What a Lad

Super Rugby Preview Round 3

For this weeks Swysh Super Rugby Preview, we have a very special guest in podcast guru Searley, from award winning podcast Searley talks sport. He joins our usual co-host Tom Marshall as we look ahead to this weeks round and make some very educated picks.
Barring Tom's Reece Hodge fantasy pick, it's fair to say the picks have been on absolute fire and hopefully we can keep that up for you all over the coming weeks.
This is an action packed episode with plenty to review from last week including surely one of the games of the year. Lots to preview this weekend, with some exciting match ups and we give you an insight into our fantasy rugby trades for the week.
If you enjoy the episode please give it a share, especially to any of your mates who struggle to pick a winner.

Ben May- What a Lad

Ben May is officially the oldest player to ever play Super Rugby and unofficially he is one of the most entertaining lads you will meet.
The man affectively known as Old Dad to his team mates, has shown incredible durability in his 19 year rugby career. Which has seen him play for 11 different teams, including over 100 for the Hurricanes!
With a career like that, there was certainly plenty to talk about in this one and as you'll hear Bamma is someone who will always tell it how it is. He shares so many good stories in this one, from all the different teams he has been involved with.
I throughly enjoyed this one, I found myself laughing almost the whole way through. If you enjoy this episode or know someone who you think will, then please do me a favour and share this episode🙏🏼
This episode was brought to you by Swysh, the perfect gift idea for any sports fan!

Super Rugby Preview- Round 2

Another round of Super Rugby and another What a Lad preview! As you may have heard last week, Tom Marshall has kindly offered to join the panel every week and has watched all last weeks footy to give us an insight.
In this episode we recap the teams and players that stood out from last week.
We preview and predict the games, as well as find some juicy match ups or players to look out for.
We finish with our Fantasy Rugby review and selections we have made for the week. Including the tough decision of captain!
Enjoy

Filipo Levi- What a Lad

The life after sport transition is something that plays on all athletes minds. It's hard to prepare for and you don't really know what you're in for until you're in it.
For Filipo Levi he has gone through his transition and he has put all the valuable knowledge from his experience in to the recently published book, called "Tackle your Success". 
In this episode, Filipo shares some tips on how to have a successful career change and that doesn't have to been from sport. He talks about some of the challenges he faced and what helped him get through.
We also go through the big mans rugby career which saw him play for Otago, the Highlanders, the Black Rams, Ospreys, the Tasman Mako, the Pacific Islanders and of course Samoa. From all those teams he has plenty of good stories that he shares throughout.
I learnt a lot from this one and I hope you do too. If you do enjoy this episode, as always please give it a share. If you really enjoy what Filipo has to say make sure you get your hands on his book.
https://www.filipolevi.com/tackleyoursuccess

Super Rugby Preview

We're trying something a bit different with this one and giving you a Marshall brother preview Super Rugby Pacific. We preview the games and highlight a key member from each team. We also give our predictions for top try scorer, niggle goat and Lad of the year.
On top of that we also talk about our fantasy rugby sides and why we have picked up who we have and if you are keen to join the What a Lad comp follow this link and set one up https://sportsdeck.com/rugby/dreamteam/?action=join-group&code=224984
 

Elliot Dixon- What a Lad

Was it a try, or did he drop it? That has been the question that has followed Elliot Dixon since his incredible try to win the Highlanders their first ever Super Rugby title.
However, the great Southern lad is much more than one try! He's has an outstanding career in NZ with the Southland Stags, the Highlanders, the NZ Maoris and of course the All Blacks. I found it super interesting hearing Elliot talk about his time in the All Blacks and why he didn't quite have the All Black career that many of us expected.
He has also spent time in Japan with the Black Rams and he is now over in France with Biaritz. Through his travels he has plenty of great stories to share and to be honest not many tell a more honest and enjoyable yarn than Dicko.
I throughly enjoyed this one, lots of laughs and some deeper moments as well. One thing I can guarantee you will learn from this episode, is that Elliot Dixon is an absolute lad! If you do find this episode enjoyable then please get it a share 🙏🏼

