Few All Blacks have ever been as loved as Andrew Mehrtens. Ask him why, and he'll tell you he was just the kid next door who got a winner wish.

Growing up bilingual in the small North Canterbury community of Tuahiwi, Mehrts wasn't the biggest, the fastest, or the strongest. What he had was something harder to define - and harder to hold onto.

In this conversation, Mehrts opens up about the confronting feedback that forced him to rethink how he showed up as a teammate, the coach who believed in him three times when nobody else would, and what genuine team culture actually looks and feels like when you're inside it.

A conversation about humility, trust, and what happens when someone cares enough to tell you the truth.

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Hunger & Heart is brought to you by the Crusaders Leadership Programme™. Whether you're coaching under-5s or a professional team, we all want the same thing: to build cultures of trust, get the best out of our people, and grow players into leaders.

The Crusaders Leadership Programme™ lets you get up close and personal with some of the greatest rugby legends of all time — people like Sir Wayne Smith, Sam Whitelock, and Kieran Read.  You'll connect with a global group of ambitious, caring coaches from a range of codes and backgrounds, and most importantly, you'll gain skills and techniques to drive impact and outcomes for your team.  

The Crusaders Leadership Programme™ is a two-week high-intensity virtual experience.  It is delivered exclusively online, accessible from anywhere.

Hunger and heart Listeners get 10% off the full price of the program. Use the code HUNGER at checkout. Find out more: crusadersleadership.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What do you do when Sir Edmund Hillary tells you your ambition isn't big enough?

For Jamie Fitzgerald, that question led to one of the most remarkable expeditions in New Zealand history - becoming the first Kiwis to reach the South Pole unsupported on foot.

But before Antarctica, there was the Atlantic. In 2003, Jamie set the world record for rowing 5,000 kilometres across the ocean - with three weeks' notice and a partner he'd never met.

In this conversation, Jamie shares what extreme adventure taught him about resilience, team culture, and what it actually takes to unlock peak performance - whether you're in a storm in the middle of the ocean or leading a team of 6,000 Rugby World Cup volunteers.

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A huge thanks to Celebrity Speakers for supporting this episode. If you want to book Jamie for a keynote and leave your audience hungry for more, visit celebrityspeakers.co.nz.

Hunger & Heart is brought to you by the Crusaders Leadership Programme™. Whether you're coaching under-5s or a professional team, we all want the same thing: to build cultures of trust, get the best out of our people, and grow players into leaders.

The Crusaders Leadership Programme™ lets you get up close and personal with some of the greatest rugby legends of all time — people like Sir Wayne Smith, Sam Whitelock, and Kieran Read.  You'll connect with a global group of ambitious, caring coaches from a range of codes and backgrounds, and most importantly, you'll gain skills and techniques to drive impact and outcomes for your team.  

The Crusaders Leadership Programme™ is a two-week high-intensity virtual experience.  It is delivered exclusively online, accessible from anywhere.

Hunger and heart Listeners get 10% off the full price of the program. Use the code HUNGER at checkout. Find out more: crusadersleadership.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, no new Hunger & Heart episode. We’ve paused for renovations and will be back next week, bigger, brighter, and bolder than ever. See you then!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rachel Taulelei became a Trade Commissioner for New Zealand at just 25. She's built companies, represented New Zealand at international trade forums, and co-owns the Tokomanawa Queens, a championship-winning team in the Tauihi Women's Basketball League.

In this conversation, Rachel opens up about:

• why she was thrilled when her D1 basketball-playing daughter transferred colleges, even though it meant far fewer minutes on the court
• why she now disagrees with her younger self's advice about showing up authentically
• the hire that raised eyebrows when the Tokomanawa Queens launched, and how they won everyone over

Hunger & Heart is brought to you by the Crusaders Leadership Programme™. Whether you're coaching under-5s or a professional team, we all want the same thing: to build cultures of trust, get the best out of our people, and grow players into leaders.

The Crusaders Leadership Programme™ lets you get up close and personal with some of the greatest rugby legends of all time — people like Sir Wayne Smith, Sam Whitelock, and Kieran Read.  You'll connect with a global group of ambitious, caring coaches from a range of codes and backgrounds, and most importantly, you'll gain skills and techniques to drive impact and outcomes for your team.  

The Crusaders Leadership Programme™ is a two-week high-intensity virtual experience.  It is delivered exclusively online, accessible from anywhere.

Hunger and heart Listeners get 10% off the full price of the program. Use the code HUNGER at checkout. Find out more: crusadersleadership.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wesley Clarke led the Manawatū Women's Sevens to back-to-back national finals, claiming the title in 2016.

He stepped onto the international stage as assistant coach of the Black Ferns from 2015 to 2022, delivering World Cup victories in 2017 and 2022.

He’s now head coach of the Manawatū Turbos in the National Provincial Championship — a team that once fired him.

In this conversation, Kaila and Wesley explore:

• how being fired turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to him,
• what it means to be a good follower, and
• a specific technique he uses to help players take ownership and accountability.

A huge thanks to Celebrity Speakers for supporting this episode. If you want to book Wesley for a keynote and leave your audience hungry for more, visit celebrityspeakers.co.nz.

