Aaron Mauger loves rugby, he's so passionate about the game and he is so grateful for his involvement in the game and he's certainly been involved!

From playing for Canterbury straight out of school, to becoming a Crusader and All Black not long after. He then moved to Leicester were he won premierships over there, before injuries forced him to retire at just 30. Post playing he was always going to stay in the game and with his incredible rugby knowledge has gone on to become a great coach!

Some bit's that stood out for me were...

• His relationship with his brother Nathan and their mindset playing together
• How hard it can be for a young 10 to come in boss the team around especially when one was your teacher the year before
• The massive influence Andrew Mertens had on him
• The night of the 96-12 win over the Waratahs and the story behind the front flip
• The 2003 and 2007 RWC experiences
• The struggle of wanting to keep playing when the body is breaking down
• The reality of the life as a coach and the impact that can have on your family
• And heaps more

I loved hearing about Azza's mindset on how he approaches life, he's very grateful for every thing and he has a real passion for the game of rugby. It made me realise how good this game is, so many great people involved in the game and Aaron Mauger is certianly one of those.

Everyone loves a battler and when it comes to one of the greatest battlers to ever play the game the great Laurence Corlett has to be up there. The man who debuted for the Hurricanes 10 years after his first class debut for Canterbury, the man known as Frank put in a 7 minute shift that will never be forgotten at the Hurricanes. The story of Laurence Corlett is one that has so many layers, he's a true yes man who put himself out there and he can tell one heck of a story.

Some bits that stood out for me in this one were...

• How Dane Coles gave him the opportunity to get a Super Rugby cap
• Why he had to keep his beanie on during his first meeting with Steve Hansen
• His battles with throwing as a hooker throughout his career
• How he ended up at a student flat after signing his first Super Rugby contract
• Becoming the Taranaki CEO and the struggles involved with that role
• Surviving a Heart Attack!
• His time on My Kitchen Rules the reality TV show
• Plenty of yellow card stories including his fight with Liam Messam
• And heaps more!

Lads don't get much better than Frank, such a genuine guy, he has great energy and great yarns. I know you'll enjoy this one and when you do please give it a share.

Colin Cooper is one of the great great human beings, he's one of the wisest souls on the planet – a true legend of rugby in New Zealand with an incredible career spanning over four decades!

Having played over 100 matches for Taranaki and represented the NZ Maori, and Junior All Blacks Colin has left a huge mark on the game as a player. After hanging up his boots, Colin transitioned to coaching, where he made his mark as the coach of the NZ U21s, an assistant at the Crusaders, the head coach of the Hurricanes, and the Chiefs, and of course, led the Taranaki Bulls to an NPC championship.

He has also coached the Junior All Blacks and the NZ Maoris, showcasing a remarkable versatility in the sport. Beyond his impressive accolades, anyone who has worked with Colin will know that he is one kindest and most genuine people you'll ever meet. I've got so much respect for Colin and learnt plenty in this episode so I know you will enjoy this one.

Carlo Tizzano has burst on to the international rugby scene this season with an incredible work rate and tackle success rate and after this conversation it's easy to understand why.

Growing up as an angry child, with 3 other brother constantly winding him up the aggression in his game was always going to be there. Having started out as a winger, he decided to move in to 7 a move with had plenty of doubters and even cost him a spot in the academy. However, as you'll hear Carlo has an incredible self belief, while also having incredible discipline to achieve goals quickly.

Carlo has also recently been diagnosed with ADHD which he describes as an absolute game changer and has made sense of a lot of his behaviour growing up especially at school. His ability to focus on tasks especially in games has been a big part of his rapid rise.

The best part about this episode is that Carlo is an absolute lad who doesn't filter anything, he tells it straight and is very true to himself which always makes for the best podcasts. I'm sure by the end of this you'll have a new favourite Wallaby!

