Podcast appearances and mentions of Conrad Smith

Conrad Smith, a Pastoral Team member at Bridges, shares about grief from his personal experiences and what the Holy Spirit has taught him through it.  We are challenged to think "what type of fruit am I producing", even in the tough times.

Today's conversation is with Huw Jones, Glasgow Warriors & Scottish international rugby star.You may know him nowadays as one of the most exciting outside centres in world rugby, but we go back way before that to understand his journey from gap year teacher in Cape Town to Test match try-scorer. Huw's story is anything but ordinary.We discuss his unique pathway to professional rugby, including how a gap year in South Africa unexpectedly became the launchpad for a career at the highest level. Huw reflects on his time with the Stormers, the influence of key coaches, and how a Wikipedia listing led to his Scotland call-up.We dive into:Why Huw went to South Africa instead of a UK academyHow he went from Bishops school to playing Super Rugby for the StormersFacing Ma'a Nonu & Conrad Smith in his first professional gameGetting spotted by Scotland via a flag on WikipediaAnnouncing himself on the international stage with a double vs AustraliaDealing with injury setbacks and missing out on the 2019 World CupHis time with Harlequins and adapting to English rugbyThe mental and physical routines that support his elite performanceRecovery methods including saunas, magnesium, ice baths, and supplements like electrolytesBalancing strength, skills, and speed work throughout the seasonMatch day mindset, routines, and pre-game preparationWhat it will take for Scotland to win a Six Nations ChampionshipWe also talk about longevity, off-field habits, and what a successful final chapter of his career looks like — including the touring with the British & Irish Lions in Australia.If you're interested in sport, mindset, and the finding your own path to success, you'll get so much from Huw's honesty in this conversation.Today's episode is optimised by Puresport. You can save 10% using CAMBRO10 at the link - https://bit.ly/3RmVT0V Connect with Huw:Insta - https://www.instagram.com/hrfjones/LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/hrfjones/X - https://x.com/hrfjonesConnect with Col:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/col.cambro/Email List: https://mailchi.mp/548e38ba5942/colincambroPatreon: www.patreon.com/ColCampbell

Player welfare, and what that entails in the incredibly broad landscape that is now professional rugby, was the key topic when former Hurricanes and All Blacks great turned players advocate Conrad Smith joined Brett McKay & Harry Jones on The 8-9 Combo Rugby Podcast this week. Now the Head of Rugby Operations for International Rugby Players, the global players association, Conrad goes into great detail about the sheer volume and breadth of discussions with World Rugby, national Unions, professional competitions, and individual player associations, as they educate players to help them during and after their rugby careers. Plus: the knockout stage of the Champions Cup is here, and there's top of the log blockbusters in Super Rugby Pacific and Major League Rugby. Games of the Week: • Champions Cup Round of 16: Glasgow v Leicester, the Scotstoun • SRP Rd.8: Chiefs v Reds, Hamilton • League One Week 16: Kobelco Kobe Steelers v Toshiba Brave Lupus, Kobe SUN • MLR Rd.8: San Diego Legion v Chicago Hounds, San Diego #rugby #rugbypodcast #89Combo #SuperRugbyPacific #ChampionsCup #JapanRugbyLeagueOne #MajorLeagueRugby #playerwelfare #ConradSmith #InternationalRugbyPlayers Find us: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@8-9Combo?sub_confirmation=1 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1BcKhb24YOtwQhKc0S3sDm Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/the-8-9-combo-rugby-podcast/id1729575866 Social media: #89Combo Twitter: https://twitter.com/89combo BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/89combo.bsky.social Find Brett and Harry on both Twitter and on BlueSky: @BMcSport + @HaribaldiJones Music: "Stalling" by Topher Mohr & Alex Elena (via YouTube Creator Studio) Voiceovers by Chookman + Sean Maloney Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We're truly honoured to be joined by arguably the greatest centre of all time in Conrad Smith for an exclusive interview to hear about his incredible journey that took him from being a 'skinny hockey chassis' called 'Snakey' to becoming a 2 Time World Cup winning All Black legend. We discuss everything from his nightmare roomates to his love in with Ma'a Nonu to All Black initiations to playing for the greatest Barbarian side of all time and much much more.... -------- We're doing our last ever Live Show at The Clapham Grand on February 1st - we'll do a live podcast with some very special guests and then immediately afterwards a 25 foot HD screen will drop from the ceiling and we will watch England take on Ireland in Dublin. BUY YOUR TICKETS NOW - https://claphamgrand.com/event/archie-curzon-the-rig-biz-live/

The All Blacks rugby union team has a history spanning over 115 years.  They are the most successful sporting team in history. Nic (Gilly) has taken New Zealand's All Blacks to four rugby World Cups as their Strength & Conditioning coach amassing over 200 tests (so far) and being with the team when they won the back to back 2011 & 2015 World cupsIn this fascinating exposé into Gilly's world as one of the most accomplished Strength & conditioning coaches globally, he shares with Andrew -Why having a home base in New Zealand did not work out for the All Blacks Dual international Brad Thorn's inspiration on Sam Whitelock. Sam at time of recording is  the longest serving All Black with 153 games (Richie McCaw is 2nd with 148 test matches) Stories on greatness on the rugby pitch and also off the rugby pitch with Jordie Barrett The simple strategy Gilly passed on to Ma'a Nonu to help him with his body composition as a part of the equation for him to become virtually unstoppable  as a rugby player.Conrad Smith hitting a PB on the bench in the lead up to the Rugby World Cup, and being as stoked as winning the world cup…..almost! Common characteristics of the head coaches he has worked with such as Ian Foster, Sir Steve Hanson, & Sir Graham Henry   A word to young athletes wanting to be an All Black or reach to heights akin to playing for the All Blacks…and moreEnjoy*Show sponsor is Muvitality Medicinal Mushrooms for modern day health and wellness | Mu …Go to muvitality.com and use the code JD10 to receive 10% discount on your purchase of Mu Functional mushrooms such as Lions Mane, Cordyceps, Chaga, Reishi, and Turkey tail functional mushroomsHere are some useful links for this podcasthttps://www.nicgill.com/about-nic-gill-strength-and-conditioning-coach/https://www.instagram.com/nicgill_health_and_performance/Relevant episodesEpisode 91 - Becoming a “Mindset monster” with Super Rugby Human Performance & Mindset coach Davie Gray https://podcasts.apple.com/hk/podcast/episode-91-becoming-a-mindset-monster-with-super/id1527374894?i=1000640880513Episode 99 - Simon Thomas on Super Rugby strength & conditioning https://podcasts.apple.com/hk/podcast/episode-99-simon-thomas-on-super-rugby-strength-conditioning/id1527374894?i=1000653893429JOINT DYNAMICS links:Joint Dynamics Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/JointDynamicsHongKong/Joint Dynamics Instagram -https://www.instagram.com/jointdynamics/Joint Dynamics Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRQZplKxZMSvtc6LxM5WckwJoint Dynamics Website - www.jointdynamics.com.hk Host - Andrew Cox - https://www.jointdynamics.com.hk/the-team/trainers/andrew-cox

Which players yesterday put the most pressure on for places in the All Blacks side for the Rugby Championship? If we assume the side that played against England was the first-choice 23, who put their hand up highest yesterday for a place in the 23 for the next test against Argentina in Wellington in 3 weeks' time? I think anyone would say Billy Proctor did. He made a really, really good debut at centre, good running lines, nice hands under pressure, albeit against a Fijian side that didn't get up in his face like England did to Jordie Barrett and Rieko Ioane when they were here. One of the qualities of great centres is the ability to set up their outsides, the way Joe Stanley, Frank Bunce and Conrad Smith did. Again, Billy Proctor looks like the type of player who can do that, as well as break the line himself. He's an eyes-up player and a very quick decision-maker -so he's one. I'd say Cortez Ratima is making a pretty good case for inclusion in the 23. It sounds like TJ Perenara will be back for the Rugby Championship and Noah Hotham did well on debut yesterday too. Throw in Finlay Christie and there's a bit of a logjam building at halfback. One thing I'd love to see, maybe on the end of year tour, is the Cam Roigard / Cortez Ratima halfback double punch. But even before Roigard comes back, I think Cortez Ratima is ideally suited right now to the impact role off the All Blacks bench.The scrum was good yesterday, with an almost entirely different pack in action, the lineout was certainly better than the shambles at Eden Park and they conceded just one try against a side renowned for their attacking unpredictability and strike power. So, a lot of boxes were ticked. There is, of course, the caveat of how much we can take from a game against Fiji, who, while they've improved in recent years, didn't look anything like the same side that beat England and Australia last year. But you can only play what's in front of you, and the All Blacks did that. And finally- no cards, red or yellow, in the first three tests under Razor. Compare that to last year, with Sam Cane's red and Shannon Frizell's yellow in the World Cup final, Codie Taylor and Aaron Smith's yellows against Ireland in the quarter-final, Ethan de Groot's red against Namibia in pool play, Will Jordan's yellow against France in the opening game and Sam Cane's yellow and Scott Barrett's red in the warm-up match against South Africa. 5 yellow and three red cards in the last eight test of 2023, none so far this year. That's a sign of pretty good discipline under the new regime. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former All Black Conrad Smith has traded in the rugby ball for a whistle. Following a move to New Plymouth, the former 94 test player has taken up refereeing, after being curious about it for years.  He joined Piney to discuss his new direction. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One of the great eps this week with two of the great all blacks!  RUNDOWN Hot Knives - Who Wins Super Rugby, cred to the stead and SVG is the motorsport GOAT Nicks Bit - German Insults Conrad Smith  Brodie Retallick Mulls Multi Question Time See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One of the great eps this week with two of the great all blacks!  RUNDOWN Hot Knives - Who Wins Super Rugby, cred to the stead and SVG is the motorsport GOAT Nicks Bit - German Insults Conrad Smith  Brodie Retallick Mulls Multi Question Time See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Davie Gray - Performance Coach | Educator | Mentor - LinkedIn was Head of Physical Performance at the  Hurricanes - Hurricanes Super Rugby in Wellington, New Zealand from 2009-2020 before evolving that role to become their Mindset Coach - Performance. Before transitioning into a coach Davie was a Professional athlete as Captain of the Scottish Rugby 7s team at the 2005 Rugby 7s World Cup, and also playing in 2 Commonwealth Games. He has now amassed over 18 years of full-time professional sports coaching and performance consultancy with collision sport (Rugby) athletes such as the Hurricanes and the All Blacks Rugby 7s, who competed at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics taking a Silver Medal after a tough defeat by Fiji. In addition Davie has worked with athletes in professional football and athletes from cricket, tennis, swimming, basketball, netball and athletics. He also works with numerous corporate companies where he supports the growth and development of businesses through Human Performance programs.Davie has a career built on dedication, hard work, self-improvement and producing results, he has an Honours Degree in Sports Science and a Masters Degree in High Performance Sport and is currently pursuing his Doctorate in Human Performance & Innovation at the University of Limerick | University of LimerickIn this S & C Rugby infused conversation with JD Podcast host Andrew Cox | Joint Dynamics the pair traverse principles of high performance with stories of some of the behaviours of All Black & Hurricane's rugby players such as Conrad Smith, Davie's evolution into becoming the Director of his company Flow State and how to become a Mindset MonsterEnjoyShow sponsor Muvitality Medicinal Mushrooms for modern day health and wellness | Mu …Go to muvitality.com - use code JD10 & receive a 10% discount on your purchase of Functional mushrooms such as Lions Mane, Cordyceps, Chaga, Reishi, and Turkey tail functional mushroomsHere are some useful links for this podcastLI - https://www.linkedin.com/in/davie-gray-6777b429/?originalSubdomain=nzRelevant episodesEpisode 87 - Dr Richard Swinbourne on sleep for humans https://podcasts.apple.com/hk/podcast/episode-87-dr-richard-swinbourne-on-sleep-for-humans/id1527374894?i=1000634605070Episode 68 - High performance, strategic leadership and becoming a good ancestor with David Joyce https://podcasts.apple.com/hk/podcast/episode-68-high-performance-strategic-leadership-and/id1527374894?i=1000600533180JOINT DYNAMICS links:Joint Dynamics Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/JointDynamicsHongKong/Joint Dynamics Instagram -https://www.instagram.com/jointdynamics/Joint Dynamics Website - www.jointdynamics.com.hk Host - Andrew Cox - https://www.jointdynamics.com.hk/the-team/trainers/andrew-cox

