The Rugby Centurions Podcast: Recent Episodes
Sport Podcast Network
The toughest membership in the world celebrates the players who have won 100 international test caps or more for their country. Join us every week when we’ll speak to the legends of the game to talk about their favourite moments, hardest challenges, those who inspired them, what they learnt, their advice for the next generation of fans and players and of course, the moment that they became a Rugby Centurion
Sean Lamont played for Scotland 107 times after making his debut in 2004. A powerful winger his 100th cap came in the 2015 Rugby World Cup victory over Samoa, becoming only the second ever Scottish player to achieve that special landmark after Chris Paterson. His younger brother Rory was also a Scottish international, the pair running out alongside each other on a number of occasions. He also represented his country in the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne in 2002 and at home in Glasgow in 2014. After hanging up his boots in 2017, he worked with Scotland's academy players before transitioning to become Team Manager and Strength and Conditioning Coach with the Scotland Sevens team on the HSBC Sevens World Series. We began the chat though focussing on his other passion, classic cars.
Our guest this week is a giant of Australian Rugby in every sense. Nathan Sharpe played 116 test matches for the Wallabies including 20 as captain. The six foot seven inch lock forward represented his country for sixteen consecutive seasons, having first pulled on the green and gold jersey for the under 19s' in 1996, the year professional rugby began.
After retiring in 2012, having played in three Rugby World Cups, he made an impressive transition away from the game with various entrepreneurial activities and can now be found turning his attentions to the mining industry, while also working in the media and setting up a family business alongside his wife.
Links to listen and SUBSCRIBE on the various platforms: Apple Podcasts - https://apple.co/3j29W9r Google Podcasts - https://tinyurl.com/y4f5gmdt Spotify - https://spoti.fi/342vQ6a Amazon Music - https://amzn.to/3jY0Uen TuneIn - http://tun.in/pj2dd
Sam Whitelock is the fastest player ever to reach 100 test caps, achieving the feat just eight years and two months after his debut. In that time he's won two Rugby World Cups and countless other domestic and international accolades. He epitomises the modern lock, agile, athletic, teak tough but also adept with the ball in hand. He's also a natural leader and when the tap on the shoulder came from coach Steve Hansen to lead the All Blacks, he was ready to follow in the footsteps of his Canterbury teammates Richie McCaw and Kieran Read and as he started by telling us, it was a massive day for the whole family.
Links to listen and SUBSCRIBE on the various platforms: Apple Podcasts - https://apple.co/3j29W9r Google Podcasts - https://tinyurl.com/y4f5gmdt Spotify - https://spoti.fi/342vQ6a Amazon Music - https://amzn.to/3jY0Uen TuneIn - http://tun.in/pj2dd
Jean de Villiers spent his childhood picturing one day running out at Newlands in Cape Town for his beloved Springboks. He not only did that on 10 occasions, but would win 109 caps for his country across a 13-year international career, including 37 matches as captain. If it wasn’t for a succession of cruel injury blows he might well have added another 30 appearances to that total. in recent times the pandemic has ensured no excuse for getting in shape.
The beautiful island of Sicily is probably best known for the volcanic Mount Etna, but it’s also the birthplace of Andrea Lo Cicero. Growing up by the sea he dreamt of competing in water sports, but when his legs grew so big he couldn’t fit in a canoe rugby beckoned and over a 13 year international career he would win 103 caps for Italy and play in three Rugby World Cups. Since retiring in 2013 he has gone on to become a household name on Italian TV, competed in the Americas Cup and works for UNICEF, but Andrea joined us from his farm in Tuscany. He was surrounded by various farm animals where he also runs a Donkey Sanctuary that he uses to help children connect with the environment.
You don’t win 115 international caps for England without demonstrating all the qualities of the Rugby Centurions. A World Cup winner but also having lost in the final three times, the dedication to her country for no financial gain, the fight for equality in a male dominated environment, Tamara Taylor has been there and done that and is still doing it! Everything considered though, perhaps her biggest challenge came in 2019 when, despite having a fear of heights, she was part of a team that that set a new World Record for the highest game of rugby ever played, at over 20,000 feet near the summit of Mount Everest.
