What does it take to succeed in systems that were never designed to recognise you?

In this episode, Nomsebenzi "Noms" Tsotsobe, the first captain of the Springbok Women's Team, and Francisca Lombard, engineer and creator of MineGPT, share what it really looks like to build credibility, authority, and resilience in male-dominated environments.

This episode is for anyone navigating career transitions, entering spaces where they feel like outsiders, or trying to build something meaningful without recognition.

The core tension: doing the work long before the system is ready to acknowledge you.If you’ve ever felt overlooked, underestimated, or out of place—this conversation will shift how you approach your career.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction

00:01 Proving Yourself in Unfair Systems

00:03 Nomsabenzi’s First Springbok Moment00:07 Francisca’s Start in Mining

00:10 Loss, Cancer, and Perspective

00:14 Building Women’s Rugby From Nothing

00:18 Working Without Recognition

00:22 Moving to Canada Alone

00:26 Cultural Shock and Isolation

00:30 Fighting for Authority

00:34 Role Models and Early Influence

00:38 Building Confidence From Scratch

00:42 Finding Your Footing

00:46 Why the Struggle Continues

00:50 The Future of Women’s Rugby

00:53 AI and the Future of Work

00:57 Final Reflections

Listen on Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/show/26fB2unP9Ih6IA3QkjnGQF?si=4b4380f24a144716

Listen on Apple:

https://podcasts.apple.com/za/podcast/winning-the-away-game/id1853818584

Connect with Justinus:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinusadriaanse/

Connect with Flip:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/flipvandermerwe/

Check out our other channels:

Website: https://wtagpodcast.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/winning-the-away-game-podcast/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wtag_podcast/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wtag_podcast

Winning The Away Game is produced by Jonathan Warncke

Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/%F0%9F%8E%99-jonathan-warncke-45b2095/

Ping Productions: https://www.pingproductions.net/

In this episode of Winning The Away Game, Pat Lambie and Bruce Whitfield unpack what it means to rebuild after loss - whether it's concussion ending a rugby career orwalking away from a powerful media platform.

This conversation is for founders, operators, and high performers navigating uncertainty,identity shifts, and global transitions. From elite sport to global banking, this episode explores pressure, resilience, and howSouth Africans consistently win on foreign soil.

Key Takeaways

• Why identity loss can be your greatest growth catalyst

• The difference between sporting pressure and financial pressure

• How rugby prepares leaders for business environments

• Why chaos is not destruction - it's diversification

•The mindset required to rebuild relevance from zero

• Why South Africans thrive globally

Chapters

00:00 Introduction

03:10 Bruce on Rugby as a Unifier

06:06 Pat's First Springbok Anthem Moment

11:40 Concussion and Forced Retirement

14:09 Bruce's Move to London

18:03 Rebuilding Identity in a New Market

22:37 Transitioning from Rugby to Business

25:30 The Discipline Gap After Sport

29:19 Fatherhood as a New Purpose

33:10 Confidence Under Pressure

37:25 Ego, Leadership and Tough Conversations

44:12 The TymeBank Away Game Story

50:53 Why South Africans Win Globally

54:38 What the Next 10 Years Look Like

Listen on Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/show/26fB2unP9lh6IA3QkjnGQF?si=4b4380f24a144716

Listen on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/za/podcast/winning-the-away-game/id1853818584

Connect with Justinus: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinusadriaanse/

Connect with Flip: https://www.linkedin.com/in/flipvandermerwe/

Check out our other channels:

Website: https://wtagpodcast.com/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/winning-the-away-game-podcast/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wtag_podcast/

Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wtag_podcast

Winning The Away Game is produced by Jonathan Warncke Connect on Linkedin:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/%F0%9F%8E%99-jonathan-warncke-45b2095/

Ping Productions: https://www.pingproductions.net/

In this episode of Winning The Away Game, Schalk Brits and Andrew Farrant unpack the real cost of ambition — from elite rugby and expat life to rebuilding identity in corporate environments abroad.

This conversation is for founders, operators, athletes, and expats who’ve had to reinvent themselves in unfamiliar territory. It’s about sacrifice, culture, ego, family, and the brutal honesty required to build something meaningful in a foreign system.