Hunger & Heart is brought to you by the Crusaders Leadership Programme™. Whether you're coaching under-5s or a professional team, we all want the same thing: to build cultures of trust, get the best out of our people, and grow players into leaders.

The Crusaders Leadership Programme™ lets you get up close and personal with some of the greatest rugby legends of all time — people like Sir Wayne Smith, Sam Whitelock, and Kieran Read.  You'll connect with a global group of ambitious, caring coaches from a range of codes and backgrounds, and most importantly, you'll gain skills and techniques to drive impact and outcomes for your team.  

The Crusaders Leadership Programme™ is a two-week high-intensity virtual experience.  It is delivered exclusively online, accessible from anywhere.

Hunger and heart Listeners get 10% off the full price of the program. Use the code HUNGER at checkout. Find out more: crusadersleadership.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Craig White has spent more than three decades coaching at the highest levels of professional sport, including international rugby, professional football, and elite club environments.

He's coached with the British and Irish Lions, worked in the English Premier League, and guided international rugby teams across five Rugby World Cups.

Over the last decade, he's worked as a leadership mentor, supporting men to develop greater self-awareness, emotional intelligence, and presence.

In this conversation, Kaila and Craig explore:

• how his thinking on masculinity has shifted from toughness and emotional control to compassion, regulation, and relational leadership,
• how he integrates vulnerability into high-performance environments, and
• a three-step regulation practice that can bring both calm and strength to tricky moments.

If you’re interested in Craig’s mentoring programmes, visit craigwhitementoring.com

Hunger & Heart is brought to you by the Crusaders Leadership Programme™. Whether you're coaching under-5s or a professional team, we all want the same thing: to build cultures of trust, get the best out of our people, and grow players into leaders.

The Crusaders Leadership Programme™ lets you get up close and personal with some of the greatest rugby legends of all time — people like Sir Wayne Smith, Sam Whitelock, and Kieran Read.  You'll connect with a global group of ambitious, caring coaches from a range of codes and backgrounds, and most importantly, you'll gain skills and techniques to drive impact and outcomes for your team.  

The Crusaders Leadership Programme™ is a two-week high-intensity virtual experience.  It is delivered exclusively online, accessible from anywhere.

Hunger and heart Listeners get 10% off the full price of the program. Use the code HUNGER at checkout. Find out more: crusadersleadership.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dame Susan Devoy dominated international squash through the 1980s: world number one for nearly a decade, four-time world champion, eight-time British Open winner, and the most decorated player in New Zealand squash history.

Her achievements were recognised with numerous honours, and she went on to serve in prominent leadership roles — including five years as New Zealand's Race Relations Commissioner.

In this conversation, Kaila and Dame Susan explore:

• what it took to leave New Zealand and become world champion at just 17,
• the specific techniques her parents used to build both fierce independence and wild ambition, and
• how she sees her journey differently in hindsight.

A huge thanks to Celebrity Speakers for supporting this episode. If you want to book Dame Susan for a keynote and leave your audience buzzing, visit celebrityspeakers.co.nz.

Hunger & Heart is brought to you by the Crusaders Leadership Programme™. Whether you're coaching under-5s or a professional team, we all want the same thing: to build cultures of trust, get the best out of our people, and grow players into leaders.

The Crusaders Leadership Programme™ lets you get up close and personal with some of the greatest rugby legends of all time — people like Sir Wayne Smith, Sam Whitelock, and Kieran Read.  You'll connect with a global group of ambitious, caring coaches from a range of codes and backgrounds, and most importantly, you'll gain skills and techniques to drive impact and outcomes for your team.  

The Crusaders Leadership Programme™ is a two-week high-intensity virtual experience.  It is delivered exclusively online, accessible from anywhere.

Hunger and heart Listeners get 10% off the full price of the program. Use the code HUNGER at checkout. Find out more: crusadersleadership.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kieran Read is rugby royalty: former Crusaders captain, former All Blacks captain, one of the most capped players of all time, and the fifth most capped All Black in history.

He played 127 Tests, scored 26 international tries, and is one of only 45 players worldwide to have won multiple men’s Rugby World Cups.

In this conversation, Kaila and Kieran explore:

• the specific techniques the Crusaders use to create belonging,
• the link between care and high standards, and
• how lessons from elite rugby translate into the business world.

If you’re interested in Kieran’s leadership programming, visit kieranread.co.nz.

Hunger & Heart is brought to you by the Crusaders Leadership Programme™. Whether you're coaching under-5s or a professional team, we all want the same thing: to build cultures of trust, get the best out of our people, and grow players into leaders.

The Crusaders Leadership Programme™ lets you get up close and personal with some of the greatest rugby legends of all time — people like Sir Wayne Smith, Sam Whitelock, and Kieran Read. You'll connect with a global group of ambitious, caring coaches from a range of codes and backgrounds, and most importantly, you'll gain skills and techniques to drive impact and outcomes for your team.

The Crusaders Leadership Programme™ is a two-week high-intensity virtual experience. It is delivered exclusively online, accessible from anywhere.

Hunger and heart Listeners get 10% off the full price of the program. Use the code HUNGER at checkout. Find out more: crusadersleadership.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.