Winning The Away Game

Winning The Away Game

By Ping ProductionsSociety & CultureSportsBusinessEntrepreneurshipRugby
Download on the App Store

Winning The Away Game episodes

  • Cabous van der Westhuizen and Brannon Phillips. From Springboks to Mauritius, from SA to Los Angeles

    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

    1 hr 5 min
  • Wynand Olivier and Robyn Curnow - How emigrating makes you MORE South African
    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 Game
    02:10 – Introducing Wynand Olivier and Robyn
    03:05 – Favourite Springbok Memories & National Pride
    05:00 – The 2007 Super Rugby Final That Changed Everything
    07:10 – Growing Up With Rugby and Knowing This Was the Path
    10:30 – What Springbok Success Meant to South Africans
    14:20 – Playing Under Pressure in Front of 80,000 People
    18:40 – The Golden Era of the Bulls Explained
    20:15 – The Decision to Leave South Africa and Go Overseas
    24:30 – Landing in Japan Alone and Learning to Adapt
    28:40 – From France to England: Life Abroad as a Pro Player
    33:40 – Journalism, Nation Building, and Telling South Africa’s Story
    37:00 – Covering History: Mandela, Global Leaders, and Hard Truths
    41:30 – When Careers End and Identity Shifts
    46:10 – Coming Home vs Staying Away
    51:00 – Raising Children Across Countries and Cultures
    56:40 – Why South Africans Adapt So Well Globally
    1:01:10 – Stepping Away From Careers That No Longer Serve You
    1:05:50 – Detoxing From Noise, Media, and Modern Life
    1:08:30 – Where Will We Watch the 2027 World Cup?
    1:11:30 – Defining Legacy Beyond Titles and Careers
    1:15:40 – Advice to Our Children and Future Selves
    1:20:00 – Final Reflections on Winning the Away Game
    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
    Check out Robyn's podcast, Searching For America, at: https://www.youtube.com/@therobyncurnow
    Or subscribe to her Substack at: https://robyncurnow.substack.com/
    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/
    1 hr 15 min
  • Shaun Tomson and Rob Louw - Paddle Back Out.

    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

    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/

    1 hr 30 min
  • Tim Vieira and Gurthro Steenkamp - Finding Reinvention On The Other Side Of Adversity

    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/

    1 hr 42 min
  • BJ Botha and Linda Reddy - Making The Impossible Possible
    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 question
    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/
    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/
    57 min
  • BJ Botha and Linda Reddy

    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/

    57 min
  • Tackling Piet van Zyl
    AJ Venter is understandably tired of being "the guy who klapped Piet". 
    Check out our full interview with AJ to hear his story, from Springbok to Strategic Alliances. 
    #rugby #business # springboks #entrepreneurship
    1 min
  • Gus Byleveld joins the Away Game
    We sat down with @ajventer77 and Gus Byleveld to talk about what happens when the “dream chapter” ends and you have to start again.
    From missing World Cups and losing savings in 2008 to moving countries at 44 with no network, we dig into identity, mental health and why doing hard things on purpose might save your life.
    Full episode now on YouTube, Apple Podcasts and Spotify – link in bio.
    1 min

About Winning The Away Game

From the publisher's feed

Winning the Away Game launches on 20 November, just before the Ireland Test. This new podcast brings together successful South Africans who have conquered the world and pairs them with Springbok legends, including our co-host Flip van der Merwe.