Bryce Heem- What a Lad

Bryce Heem- What a Lad

From What a Lad by Presented by Betcha

May 20, 2026 · 1h 15m · Season 7 · Episode 321

About this episode

Bryce Heem discusses his journey from an underrated rugby player to a respected figure in the sport and his transition to mortgage broking.

Bryce Heem is one of the most underrated rugby players New Zealand has produced. From leaving school early and working trades, to partying his way through his late teens, Bryce carved out a 15-year professional rugby career through hard work, resilience and taking every opportunity that came his way. Playing for the Auckland, Northland, Tasman, the Chiefs, the Blues, NZ Sevens, Worcester and Toulon, Bryce built a career that took him all around the world and made him one of the most respected teammates in the game. Some parts that stood out for me in this episode were… - How he's found his transition from rugby to mortgage broking - Going from working in refrigeration and air conditioning to marking Hosea Gear in his first professional game - The brutal fitness standards and lessons he learned under Gordon Tietjens in NZ Sevens - Why he chose to leave New Zealand rugby for Worcester and the reality of overseas rugby life - Returning home from France after his dad was diagnosed with lung cancer - How a simple message helped earn him a contract with the Blues - Winning Super Rugby with the Blues after years of being so close - His thoughts on missing out on the All Blacks and why…

People in this episode

Guest: Bryce Heem

Topics covered

  • rugby career
  • professional sports
  • transition to new career
  • personal challenges
  • team dynamics
  • overseas rugby experience

Keywords

  • Bryce Heem
  • rugby
  • mortgage broking
  • professional career
  • Super Rugby
  • NZ Sevens
  • overseas rugby
  • teamwork
  • personal growth

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Auckland, Northland, Tasman, the Chiefs, the Blues, NZ Sevens, Worcester, Toulon

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