Tight 5 Talks

James was good enough to sit down with the Prop Cast and chat about the S&C coaches journey that took him from Auckland to Austin, Texas and then to Bucharest, Romania!  James has been working with the Romanian National Rugby Team since 2015 and his world champion athlete wife have been stranded in Romania as there is only 1 flight a month from Bucharest to Auckland where they both live. Seeing as he's stuck and there's no rugby on he took some time to talk about rugby, travel, neck strengthening and how it relates to sports & general health and a few bits & bobs from our personal lives.  

This time around we talk to International Front Row Forward, USA Eagle and good friend of the cast Naima Reddick.  I've had the pleasure of knowing Nai for 11 years now and we catch up about the good ol' days of training together in Oakland, CA, the state of women's rugby and the many disparities woman face playing the Inclusive Game of Rugby both here in America and around the globe.   Nai is and always has been a brutally honest person and speaks her mind regardless of who is listening so give it a listen if you dare.  

Sitting down with All Black, Crusader, Hurricane, Northampton Saint LEGEND and the newest scrum coach for the Llanelli Scarlets in Wales, Ben Franks.  Ben has won just about everything there is to win, he squats all the weights and blows up all the scrums, all over the world.  I met Ben during a Captains run at the Franklin Gardens and reached out to him to ask if he'd be interested in talking about rugby, Mexican food, scrums and traveling to which he answered emphatically, "yea, nah bro.  Sounds cool"  So there you have it, give us a listen.  

Amazing opportunity to sit down with All Black Prop Kane Hames!  Kane has an amazingly kiwi story of becoming a professional rugby player and All Black.  Kane suffered a couple of serious concussions during his last AB tour and since then has been coaching and (hold for dramatic pause) reffing matches in the Nelson area. I know.  Crazy.  He's an amazing person and just about everyone that might call me a friend in New Zealand this guy is buddies with just proving how small the rugby universe is.  Great times with Kane on this one, join us in our mutual dislike for scrum halves including Justin Marshall and check out Kane's Scrum Power Rankings.  

Get to catch up with former Natal Academy, Edinburgh Gunners and now Head Coach of University of San Diego Charlie Purdon after being trapped in his home country  South Africa during the COVID pandemic.   I first met Charlie as a player when he was with the mighty Santa Monica Dolphins while I was playing for San Francisco Golden Gate.  We briefly played together for the San Diego Breakers in the PRO competition in 2015 and later coached and played together in San Diego, CA where we both live.  

Charlie is an amazing coaching mentor and example of what can be accomplished when you diligently work toward a goal that you cherish.   He's an inspiration to me as a Coach and Person.  

I want to thank Kinda Fit Kinda Fat, Samurai Sports Wear