Bryn Hall has not only been one of the best 9's in NZ rugby for the last decade but he's also been the voice of the game for many with his gift to articulate rugby union in a way to relate to the masses on the Aoteroa Rugby Pod and in Commentary. What stood out in this episode for me, was just how dedicated Bryn was to achieving the dream of being …

Shiray Kaka is the NZ Black Ferns 7s star who is also one of the biggest personalities in the game! Her bubbly energy combined with a unique ability to be real and share her feelings, made her a dream guest for this. Her journey through professional rugby hasn't been an easy one and this episode reflects that with plenty of laughs, a few tears and …

Timoci Tavatavanawi is the Fijian powerhouse who has quickly become the most destructive ball carrier in Rugby. The man is an absolute nightmare to tackle with his combination of power and leg drive and just the physique which is has hard as rock. I t was awesome to get the man they call Jim on the share his journey from growing up in a Fijian vill…

Jamie Hannah is one of the most impressive young players in our game, you don't often see forwards with the skillset and game awareness that this kid has as well as the engine and toughness to boot. He is one very impressive player. He is also a massive lad as well, growing up in North Canterbury living the good life on the farm riding motorbikes a…

Cam Roigard is one of the most exciting talents in the game right now. In the last couple of years he has made every post a winner, rapidly climbing through the ranks after starring for Counties Manakau, carving up Super Rugby with the Hurricanes before heading of to the RWC with the All Blacks. It was here on the world stage where we all got to se…

Norm Maxwell was pound for pound the hardest hitter this game has probably ever seen. At just 90kgs the All Black lock through himself into collisions like no other every time he stepped on the field. However you tell Norm that he's tough and he's not buying it. From growing up with feeling the field was the only place he was free and his first big…

In this episode I am joined by the legendary Black Fern sisters Chelsea and Alana Bremner. These two champion humans have a very special bond, having grown up in the same room together until 17, to winning a RWC together. They have shared many special moments throughout their journey to becoming professional rugby players. As you will hear both Che…

This week we are joined by the lad Peter Breen, who is the founder of Rugby Bricks which is responsible for improving goal kicking all over the world with the production of some of the great kicking tees ever. He’s also played the game professionally for Otago and Northland and has been coaching professionally all around the world, including plenty…

For this episode I jump on one of the biggest podcasts in the country, The Dom Harvey podcast which is of course hosted by the great Dom Harvey. I talk through everything from footy, coaching and podcasting. If you enjoy Dom's work go and check out his other episodes as well. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.…

One of the great lads of Welsh and NZ rugby Johnny McNicholl is on What a Lad this week, after returning to Super Rugby in red hot form! Having started in Christchurch with Canterbury and the Crusaders, Johnny then spent 8 seasons over in Wales with the Scarletts as well as playing international rugby for Wales. Now he has returned to where it all …

For this episode I jump on the other side of the mic by going on the O-Studio podcast hosted by the 2 time What a Lad guest Tim Bateman and his co hosts Sophie and Matty. They do such an awesome job hosting as I share my journey and a few things I have learnt along the way. To listen to more episodes of theirs head to the link below... https://www.…

Tim Naki has to be one of the most likeable lads you'll meet. He's as down to earth as they come, he's quick witted, he loves a beer, he loves a punt and to his amazement he has somehow managed to get over 1 Million people along for his Blackjack journey of turning $1500 into over half a million dollars. The champion Tim Naki will answer every ques…

Sam Whitelock is one of the all-time greats of rugby! In this episode he discusses his recent decision to retire from Rugby and future plans. The man who is the most capped All Black ever has had an incredible career which was so cool to go through with him. You will be sure to learn plenty in this one! I loved hearing around Sam's mindset to the g…

Dexter Dunn is one of the greatest Harness Drivers ever, period. His strike rate since he started out as a teenager speaks for itself. He was NZ's leading driver for 10 years straight, winning almost every big race there is to win in Australasia. He then moved over to America where he has quickly becoming the leading driver in America and the world…

Will Jordan is one of those rugby players who is just a joy to watch. He's fast, he's got all the skills and of course he scores plenty of tries. His strike rate speaks for itself, having scored 31 tries in 31 games for the All Blacks at international level and he's quickly approaching 100 if to add on his Tasman Mako and Crusader ones as well. How…

What a Lad is a podcast by James Marshall who talks to some of the biggest names and best lads on the planet. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.By rova | James Marshall

Matt Todd is one of the most understated Canterbury, Crusader and All Black legend there is! A man who just went about his work consistently every week racking up 20+ tackles, missing none and doing it all again the following week! There’s not many tougher than the great Matt Todd! Some highlights in this episode were… How much passion he has for t…

