What a Lad

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 Storm...

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...

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...

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 Steev...

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 talente...

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 s...

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 r...

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 i...

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 incredi...

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 an...

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...

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 t...

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 Steven...

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...

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 ano...

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...

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...

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...

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 c...

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 tha...

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 B...

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...

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 exch...

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 reall...

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...