Rugby Centurions Website - https://rugbycenturions.com/podcast Apple Podcasts - https://apple.co/3j29W9r Google Podcasts - https://tinyurl.com/y4f5gmdt Spotify - https://spoti.fi/342vQ6a Amazon Music - https://amzn.to/3jY0Uen
Welcome to our first show of 2021 and we’re thrilled to kick off Series 2 with one of the greatest players of all-time, Ireland and Lions legend Brian O’Driscoll.
The Dublin born centre is the fourth most-capped player in rugby union history with 141 appearances over a stellar 15 year international career. He captained Ireland on 83 occasions and also led the Lions on their tour to New Zealand in 2005. The holder of numerous records within the sport he remains one of the most recognisable and respected figures across the rugby world. These days Brian can be seen on tv and when’s he’s away from the spotlight, juggling newborn baby duties and homeschooling his two older children, but we began our chat by looking back to when he reached that landmark 100th cap milestone back in 2009 and what it meant to him.
A stellar guest list joins us to look back over some of the highlights from series 1 of the Rugby Centurions Podcast. Over the course of this programme we'll hear John Smit and Richie McCaw talk about Resilience, Jamie Heaslip and Gareth Thomas speak about Courage, Sarah Hunter and Gonçalo Uva discuss Selfless Commitment, Matt Giteau, Bryan Habana and Jason Leonard talk about Respect and Sergio Parisse and George Gregan tackle the subject of Leadership. To round off proceedings, some of the players speak about the best advice they were given during their career and in life post-rugby.
Apple Podcasts - https://apple.co/3j29W9r Google Podcasts - https://tinyurl.com/y4f5gmdt Spotify - https://spoti.fi/342vQ6a Amazon Music - https://amzn.to/3jY0Uen
A true modern-day gladiator, Sergio Parisse is widely considered as one of the greatest number eights to play the game and is without question the finest Italian rugby player of the modern generation. With 142 appearances for the Azzurri he is the third-most capped player of all time and has played in a record-equalling five Rugby World Cups. Having recently welcomed his baby daughter Emily into the world alongside her two elder siblings, we began by chatting about how testing life has been on all levels.
Rugby Centurions Podcast Page - https://rugbycenturions.com/podcast/
Apple Podcasts - https://apple.co/3j29W9r Google Podcasts - https://tinyurl.com/y4f5gmdt Spotify - https://spoti.fi/342vQ6a Amazon Music - https://amzn.to/3jY0Uen
Matt Giteau made his international debut as a 20-year-old in 2002 before he had even played a Super Rugby match and for the past 18 years his talent and dedication has seen him light up stadiums from Toulon to Tokyo and most places in-between. 103 caps for the Wallabies, two Rugby World Cup finals and numerous domestic titles across three continents he set the standard as one of rugby’s new age travellers and that journey might not be quite finished, but we began this podcast by uncorking his first venture into business away from the pitch, Backline Wines!
Bryan Habana blazed his way to rugby greatness in a stellar 14 year international career, scoring an incredible 67 tries for the Springboks in 124 appearances. World Cup, Tri-Nations, Super Rugby, Currie Cup, French Championship, European Cup his list of honours is almost without equal, but also. how many other players have competed in a head-to head race against a cheetah? In this exclusive conversation, Bryan talks about the ultimate high of the 2007 Rugby World Cup victory, his experiences as a spectator at the 1995 World Cup in South Africa, his mentors, his heroes, life after rugby and that most dangerous of races against the fastest land mammal on earth.
Apple Podcasts - https://apple.co/3j29W9r Google Podcasts - https://tinyurl.com/y4f5gmdt Spotify - https://spoti.fi/342vQ6a Amazon Music - https://amzn.to/3jY0Uen
Rugby Centurions Website - https://rugbycenturions.com/podcast/
All-time rugby legend Jason Leonard joins Martin Cross and Rugby Centurions Chris Evans for a chat. With 119 caps for England and the British and Irish Lions and a World Cup winners medal in 2003, Leonard speaks about his achievements, what they mean and how rugby can be used as a metaphor for life.