Mulls & John from The Sporting Rumble and Jimmy Marshall from What a Lad have joined forces to bring you the the perfect poddy to get fizzed up for Super Rugby Pacific. On the show we preview the 6 kiwi teams (including Moana Pasifika), look at the Coaches, All Blacks Bolters, who'd you live in a tent with on a deserted island, and who will win Sup…

When I think of genuine superstars of Australian rugby, I think James O’Connor. He is the youngest ever player to play Super Rugby at just 17years old. He burst on to the rugby scene with his boy band looks and his incredible talent. At 18 he was playing international rugby for Australia and with that came high expectations of him as a role model, …

Not many thought I would be able to rope in the humble All Black legend Joe Moody on to What a Lad but here he is. In his first ever podcast, the great loose head prop (and a bit of tight head) shares his journey through his raw and honest nature that he approaches his life with. Some of the highlights of this episode were... Hearing how Joe grew u…

Brodie Retallick is one of the all time great All Blacks and also one of the all time lads so what better way to start What a Lad season 5 than with the great man himself! The man they call Guzzler has had an incredible journey and in his first ever long form podcast he goes through it all! Some highlights... - Turning up to CHBS as the tallest kid…

Here it is, the last episode of season 4 and as always I love to finish the season with one of the all time lads and who better than the All Black and Chiefs legend Anton Lienert-Brown. Anton in my eyes has been someone who has been a real trailblazer for keeping things real, openly speaking about the highs and lows of his rugby journey. In this ep…

We always hear about the journey from an athletes point of view but never from the one behind the scenes doing all the hard work. However in this episode with Kayla Ahki we get the best of both. The former NZ 7s rugby super star was the best female player in the game in 2013 after switching from Netball not long before. She won World Series Circuit…

Gambling addictions are growing in society rapidly and even more so if professional sport. Disposable income, plenty of spare time and chasing that buzz you get from professional sports make pro athletes high risk. As you'll hear in this episode with one of the greats Paul Iffil, it was those things that had him lose around 2 Million pounds in his …

The life after rugby transition has been a struggle for so many who have been through it and as you’ll hear in this episode with Ged Robinson, it doesn’t have to be that way. Our mindset around how we approach this next stage of our life needs to change and there are many pieces of absolute gold advice in here from Ged. The former professional rugb…

Corey Flynn is the definition of a lad! He's just one of those truely genuine good blokes who has had a rugby career take him on some journey. He's had some huge achievements like winning the Rugby World Cup but hearing what he had to go through to get that opportunity made it so much more special then the trophy. In this episode we got through ple…

That’s it! The 2023 RWC is all over and man has that taken us on an emotional rollercoaster. So much to discuss in this last ever episode of the Dance in France review show. It’s been awesome having Searley and Jacob Atkins join me for the RWC to give their analysis and for this one last time they go hard. 7 out of the 8 knockout games came down to…

Hugh Renton is one of the NZ rugbys hard men, he's tough, he's aggressive and he has a reckless regard for his body. He's also had to be very tough mentally with some of the challenges he has faced in his professional career to date. From being signed on a 3 year contract with the Hurricanes straight out of school with a non functional arm, to losi…

Here it is! We are at the pinnacle of the sport a Rugby World Cup final with 2 of the most dominant teams in the history of the sport going at it as the mighty All Blacks get set to take on the Springboks. What a way to finish which has been such an incredible World Cup. So many good games and I’m sure this weekend will be no different. As always o…

Shane Christie is one of NZ's great lads! This is one of the the most honest, raw and engaging episodes I've ever done, as we talk about topics which are very close to home, like concussion in rugby and the incredibly sad passing of a good mate Billy Guyton. Many will know Shane as a Super Rugby winner with the Highlanders, or an NPC winner with Ta…

Before we start talking Semi Finals, lets sit back and take in what was the best weekend of Rugby you will see! Some of the most entertaining, competitive and intense games you will see, topped of by an All Blacks v Ireland game for the ages. 37 phases deep playing for the win, it truely was edge of the seat stuff. France v South Africa was in the …

Phill Jones is one of the best shooters of a Basketball this country has ever seen. He scored thousands of goals in his 23 year career, which included at least 163 games for the Tall Blacks. The Reefton Kid had plenty to discuss in this one which includes.. Coaching his son Hayden who at 16 is already playing in the NBL (his daughters Maia and Ava …

How good is this Rugby World Cup! You couldn't ask for a more even, hard to predict quarter final games than what we have here. 4 Northern Hemisphere teams taking on 4 Southern Hemisphere teams, with all 4 Northern Hemisphere teams going in as favourites for the first time ever. So much to talk about in this episode but before we look forward we mu…