If you're navigating transition — country, career, or identity — this episode will challenge how you define winning.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction

02:41 Best Springbok Moments

06:16 The Danger of Forgetting the Journey

07:55 Make Work Fun Again

09:03 Leaving South Africa

11:45 Moving to Saracens

16:16 Culture Over Trophies

20:31 The Reality of UK Life

21:07 Retiring From Rugby

27:26 The 15-Year Experience Gap

35:11 Nearly Losing Family

38:09 Starting From Zero Abroad

44:22 Integrating Into British Culture

50:37 What Does the Future Look Like?

53:39 Compounding Yourself Daily

Check out our other channels:

⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠

Winning The Away Game is produced by Jonathan Warncke

⁠⁠⁠Connect with Jon on LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠Ping Productions⁠

In this episode of Winning The Away Game, hosts Justinus Adriaanse and Flip van der Merwe speak with former Springbok Cabous van der Westhuizen and global entertainment executive Brannon Phillips about reinvention, starting over in new countries, and what elite sport teaches you about succeeding when no one is clapping anymore.

From building a beach bar business in Mauritius to navigating the entertainment industry in Los Angeles, this episode explores resilience, identity, culture shifts, and the mindset needed to win the Away Game.Chapters00:00 Highlights01:04 Welcome02:43 Favourite Springbok moment07:12 Why leave South Africa?15:59 Adjusting abroad25:53 Rebuilding credibility33:24 Culture shifts39:19 Identity and leadership43:00 Final reflectionsCheck out our other channels:

⁠⁠Website⁠⁠

⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠

⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠

⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠

Winning The Away Game is produced by Jonathan Warncke

⁠⁠Connect with Jon on LinkedIn⁠⁠

⁠⁠Ping Productions⁠

What happens when elite sport ends, the cheering stops, and life asks you to start again?

In this episode of Winning The Away Game, we sit down with Springbok and Bulls legend Wynand Olivier and veteran journalist Robyn Curnow for a powerful, honest conversation about identity, reinvention, and what it really means to begin again.

We talk about the emotional reality of leaving professional rugby, moving countries, and returning home to a version of life that has moved on without you.

Wynand opens up about the shock of retirement, building a business from scratch, and why coming back to South Africa was harder than moving to Japan, France, or England.

Robyn shares her journey through global journalism, covering defining moments in South Africa’s history, and what it’s like to rebuild a sense of belonging after more than a decade abroad.

This is a conversation about grief, growth, masculinity, motherhood, legacy, and the quiet courage it takes to adapt when your old identity no longer fits.

If you’ve ever felt displaced, underestimated, or unsure of who you are after a big chapter ends, this episode is for you.00:00 – Welcome to Winning The Away Game02:10 – Introducing Wynand Olivier and Robyn03:05 – Favourite Springbok Memories & National Pride05:00 – The 2007 Super Rugby Final That Changed Everything07:10 – Growing Up With Rugby and Knowing This Was the Path10:30 – What Springbok Success Meant to South Africans14:20 – Playing Under Pressure in Front of 80,000 People18:40 – The Golden Era of the Bulls Explained20:15 – The Decision to Leave South Africa and Go Overseas24:30 – Landing in Japan Alone and Learning to Adapt28:40 – From France to England: Life Abroad as a Pro Player33:40 – Journalism, Nation Building, and Telling South Africa’s Story37:00 – Covering History: Mandela, Global Leaders, and Hard Truths41:30 – When Careers End and Identity Shifts46:10 – Coming Home vs Staying Away51:00 – Raising Children Across Countries and Cultures56:40 – Why South Africans Adapt So Well Globally1:01:10 – Stepping Away From Careers That No Longer Serve You1:05:50 – Detoxing From Noise, Media, and Modern Life1:08:30 – Where Will We Watch the 2027 World Cup?1:11:30 – Defining Legacy Beyond Titles and Careers1:15:40 – Advice to Our Children and Future Selves1:20:00 – Final Reflections on Winning the Away Game⁠Connect with Justinus⁠

⁠Connect with Flip⁠

Check out Robyn's podcast, Searching For America

Or subscribe to her Substack

Check out our other channels:

⁠Website⁠

⁠LinkedIn⁠

⁠Instagram⁠

⁠TikTok⁠

Winning The Away Game is produced by Jonathan Warncke

⁠Connect with Jon on LinkedIn⁠

⁠Ping Productions⁠

In this episode of Winning The Away Game, we sit down with two true South African sporting icons — Springbok legend Rob Louw and world champion surfer Shaun Tomson.This is a powerful, wide-ranging conversation about breaking barriers, choosing adventure over comfort, leadership through change, and rebuilding life after elite sport. From apartheid-era tours and the evolution of South African rugby, to conquering Hawaii’s waves, building global businesses, and finding purpose after profound personal loss — this episode is about resilience in its truest form.We explore what it really means to win the away game when the rules keep changing.

