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Coaching Culture with Ben Herring
Coaching Culture with Ben Herring is your weekly deep-dive into the often-overlooked “softer skills” of coaching—cultural innovation, communication, empathy, leadership, dealing with stress, and motivation. Each episode features candid conversations with the world’s top international rugby coaches, who share the personal stories and intangible insights behind their winning cultures, and too their biggest failures and learnings from them. This is where X’s and O’s meet heart and soul, empowering coaches at every level to foster authentic connections, inspire their teams, and elevate their own coaching craft. If you believe that the real gold in rugby lies beyond the scoreboard, Coaching Culture is the podcast for you.
Episodes
38 episodes
Joey Mongalo: Learn from Everyone, Everywhere: The World as Your Leadership Library
What makes a great coach? Joey Mongalo, defense coach at the Sharks in Durban, doesn't hesitate when answering this question: it's the ability to understand context, connect authentically, and treat leadership as a core skill rather than a "sof...
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1:06:05
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REFLECTIONS Taming Your Coach's Ego
The silent opponent every coach must face isn't on the field—it's within. This episode dives deep into the complex relationship coaches have with their egos and how mastering (not eliminating) this powerful force can transform your leadership.<...
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17:43
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Seilala Mapusua: Understanding Polynesian Players.
Seilala Mapusua takes us on a profound journey through the cultural landscapes of rugby, drawing from his remarkable career spanning from Samoa to New Zealand's Otago, London Irish in England, and Japan's Kubota Spears.At the heart of t...
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46:23
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James Doleman: How Referees Shape Rugby's Culture Beyond the Rules
When James Dolman steps onto a rugby field to referee a test match, he carries years of mental preparation, relationship-building, and self-reflection with him. In this revealing conversation with Ben Herring, Dolman takes us behind the scenes ...
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1:07:06
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Aaron Smith: Great coaches admit mistakes and know when to stop coaching
What separates championship team cultures from the rest? For legendary All Blacks halfback Aaron Smith, it comes down to something invisible yet incredibly powerful: "that feeling that binds you all together."Drawing from his extraordin...
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58:55
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REFLECTIONS Public vs. Private
What makes a truly meaningful team culture? It's not just putting values on a wall or running team-building exercises. According to Ben Herring, it requires a deliberate framework with three essential components working together to form what he...
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13:36
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Mike Cron: Rugby's Wisest Coach Shares His Lifetime of Wisdom
When a coach with 42 years of experience and three World Cup titles speaks, the rugby world listens. Mike Cron, forwards coach for the Wallabies and veteran of 217 All Blacks matches, opens up about the coaching philosophy that's made him a leg...
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56:56
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REFLECTIONS: Why words matter!
Ever wondered why certain coaches' words stick with you for decades? That's not coincidence – it's the powerful alchemy of language and leadership.Words shape our reality as coaches and leaders. When we speak, we're not merely giving in...
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10:28
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Dan Bowden: How to Coach Your Players Without Putting Them to Sleep
Dan Bowden's rugby journey spans three continents and multiple elite environments, from the Crusaders' player-led culture to Leicester Tigers' strict framework. Now, as attack coach for Japan's national team, he's blending these experiences int...
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1:09:06
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Ryan Martin: How to win a MLR Chamionship (Three times in a row!)
"Act as if it's impossible to fail." Those words from a 1932 book became a rallying cry for the Boston Free Jacks during their historic championship season. Head coach Ryan Martin reveals the remarkable human-centered strategies behind his team...
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1:00:15
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James Marshall: The Power of Collaborative Coaching
From the heat of championship matches to the quiet moments of career transition, James Marshall's coaching journey offers a masterclass in modern rugby leadership. The former Hurricane turned Crusaders backs and attack coach reveals how authent...
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1:05:17
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REFLECTIONS: Defining Culture
What's the difference between teams that thrive under pressure and those that crumble? It's not just talent or resources—it's culture. In this thought-provoking episode, I take you beyond buzzwords to explore why culture truly serves as the hea...
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24:12
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Simon Cron: Scars Make You Stronger.
Simon Cron, head coach of the Western Force, opens up just days before his team's monumental clash with the British and Irish Lions—a once-in-a-generation opportunity that comes around only every 12 years. With remarkable candor, he reveals his...
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1:04:55
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Kendrick Lynn: Breaking Down Argentina's Rugby DNA
What truly makes a winning team culture? According to Kenny Lynn, Argentina Rugby's attack coach, it's "the environment you create to maximize the potential of the group." Fresh off orchestrating Argentina's historic victory over the British an...
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58:55
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Ben Darwin: The Science of Team Cohesion
Ben Darwin, former Wallaby prop turned analytics expert, reveals how his company Gainline Analytics is revolutionizing our understanding of team performance through the measurement of cohesion. This eye-opening conversation challenges conventio...
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1:05:39
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Tony Brown: Rugby Man first, Coach Second.
Tony Brown's approach to coaching is refreshingly straightforward in a world that often overcomplicates the game. "I'm a rugby man first, then a coach second," he explains, revealing how his deep love for the sport drives everything he does. Th...
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59:32
Phil Davies: Inside the Mind of World Rugby’s Director of Rugby
What makes rugby's culture so distinct, and how does it translate across different countries and contexts? In this fascinating conversation, Phil Davies—Director of Rugby at World Rugby—shares wisdom gleaned from 35 years at every level of the ...
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58:54
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Geoff Parling: High Challenge and High Support cultures
What separates good coaches from great ones? Geoff Parling reveals the answer goes beyond technical expertise to something deeper – creating environments where players thrive under pressure.Having transitioned from an illustrious playin...
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57:09
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Sam Vesty: Inside Finals Week. Joy, Simplicity & Team Culture
What does championship preparation actually look like? Two days before the European Champions Cup final against Bordeaux, Northampton Saints head coach Sam Vesty pulls back the curtain on his approach to cultivating a winning team culture.<...
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1:05:38
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Paul Galland: The Crusaders Pipeline; Shaping More than Rugby Players
What does it take to build the most successful rugby talent pipeline in the world? Paul Galland, Head Academy Manager for the Crusaders, pulls back the curtain on the organization that consistently produces more All Blacks than any other in New...
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1:03:43
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John Mitchell: How Adversity Reshapes Coaching Philosophy
What happens when a coach who's traversed the globe leading elite teams for nearly three decades opens up about his most profound lessons? John Mitchell, whose remarkable career spans from All Blacks Head Coach to his current role with England'...
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58:27
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Matt Cockbain: The Head Coach Coaches the Head.
A masterclass in coaching philosophy with former Wallaby forward Matt Cockbain who unpacks the delicate art and science of building championship cultures across continents. Drawing from 15 years of professional coaching experience spanning Aust...
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1:00:39
Mike Ruddock: Culture, Causes, and the 2005 Welsh Legacy
What turns a group of talented individuals into champions? Mike Ruddock OBE—architect of Wales' historic 2005 Grand Slam—reveals it's about finding a cause worth fighting for.Ruddock takes us on a journey through the essence of team cul...
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1:01:49
Scott Lawrence: Coaching Culture and Vision in USA Rugby
Scott Lawrence, a pivotal figure in USA Rugby, joins us for an enlightening conversation that straddles the line between sport and data science. Drawing from his humble beginnings in the Midwest to his role as head coach and general manager, Sc...
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Episode 6
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59:59
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