Jayden Broome is one of the most inspiring young rugby players you'll come across. A proud Gore local who spent his childhood with a rugby ball in his hands with a dream to become a professional rugby player. He was doing everything he could to reach that dream and everything was tracking that way. He captained all Southland age grade sides before leading New Zealand Māori Schoolboys to a historic victory over New Zealand Schools and even earned a preseason opportunity with his beloved Southland Stags.

Then one moment changed everything for Jayden. After falling from a roof at a flat, Jayden suffered a traumatic brain injury that left him fighting for his life. He was placed in an induced coma, spent months in hospital and was ultimately forced to make the heartbreaking decision to walk away from the game he loved.

Despite everything he's been through, Jayden's outlook on life, positivity and determination to keep moving forward is what makes this episode so special.

Some parts that stood out for me in this episode were…

- Walking 40 minutes to school and back every day and how that shaped him

- Writing down his rugby goals as a teenager and dreaming of one day becoming an All Black

- Getting his opportunity with the Southland Stags and realising he was good enough to compete at that level

- The night of the accident and the reality of waking up after weeks in a coma

- Learning just how close he came to losing his life

- Coming to terms with the fact he would never play rugby again

- Why he chose life over rugby and the powerful message he now wants to share with others

- What his plans are in the future and how he wants to stay in the game

This is a story about much more than rugby. It's about resilience, perspective, gratitude and finding purpose when the path you thought you were on suddenly disappears. Jayden's maturity, positivity and self-awareness at such a young age make this one of the most powerful conversations we've had on the podcast.

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Kieran Read is one of the greatest All Blacks of the professional era. A two-time Rugby World Cup winner, four-time Super Rugby champion and former All Blacks captain, Kieran built a career defined by consistency, leadership and an incredible work ethic.

From a typical Kiwi childhood in Papakura, to representing Counties in both rugby and cricket, Kieran's path to the top wasn't as straightforward as many would think. He wasn't a player who came through every representative system, and by his own admission was a shy kid who often kept to himself. Yet through hard work, resilience and a constant desire to improve, he became one of the most respected leaders New Zealand rugby has ever produced.

Some parts that stood out for me in this episode were…

* Why cricket was arguably his best sport growing up and how close he came to pursuing it professionally

* The moment rugby went from being something he loved to something he wanted to chase seriously

* Making New Zealand Secondary Schools despite not being part of the traditional rugby pathway

* Playing 49 consecutive games at the start of his Crusaders career

* Becoming Canterbury captain at just 22 years old

* His memories of winning Rugby World Cups in 2011 and 2015

* Taking over from Richie McCaw as All Blacks captain and learning to lead in his own way

* The sacrifices that come with professional rugby and being away from family for long periods

* The leadership lessons he's taken from rugby into business and life after retirement

Kieran is one of those rare people whose achievements speak for themselves, yet remains incredibly humble. This episode is packed with stories from one of rugby's greatest careers, along with plenty of lessons on leadership, resilience and personal growth.

Let us know what you thought of this episode in the comments 👇

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Jeff McTainsh is quickly becoming one of the leading voices in New Zealand rugby. From growing up in Dunedin dreaming of the All Blacks, to commentating games off the TV as a kid, Jeff has built an incredible career through persistence, passion and years of hard work behind the scenes.

After working through radio, journalism, TV news and sports reporting, Jeff slowly carved his way into the commentary world — eventually earning the opportunity to call All Blacks test matches on Sky Sport. Along the way he’s covered Olympic Games, NPC rugby, Super Rugby, international rugby and become one of the most respected commentators in the country.

Some parts that stood out for me in this episode were…

- The story behind sending a commentary clip to Sky Sport in hopes of getting an opportunity

- Getting the call to commentate college rugby and how that changed everything

- The surreal moment he got called in to commentate the All Blacks at Eden Park

- How commentators prepare for games, player pronunciations and big moments

- His hilarious impressions of Dave Rennie, Ray Warren, Hamish McKay and more

- Why balance, fitness and routine completely changed his life over the last few years

- His thoughts on the future of rugby, commentary and the All Blacks

Jeff is one of those genuine good blokes who clearly loves rugby and loves storytelling. This episode is full of awesome insight into sports broadcasting, plenty of laughs, some elite impressions and a seriously cool story about chasing a passion and slowly building your way to the top.

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Bryce Heem is one of the most underrated rugby players New Zealand has produced. From leaving school early and working trades, to partying his way through his late teens, Bryce carved out a 15-year professional rugby career through hard work, resilience and taking every opportunity that came his way.

Playing for the Auckland, Northland, Tasman, the Chiefs, the Blues, NZ Sevens, Worcester and Toulon, Bryce built a career that took him all around the world and made him one of the most respected teammates in the game.