Charlie Gubb is one of my all time favourite Warriors, not just because of the way he played on the field (even though he was an absolute animal) but more importantly because of how big of a lad that he is off it. Gubby is the kind of team mate everyone loves to have in the team environment, loves a yarn, loves banter and just loves being around th…

The last round of pool play is here and knockout rugby has come a week early for a few teams, which makes for a couple of mouth watering clashes to finish pool play. Jake the snake and I first look back at the week that was where we talk about the absolute clinic the All Blacks put on Italy as well as all the other match ups from last week. I revie…

Big Brad Mika was one of those guys I loved watching growing up, an absolute beast with the skill set of a back. Capped by the All Blacks just 3 times, after some outstanding years of Super Rugby, where he played for the Crusaders, Blues and the Hurricanes. He's now transitioned into Coaching where he has been coaching in Malaysia for the last 7 ye…

How good is the RWC, no game for the All Blacks but that didn’t stop the drame, Aussie gone, Dupont with a facial fracture, Ireland win the battle of the giants it was all go! Plenty to get through in this review with searley and snake. I Also review my fantasy week and give you my thoughts for this weekend. It is a tough week so plenty of thought …

Sam Matavasi is someone who certainly hasn't had the typical pathway to the top. In this episode we go through his incredible journey of being the young talent who's drinking and poor work ethic held him back from going professional out of school. To where he is now playing for Northampton in the English premiership and of course Fiji at this RWC. …

How good is the Rugby World Cup, huge wins from NZ, SA and Ireland. Fiji with a massive win in the context of the competition in one of the games of the tournament. England scoring tries. Last week had everything so the lads are all back on board to talk everything RWC both reviewing last week and previewing the week ahead. There are some very juic…

Phil Burleigh is one of those lads you just can't not like. A top man who has had a very interesting career which has seen him have the highs of playing internationally for Scotland and the lows of battling through some tough injuries. However he has got through those and remarkably is still going strong today as he fast approaches 37. In this epis…

With the first round of the RWC been and gone there was plenty to discuss in this weeks episode with a very special guest joining Searley and I in Jacob Atkins who give us a Northern Hemisphere flavour to the episode. We first look back the all the games from last week Give a quick round up on my fantasy team from last week Preview all the games fo…

What an incredible journey Danny Cipriani has had on and off the field! On it he's one of the best ball players at the line we have seen, his understanding of the game is next level and has played some incredible rugby over his 18 year career. The biggest mystery is to why such a talent only ended with 16 caps for his country and something we discu…

The time has come, the RWC is almost here starting with some absolute beaut games! Of course What a Lads roving reporter Searley joins us live from France for this one to talk all thing RWC and get the excitement levels humming an incredible weekend of code. In this episode we go through all the games and try to predict a few results. In the back h…

Piri Weepu is a true NZ rugby legend, the instinctive halfback had a unique ability as a 9 and showed all his talents as he helped guided the All Blacks to the 2011 RWC when the nation started the 'Keep Calm Piri is on' movement. We talk about plenty in this one like... Piri's Tiki Tours and how he got his own TV show Growing up in Wainuomata and h…

With the RWC just around the corner I managed to get the sport guru and absolute lad Searley back on What a Lad to talk all thing RWC and get the excitement levels humming for what is going to be a very special Rugby World Cup. In this episode we talk about... All the last warm up games and what those results mean Our predictions for which teams wi…

Brendan Chainsaw Laney was one of everyones favourite players in the late 90's, he had the skills and turn of pace to change a game and of course the Chainsaw try celebration! In this episode we chat through... How it was between boxing and rugby as a teenager, Playing for South Canterbury while at school, The good times playing for Otago and the H…

Cory Jane is widely regarded as one of the all time great wingers with a combination of his sharp footwork, deadly fend and ability under the high ball. As his body slowed down he re-invented himself as one of the smartest defensive wingers in the game where he has now taken that knowledge and use it in the coaching world where he now coaches the H…

TJ Va'a was a school boy star and one of the brightest prospects coming through NZ rugby. The reality of this sport is that not every gifted young player gets to have the careers that they all hope for and TJ certainly fits that category. He played for the Wellington Lions as a teenager and also made the Hurricanes wider squad and he was well on hi…

In this episode you'll hear the brutal reality of professional sport, one minute Ollie Hoskins has 2 more years left on his significant London Irish contract, the next minute he has nothing! What makes it worse is that there are now 50 other players in the same boat, on top of the players from Wasps and Worcester meaning that negotiation power as a…

I'm super grateful to get Sione Havili Talitui on What a Lad this week, I know it's not easy to go on a podcast when English is your second language but I'm so glad Sione was brave enough to come on and share his story. It's a story that I think will inspire many young islanders to chase their dreams and gives valuable insight into what a transitio…