It's the last dance as we record live from the World Rugby Awards in Paris after the World Cup final. Were joined on the podcast by Springbok and All Blacks legends, and what would have been an incredible centre partnership, in Conrad Smith and Jean de Villiers. In the company of host Gethin Jones and Ugo Monye, the guys reflect on the elation and heartbreak from the Springbok and All-Black camps, and where the game was won and lost. The guys are also joined by Siya Kolisi and Ardie Savea to get their immediate thoughts post the final and where to next for both teams, including a potential future presidential role for Siya! We also pick our players of the tournament, coach of the tournament, and moment of the tournament, and pick a final few additions for the Kanpai XV. Enjoy the final Official Rugby World Cup Podcast, presented by Asahi Super Dry. #Rugby #RugbyWorldCup #RWC2023 #Podcast #RWCFinal Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Two-time Rugby World Cup winner and one of the greatest ever All Blacks midfielders - Conrad Smith - joins Martin Devlin on It's Only Sport, ahead of New Zealand's World Cup semifinal against Argentina in Paris this weekend. Conrad Smith started in the 2011 and 2015 deciders that were both won by the All Blacks, and is known for his formidable midfield partnership with Ma'a Nonu. He talks to Martin about the preparation he personally went through for the two semis he played in, the mind games a player goes through before and during the match, and more.

The 2011-2015 All Blacks are arguably the greatest international rugby team ever, having won back-to-back World Cups. But prior to that they were known as a side who always failed to deliver when the pressure was on. In this episode, Will Kelleher chats to New Zealand legend Conrad Smith about how they went from World Cup disappointment to domination. He explains how they changed their mindset, dealt with the absence of Dan Carter in 2011 and then waltzed to the title in 2015. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Conrad spoke on the practical aspects of sheep farming and related it to our need for the Good Shepherd. What are you carrying, what are you consuming and will you allow yourself to be 'caught'?

QUICK LISTEN | “Growing up, he was it, he was the center… before Conrad Smith, he was the guy…my dad's generation, it was Bruce Robertson, the way he played the game.” Jeff Wilson on the late Bruce Robertson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Here's what happened back in the day on October 12th

In this episode, listeners will hear from Mark Dunphy, Ranny Fan and Conrad Smith about how Australia's Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB) operates. Access Hall & Wilcox's FIRB app.

Damian talks to Conrad Smith- Former ALL BLACK #1044 and NZ Order of Merit winner. Conrad is an extremely passionate and purpose driven man, who has moved on from over a Decade of NZ ALL BLACKS Rugby to helping rugby players transition into their next chapter of life after the game. He talks about the first time he put on the All Blacks Jersey. What it's like to put his body on the line and Performing with Pressure. Transitioning from the top of the world, the incorrect verbage of "retirement from sports" and finding purpose. We spoke about a common friend- former Commander of mine in the Special Forces- Willie Apiata VC and the Mana he brings. A must listen for any sportsperson, veteran and as we say at the end, if just one thing we say helps one person, then we have done our job. Please look at the charity Conrad spoke about and is supporting at https://www.sotheycan.org I am Damian Porter , Former Special Forces Operator, Sleep, Stress and Human Nutrition Coach from www.eatwellmovewell.net and you are listening to my straight talk mind and muscle podcast sponsored by www.realketonesaustralia.com the best and most effective ketone supplement on the market to reduce anxiety, enhance brain performance and supply twice as much energy as glucose.

links for my former shows are here- spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1rlAGRXCwLIJfQCQ5B3PYB?si=UmgsMBFkRfelCAm1E4Pd3Q Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/DRN1Life Itunes - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/straight-talk-mind-and-muscle-podcast/id1315986446?mt=2 YouTube- https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpt-Zy1jciVn7cWB0B-y5WATyzrzfwucZ  

All Blacks legend Conrad Smith joins Nashy from his home in New Plymouth, New Zealand. With 94 caps and 2 World Cup medals Conrad Smith operated at the highest level for over a decade.A pleasure to catch up with Conrad to hear about his journey through rugby. Swapping strips with other legends, his centre partnership with Ma'a Nonu and playing outside Dan Carter.Hope you enjoy and please do check out our other Podcasts and videos on YouTube which include Nashy's family adventures.This Podcast is brought to you by ACE Property - Management and Sales - Edinburgh.Contact Nashy for Podcast Sponsorship opportunities and get you brand / business in the ears of thousands of listeners.Follow Nashy...Insta - @the_getafterit_familyInsta - @getafterit_nashyYouTube - GET AFTER IT with NashyTwitter - @GetAfterItNashyFacebook - GET AFTER IT with Nashy

Today on the show - we wanted to know the dog acts you've done or witnessed that have left someone in the lurch. Producer Ryan and Bryce are both culprits of dispicable acts. Conrad Smith & Paddy Gower were on the phone to talk about a charity bike ride. And Guzzler, aka Brodie Retallick, was on the show to talk about slotting sweet sweet drop kicks. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're joined by Wasps and England backrower Brad Shields to discuss Wasps' recent form, his experiences growing up playing in New Zealand then moving over to England, what it was like to face the All Blacks and his drinks company - Social hard seltzers. We also do the teammates wikipedia quiz and some 'best and worst' quick-fire questions so listen to find out who in the Wasps squad is the best drinker, who has the worst rig and why Conrad Smith's nickname is 'Snakey'. 

Pour ce dernier épisode de la saison, Clémentine Sarlat reçoit un joueur au palmarès magistral : double champion du monde, 94 sélections, 90 titularisations et un ratio de près de 90% de victoires avec le maillot des... All Blacks ! Direction la Nouvelle Zélande donc pour un entretien exclusif avec Conrad Smith, ancien trois-quart centre, légende du rugby néo-zélandais et considéré comme l'un des meilleurs joueurs du monde à son poste.Pour finir sa carrière, Conrad a passé 4 saisons sous le maillot de la section paloise, c'est donc en français que Conrad a accepté de répondre aux questions de Clémentine lors d'un entretien entre Bordeaux et Auckland avec près de 12h de décalage horaire.Ensemble, ils ont évoqué les différences entre les championnats français et néo-zélandais et notamment l'équilibre entre championnat nationaux et matchs internationaux. Ils ont parlé du rapport au corps et aux blessures qu'entretiennent les joueurs dans les deux pays. Ils sont revenus aussi sur sa vie à lui : son enfance en Nouvelle-Zélande, la responsabilité de porter le maillot noir et sa fin de carrière à Pau.Merci beaucoup à Conrad d'avoir accepté cette interview.Merci à Clémentine d'avoir animé ces conversations passionnantes avec toutes celles et ceux qui oeuvrent pour un rugby meilleur.Et merci à toutes et tous pour votre écoute.Vive le rugby et à bientôt ! Voir Acast.com/privacy pour les informations sur la vie privée et l'opt-out.

