools, clubs, and the professional game. Sam...

GB and Wales hockey international Fred Newbold joins us to unpack the real journey behind the highlights balancing Oxford academics with elite sport, taking a solo leap to the German Bundesliga, and learning how to build confidence when the “bank of work” resets to zero. We talk identity beyond performance, finding your “super strengths,” and the habits Fred uses to stay grounded while chasing LA...

Tom Mitchell joins Nick Greenhalgh to trace his unconventional rise from Bristol University rugby and Kenya sevens tours to captaining GB to an Olympic silver medal. They dive into the realities of leadership, injury, identity, and why vulnerability and gratitude are performance superpowers—on the pitch, in business, and in life after pro sport.

From Lubersac to Oxfordshire, LPM’s philosophy is reshaping how rugby is taught and played. Tom Phillips takes us inside a camp week where coaches coach, interns learn on the grass, and kids are encouraged to explore space without fear of failure. We discuss the influence of Pierre Villepreux and Lynn Evans, the nuts and bolts of penetration vs. width, why kicking still has a place, and how a joyf...

Former England fly-half and Premiership points record holder Charlie Hodgson joins Luca to unpack the mind behind elite performance. Charlie traces his rapid rise at Sale, culture shock (and growth) at Saracens, and why positive, values-led reviews beat the Monday “hairdryer.” He reflects honestly on international rugby’s ruthlessness, injuries that shaped his England journey, and the psychology o...

In this episode we sit down with Professor Bill Ribbans and Sam Peters, two voices who have shaped the global conversation around concussion and athlete welfare. Bill, one of the UK’s leading orthopedic surgeons and now Chief Medical Officer at Luca, brings four decades of experience treating athletes from the English National Ballet to Premiership Rugby. Sam, former rugby correspondent for the Ma...

Northampton School for Boys’ Director of Rugby Phil Beaumont and NSB old boy & trustee Professor Bill Ribbans join us to unpack how a state school built a powerhouse rugby culture; from community-driven coaching and player welfare to academic balance, leadership, and sustained success. We talk preseason CPD, multi-team depth, club partnerships (ONs, Scouts, etc.), Saints pathways, funding real...

Former Cambridge Blue and Harlequins player Glenn Harrison has spent the past three decades shaping young players at St Paul’s School, one of rugby’s historic homes. Now Under Master, he’s also the architect of the “third game”; an innovative format designed to make rugby safer, faster, and more skill-focused without losing the physical challenge that makes the sport so special. In this episode, G...

In this episode, we sit down with Ella Lovibond, semi-professional rugby player at Bristol Bears, engineering design graduate, and sports officer at the University of Bristol. Ella reflects on her late introduction to rugby, juggling elite sport with academics, the semi-pro athlete experience, and her journey through injuries and concussion recovery. We dive into women’s rugby’s push toward profes...

In this episode of The Luca Health Podcast, Nick Greenhalgh sits down with former England cricketer James Taylor for a powerful and deeply personal conversation. From his record-breaking schoolboy days to the pinnacle of international cricket, James reflects on a journey defined by resilience, adaptability, and perspective. After a life-threatening heart condition ended his career overnight, James...

In this powerful episode of The Luca Health Podcast , we sit down with Chantelle Cameron - two-weight world champion and former undisputed light-welterweight queen. Known for her relentless style in the ring and unfiltered honesty outside of it, Chantelle takes us deep into the mindset of a fighter: from her Eastern district roots to conquering the boxing world, overcoming setbacks, and navigating...

Joe Gray’s journey is anything but typical. In this episode, the former England international opens up about how he overcame a career-threatening injury, proved doubters wrong, and became the only player in English rugby history to win every major domestic trophy. We also explore Joe’s transition into coaching and entrepreneurship, including the founding of his recovery brand, MyoMaster, and a sta...

In this episode of The Luca Health Podcast, we sit down with Russell Ernshaw — former England Sevens coach, international performance coach with the RFU, and co-founder of The Magic Academy. From his days at Cambridge to winning the European Cup with Bath, Rusty reflects on the highs and lows of professional rugby, what makes great coaching, and why creativity, decision-making, and joy matter more...

In this episode of The Luca Health Podcast, we sit down with Angus Savage — co-founder of NextGen 15 and one of the most knowledgeable voices in school sport. A passionate advocate for youth rugby and the power of grassroots platforms, Angus shares the story of how he went from a sports-mad university grad with a politics degree to a trailblazer transforming the visibility of school-level athletes...

In this episode, Fin Smith shares his journey from a rugby-mad family to becoming one of England’s standout fly-halves. He opens up about his unexpected early ambition in tennis, the pivotal decision to choose rugby, and the physical and mental transformation that followed. Fin reflects on transitioning from Worcester to Northampton Saints, the breakthrough into the England squad, and the mindset...