Some parts that stood out for me in this episode were…

- How he's found his transition from rugby to mortgage broking

- Going from working in refrigeration and air conditioning to marking Hosea Gear in his first professional game

- The brutal fitness standards and lessons he learned under Gordon Tietjens in NZ Sevens

- Why he chose to leave New Zealand rugby for Worcester and the reality of overseas rugby life

- Returning home from France after his dad was diagnosed with lung cancer

- How a simple message helped earn him a contract with the Blues

- Winning Super Rugby with the Blues after years of being so close

- His thoughts on missing out on the All Blacks and why he has no regrets about his career

- Why “don’t burn bridges” became one of the biggest lessons he learned through rugby

Bryce is one of those lads everyone he played with will conform he's a legendary man. Tough as nails on the field, humble off it and full of great perspective from a career that took him all over the world. Plenty of laughs, honest reflections and awesome stories in this one!

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Peter Gubb is one of rugby league’s great characters. A Queensland Cup legend known for his physicality, longevity and hilarious stories, Gubby shares plenty of great yarns in this one. From the 3rd XV at school to still playing high-level footy at 37, his journey is anything but ordinary.

Some parts that stood out for me in this episode were…

- Hearing his side of the story on what growing up was like for him with his brother Charlie.

- The reality of chasing an NRL dream.

- His unique thoughts on training, longevity and being a “lifetime trainer”

- The dangers of superstitions and when they can become too much

- What the ultimate amount of caffeine is to take pre a podcast

- His thoughts on confidence, backing yourself and saying yes to opportunities

And some of the funniest stories you'll hear!

It's not often I'll listen back to and episode and be laughing out loud but there's something about the Gubb brothers that crack me up! Peter is one of those blokes you could listen to for hours — authentic, funny and just a genuine lad.

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Brad Thorn is one of the most unique athletes to ever come out of New Zealand. A cross-code legend known for his physicality, discipline and longevity, Thorn built an incredible career winning amore variety of titles than anyone to have played the game.

In this episode of What a Lad, Thorny opens up about his full journey through rugby league and union. From dominating in the NRL as a teenager, to making the bold decision to switch codes and start again, and everything it took to become one of the most respected forwards in world rugby.

Some parts that stood out for me in this episode were…

- Reflecting on previous stories that had been told on the podcast about him before

- The moment his mindset changed and he was a whole different beast

- How he dealt with what came with being an NRL star as a teenager

- Making the call to leave rugby league at his peak and sacrifice his prime years to learn rugby union

- Being told he was hurting the team and how he dealt with that pressure

- The mindset behind his training and pushing himself when no one else was watching

- The pressure of playing for the All Blacks and what it really means to represent New Zealand

- Winning the Rugby World Cup and how it felt in the moment

- His journey into head coaching at the Reds and the pressure involved with that

- His reflections on his career and the standards he held himself to throughout

And heaps more!

This episode is full of honesty, perspective and a real look into what it actually takes to reinvent yourself at the highest level. Thorny is one of the toughest and most respected players to do it, and this one gives a proper insight into how he became that guy.

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Seti Tafua has one of the most powerful and inspiring stories you’ll hear in New Zealand rugby. A talented young player chasing his dream overseas, Seti’s life changed in an instant after a horrific neck injury left him paralysed and fighting for his life. Doctors told him he may never walk again.

In this episode of What a Lad, Seti opens up about that journey through rugby and life. From the moment of the injury, to the reality of being unable to move, the long road through rehab, and the mindset that helped him defy the odds and walk again. He also shares how he found purpose after rugby and built a new career as the Hurricanes Analyst.

Some parts that stood out for me in this episode were…

- The moment he made a tackle and instantly knew something was seriously wrong

- Being told by doctors he would likely have to rely on others for the rest of his life

- Spending over two years in a wheelchair and the reality of daily rehab

- The mindset he used to stay positive and never give up despite the odds

- Taking his first steps again and the emotion that came with it

- The unbelievable support from the rugby community during his recovery

- How he managed to become part of the Hurricanes Analyst team.

- His outlook on life now and the importance of staying positive and being grateful

And heaps more!

This episode is incredibly powerful. Seti’s mindset, resilience and positivity through everything he’s been through is something special. He’s the kind of person that puts life into perspective and reminds you what really matters.

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Jason Holland is one of the most respected coaches in New Zealand rugby. A brilliant rugby mind known for his attacking detail, leadership and ability to get the best out of people. The man known as Alfie has built an impressive career through Manawatu, Taranaki, Munster, Canterbury, the Hurricanes and the All Blacks.

In this episode of What a Lad, Alfie opens up about his full journey through rugby, from a young kid growing with a love for the game, to coaching the All Blacks and everything in between.

Some parts that stood out for me in this episode were…

- Always having a ball in hand as a kid and how rugby became ingrained in him from a young age

- While always loving the game but not always training as hard as he could have

- Heading overseas to Munster and the moment he realised what it took to become a true professional

- Spending over a decade at Munster as both a player and coach and how that shaped his career

- Getting the opportunity to move into coaching and the challenges involved

- His time with the Hurricanes and winning a Super Rugby title with a special group of players

- The transition into the All Blacks environment and the pressure that comes with coaching at the very top

- Reflection on his time in the All Blacks and an insight into his decision to step away

- An insight into his move to Head Coach the Blues next season.

And heaps more!

This episode is full of insight, honesty and some great perspective on the realities of professional rugby and coaching. Alfie was one of my all time favourite coaches, such a genuinely good guy who loves talking footy. I'm sure you'll enjoy this episode as much as I did.

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