In our fast-paced world, everyone feels pressured to be the best and to do their best. It's easy to succumb to worry and anxiety during this time. This week, a superstar athlete encourages us to reframe pressure as an opportunity. You may not be involved in the sports world, but you can still learn from it. For our guest, overcoming high-pressure situations boils down to two things: trusting in the preparation you've done and taking things one step at a time.  Retired All Blacks player Conrad Smith joins us in this episode to talk about his experiences in the sporting world. He gives us a glimpse into his childhood and how he transitioned in and out of professional rugby. It's easy to make sports your whole identity if you're not careful, and Conrad details how athletes can avoid this trap. He also shares how we can equip ourselves to handle high-pressure situations. If you want to hear about Conrad's tales with the All Blacks and know how to be better at dealing with being pressured, this episode is for you.    Here are three reasons why you should listen to the full episode: Gain insights on the dangers of being too immersed in a sports bubble.  Learn how you can deal with feeling pressured. Understand the importance of adaptability in our fast-changing world. Resources Gain exclusive access and bonuses to Pushing the Limits Podcast by becoming a patron!  A new program, BOOSTCAMP, is coming this September at Peak Wellness! All Blacks  International Rugby Players    Get Customised Guidance for Your Genetic Make-Up For our epigenetics health programme, all about optimising your fitness, lifestyle, nutrition and mind performance to your particular genes, go to  https://www.lisatamati.com/page/epigenetics-and-health-coaching/.   Customised Online Coaching for Runners CUSTOMISED RUN COACHING PLANS — How to Run Faster, Be Stronger, Run Longer  Without Burnout & Injuries Have you struggled to fit in training in your busy life? Maybe you don't know where to start, or perhaps you have done a few races but keep having motivation or injury troubles? Do you want to beat last year's time or finish at the front of the pack? Want to run your first 5-km or run a 100-miler? ​​Do you want a holistic programme that is personalised & customised to your ability, goals, and lifestyle?  Go to www.runninghotcoaching.com for our online run training coaching.   Health Optimisation and Life Coaching If you are struggling with a health issue and need people who look outside the square and are connected to some of the greatest science and health minds in the world, then reach out to us at support@lisatamati.com, we can jump on a call to see if we are a good fit for you. If you have a big challenge ahead, are dealing with adversity or want to take your performance to the next level and want to learn how to increase your mental toughness, emotional resilience, foundational health, and more, contact us at support@lisatamati.com.   Order My Books My latest book Relentless chronicles the inspiring journey about how my mother and I defied the odds after an aneurysm left my mum Isobel with massive brain damage at age 74. The medical professionals told me there was absolutely no hope of any quality of life again. Still, I used every mindset tool, years of research and incredible tenacity to prove them wrong and bring my mother back to full health within three years. Get your copy here: https://shop.lisatamati.com/collections/books/products/relentless. For my other two best-selling books Running Hot and Running to Extremes, chronicling my ultrarunning adventures and expeditions all around the world, go to https://shop.lisatamati.com/collections/books.   Lisa's Anti-Ageing and Longevity Supplements  NMN: Nicotinamide Mononucleotide, an NAD+ precursor Feel Healthier and Younger* Researchers have found that Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide or NAD+, a master regulator of metabolism and a molecule essential for the functionality of all human cells, is being dramatically decreased over time. What is NMN? NMN Bio offers a cutting edge Vitamin B3 derivative named NMN (beta Nicotinamide Mononucleotide) that can boost the levels of NAD+ in muscle tissue and liver. Take charge of your energy levels, focus, metabolism and overall health so you can live a happy, fulfilling life. Founded by scientists, NMN Bio offers supplements of the highest purity and rigorously tested by an independent, third party lab. Start your cellular rejuvenation journey today. Support Your Healthy Ageing We offer powerful third party tested, NAD+ boosting supplements so you can start your healthy ageing journey today. Shop now: https://nmnbio.nz/collections/all NMN (beta Nicotinamide Mononucleotide) 250mg | 30 capsules NMN (beta Nicotinamide Mononucleotide) 500mg | 30 capsules 6 Bottles | NMN (beta Nicotinamide Mononucleotide) 250mg | 30 Capsules 6 Bottles | NMN (beta Nicotinamide Mononucleotide) 500mg | 30 Capsules Quality You Can Trust — NMN Our premium range of anti-ageing nutraceuticals (supplements that combine Mother Nature with cutting edge science) combats the effects of aging while designed to boost NAD+ levels. Manufactured in an ISO9001 certified facility Boost Your NAD+ Levels — Healthy Ageing: Redefined Cellular Health Energy & Focus Bone Density Skin Elasticity DNA Repair Cardiovascular Health Brain Health  Metabolic Health   My  ‘Fierce' Sports Jewellery Collection For my gorgeous and inspiring sports jewellery collection, 'Fierce', go to https://shop.lisatamati.com/collections/lisa-tamati-bespoke-jewellery-collection.   Episode Highlights [02:59] Conrad's Childhood Conrad's family used to move around until they settled at New Plymouth when he was six. His family was very close, as his parents always made time for him and his siblings.  They were also supportive of both his academics and sports. Conrad spent most of his childhood playing sports and helping out on their family farm.  [09:03] Conrad as a Young Sportsman  Conrad wasn't initially an overachiever when it comes to sports.  During his time at school, rugby didn't take up a huge portion of his life. Conrad didn't feel pressured to play, unlike most kids involved in sports today.  He's very grateful that he was able to finish his law degree before he started playing professionally.  [11:44] The Dangers of the Sports System Nowadays, there's an obsession with finding talent and training them hard from a young age.  The rationale behind this is to give these kids the best chances of success. However, Conrad is sceptical about this approach. He believes that balancing life and sports is crucial, especially because sports is a short-term career. Many athletes end up going bankrupt or developing depression because they don't have a life outside of playing sports. [16:26] Staying Grounded When you're in a sports bubble, it's easy to lose touch with reality. If you're handling a high-paying sports career, you can forget how real people live. Athletes need to stay grounded and not tie their identity with their sports. This way, they can land on their feet after the bubble bursts.  The challenge is to find other things that you enjoy and avoid the trap of coaching after your playing career ends.  [29:39] On Career Transitions With the rapid changes in the world, we need to adapt to stay relevant.  It takes courage to change your career.  However, you can always find support when you open up to the people around you.   [33:06] Mental Health in Sports  All athletes feel pressured with their sports—what's important is how they deal with it.  When you look at being pressured differently, you can see it as an opportunity.   There's no quick fix for handling high-pressure situations. It's essential to find what works for you. [36:38] How to Deal with Feeling Pressured  Preparation is critical to help overcome feeling pressured.  If you have done the prep work, all that's left for you to do is execute.  Don't get overwhelmed by the bigger picture. Instead, focus on the minute details. You need to be at the top of your game if you're playing in the Rugby World Cup. Listen to the full episode to hear how Conrad overcomes being pressured! [45:21] Conrad's Experiences with the All Blacks Conrad was playing for the Wellingtons when he was picked to play for the All Blacks. His fellow players and coaches told him not to feel pressured and encouraged him to have fun.  For Conrad, being an All Black never lost its glow. He acknowledges what the team means for the country.  He believes that the All Blacks continues to perform well because the players uphold the team's legacy. In particular, their jersey means so much to Conrad. Find out why when you tune in to the full episode!  [52:51] The Future of Rugby Now working as a lawyer in the player association, Conrad speculates that women's rugby will see tremendous growth in the coming years.  The women's rugby players are more motivated by the sport. They want to reach more women and girls through it.  Since this women's rugby is still a relatively small industry, there's not much effort to commercialise yet.  This can be an advantage. It's similar to how small but nimble companies can overtake big industries. [59:56] Conrad's Advice to Parents and Children It is much more harmful to shelter your children from sports. As you get serious about sports, remember to stay grounded and balanced. Connect with the real world as much as you can.  Lastly, be open to opportunities and changes.    7 Powerful Quotes ‘I think it's fine to keep a balance, and to play other sports, and to experience, just live a normal life. I think you can still excel.' ‘You have a crazy number of bankruptcy, crazy number of rates of depression because they haven't learned to live outside of their sport.' ‘You have a lot of retired players that feel like they have to coach because they think it's all they know. The challenge, I suppose is, then of being careful not to fall into that trap.' ‘Whatever you decide that you want to be, you can become.' ‘The bigger the moments and the bigger the pressure, it's the funny thing, it's the more important that you focus on the smaller, minute detail.' ‘If you break it down into one more step, just one more, and then you just keep going and keep going. Then, invariably, that mindset or that thing that's in your head passes and then you're back in the game.' ‘If it's a conversation you're just having in your own mind, you will never get anywhere. You just need to open up about it.'   About Conrad Conrad Smith was a long-time player of New Zealand's All Blacks and helped lead the team to the 2011 and 2015 Rugby World Cups. He is widely known as “The Snake” for his ability to slip through tackles. At 38, he captained the Wellington-based Hurricanes in the Southern Hemisphere's Rugby league, then retired after the 2015 World Cup.  He now serves as legal counsel and project manager for International Rugby Players, the global representative body for the sport. He is also the high-performance manager for Pau, a French club that competes in the Top 14, the highest in the country's domestic league.  Find out more about Conrad and his work at International Rugby Players.    Enjoyed This Podcast? If you did, be sure to subscribe and share it with your friends! Post a review and share it! If you enjoyed tuning in, then leave us a review. You can also share this with your family and friends, so they can learn what to do when they feel pressured.  Have any questions? You can contact me through email (support@lisatamati.com) or find me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube. For more episode updates, visit my website. You may also tune in on Apple Podcasts. To pushing the limits, Lisa     Transcript Of The Podcast Welcome to Pushing the Limits, the show that helps you reach your full potential, with your host Lisa Tamati, brought to you by lisatamati.com.  Lisa Tamati: Lisa Tamati speaking. Welcome back to Pushing the Limits. This week, I have Conrad Smith, the famous, famous All Black, who many of you Kiwis at least will know, a superstar athlete. And we share information about his career, and what it's like to be in the World Cup, and lots of exciting stuff. Also, what it's like to be post-career now, retiring, some of the issues that he sees around young athletes. Really lovely and interesting conversation with the amazing Conrad Smith who's also a lawyer as well as an All Black. Talk about an overachiever.  Before we get on to the show, just want to remind you, we have our epigenetics flagship program that we're running constantly. So if anybody wants to find out what the genes are all about, and how to optimise your food, your exercise, your lifestyle, your chronobiology, your mood and behaviour, all these things to your specific genes, and get the blueprint and the user manual for your body, then please come and check out what we do. Head on over to lisatamati.com, hit the ‘Work with Us' button, and then you'll see our Peak Epigenetics program. That will take you over to our site where you can find out all about that. Or you can always reach out to me, and I can send you a little bit of a video, and maybe jump on a call to explain how it all works. It's a really powerful and awesome program. We've taken hundreds and hundreds of people through this program, and it's really been life-changing for so many, including myself and my family. So if you're wanting to find out about that, just head on over to lisatamati.com and hit the work with us button.  Also, just wanted to let you know that I do a lot of motivational speaking, corporate speaking. I would love if anyone knows, or organising a conference, or team workshop, or anything like that, please reach out to me: lisa@lisatamati.com if you're interested in finding out about my speaking programs. Also, we do corporate wellness programs on that front as well. How can you upgrade your life and be the best version of you can be at work and at home? That's what we're all about. So thanks for that letting me do that little plug.  Now, we're going to be going over to Conrad Smith who's just been moved back to New Plymouth. I've had the privilege of meeting him a number of times and working on a couple of things. So I hope you enjoy this conversation. Now, over to Conrad.  Well, hi everyone and welcome back to Pushing the Limits this week with Lisa Tamati. I am really excited for today's conversation. I've teamed up with another amazing superstar, a top athlete for you guys to enjoy learning from today. I have Conrad Smith. Conrad, welcome to the show.  Conrad Smith: Thank you, Lisa. Thank you for the introduction.  Lisa: You hardly need an introduction especially to people living in New Zealand. A legendary All Black. You played for how many years? I think it's 2004? Conrad: 15 years. Lisa: 15 as an All Black, as a winger. You've been a captain of the Hurricanes. You've been, I don't know, Player of the Year and Sportsman of the Year in Wellington. Your accolades are such a huge list, Conrad. You're blushing already, I can see. But really, an incredible athletic career and you were also talented as a cricketer, I understand. Conrad: When I was a little fella, when I was little fella. I was too little for rugby so I played more cricket, but yeah.  Lisa: And then you grew. Conrad: I was a New Zealander. New Zealand kid back then. Yeah, then I grew up. That's right.  Lisa: Yeah. Then you grew up and you were big enough to take on the big boys. Say, Conrad, give us a little bit of a feel like where you grew up. And how much of an influence did your childhood have on what you ended up doing with your rugby career? Conrad: Yeah. So I was actually born down Hawera. My father was a policeman so we moved around with him a little bit in the early years, and then moved to New Plymouth when I was about six. We're a very, very close family. He gave a lot of time. My mom and dad would always make time for the kids: a couple older brothers, younger sister. Yeah, it was a great childhood. A lot of sport was played but we all did pretty well academically, which my parents laughed at because both of them never made it. They did poorly in school. Really, really supportive parents in terms of... It's funny, I probably took it for granted then, but I don't ever remember my parents either not being there or having to work.  Everything we did, we always were supported. And they were there, whether it was just drive us there, or coach our teams, or try and help us with our homework. I think that was what I've, like I said, took for granted but now, being older, I realise how important that was and why we're still such a close family, and my brothers are my best mates, and my sister is. We still meet. Yeah we still, obviously. We're all sort of have moved around the world but we're sort of pretty close together again. I suppose I try to be now with my own family like my dad was to me. Yeah, so those were the luckiest break in my head, I suppose. I always say people talk about luck, especially in sport but for me, it was just the family I was born into and the sport I had as a young fella.  Lisa: Yeah. Now, that's brilliant. And you had a couple of kids yourself?  Conrad: Yeah, yeah. Now, we've got two of them, just about to go off to school. Luca is my seven, and we had him in New Zealand, and then our daughter was actually born over in France while I was over there for four or five years. She's come back with us. Lisa: Growing up in the... You grew up in the 80s, I grew up in the 70s. Showing my age, yeah. But I think in the 80s, it was still very much like an outdoorsy lifestyle, like that good Kiwi kid upbringing, especially in Taranaki because we both come from here. Having that being outdoors in nature all day, as kids, we never came home before dark, sort of thing. Was it the same in your household?  Conrad: Yeah, for sure and like I say to all the brothers, they were pretty influential in what I did. I just sort of hung around, tail off them but very much, we were always out. I just think of my childhood, it was all about playing sport, finding areas to play sport. You'd sort of get pushed out, and as we try and play inside, then we'd get pushed out to the garden and we'd ruin the garden or ruin the lawn. We're just constantly finding places to do what guys do with a ball and you can do anything. Then, the wider family were farming so my dad was on the farm. He sort of got kicked off by his older brother, but that was a family farm.  So we would eat out that way and that's that Douglas from Stratford on the way there with my mom in there. That's been in the family for three or four generations and that would be where we're kids. We'd help with haymaking, we'd help with carving, we'd help all sorts. That was pretty much my favourite holiday, and the same as all of us kids would be to go spend some time there and help on the farm. That was just a childhood, yeah. You just know what friends to do and always outside, didn't matter if it was raining and cold as it often is at most parts. We just put a coat on and carry on.  Lisa: Oh, man that just takes me back to my childhood, and I often think, 'Man, I want to go back.' What happened to that simple life that we had when we were kids? You're very lucky to have such wonderful parents, obviously. It's such a cool family. You also went off into university and became a lawyer, as you do, as an All Black. A slight overachiever there, Conrad. Did you always want to be a lawyer apart from wanting to be an All Black?  Conrad: As I sort of said before, I wasn't a huge overachiever on the sport front. Well, I went to Francis Douglas; it's not a huge sporting school. We had sporting teams, but that wasn't very much. Part of it, you were there to study, you were there to get an education, and I enjoyed it. I enjoyed school. I think it is a great school, and a lot of my mates now are still from the mates I made in my school years, and yeah. So I didn't mind class and I never had a... I suppose leaving high school as it was when I was going to go to university, my brothers had both done that. That was sort of a thing to do.  Law was, yeah. It was something. I enjoyed English history. Those sort of subjects at school in Wellington wasn't too far. I sort of wanted to go down to meet my brothers down there and that was the scarfie life was. But he sort of talked me out of it just because he... I think he'd done about four years by that stage, and flying down, and getting himself back and forth was pretty tough. They sort of said, 'Well, if you have to, go closer to home.' and that was when I ended up in Wellington and I really enjoyed law and rugby.  Yeah like I say, sport was great, but it was two nights a week. It wasn't taking over my life as I know it does to a lot of kids nowadays. They make academies, and whatnot, and maybe talk about whether that's a good thing or a bad thing. But yeah, I was able to finish a full law degree and luckily, that sort of perfectly dovetailed into when I started playing professionally. Yeah, it was just sort of fortunate for me in terms of the way it all worked out and the timing. That's something I was very grateful for, obviously. Lisa: Yeah, yeah. Because right now, like your career, your playing career at least is over, you've got something to do. You've got a qualification. If we dive into that subject a little bit, so a lot of the young guys now are coming through and they're sort of getting picked out early along the way. What sort of dangers do you see with that system?  