Tana Umaga's TEEM Talk

A great story that started at a young age. Saia tells me that he signed with the Brumbies Academy at 14 years and 9 months old and was training with Wallabies greats George Gregan, Stephen Larkham and George Smith.He lets us know how his Aboriginal mother and Tongan father met and married, then raised 5 boys while living in a pub. He shares about how his mother was their nutritionist, taxi driver, and confidante even to this day and how his father helped the boys into their ...

Talking to former All White Jeremy Christie was a really refreshing chat, hearing about his journey from Whangarei and around the world to settling in Orlando, USA for the time being.He talks about growing up in Northland and playing soccer as a youngster, to moving to Auckland and into the football academy at Mount Albert Grammar school which was run by Rory Fallon, then, at the age of 16, traveling to England and signing with the Barnsley FC Academy with a couple of mates he’d played with i...

It was great to connect with Charles again since the last time we talked was in my role as Blues Coach and having one last chat with him before he decided to back himself and go overseas to Wasps and Ulster in Europe.He shares about the decision-making process he went through. The difficulties in leaving his comfort zone and support structures of family and the battle within, whether he stays in NZ and strives for the dream of playing at a World Cup or takes the challenge up of earning ...

A very honest and open conversation with current NZ Netball Silver Fern and Auckland Mystic Captain Sulu Tone - Fitzpartick.It was great to hear her story of growth, resilience, determination, and discovery as she takes us through her journey. Through her early years of becoming a professional netballer straight of high school as a teenager with huge potential and talent to taking the opportunity for granted and moving away from home to get more playing opportunities. Then became ...

Great to catch up with Codie and hear him talk about his younger days and growing up in Australia. Then returning to Levin, NZ before going off to Fielding High for his last years of school. Going from Fielding into the Canterbury Academy, following a well-trodden path led by the Whitelock brothers. He shares about the successful culture shift of the Crusaders from when he debuted in 2013 when they had some of the greats like Ritchie McCaw, Dan Carter and Kieran Read playing...

It's always good to catch up with Beaver and chat about old times and new. We talk about his new business venture with a couple of old All Black and Chiefs team-mates, GRINS, and what the future holds for them.He shares his career-high, of kicking that winning kick in the 2011 Rugby World Cup after being called up from enjoying his off-season before taking a contract overseas. He also shares the lows when he was widely criticized in his last game for the All Blacks. He talks...

It's always good catching up with Sonny Bill and seeing what new ceilings have been broken in his life. This time when we caught up he had just come off a 5-week training camp in Ireland and England with none other than the Heavy-Weight Champion in the world, Tyson Fury as well Kiwi Boxing greats Joseph Parker and David Nyika. He lets us in on his time and the little challenge that Fury set him on the first day of training.He takes us back to the early days when he talks about his...

It's a huge honour to have on the show this week, Melodie Robinson.Mel played for the Black Ferns from 19996 to 2002 winning 2 World Cups and also represented the Black Ferns Sevens. Not bad for someone that didn't start playing until she started attending Otago University.She lets us in on the story of how her coach in Otago picked the best position for her, to suit her naturally aggressive attitudes. We hear how she has always been focused on what she wanted and determined to wo...

It was great to catch up with my old friend Luch on the podcast and talk about his path from Tonga to New Zealand (Petone), Hong Kong to Australia, and how his life took some unexpected turns along the way. He shares how he first felt about NZ and some of his experiences at Wilford Primary School, St Bernard's College and going onto Massey University to finish a Bachelor of Business Studies degree.We hear how he ended up in Hong Kong and made the best of the situation going on to ...

Roger Tuivasa-Sheck has had a glittering career, winning a Rugby League Premiership with the Sydney Roosters plus many awards as an individual including the Dally M Fullback of the Year and the Dally M Medal award, which is for the Best Player in the NRL.I find out that this is the first time Roger has been a guest on a Podcast and I'm truly honoured to have that mantle. He shares his current situation with the Blues and the other NZ Super Rugby sides as they are in Queenstown pre...