Scotland’s most-capped player of all-time joins us on the Rugby Centurions Podcast. Donna Kennedy amassed 115 Caps for her country and is the only Scot to win the World Rugby Player of the Year Award and even has an annual tournament name in her honour.
Apple Podcasts - https://apple.co/3j29W9r Google Podcasts - https://tinyurl.com/y4f5gmdt Spotify - https://spoti.fi/342vQ6a Amazon Music - https://amzn.to/3jY0Uen
Our guest is Kieran Read, one of a select group of players to have won two Rugby World Cups. He captained the All Blacks on 52 occasions among his 127 tests in total and in fact he's a triple centurion in many ways, as he also won an incredible 107 internationals and played from start to finish in 106 matches.
Rugby is filled with famous families. The Underwoods of England, the Brookes of New Zealand, the Giteaus and McAlisters, but perhaps the greatest siblings in the sport are not so well known? Gonçalo and Vasco Uva of Portugal. Vasco was the inspirational captain for his country’s only appearance to-date in the Rugby World Cup, but his brother Gonçalo incredibly matched him, also representing his country on 101 occasions. They embody the true values of rugby and Gonçalo was our very special guest on this week’s podcast.
Rugby Centurions Website - https://rugbycenturions.com/podcast/ Apple Podcasts - https://apple.co/3j29W9r Google Podcasts - https://tinyurl.com/y4f5gmdt Spotify - https://spoti.fi/342vQ6a Amazon Music - https://amzn.to/3jY0Uen
With 95 caps for Ireland and 5 for the British and Irish Lions, Jamie Heaslip is our guest Centurion this week. Jamie joins Martin Cross and Rugby Centurions CEO, Chris Evans to look back over his illustrious career which included a Six Nations Grand Slam in 2009, two British and Irish Lions tours and multiple European titles. As well as discussing the achievements on the pitch, Jamie also talks about life post-rugby which involves investing in startup companies, running pubs, commentating and motivational speaking.
A double World Cup winning captain, the most capped test rugby player of all time, World Rugby Player of the Year a record three times and the list of accolades could go on-and-on. Who else could it be but New Zealand's Richie McCaw and in this exclusive conversation, Richie talks about growing up on New Zealand's South Island, the moment he first became an All Black, the lows of the 2003 and 2007 Rugby World Cups and the ultimate highs in 2011 on home soil and in 2015 in England. He also speaks openly about what it takes to lead such an iconic team, his relationship with coaches Graham Henry and Steve Hansen, the intricacies of playing at flanker and the best number 7's he's faced, life away from the pitch and dealing with the media, the 2011 earthquake that devastated Christchurch and of course, the moment he reached 100 caps for his country.
When you think of the great scrum-halves, George Gregan is sure to feature highly. Fifth on the all-time list of international test appearances and still Australia’s most-capped player with 139 appearances, one of those being the victorious 1999 Rugby World Cup Final. During the course of this chat, we discuss all of those achievements, plus what he learnt from the likes of Rod McQueen and Eddie Jones, his views on the media, referees, living in Japan, his life outside rugby, playing golf with Tiger Woods and the best advice he can pass on to the next generation of aspiring sports stars.
A World Cup Winner who’s played in three Rugby World Cup finals to date and was named World Player of the Year in 2016, England’s Sarah Hunter joined us on the Rugby Centurions Podcast to talk about how she first got into rugby, battling preconceptions of it as a male-only sport, her international debut, including the moment she had to sing a song in front of the whole team, living up to the standards set by the likes of Catherine Spencer and Maggie Alphonsi, relationships with those who have guided her along the way, dealing with nerves, advice for youngsters getting into the sport and the transition to the women’s game turning professional.
Wales icon Gareth Thomas joins us for an all-encompassing chat that discusses his early days as the fastest postman in Bridgend, deliberately missing his first training session with the national team, the most memorable game of his career, the anxiety around talking to his teammates about his sexuality, living with HIV, advice from Prince Harry and eventually finding happiness.
Former World Cup Winning Captain, John Smit, talks leadership on and off the pitch, his love for tennis, the WhatsApp group "3" with Francois Pienaar and Siya Kolisi, his special black pants and his advice for the next generation.
A weekly podcast celebrating the players who have won 100 international test caps or more for their country.