Chapters

00:00 – Introduction & welcome

02:33 – What is your favourite Springbok memory?

07:54 – What was the 1981 tour really like behind the scenes?

10:42 – Shaun, how did rugby shape your upbringing in Durban?

15:02 – Rob, when did you know rugby would define your life?

18:38 – What creates respect across different sports?

24:43 – How did Doc Craven influence your career and values?

29:49 – Shaun, who were your biggest mentors growing up?

38:29 – What did it take to leave South Africa and play overseas?

46:50 – Why were you banned after switching to rugby league?

48:10 – Shaun, what drove you to move to Hawaii and go global?

55:26 – Rob, how did you rebuild life after rugby ended?

1:02:05 – Shaun, how did you navigate life after retiring from sport?

1:10:30 – What role does purpose play in business and leadership?

1:13:30 – Why resilience and hope matter more than ever today

Connect with Justinus

Connect with Flip

Check out our other channels:

Website

LinkedIn

Instagram

TikTok

Winning The Away Game is produced by Jonathan Warncke

Connect with Jon on LinkedIn

Ping Productions

In this episode of Winning The Away Game, we sit down with Springbok legend Coach G (Gurthro Steenkamp) and entrepreneur (and Shark Tank Shark) Tim Vieira for a deep, honest conversation about reinvention, resilience, and starting again when life forces change.
We unpack what happens when identity is stripped away — through injury, rejection, business failure, or relocation — and how purpose is rebuilt through discomfort, discipline, and perspective. From iconic Springbok memories to brutal lessons in France, Angola, and Portugal, this episode goes far beyond sport or business.
This is a conversation about who you become when the comfort zone disappears.

Chapters
00:00 – Opening montage & episode themes
01:12 – Welcome to Winning The Away Game
01:33 – Introducing Coach G
02:09 – Introducing Tim Vieira
02:59 – What is your favourite Springbok memory?

04:12 – How old were you in 1995 and why did it matter?
05:49 – Where did your rugby journey begin, Coach G?
07:12 – When did rugby shift from a dream to a vision?
08:50 – What did the Cheetahs years teach you about toughness?
10:38 – How did early setbacks shape your mindset?

13:09 – Tim, what is your origin story growing up in Johannesburg?
16:40 – How did rugby influence your early life?
16:49 – Why start a microbrewery at 18?
18:44 – What did your first business failure teach you?

19:38 – Why did you decide to move to Angola?
21:29 – How did failure prepare you for later success?

23:27 – Why did you leave South Africa for France?
24:26 – How did rejection reshape your discipline and drive?
26:04 – What does it take to earn respect at the Bulls?
28:16 – Why deliberately step out of your comfort zone?

30:59 – What was it like landing in Angola and Portugal?
32:57 – How do values and reputation carry you through reinvention?
35:08 – What does “profit for purpose” really mean?

39:55 – What was the hardest part of adapting to French culture?
42:24 – How did loneliness and family pressure test you?
45:16 – What did France teach you about balance and resilience?

47:14 – How did you respond when your career was suddenly threatened?
49:20 – When did purpose shift from ego to family?

51:18 – How did Shark Tank Portugal change your trajectory?
53:24 – Why is Europe such a challenging place to build businesses?

55:42 – What does success look like later in life?
56:55 – Why do we need less than we think we do?
58:20 – What ultimately matters most?
01:01:10 – Why faith and values anchor you through uncertainty
01:03:05 – How family reframes success later in life
01:05:02 – What we get wrong about money, ambition, and fulfillment
01:07:12 – Why contentment is a competitive advantage
01:09:18 – Letting go of ego, status, and comparison
01:11:30 – What legacy really means when the game ends
01:13:40 – Advice for the next generation chasing success abroad
01:15:55 – Why health is the ultimate currency
01:17:20 – What truly matters at the end of it all
01:18:45 – Closing thoughts & gratitude

Listen on Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/26fB2unP9Ih6IA3QkjnGQF?si=4b4380f24a144716
Listen on Apple:https://podcasts.apple.com/za/podcast/winning-the-away-game/id1853818584