Conrad: Yeah, I do worry about it,  and I've spoken about it before. Because it's not just in rugby. It's in all sports. There's sort of a real obsession towards identifying talent young. Then the excuses, are you giving them the best chance of success? So we're gonna do all the work with them, and specialise them, and make them concentrate on the sport. But firstly, I don't know if that actually helps them with their sport a whole lot. I think it's fine to keep a balance, and to play other sports, and to experience, just live a normal life. I think you can still excel. But the other thing is that if it doesn't work out or even if it works out, sports are short term industry. You know, I know that that's not forever, and when you get to the back end of that, if you're purely invested in one sport when the time runs out, you got to rebuild a lot of the... Yeah and that's a real problem.  And you don't need to look far to find a lot of evidence about that. We've been afoot and looking at American sports because they've been professional a lot longer than we have. Some of the statistics is just shocking. And people would think that they paid so much money, the athletes in those sports in America that they should be able to live literally after... They could do whatever they want. Theoretically, they have enough money just to retire but the statistics are not that at all. You have a crazy number of bankruptcy, crazy number of rates of depression because they haven't learned to live outside of their sport. That's sort of been taken away from them because they're placed into their sport so young, and then just cut, and there's no real assistance around that.  So yeah, that's an extreme example and we're nowhere near at that stage here with the way the academies and that are set up. I know most of the people involved are very mindful of the things I've just talked about. Lisa: That's pretty...just open that conversation now. Conrad: Yeah. I just think there's a lot to be said around leading young people. I look at myself and from that period of development where maybe nowadays, I'd been in an academy, I was lead to play multiple... I played cricket, I played basketball, I ran, I did, God knows, all these things, and who's to say what lessons I learned from those other sports that I actually used in rugby? Because there's so much that you can pick up and also being able to study.  For me to have a degree, the benefits that gave me to deal with injuries, to deal with all the downsides of sport because I had a background and the education. It's really helpful. You relax a lot more. You get a perspective on the sorts of things that if you're just wrapped up in a sport and you get an injury, man that's tough. You can't do what you would like to do. Where do you turn? But I think if you've had a bit of an education, and it doesn't have to be a law degree, but if you've got some other life or other opportunities and options that you can turn to in those times, and it gives you perspective and a sense of reality, and you don't get so caught up in that, so yeah. I know it is appreciated. I just think it may be still underrated by a lot of the people that are setting up these academies and things for the young sportsmen.  Lisa: Yeah, and that's a good conversation to have and just be open about. Because you're one injury away from ending your career at any time. And then, to build... that's like building a sort of a house on a foundation of saying if you haven't got something else and you haven't got the life skills, if I just look at the opposite extreme with my sport where you have... When I started, just a bunch of weirdos doing crazy stuff, right? There's no structure, and there was no support. There was no knowledge, but it taught me that I had to go and market myself. I had to go and push everything that... Even when I represented New Zealand, I had to buy my own singlet to wear at the thing. Get a little... I'm getting here and do all of the things. So you had to market yourself, present yourself, become a speaker, do all of this sort of stuff in order to... So through that, you learn a lot of life skills anyway and then it was never a professional sport, in a sense. I managed to live off my sport for a number of years, but that was an exceptionally... That just because I found ways to do that but it wasn't a pathway that anybody could follow. But it taught me to fight. I remember having this conversation with my brother, Dawson, who I know was one of your heroes when you were a little feller. My brother, Dawson, was a Hurricanes player and Super Rugby in Taranaki and international as well. When I came back from Australia, and I came back to New Zealand, and I was raising money to go to Death Valley, which was a big race for me, he was like, 'Why are you in the media? Where you want to be? I used to hide from the damn media.' And I'm like, 'Yeah, but you got everything given to you, mate. You got all your clothes, all your gear, you got stuff gifted to you left, right, and centre. You've actually got no idea what another sport is.' That structure, that framework is not there. And that's good and it's bad.  When you have everything laid on for you, but you haven't had to fight in society for your things... Because I've talked to a lot of rugby clubs actually around the country to all the younger guys. Everything is laid out for them. They have to fight. They've got a lot of pressure as far as performance and all that sort of stuff goes, but the rest of life is sort of taken care of. So it's something to be wary of. I think you got young ones and going up through this system is to just think about, 'What is the fallback option here? What else are they going to do when their career is over?' Because it can be very short, and not everybody reaches the stardom that you did. Not everyone gets to play for the All Blacks' 94 games or... Conrad: We talked about the bubble. They use that term a lot within sports. So you come into this bubble. When you stay in that bubble, you lose touch with reality. You're actually... I know because I've seen it, and I'd use that same terminology and say, 'Come on and talk to the guys. I've got to get out of the bubble.' It was always a thing of because people would... And you'd see it with people that get drawn into a sporting career and if they're doing really well. And you're right. It's only in New Zealand that it's probably only really rugby. There are other sports now that get paid really well, but they have to head overseas so... You're thrown into a lifestyle where everything is laid on and you don't actually... You forget how the real people live and the real life is, and that the bubble bursts, and it all comes about, and this is what I'm saying: The more time you spend in that bubble, when it bursts, the harder it is. The fall can really take a lot of getting used to it and some people don't.  Unfortunately, even the guys I have played with, I've got as many stories of guys who are struggling, still struggling as the guys who fell on their feet. I don't think anyone does straight away, even myself. People will say ‘You handled it well.' I've been retired just over three years and I knew. Everyone seemed to me it's at least two years before you even... There's still things you struggle with it. And that was spot on. It just takes a lot of time to understand that you're never going to get up in the morning and have that same drive. You're very lucky that when you're as a sportsman or woman to have that drive. Just do the same thing. But you got to find something else, and it will never replace that and it's not meant to, but it's a challenge for everyone. Those life experiences during that sporting career are so important so that when the bubble bursts, when you come out of it, it's just a little bit easier to find your feet. Because otherwise, that is tough, and it's a bit of a worry.  Lisa: Yeah yeah exactly. Just on even from that identity of being this athlete and you had a singular purpose. Pretty much every day when you got up, it was to train and it was to be the best for the next game or the next whatever. And that gets taken away and then the complexity of life comes in. Yeah? I retired from doing ultramarathons at 48. It's a sport where you can go a lot longer, and I've got mates that are still in their 60s and 70s doing it. But what I do see often in the ultra running community is they don't know anything else so, 'I'm going to stick with what I know and I'm just going to beat the crap out of my body until it falls into the ground.' Rather than going, 'Hang on a minute. This is no longer conducive to what I really want for me.' And reassessing. With rugby, you're forced to because physically, at 48, you wouldn't be able to keep up with a 20-year-old.  There's that whole, have you struggled? I know I've struggled with that whole identity. Like, 'Who the hell am I if I'm not that hardass athlete and I'm not able to do what I used to do?' Because I still get it in the running scene, 'Oh, a marathon must be... you must do that before breakfast.' I'm like, 'Yeah, no. That's not...' Now, a 5K's quite long. You know what I mean? So your horizon comes back in. So I've spent decades pushing my horizon out to be able to go longer, longer, longer, bigger. Then, life happens. In my case it was mum and that was the end of the career. It was high time; it was overdue. But that whole, you just had the rug pulled out from under you, and your identity is tied up in that performance. Have you found that a struggle?  Conrad: Yeah. Yeah, I think. Like I say, everyone does. You're lying if you say people do it easy. Again, I think a lot of the work, hopefully, athletes that handle it better have thought about that work during their career and they don't... We were given some great support while I was playing, particularly, within the All Blacks, guys like Gilbert Enoka with the background. And the whole mental side of not just the game, but of life, in terms of keeping...being grounded, keeping perspective. Part of that was your identity and not letting rugby define you. We used to say that you're a person that plays rugby, you're not a rugby player. It has this other life. You're actually... I play rugby because I like playing. Maybe that's not who I am. That's what the public sees, and I think if you get a handle on that while you're playing, then you understand that when rugby is taken away but that's not part of... ‘That's what I used to do. Now, I'm not doing it anymore but I'm still the person I've been this whole way. Now, my journey carries on.'  Like I say, that's easier said than done. There's people that become the rugby player. That's all they are, and so that's the real challenge. For me, it was about just finding other challenges. And I think anyone in terms of rugby or any sport yourself, you find other challenges, it gives you... You realise your own identity and you find other things to do that give you fulfilment. I think aligned with that is the whole... When I think of rugby players, a lot of them who find the identity in rugby, they then just go on to coaching, and this is a real problem, and it might... I don't think that's just with the sport of rugby, but you have a lot of retired players that feel like they have to coach because they think it's all they know.  The challenge, I suppose is, then of being careful not to fall into that trap. It was easier for me. I studied. I used to be a lawyer. I'm sure I could go back and do that. Maybe not as a lawyer, but there are other skills that I have. That's a really hard message, but it's a really important message to give all sportsmen. To rugby players, I'm always telling them, 'You don't have to stay in rugby, you know. You played, you finished, you don't have to coach.' There's going to be hundreds and thousands of players finishing career and they think they have to coach. But their skills are transferable to hundreds of different professions and things that will pay them well. You can keep being yourself.  Even for me, I've stayed within rugby but it's not coaching. I'm working with the Players Association, International Players Association and that suits me. That's my skill set: a bit of the law, the analytical side of me that I've always had. And I think that was important. It's sort of my process of moving away from that identity as just 'Conrad Smith, the rugby player.' It's important to find other things that challenge me and that I enjoy. Lisa: Just interrupting the program briefly to let you know that we have a new patron program for the podcast. Now, if you enjoy Pushing the Limits, if you get great value out of it, we would love you to come and join our patron membership program. We've been doing this now for five and a half years and we need your help to keep it on air. It's been a public service free for everybody and we want to keep it that way. But to do that we need like-minded souls who are on this mission with us to help us out. So if you're interested in becoming a patron for Pushing the Limits podcast, then check out everything on patron.lisatamati.com. That's patron.lisatamati.com. We have two patron levels to choose from. You can do it for as little as 7 dollars a month, New Zealand, or 15 dollars a month if you really want to support us. We are grateful if you do.There are so many membership benefits you're going to get if you join us: everything from workbooks for all the podcasts, the strength guide for runners, the power to vote on future episodes, webinars that we're going to be holding, all of my documentaries, and much, much more. So check out all the details: patron.lisatamati.com. And thanks very much for joining us.  Lisa: That's awesome and thanks for sharing that because I think that's... Being able to openly have these conversations because there are a lot of athletes in lots of different sports struggling with this whole process of... Your career is so short, and you're not a has-been. I asked myself these conversations, and most especially in the beginning is, 'You're nothing now. You're a has-been now. You can't do it.' And being embarrassed about that, instead of going, 'Hang on a minute. I'm still pretty fricking epic and I do other stuff.' Now, that's freed up a huge piece of my brain and my daily power and energy to then go and attack other massive projects.  There's so many things in the world that you can take on. It's all up to you to develop a certain passion. And I think it's not even just in the sports realm. I see people who are in careers that got friends and careers, they don't want to be there anymore but they studied it, they became it, they did it. whatever it was. Now, they're like, 'Is that it?' It doesn't have to be it, no. We live in a day and age where we can actually go and retrain. In fact, we have to be adaptable and flexible in this day and age if we want to keep up because the world is changing so fast. So many jobs are going to be gone and whole industries.  As a jeweller in a previous life, that industry got destroyed, really. If you weren't in the big game with big brands and Chinese mass production and stuff like that and you're an artisan, a person who made one-off pieces, you're struggling now unless you really got the top massive diamonds and God knows what. Everyone else is struggling, so you have to go, 'Okay, that industry's change. I'm going to have to adapt, change, go with it, overcome it, improvise, and keep developing.' I think that's the message that we're getting here is you don't box yourself in. don't just be that one-trick pony. That's not, and Conrad is now an advocate, he's a father, he's a speaker.  Whatever you decide that you want to be, you can become. And you're not just Conrad, the All Black. I think that's a really important transition for everybody to go through. Even if you're a policeman or a teacher and you don't want to do that anymore or whatever the case is. Conrad: Yeah, and it takes a bit of courage. Like I said before, it's easier said than done a lot of the time. And that's what people just need that encouragement. Especially with finances and people suddenly are, 'I've got a mortgage on a house. I don't want to change career because there might be a layer where I'm not earning money.' But yeah, I just think that's... You come back to some questions about who you are, who you want to be, and you've got to be... You'll be happy doing what you're doing. So I just think all the help you can get from people around you, that's where you'll draw the energy, I think. If it's a conversation you're just having in your own mind, you will never get anywhere. You just need to open up about it, speak to people close to you, and I think that's generally where the answers come from.  Lisa: Yeah. I think that's gold. On that point, how big is mental health in your work? Do you do a lot around supporting mental health, and that sort of thing, and helping people transition, and all that sort of jazz?  Conrad: Yeah, absolutely. More and more, it's a complex field. When you talk about players in the game, in the sport of rugby, it's really difficult. We were starting to appreciate the pressures I think that sportsmen and women are under in these fields. It's a lot of… it draws that back on what we were talking about before. You're in a bubble and you do lose perspective and so not as the... The challenge is to help these young, these kids that are in these bubbles to speak different, and keep living, and look at sport as this amazing opportunity, and not feel the pressure. Well, maybe saying not feeling the pressure is the wrong way to put it because it's natural, but to feel the pressure and find a way to deal with that, a healthy way to deal with it. Again, I look back on my career and you're playing for the All Blacks, you're playing World Cups, it's easy to talk about pressure. There was never times that I didn't know how to deal with it, and that was from the sport I had, and maybe the background, and my upbringing. But it was easily... You just channel that and see and look at it differently and decide. Look at the opportunity that every time you feel pressure, you get it, it's as simple as just changing the perspective of things rather than the pressure of, ‘You have to win'. ‘I'm an All Black, I want to win because…' Whatever. ‘I've got a country behind me,' and suddenly, it's a burden that's lifted and yeah, you flipped it and you're puffing out your chest, and you want to do it. If it doesn't come off, it's a game. There's more important things, absolutely, around. But yeah, like I keep saying, it's not easy for everyone and there's people that understand that better. The challenge is getting through to people of different backgrounds, and different cultures, and different ages.  Lisa: Yeah with different problems.  Conrad: Yeah. I'm saying that because I know what works for me, but I know a 17-year-old young Samoan boy who's playing rugby, I don't know for the Highlanders, I might not be able to connect with him. The things that worked for me won't work for him. That's what I'm trying to say. Or the female swimmer who's doing, training for an Olympics. We're all different, and the challenge is finding a way for everyone to deal with that pressure and to be mentally healthy through a sports career. Lisa: I love that approach and just coming off the back of the Olympics. It was just wonderful to watch our amazing athletes doing amazing things. Lisa Carrington just blows me away. She's mentally just insane. But I love that thing of the challenge versus threat. I think this is a really important thing to do. When you're feeling overwhelmed and overburdened and like the whole world of pressure is on me, you going out and something the World Cup, were you able, even in those extreme pressure moments, to turn that into an opportunity and not a threat? Because that does change the physiology. Like when you're running on the paddock on those days, those couple of times in your life where it's just been horrifically big pressure, how did you physically and mentally cope there?  Conrad: Yeah, I think we've spent a lot of time, and everyone did, preparing for that World Cup. Again, as All Blacks, you have to spend a lot of time because you know the pressure that comes with and the expectation that comes with being an All Black in New Zealand. But even more so a World Cup, a home World Cup, when we hadn't won, I think 2011. A lot of our preparation time wasn't just being on the field with how we're going to play but was how to deal with that pressure. For me, it was just constantly turning it around so that it was never a moment I even... I can look back and think of times in the game where the team was under pressure and it would be perceived as... Even in that final hour, the team struggled a bit with the pressure, but if I'm being honest, our preparation never let us feel that way. We were dealing with that all the time.  