Chapters

01:30 Introduction to Carlo Tizzano
03:00 Playing Style and Transition from Winger to Number Seven
08:42 Italian Background and Growing Up in a Household of Boys
11:39 ADHD Diagnosis and Overcoming Burnout
19:00 Meal Planning and Putting on Weight
24:08 Mindset and Success in Club Rugby
28:13 Becoming a Professional Rugby Player
29:29 Confidence and Debut Experiences
36:08 Challenges and Growth in Different Teams
44:05 Moving to Ealing and Embracing a Different Style of Rugby
48:22 The Wild Ride at Ealing and the Importance of Enjoyment
53:19 Opportunity to Return to the Western Force
59:49 Playing for the Force
01:11:52 The future of the Western Force
01:19:06 Toughest players to tackle
01:23:46 Advice for listeners

Ross Devlin was your classic old school player, he threw his body and head into everything and was too tough to ever want to come off. Now Ross is convinced that he has CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy) from multiple concussions which included a very significant car crash. He now just wants to help others who may have it or even better prevent people from getting it.

The key message in this episode is to try and help players, coaches, parents or whoever, that concussions and multiple concussions need to be taken more seriously at all levels of any sport. It's never an injury to tough it out because the danger and potential long term affects are massive. If you know someone this episode might help, please pass it on.

Bailey Simonsson is one of the best outside backs in the NRL and it was crazy to hear how close he was to giving up on the game! After a couple of years with the BOP Steamers and a short stint with the All Blacks 7's side Bailey returned home back to Australia with no professional contract. 12 months later and he's playing in the NRL final for the Canberra Raiders.

This episode is another case of the different pressures that are placed on these guys in both codes of footy. The pressure to take your opportunities when you're starting out, which was highlighted for Bailey with the NZ 7's side. How to deal with imposter syndrome, which he felt while training with the Chiefs as a teenager. The long term injury set backs which Bailey has had his fair share of including his current ACL recovery! Also dealing with the abuse that comes with a low fantasy NRL score.

As you'll hear Bailey is a champion lad who has a real good energy and plenty of cool insights into his journey and rugby league. If you enjoy this episode please give it a share so that we can continue to bring more great guest like this.

The Chris Eaton episode is one that left my cheeks sore from laughing so much, while also pulled on the heartstrings to bring tears in the eyes. This story is one of the most incredible stories yet.

From growing up in Flaxmere which he would describe as "the hood", staying out of trouble growing up was about as hard as keeping the Hurricanes 9 jersey off TJ Perenara.After several last chances with Hawkes Bay relating off field incidents and a contract which involved no alcohol, Chris got through it to end up playing 114 games for his beloved Magpies. He then had 2 good seasons with the Hurricanes in Super Rugby which he shares plenty of good stories from those times.

Then the moment that changed his life forever. The tragic death of his wife. Hearing him talk about the moment he had to tell his 4 year old daughter the news was the saddest thing I've heard on the podcast. The way he bounced back from that tragic event is so inspiring and hearing how his life is now is very cool to hear.

Chris is a very funny story teller and some of the yarns in this one go straight to the all time hall of fame. I know you'll enjoy this one and when you do please give it a share so I can continue to bring you champion lads like this man.

This week I am joined by Japanese royalty Lomano Lemek! The Japanese rugby legend who has been to the Olympics with the Japanese 7s side who finished 4th, He’s been to 2 RWC’s and has recently signed with Honda Heat again to take him through to 19 years playing professionally in Japan. From a young age Mano wanted to be a professional rugby player and being in the 1st XV at the age of just 14 made that a really realistic dream. However, after that season he failed to make any rep teams which really tested his commitment and perseverance of that dream a pretty random opportunity came up for him to play in Japan with the Canon Eagles.

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

• The exciting launch of his new App P2P to help players and teams make contracting easier
• We hear about his humble upbringing and his early focus to make rugby a career
• How a random opportunity at the Canon Eagles at 19 years old changed his life
• His decision to play Japan 7’s and experience the first Olympics with 7s involved
• How he found his time at the Sunwolves and playing Super Rugby
• Experiencing 2 RWC and the different challenges that were involved leading up to those tournaments
• Some classic Jamie Joesph yarn Plenty of stories from his Top league career
• And he’s more!

As you’ll hear Lemano has had some career and deserves every single yen he has earns and he is a massive lad who gives an awesome insight into rugby in Japan. If you enjoy this episode please give it a share so I can continue to bring you great guests like this.

Check out the p2p platform here https://p2psport.com/