Denny Solomona- What a Lad

Professional sport always sounds like the dream lifestyle but as you'll hear, in this episode from Denny Solomona, it does come with it's challenges.
The honesty that Denny speaks with in this episode is so admirable and refreshing. It was crazy to hear what he was putting his body through, yet whenever he got on the field he was consistently one of the best.
Having been signed with the Melbourne Storm at 15, it's fair to say everything happened pretty quickly. However struggling to ever get any game time behind the great Billy Slater, he headed over to the London Broncos. A move that in hindsight wasn't the best idea. Denny missed his family, his side was getting pumped and he struggled with the use of  drugs and alcohol. However he still had plenty of success on the field in the Super League scoring a record number of tries in a season and being in the running for the Man of Steel award.
Denny then changed codes, moving to Sale and instantly made an impact, making the England international side very quickly. However he was still suffering with mental health issues, a topic that he is very open about. 
Now he's in a great space heading back to NZ to give NZ rugby a crack and personally I cant wait to see him out there doing his thing.
I really enjoyed this chat with Denny, I think there will be a lot of people who can relate to plenty in this episode. If you enjoy it or you know someone who would please give it a share, it's very much appreciated.

Victor Vito- What a Lad

Most fans will know Victor Vito as the big physical beast, who is big fast and strong and has all the skills in the world. The Victor Vito you are about to hear is the very well educated, absolute lad, who gives a very open and honest breakdown of his rugby career to date.
Most will remember the day Victor burst on the the World stage at the 2009 Wellington 7's, where he put on an absolute clinic. From that tournament he was instantly headlined as the next big thing, even labelled as the next "Jonah"
Fast forward 13 years and Victor can look back on an incredibly successful rugby career. He's a Super Rugby winner and centurion at the Hurricanes, a double RWC winner with the All Blacks in 2011 & 2015 and since moving to La Rochelle in France he has played some of his best footy, playing well over 100 games.
Anyone who knows Victor will know that he is a very intelligent man and is a real thinker. What really fascinated me in this episode, was that on reflection, how he felt that had held him back in his career. Often over thinking the game instead of backing his natural instincts.
I really enjoyed this chat with the Wellington great, plenty of good yarns in this one. If you do enjoy the episode please give it a share on your socials and tag What a Lad. This episode is also out on YouTube as all my episodes from now on will be so go subscribe to the What a Lad channel and give this video a watch/like/comment if you can.

Ethan Blackadder- What a Lad

Season 3 of What a Lad is here and there is no better way to start the new season, than with one of the biggest lads to walk this earth, the great Ethan Blackadder! So many of you have been requesting Ethan to come on and for good reason, as he is the ultimate lad. 
Not only is Ethan a lad but he also has an incredible rugby journey. One that I think can have a positive impact on so many young players coming through. Although his dad, Todd Blackadder, was the All Black captain and Crusader legend, Ethan didn't enjoy playing rugby as a young fella, so he stopped. Only finding his love for the game, while playing 3rd XV rugby with his mates. Now an All Black himself, it's been awesome to see his journey, which started in the 'Nelson Rugby Football Club' B team and to see where he is now. I'm also really excited to see where he can get to. 
There is so many good yarns in this one and I loved trying to tap into the mindset of this special man because he just does things different.
Anyway I hope you enjoy this episode, if you do please give it a share and lets make season 3 the best yet for What a Lad.
If you want to support the podcast head over to www.whatalad.com
 

James Lowe- What a Lad

James Lowe has had an incredible journey to becoming the Irish International winger!
 The kid gifted with size, speed and skill, was always going to have a successful sporting career. However, getting there wasn't without some significant bumps in the road. At around 14 years old James was diagnosed with juvenile arthritis, which had him bed ridden on and off for around 3 years. For a kid who was extremely active, it was a very difficult stage in his life.
He got through that once he found the right medication and was back on his rugby journey. Although after being the star of the NZ u20 trials, he missed out on selection, which to this day still puzzles him and anyone who trialed that day.He put that aside and put in some big performances for the Tasman Mako, which earned himself a Chiefs contract. His form for the Chiefs was so good, that he was literally on the edge of making the All Blacks for 2 years. He didn’t, and then decided to take up a contract in Ireland with Leinster. A fascinating story.
Now playing for Ireland on the international stage, it’s been an incredible journey from the proud Nelsonian. If you enjoy this episode please give it share. Also thanks to everyone who has tuned in over the year, it’s been a pleasure bringing you so many absolute lads!
Remember to head over to www.whatalad.com if you're keen to support the podcast.