We just were focused on doing our job. We talked so much about whatever comes our way, we were going to adapt and deal with it and that's what you just had to keep doing. You never sort of stop, and you'll notice yourself, you just don't let yourself stop and think about that. I think if you've got to that stage, it's too late. If you're having to go through a process of. 'How do I deal with this?' It's probably too late. You've already, hopefully, got a process in place where you're just, it's just instinctively, you're just channelling that, focusing on little details. Because you know whatever the pressure, that's not going to influence you unless you need it. You just focus on the small tasks and you get through 80 minutes of rugby like that, keep a smile on your face. Lisa: Pull your focus into the job at hand instead of the: 'Oh my god. Everyone's watching me. Everyone's pressuring. Hang on a minute I've just got to pass this ball right now.' You're breaking it down into little tiny... Conrad: We all have little trigger words and I know we've talked about this: ‘Be in the now.' Be in the now, which is like just what you're talking about. It's not thinking about the mistake you might have just made, the ball you drop, the tackle you missed, and it's not worrying, and you're not thinking about the World Cup, you're going to win at the end of this game. Because you can't do anything. Right now. ‘Right now. Right now, I'm going to catch this next ball.' Look up, keep looking, keep calling, whatever it is. It's as simple as a little thing like that that just keeps you in tune with the moment and not letting you get overwhelmed by the bigger picture. Yeah, massively important, obviously. The bigger the moments and the bigger the pressure, it's the funny thing, it's the more important that you focus on the smaller, minute detail.  Lisa: I love it. I said try to forget the consequences of what you're doing. You've done the preparation. You've done the work. You've done everything that you possibly can. You're standing on the start line, in my case, a race, then letting go of the outcome because you've done what you can do. And now, it's up to the whatever happens in the next few hours or days, in my case. So this was no longer just in your hands then. Because the gods have a thing to say about it as well. Sometimes, if you try and control the uncontrollable, then you'll drive yourself to madness, whereas if you can go, 'I've done the stuff that I was responsible for. I've put the work and I've done the preparation. I know my strategies. I know my pacing. I know whatever it is I'm doing. I got that right. Okay. I'm going to keep my eye on the ball here. But I'm going to let go of the outcome now.' Because when you let go of the outcome, then that pressure goes and you're in that...  Being in that now is a really powerful message to people. Because when you're in the past or the future, you're either worrying about the future, or you're regretting what's happened in the past, or it's a load for you to carry. In the moment, when you're under pressure, all you can cope with is that second right now. The next minute. That's it. When I was running long distances, I would break it down into: 'What's the next power pole? I just got to get to the next power pole. If I can't even get that far, I'm just gonna take one more step.' You can always take one more step, right? If you break it down into one more step, just one more, and then you just keep going and keep going. Then, invariably, that mindset or that thing that's in your head passes, and then you're back in the game.  Conrad: That's funny, you sound... because someone I remember that came and spoke to the team when we were outside joined the team in 2004, and we had Amish Carter came and spoke with the team. It was before the 2007 World Cup and obviously, that World Cup didn't end well, but some of what he said, I still remember it. He was talking about his Olympic performances, and he said, and I think one of the questions from the players was about we're talking: the nerves and the pressure. And I remember him saying that he wasn't nervous. He wasn't nervous when he got to the start line just for the reasons you said. He said: ‘Because then, I'd backed on my prep, I'd done everything I needed to do. Now, it was just a matter of going out and doing that. You can't do anymore.' It's funny that when I looked, especially towards into my career, the only times I would feel nervous normally, on the start of a week. So if we play the game on a Saturday, and that was because I'm nervous thinking of all the things I've got to do on the Monday, Tuesday. But by the Friday, I would have this real sense of calm. I'd have a smile and I'll be like, 'Right now, it's time to do it.' It's funny because people, it's the opposite. They're not thinking about a game on Monday, Tuesday, but they were getting nervous on before a game starts thinking, 'You must be even worse.' But yeah, that was the way I could explain it is that we're really... I was nervous thinking about the game but now, I've done all that. This is the path I've taken. This is the training I've done for this game. Now, I'm ready to... I'm going to go and do it and see if it works. Lisa: Yeah, this is the reward phase. This is actually what you've been preparing for all along, so this is the time when you actually should be enjoying it. It wasn't always that easy especially when you're doing a couple hundred K's somewhere because sometimes it's not that pleasant. But you've done the work to get to the start line and the times where I am being nervous is when I hadn't done the work.  Conrad: Exactly. I think of some... I don't like admitting it but normally, with All Blacks, you always have checked every box but there were games, I'd go back even the Hurricanes or Club Games and that's the ones where I'd be nervous because I'd be thinking... ‘I haven't really... now this week. I probably haven't done…' Then, you get nervous but actually the bigger the occasion, the preparation is normally good.  Lisa: You took it seriously and yeah, yeah. I've come stuck on some short races where I've had my ass handed to me because I went in with the... That's just the short race, and oh my god. Had my ass handed to me. So yeah, always respect every distance or every game. I think it's key. What's it actually like, Conrad, to be... The first time that you put on that All Blacks jersey? Because it's every little boy and now, little girl's dream too. What's it actually like to put on that sort of thing for the first time? Can you remember?  Conrad: Yeah for sure. It's pretty special. I do think I was really lucky the way it panned out for me in terms of... It happened really quickly. I'd play. I hadn't even played the Super Rugby game. I hadn't played for the Hurricanes. When it started, I had a really... I was playing for the Wellington Lions. We made the final, and then I was picked, fortunately. So the coaching staff that had come in wanted to pick some new younger players and I was one of those. That was very much sort of out of the blue. Then, I was starting the following week. So I played a final. The team was picked. We assembled the end of that following week. We flew to Italy, and then I was playing.  But that was great in hindsight because it didn't let me overthink that. It was sort of okay, and I just was like, 'Right.' Little bit like what I said before, 'I'm just going to enjoy it.' Admittedly there were people around me. Graham Henry, Ryan Smith, Steve Hansen, great coaches, and Gilbert Enoka that were giving me those messages. Just telling me, 'We're picking you in the first game. Just go and enjoy it. Just keep doing what you're doing. We love what you're doing.' So those messages for a young guy were perfect. I didn't actually question that. Yeah, I just took the jersey. I was still sort of pinching myself how quickly it happened. But yeah, then there I was playing and yeah, it was an amazing experience.  I'm glad to say it never really diminished. I was lucky to play for over a decade, and it was always special putting on the jersey. The team does a great job, I think, of respecting the jersey, acknowledging how important it is to their country, what we mean to everyone, and staying grounded, and all that good stuff about acknowledging the connection that you have with the young men and women who are dreaming to being All Black, wishing they were there, would give anything to be in your place. So you're always aware of that, and so it never loses its glow. Then I put my jersey on.  Brian Hoyer who was a big part of the team when I joined the team, he said ‘When you put the jersey on, you shouldn't be able to fit outside the doorway.' You grow that big. I'm not using the words and I always... For me, I was normally marking someone bigger than me or normally not the biggest in the room but I always felt that. That I have to turn sideways to get out the door but that was the sort of feeling and you hear that even today: The way you sort of, you grow in the jersey. Lisa: You're carrying the manner and the tradition of that, and the reputation of that, and the hopes of a nation, basically, on your shoulders, which can be either a load or it can be like, 'Wow, how lucky am I that I get to stand on the shoulders of those who have gone before?' Basically and like you said, 'Yeah, I can't fit through the door because I'm just filled with all that.'  Okay, just a very quick anecdote. I was running through in the Gobi Desert at one point and we were running through these slot canyons. These really crazy. It was hot. One guy died out there that day which was really terrible. I was running through there and I was chasing down this American woman who was in front of me and I was second. I'm like, 'I've got to plan something here if I want to beat this person in front of me that I was chasing down through these canyons.'  So I started singing the Maori Battalion song to myself and I started to... like my ancestors, and my tradition there, my heritage like, 'I'm going to bloody beat you, American. Yeah. I'm gonna chase you down, and I'm singing away to myself running along through this canyon.' I beat her, right. It was awesome. I just went dashing past her, and I beat her. But it was just like, 'Wow.' It's just like you're pulling out stuff that you... It's not just you. You're like your ancestors and your heritage, and they're powering you. So I imagine it's a bit the same with the All Blacks jersey.  Conrad: Yeah. It's powerful stuff. Like, and it's all about creating something bigger than you. There's no doubt the history of things or like you say, in individual sports. As soon as you can create that connection to a greater cause. Actually, in the All Blacks, it's actually easy. I say this when I talk to other sports teams around how they create the identity. But the All Blacks had it handed to them because they have 130 years of whatever it is of this amazing performance, of this history, this black jersey that this country that's mad obsessed with them, great air of success and also, this idea that we do unite. We're the flagship of New Zealand. Rightly or wrongly, that's the way we're saying and you got to embrace that.  The fact that every time an All Black teams practice, it's a culture we have in New Zealand. This great collection of men who are representing the country. You capture that in the right way, and it counts as something. The field is 00 but I always felt... Yeah, when we got it right, we're straight away. That's worth some points at least on the board. It's something special that the All Blacks do have, and to the credit of the team, the whole time, I was involved. I know that it's carrying on that the way they connect and acknowledge that, it's really well done. It's the reason that the team continues to perform well. Lisa: And it does it empower whole generations. Like I said to my brother Dawson, my dad wanted him to be an All Black, and he wanted him to meet all those milestones along the way. I remember like... We lost my dad last year, as people know, if they listened to my podcast. I said to my brother the other day, 'Dawson,' because he went to the game up at the park, at Pukekura Park and they had the 25-year anniversary for the Ranfurly Shield because he was on the Ranfurly Shield team. He was excited to go to the Ranfurly Shield thing, and I remember that being the proudest moment of my dad's life. Of all the things that my dad got to do and see, all of their kids, I said to Dawson, 'You gave him the highest point in his life was when you came home with that Ranfurly Shield, and you're a part of that Taranaki Team. That was, for him, the pinnacle.'  That's beautiful because that is just like... Especially when you've lost somebody... And Dawson's like, to be able to go and celebrate that Ranfurly Shield with his old mates and reminisce on those times. That stays with you to the end: those special moments that you get, and that camaraderie that comes with it, and all of that sort of stuff. He gave my dad a precious gift really by being a part of that team. Dad was just so proud.  Dawson said to me once, 'Lisa, you could run across every fricking desert in the world and it would still not mean as much as that Ranfurly Shield.' And I said, 'You're damn right, and that's okay.' Because he was right in that. It's okay because he loved rugby, and he loved rugby teams, and the rugby world. My dad played, what do you call that? Fifth-grade rugby until he was 45 and he only quit because people were telling him he was too old, and then he played touch for another 10 years. He was a legend. A legend.  You're carrying all that on your shoulders. There are five and six-year-old kids looking at you on screen like you did with Daws back then. Like, 'Oh, these big Taranaki players and stuff.' That's just beautiful. I had that just wanting to represent New Zealand in something because I couldn't be in All Blacks because back then, we didn't have women playing rugby, much to my dad's disappointment. Actually watching the girls at the sevens in the Olympics, oh, I just fell in love with that team. They were just epic. Ruby Tui is my new bloody hero. She's just amazing. I think she's just epic. But just to watch the camaraderie of those girls and the performance that they put on, I'm glad that women now have the chance to do that tough stuff too. Because that's pretty special as well: seeing girls going there and giving it everything, just going hard.  Conrad: You speak to the Black Ferns, the women's rugby, it's growing so much not just in New Zealand, but around the world and that's pretty exciting, especially for Fifteens and the opportunity it's giving so many young women. Yeah and so for myself, that's really refreshing now with international rugby and the Player Association and we deal with both men and women's. The joy I hear working in women's rugby, seriously, compared to men's, especially men's Fifteens, it's a lot of established... Careful with my words, but it's just so hard. To put it simply, it's so hard to get things done even if you agree there's so much.  Whereas in the women's game, it's so refreshing. There's just an openness and the enthusiasm. They just, 'Yep. Let's get that done and this.' You will see, women's rugby going to go great in the next few years, and it's because of... In the men's game, I don't like to say it, but it might not have anywhere near the same growth or evolution just because it's... Lisa: Stayed in the old ways. It obviously breaks everything, isn't it?  Conrad: The money, the money at that level is so big that there's so much at stake. That's just what grinds along, whereas the women's game, they're not... Obviously, they're trying to commercialise on the game, but it's crumbs compared to the men's for things at the moment. But they'll catch up at a huge rate because they're just open about... Like at the moment, they're motivated by having fun, being patient, at getting the product out, getting more and more women and girls playing the game.  Lisa: That's amazing and isn't that though that's a really good analogy for everything in the world? Like that the big old institutions or big bureaucracies are going to be struggling in the future, I think. Completely off-topic but from the governments, to the big corporations, to the big institutions are going to be struggling against these young, nimble, small, exponentially powered technology-based companies and the rate of change that's coming that these big state, old bureaucratic, not just talking about rugby here, but governments and things are actually going to be on the backfoot shortly.  I always think of that Kodak, the company Kodak that used to be the biggest player in the world and photography, right? They didn't go with digital evolution, then they went under. Because they were too busy trying to protect what they already had, they actually discovered digital photography. They started it, but they didn't pursue it because they thought, 'Oh, that's going to be a threat to our current existing business.' That mindset is when you get overtaken by the young upstarts that come along with enthusiasm and they can, on a company-wide level, they're smaller. They're nimble. They can make decisions quicker. They can move faster. I see this in all areas happening. Hopefully, in the right way it'll brush off as well, but the girls certainly are next level.  Conrad: They're great. And I've got to know a few of them, a few of the Black Ferns. Lisa: Can you help me out with Ruby? I want to get in with Ruby. Conrad: That is such great Kiwi so yeah, more than happy. She'd love to chat. Lisa: Woohoo. Okay. I know she's pretty busy right now. Everybody in the world wants to see her right now. And the other girls, they're just amazing. Conrad, as we wrap it up now in a minute because I know you got to go, but what is it that you want to get across? So if we highlighted a couple of points now, if you were talking to your children, you've got two kids, what do you want them to do in the future? Or what would you, if you were talking to some young kids out there that want to have a life in the sporting world? What's some last parting wisdom or for the parents of those kids?  Conrad: Yeah, I think if you're speaking to parents, the first thing is the value of sport, I think. I just worry a little bit. I know I'm working in rugby, and there's some crazy things being said about the potential harms of playing a contact sport. But honestly, I've had the benefit of seeing, digging a lot deeper into that and that is not at all as clear as it's conveyed because of the sensationalism of journalism. Kids are kids. They love playing. If I leave my boy and his next-door neighbour, they're gonna wrestle; they're gonna fight. There's no harm in playing.  But on the flip side, the harm of not playing sport, of sheltering them, of thinking, of sitting in a lounge with a Coke and a bag of lolly is better for a kid than going and playing rugby because he might knock his head. That's so far from the truth. That would be my wish for parents' young kids. Just play sport but... And then, I suppose, if it's to reflect on what we've talked about, when the kid means getting serious about a sport, it would be to keep you balanced, to not lose sight. If you're put in a bubble because it's a performance bubble, then that's all well and good but now, it's a bubble and you need to step out of that every chance you get and connect with the real world as much as you can.  Unfortunately, there are dangers and there are risks when you are totally invested into a sport. The crazy thing is sport is a great thing. It should be enjoyed and if you're even not enjoying it, it's not hard just to talk to someone and step outside your sport to reconnect with the people in the real world. Then, that should give you back your love of the game, and then you'll go well and be like Lisa and I and have a life where you've had a sport that you've loved, and it's given you amazing opportunities, and literally meet great people, and you still come out of it, and you're still happy, and still meet people but doing different things. Lisa: This is gold. Conrad, thank you so much for your time today. I really appreciate it. I'm looking forward to doing our speaking gig together shortly and that's going to be exciting. I'm just really glad to have made your acquaintance and I think that you have such a level approach, level-headed approach to this whole thing and gave us some great insights today on what it is to be an All Black, but also what it is to come out the other side and gave us some really good perspective. So thanks for your time today, Conrad. Conrad: Pleasure, Lisa.  That's it this week for Pushing the Limits. Be sure to rate, review, and share with your friends, and head over and visit Lisa and her team at lisatamati.com.   