Connect with Justinus:https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinusadriaanse/
Connect with Flip:https://www.linkedin.com/in/flipvandermerwe/

Check out our other channels:
Website: https://wtagpodcast.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/winning-the-away-game-podcast/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wtag_podcast/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wtag_podcast

Winning The Away Game is produced by Jonathan Warncke

Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/%F0%9F%8E%99-jonathan-warncke-45b2095/

Ping Productions: https://www.pingproductions.net/

We sat down with BJ Botha (a Sharks man through and through and a Springbok World Cup winner) and Linda Reddy (a South African leader flying the Nando’s flag globally) to talk about what it really takes to build a life and career across borders.

This conversation is about identity, purpose, and the grit it takes to start again: from moving cities, to moving countries, to rebuilding after rugby, to leading teams from the other side of the world.

Key moments:

00:00:00 Intro: What the away game really means

00:01:10 Springbok memories and the moments that shaped us

00:05:48 Identity, national pride, and carrying the flag abroad

00:09:42 Leaving home: expectations when you land overseas

00:13:30 Life after rugby and losing a playing identity

00:16:43 The Nando’s story that changes every immigration conversation

00:19:55 Comfort vs growth when making big moves

00:24:07 The shock of London winter and self-doubt

00:28:36 Why South Africans always have a plan (A, B, C)

00:32:41 Leading teams remotely across continents

00:36:58 Building connection when you’re not in the room

00:42:31 Running toward purpose, not away from pain

00:47:12 Family stability as the foundation for performance

00:53:41 Kilimanjaro, Machu Picchu, Mount Fuji — using challenge for impact

00:57:58 Giving back, leadership, and legacy

00:59:06 Guests ask each other a questionListen on

Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/26fB2unP9Ih6IA3QkjnGQF?si=4b4380f24a144716

Listen on Apple:https://podcasts.apple.com/za/podcast/winning-the-away-game/id1853818584

Connect with Justinus: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinusadriaanse/

Connect with Flip: https://www.linkedin.com/in/flipvandermerwe/

Check out our other channels:

Website: https://wtagpodcast.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/winning-the-away-game-podcast/

Insta: https://www.instagram.com/wtag_podcast/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wtag_podcast

Winning The Away Game is produced by Jonathan Warncke

Connect with him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/%F0%9F%8E%99-jonathan-warncke-45b2095/

Ping Productions: https://www.pingproductions.net/

We sit down with Springbok legend AJ Venter and technologist-turned-founder Gus Byleveld to talk about what really happens when the first big chapter of your life ends – and you have to start again from scratch.

From barefoot schoolboy rugby on frozen Free State and Paarl fields to Test matches against the All Blacks, Silicon Valley term sheets and a fresh start in Colorado, this conversation is about identity, resilience and doing hard things on and off the field.

In this episode we sit down with two South Africans who know all about pressure, change, and starting again: former Springbok captain Corne Krige and blind adventurer and speaker Hein Wagner.They take us from leaving home for boarding school as young kids, to captaining the Springboks and crossing oceans, to starting businesses and building institutions that create opportunity for others.

Along the way we talk discipline, identity, independence, and what it really means to build a country that works for everyone.In this episode we cover:- Growing up far from home: boarding school at 4 and 5, and learning independence early- Corne’s journey from Zambia to Paarl Boys’ and captaining the Springboks on debut- Hein’s story of blindness, adventure, and crossing the Atlantic with a deaf skipper- Land-speed records, Cape Epic on a tandem, Ironman, and chasing challenge after challenge- The brutal England test, retiring from rugby, and starting over in business- Building discipline, resilience, and identity beyond a Springbok jersey- Moving to Sweden and how a different system changed Hein’s view of South Africa- Hein’s daughter’s leukemia, the Swedish healthcare system, and what “a country that works for everyone” can look likeAbout Winning the Away Game:We are Justinus Adriaanse and Flip van der Merwe. Connect with us on LinkedIn.Got a guest you’d love to see on the show? - Drop some suggestions in the comments and we’ll try to get them on the show. And if you have a question you think we should ask our guests? Let us know. Winning The Away Game is available on YouTube, Apple, Spotify, and on the Winning The Away Game website at www.wtagpodcast.com. Subscribe to our newsletter for latest releases and behind the scenes content. Winning The Away Game is produced by Jonathan Warncke