Conrad is set to make over $600,000 in GCI this year using incredibly smart 'updates' to some old methods of getting deals.Text the word 'ELITE' to +1 (954) 998 0288 to get your unique passcode invitation to www.eliteagentsecrets.com Elite Agent Secrets is where we share all the confidential tips & tricks that all the top producing agents from around the world have used to give themselves a competitive advantage. Check out our website www.eliteagentsecrets.com to learn these strategies 100% FREE. Topics Discussed: Giveaways - he creates events around a giveaway; he does giveaways where a person has to call in and a person will win something; pooling with other agents to make giveaways; this makes people call you, you'll get their information (email); 2nd giveaway to win an Amazon gift card , the person has to answer to the question "who do you know who is looking to buy a home that you can connect us with"; from first couple of giveaways (vacations) he got 20 people(1 lead) next time 60 people (9 leads); it doesn't matter if your person wins, you still get to contact them

Alex Lowe, Stephen Jones and Alan Dymock preview the Autumn Internationals which get underway this weekend. Jess Hayden also looks ahead to the women's fixtures and rounds up what is happening in the domestic game over the coming weeks. Plus, Alex chats with the former New Zealand centre Conrad Smith as Wales prepare to face the All-Blacks on Saturday. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Conrad is set to make over $600,000 in GCI this year using incredibly smart 'updates' to some old methods of getting deals.Text the word 'ELITE' to +1 (954) 998 0288 to get your unique passcode invitation to www.eliteagentsecrets.com Elite Agent Secrets is where we share all the confidential tips & tricks that all the top producing agents from around the world have used to give themselves a competitive advantage. Check out our website www.eliteagentsecrets.com to learn these strategies 100% FREE. Topics Discussed: Events - people are desperate for interaction after covid; events don't have to be super expensive - bowling alleys; make events based on the subcategories of database (for example getting a Santa for people with kids; wine tasting for people who like wine); happy hour for past clients; all of this helps to interact and connect with people; best events are the ones when no one shows up - you make multiple touches with a client and after the event, you can contact them and say you missed them (you show that you noticed that they weren't present);

Conrad is set to make over $600,000 in GCI this year using incredibly smart 'updates' to some old methods of getting deals.Text the word 'ELITE' to +1 (954) 998 0288 to get your unique passcode invitation to www.eliteagentsecrets.com Elite Agent Secrets is where we share all the confidential tips & tricks that all the top producing agents from around the world have used to give themselves a competitive advantage. Check out our website www.eliteagentsecrets.com to learn these strategies 100% FREE. Topics Discussed: Database/CRM - 80 percent of people say that they would use their agent again, but only 20 do, but the question is why? Conrad thinks its because the agents don't stay in contact; This statistic means there's a lot of opportunities; he wants to make sure people remember him - sends bday wishes; he systematically goes through his fb database and contacts people; the intent is to build a relationship, not just do business; interacts with people every 1/3 of a year; scale first, then add in frequency; he tries to make his content appeal to as many people as possible; he tries to be authentic to his database but still to be systematic, highly leveraged (sports fans, mothers/fathers) - personalized ad scale; subdividing database to smaller and smaller subcategories; reserving restaurants for clients; he's looking how to intentional add value to people's lives, to be number 1 in their minds;

Social networking has been one of the more significant aspects of 21st century life—and yet, it has largely remained exclusive to individuals. Businesses, though, have a need to connect that is perhaps even greater. The survival of buyers and sellers depends on their ability to find one another. Conrad Smith has stepped in to fill this void with his company, Graphite Systems. More than just a way to forge B2B connections, his company helps manage these relationships with data integration tools and a host of other features.

All Black legend Conrad Smith, from the International Rugby Players body, talks to Prof. Ross Tucker on World Rugby's newly-released guidelines for contact in rugby training, how it will hopefully impact player welfare and why the new guidelines are not as radical as they, at first, seem. Get bonus content on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Remember to Like, Share, and Subscribe! On this episode we're joined by former TT Pro League and Trinidad and Tobago international Conrad Smith. He talks his journey and eventual love for football, with basketball being his first love. His travels, his regrets and relationship with fellow secondary school and international Hayden Tinto. Introductions and accolades First memories of football(I never liked football) Youth football doesn't need 11 players to play at at early age? Nicki Minaj segue Allstar team tour of Caribbean and finally seeing football career vision First contract offer Canadian Culture shock! Hayden Tinto Nobody can stop you, like.....Messi? MLS trials U-20 Debacle Whole of San Juan and Barataria Your regrets and $800 USD a week English football trials with Tinto Favourite players Advice to a young player Can you see yourself developing football in Trinidad and Tobago? Favorite football memory Follow us at our other platforms for more: https://linktr.ee/trifactorpod Conrad Smith & CSS academy: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3tJ2gM05OzlYNTTObDhpHQ/videos

In this episode we find out why Paddy is best known for saying 'this is the fuckin news', what Steve experienced when he went to a Hamilton pub with Paddy after midnight, how All Black Conrad Smith helped him prepare for the leaders debate, the time he left his passport behind when travelling with John Key in Iraq, the breakdown that led to him quitting as Newshub Political Editor, the horror interview he'll never forget and much more.

Conrad Smith is a former New Zealand rugby player and current coach. Smith talks about his career as a rugby player for the All Blacks. He discusses his successes and failures as a member of one of the top rugby teams of New Zealand. Additionally, he addresses weaknesses, dealing with failure, and much more. Creating a culture of high performance may be a challenging task considering the different backgrounds of players, but it is essential to perform consistently. Show topics: Leadership groups Addressing weaknesses Dealing with failure Handling pressure Maintaining drive Creating a culture of high performance Traits of a good leader

Former All Black Conrad Smith can relate to the passionate behaviour shown by New Zealand Rugby and the Players Association over a possible private equity deal.Forsyth Barr has tabled a new offer at the request of the NZRPA, that would see NZR sell a five per cent stake in future commercial revenue through an NZX listing.NZR CEO Mark Robinson described the new offer as shocking and disappointing, believing the relationship with the NZRPA is at a new low.Smith told Elliott Smith he has a lot of respect for both parties."When you have a big issue like this that is concerning New Zealand Rugby, the direction we're heading, the potential of 12.5 percent of our national game, then people get very emotional, and that's all we're seeing."Smith wants to see the Silver Lake and Forsyth Barr offers, as well as any other presented, to be discussed fairly.LISTEN ABOVE

Here is an absolute treat for you, Conrad Smith, the All Black great, the Hurricane legend and genuinely one of the greatest lads I've come across throughout my career. He is here on What a Lad! The man commonly referred to as Snakey, takes us on his journey that saw him go from being a skinny little half back who couldn't box kick or pass both way, to becoming one of the greatest centres of all time! There's so much in this episode, we talk everything from social media, dealing with injuries, dealing with pressure, the life after rugby transition, the great work he's doing for the charity 'So They Can' and of course plenty of rugby chat. Listening to this episode will just reinforce to you what a lad the great Snakey is, he's very intelligent, he has a great sense of humour and he is just a genuinely good person. He's someone who taught me so much throughout my career and he was always happy to help others. I'm sure that you will get a lot out of this episode and if you do enjoy it please share it. Conrad obviously doesn't have social media so we will need all the shares we can get with this one. Thanks for all the support so far, it's all very much appreciated. If you are keen to try the Pure Sport CBD oil, which has been loved by plenty of listeners already. Then head over to www.whatalad.com and you will see a link and the promo code there for you to enjoy. Any issues feel free to message me via https://www.instagram.com/what_a_lad_podcast/?hl=en 

Conrad is talking about: - 2007 World Cup - Leadership and the culture in the World Cup - The responsibility to run the team - Leadership Role - What do we need to do rather than just the coaches deciding all the time? - 3 best coaches in the world - The five top five traits you believe a great leader should possess  

In today’s show, Chris interviews Conrad Smith. As a second-year student with Student Works, Conrad is running a $800,000 business and managing a team of motivated and high-performing individuals. So, what made Conrad join Student Works in the first place?  In the first segment of the show, Conrad shares that he suffered from a lack of confidence, and was actively looking for an opportunity that allowed him to address this particular aspect of his personality. And this is when he come across Student Works. In this first year as a Student Works operator, Conrad managed to scale up his business to $200,000. But his second-year was a completely different ball game as he had to mentor and support a team of rookie operators apart from managing the daily nitty-gritty of his business. This challenge was further exacerbated due to the onset of the virus. Inspite of all this, Conrad had a spectacular year. So, what are some of the reasons that he attributes his success to? What are some key habits that make him tick? In this last segment, we particularly discuss the importance of integrity and maintaining accountability.  We hope you enjoy this show! Resources Student Works  Chris Thomson LinkedIn

In a wide-ranging four-part series looking at the state of rugby in New Zealand, Scotty Stevenson asks where the sport is at, where is it going and how will we get there? In the third part of a full and frank discussion about the state of rugby in New Zealand, Scotty Stevenson and a panel of insiders discuss how best to grow and promote the game. With guests Sarah Hirini, TJ Perenara, Conrad Smith and Simon Porter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our guest this week is former Ospreys, Newport and Neath outside half Shaun Connor. He joins us to pick his Dream XV. As well as picking an amazing rugby side, he also shares some stories about the great players he's played with and against. Including the day Zinzan Brooke showed him how to take restarts. Plus the time Filo Tiatia smuggled his mate into Ospreys training...it was Conrad Smith.The Attacking Scrum podcast is sponsored by SO Coffee Trades, get your hands on some at https://socoffeetrades.co.uk/ See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Conrad Smith knows a thing or two about winning Rugby World Cups - the former All Black centre was part of the team that claimed the William Webb Ellis trophy in 2011 and again in 2015. In conversation with Eoin McHugh, the Taranaki native talks about the dark days in the aftermath of New Zealand’s early exit from RWC 2007, rebuilding the squad, the pressures of playing in a World Cup on home soil...and doing it all over again in 2015. But his main message to those wanting to win a Rugby World Cup? Deal with the unexpected. Enjoy, share with your mates and check out rugbyplayers.org for more!

In this episode I sit down with Conrad Smith, who is the Co-founder and CEO at Graphite Systems Inc, they streamline the procurement as they work with suppliers. Conrad worked in this industry for 25 years, and at his most recent job Adobe for 10 years before quitting to start his own company. He gives a lot of insight into starting a software company and what it takes to get it off the ground. He talks about his decision to leave where he was comfortable because he knew he would regret it later on if someone created this product before him. A great guy and a great listen!

Former All Blacks great Conrad Smith says while losses like this Rugby World Cup hurt, the best thing the players can do is remember there’s bigger things in life.Conrad Smith was part of the All Blacks team to win the 2011 and 2015 World Cups, but had his share of loses as a player.He told Simon and Phil there’s always learnings after World Cups, but it’s hard to understand the pressure of a World Cup unless you’re in it.LISTEN ABOVE

On the podcast today, All Blacks legend Conrad Smith calls up to chat about his upcoming commentary at the rugby world cup, Jerry wants to try a new outro song and Matt falls into a scuttlebutt hole.....

Topics: psychology and manipulation in door-to-door sales techniques. Host Zach Elwood interviews two experienced door-to-door salespeople: Conrad Smith, who was a top salesman for a well-known home security system company, and David Mock, who did door-to-door sales for a large, well-known home remodeling company.

Another episode inspired by a Tweet, this time, from Conrad Smith, @SmithAgConrad, of Smith Ag Services, Inc. We talk about marketing promotions, the chemical broker side of ag retail, and why China's announcement of allowing genetically modified soybeans from the U.S. is a big deal. The AgPro Radio Podcast features insights and perspectives vital to AgPro readers and is hosted by Ashley Davenport. Episodes are available on the new AgriTalk Radio app every Wednesday and wherever you find podcasts. Have an idea for the podcast? Tweet her at @AshD926 or send an email to adavenport@farmjournal.com.

Andrew Trimble and Paddy McKenna welcome Leinster flyer James Lowe to the Guinness Open Gate Brewery. They are joined by Ireland and All Blacks legends David Wallace and Conrad Smith, and there is a bonus Tana Umaga chat.

LISTEN TO JOSH KRONFELD TALK ABOUT THE ALL BLACKS WITH D'ARCY AND GORAN ABOVEArdie Savea's constant legs pumping, high energy hunger will finally get a prolonged crack at the All Blacks starting side.Savea has been around the block in 31 tests but, such has been the quality of New Zealand's opensides, he's only enjoyed seven starts since 2016.Invariably those have been one offs, coming at the same time as other selection changes.Starting regularly in the first-choice loose trio is another prospect.Sam Cane's neck fracture opens the door for Savea's first extended period in the seven jersey. And while circumstances are unfortunate, no-one could say he doesn't deserve it.Cane's defensive strengths and leadership will be a major loss during his at least three month recovery from surgery in South Africa.But in his last two outings, Savea proved he is more ready than ever to take this chance.With Matt Todd in Japan, Savea is the clear, almost unchallenged, incumbent for the northern tour. That alone signals how far he has come with Todd applying pressure for back-up duties this time last year.Blake Gibson, Dillon Hunt and James Lentjes are among those staking claims to be included to replace Cane.But, undoubtedly, this is Savea's time.That it comes in career-best form, and with Pau thought to be attempting to lure Savea and Ben Smith to France after the World Cup, only adds to intrigue.The All Blacks will be desperate to retain Savea, only 24, well beyond 2019.But as we've seen from older brother Julian and many others, offshore riches can be difficult to ignore.Pau are coached by New Zealanders Simon Mannix and Savea's old Hurricanes skipper Conrad Smith. Colin Slade, Benson Stanley, Peter Saili, Frank Halai and Jamie Mackintosh are other Kiwis already on the ambitious club's books.Spending time in the All Blacks starting side will only increase Savea's bargaining power and, when Cane returns, ultimately test his patience.In the past two weeks, Savea starred as a late inclusion for Luke Whitelock at No 8 in Buenos Aires and did so again after replacing Cane 35 minutes into the miraculous comeback victory over the Springboks in Pretoria.Switching between those two roles seamlessly is a feat in itself but as the All Blacks mounted their late charge against the Boks, Savea snaffled two turnovers and his body position to crash over and hand Richie Mo'unga the chance to kick the match-winning conversion was exemplary."This season he has made a mark," All Blacks coach Steve Hansen said. "He is starting to believe he can be a test player of real quality."Many have long believed Savea possessed attributes to become just that but at times quality performances for the Hurricanes and All Blacks have been sporadic.Savea has always been a phenomenal attacking talent – his speed, offloads and work-rate causing many teams problems.In this regard he could add another dimension to the All Blacks.His challenge, particularly in successive tests against England and Ireland next month, will be to bring that same impact to repeat defensive and breakdown work, and do it from the outset when opposition forward packs are fresh.European tests present different challenges to those in the Rugby Championship with northern nations scrumming for penalties and often contesting the breakdown in greater numbers.These battlegrounds frequently put the squeeze on to limit open movement where Savea's range of skills thrive.With that stage now set to make the step up, Savea's immediate and long term future will be of great interest. 

Conrad Smith (@SmithAgConrad on twitter) discusses life and getting through hard times. He also has been thrown through a bar window...

Mike Phillips came out of retirement to play for Scarlets earlier this season and the former Wales and Lions scrum-half joins James Burridge, Tom May and Emma Thurston to talk about the Welsh side’s European Rugby Champions Cup semi-final in Dublin. We also hear from Leinster Rugby stars past and present, Denis Hickie and Isa Nacewa. James Downey chats about Munster’s last-four encounter with Racing 92 and we get a French perspective from journalist Leo Faure. There’s a quickfire Q & A with Munster skipper Peter O’Mahony and match-winning memories of the 2001 final from Leicester legend Leon Lloyd. Plus, Dom Waldouck is on the phone ahead of Newcastle Falcons' Challenge Cup semi-final at Gloucester, while Conrad Smith and Steffon Armitage speak about the incentive of making Finals Weekend 2018 in Bilbao, as they prepare for Pau’s match against Cardiff Blues. And David Humphreys makes his selection in the EPCR European Player of the Year 2018 award, presented by Turkish Airlines.

Ex-Ireland and Leinster Rugby winger Denis Hickie and retired Saracens flanker Will Fraser are two of the special guests joining James Burridge, Tom May and Emma Thurston to discuss their former clubs’ massive quarter-final clash in Dublin. Florent Rossigneux gives us his thoughts on his old side Racing 92’s all-French encounter with 2017 finalists ASM Clermont Auvergne. We preview a huge match in Wales for Scarlets against La Rochelle and RC Toulon’s daunting trip to face Munster Rugby at Thomond Park. There’s a Champions Cup Q&A with Saracens skipper Brad Barritt, Thomas Castaignède shares his memories of winning the very first European Cup final and you’ll also hear from Leon Lloyd, who was the hero for Leicester Tigers in the 2001 showpiece. Plus, David Humphreys, Conrad Smith and Steffon Armitage look ahead to a big weekend in the European Rugby Challenge Cup.

From the origins of his nickname 'Snakey' to addressing those retirement rumours, double Rugby World Cup winner Conrad Smith discusses it all on the All Blacks podcast. In a wide-ranging chat from his home base in Pau, Smith chats about his unconventional rise through rugby's ranks, what the All Blacks can expect against France in June and much more.

1.00 - Ian Keatley interview 1.30 - His crucial role in Ireland camp 11.30 - Jim Hamilton interview 16.00 - Big Jim on Maro Itoje 34.00 - Conrad Smith interview 43.00 - Smith on Bundee Aki 47.00 - Twitter questions

Conrad Smith is best known to rugby fans for his time with the All Blacks, but for the last few years he has been playing with the French club Pau.Now Smith is back in the southern hemisphere as the team takes part in the Brisbane 10s - something Smith told D'Arcy and Goran he never expected to be doing."I never thought I'd be back here playing rugby when I left for France, but funny how things work out."He said it is good for the club to be invited to a tournament like this.He’s still unsure about when he will retire from the game completely."I haven't signed on to play again. I'm still enjoying it, but I'm aware the guys who transition the best call it quits themselves."LISTEN TO CONRAD SMITH TALK WITH D'ARCY AND GORAN ABOVE

Conrad Smith is best known to rugby fans for his time with the All Blacks, but for the last few years he has been playing with the French club Pau.Now Smith is back in the southern hemisphere as the team takes part in the Brisbane 10s - something Smith told D'Arcy and Goran he never expected to be doing."I never thought I'd be back here playing rugby when I left for France, but funny how things work out."He said it is good for the club to be invited to a tournament like this.He’s still unsure about when he will retire from the game completely."I haven't signed on to play again. I'm still enjoying it, but I'm aware the guys who transition the best call it quits themselves."LISTEN TO CONRAD SMITH TALK WITH D'ARCY AND GORAN ABOVE

In Extra Time this week - Silver Ferns captain Casey Kopua is finally on the verge of taking the court again. Emirates Team NZ may finally get to the America's Cup start line while Ma'a Nonu and Conrad Smith celebrate their 50th anniversary. Rally fans suffer a setback with New Zealand to be dropped from the World Rally Championship. While former US Olympic Volleyball coach and New Zealander Hugh McCutcheon lets us in on the key to his coaching success.

In Extra Time this week - Silver Ferns captain Casey Kopua is finally on the verge of taking the court again. Emirates Team NZ may finally get to the America's Cup start line while Ma'a Nonu and Conrad Smith celebrate their 50th anniversary. Rally fans suffer a setback with New Zealand to be dropped from the World Rally Championship. While former US Olympic Volleyball coach and New Zealander Hugh McCutcheon lets us in on the key to his coaching success.

In this week's Extra Time, the New Zealand Warriors part company with coach Matt Elliott... and all the fall-out as things go sour at the top of the NRL club. The Hurricanes coach Mark Hammett is also leaving, we hear from him and his captain Conrad Smith... and it's been another poor season for the Wellington Phoenix - why? Plus a look at the national swim programme ahead of Commonwealth Games selection - and we talk to a 60-year-old grandmother from Rotorua, who's become the first person to make a double crossing of Cook Strait... in a rowing skiff.

In this week's Extra Time, the New Zealand Warriors part company with coach Matt Elliott... and all the fall-out as things go sour at the top of the NRL club. The Hurricanes coach Mark Hammett is also leaving, we hear from him and his captain Conrad Smith... and it's been another poor season for the Wellington Phoenix - why? Plus a look at the national swim programme ahead of Commonwealth Games selection - and we talk to a 60-year-old grandmother from Rotorua, who's become the first person to make a double crossing of Cook Strait... in a rowing skiff.

We talk to centre Conrad Smith as the All Blacks make an emotional return to Christchurch ahead of the second test against Ireland, and we focus on the Olympics with the London Games less than 6 weeks away, we track the process of the New Zealand Olympic team with chef de mission Dave Currie, we catch up with one of New Zealand's brightest gold medal prospects single skull rower Mahe Drysdale, we talk to one of the two women who'll be the first female boxers to represent New Zealand at an Olympics and we hear from international accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers who predict New Zealand will fail to reach it's 10 medal target in London.

We talk to centre Conrad Smith as the All Blacks make an emotional return to Christchurch ahead of the second test against Ireland, and we focus on the Olympics with the London Games less than 6 weeks away, we track the process of the New Zealand Olympic team with chef de mission Dave Currie, we catch up with one of New Zealand's brightest gold medal prospects single skull rower Mahe Drysdale, we talk to one of the two women who'll be the first female boxers to represent New Zealand at an Olympics and we hear from international accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers who predict New Zealand will fail to reach it's 10 medal target in London.

We review the Black Caps series against South Africa with former New Zealand captain, coach and selector Glenn Turner. The trans-Tasman netball competition begins this weekend with New Zealand teams trying to end Australia's domination. The Phoenix farewell midfielder Tim Brown and we hear from Hurricanes skipper Conrad Smith on his side's unexpected Super rugby efforts. And the itsy bitsy teeny weeny bikini, won't be de rigeur for beach volleyball at the London Olympics.

We review the Black Caps series against South Africa with former New Zealand captain, coach and selector Glenn Turner. The trans-Tasman netball competition begins this weekend with New Zealand teams trying to end Australia's domination. The Phoenix farewell midfielder Tim Brown and we hear from Hurricanes skipper Conrad Smith on his side's unexpected Super rugby efforts. And the itsy bitsy teeny weeny bikini, won't be de rigeur for beach volleyball at the London Olympics.

This week, we speak to New Zealand IndyCar driver Wade Cunningham about being at the centre of the horror crash that climbed the life of fellow racer Dan Wheldon, we catch up with the outgoing All Blacks coach Graham Henry as he decides what his next challenge will be after eight years at the helm, we pick over the naming over next year's Super Rugby squads and chat to Blues assistant Bryce Woodward and Hurricanes centre Conrad Smith about the upcoming season, and we talk to triathlete Hamish Carter as he comes out of retirement.

This week, we speak to New Zealand IndyCar driver Wade Cunningham about being at the centre of the horror crash that climbed the life of fellow racer Dan Wheldon, we catch up with the outgoing All Blacks coach Graham Henry as he decides what his next challenge will be after eight years at the helm, we pick over the naming over next year's Super Rugby squads and chat to Blues assistant Bryce Woodward and Hurricanes centre Conrad Smith about the upcoming season, and we talk to triathlete Hamish Carter as he comes out of retirement.

We catch up with Hurricanes and All Black centre Conrad Smith as he prepares to make his return to Super Rugby after a lengthy spell on the sidelines, we talk to the Warriors emerging star James Maloney as the Auckland based side return home from their successful road trip, we find out why the Northern Mystics netball coach believes her side are the team to fear in this weekend's grand final, and we talk to former New Zealand cricket legend Martin Crowe, about why he's contemplating a return to the sport.

We catch up with Hurricanes and All Black centre Conrad Smith as he prepares to make his return to Super Rugby after a lengthy spell on the sidelines, we talk to the Warriors emerging star James Maloney as the Auckland based side return home from their successful road trip, we find out why the Northern Mystics netball coach believes her side are the team to fear in this weekend's grand final, and we talk to former New Zealand cricket legend Martin Crowe, about why he's contemplating a return to the sport.