Seti Tafua- What a Lad

Seti Tafua- What a Lad

From What a Lad by Presented by Betcha

April 29, 2026 · 1h 2m · Season 7 · Episode 318

About this episode

Seti Tafua shares his powerful journey of overcoming a life-changing injury and finding purpose after rugby.

Seti Tafua has one of the most powerful and inspiring stories you’ll hear in New Zealand rugby. A talented young player chasing his dream overseas, Seti’s life changed in an instant after a horrific neck injury left him paralysed and fighting for his life. Doctors told him he may never walk again. In this episode of What a Lad, Seti opens up about that journey through rugby and life. From the moment of the injury, to the reality of being unable to move, the long road through rehab, and the mindset that helped him defy the odds and walk again. He also shares how he found purpose after rugby and built a new career as the Hurricanes Analyst. Some parts that stood out for me in this episode were… - The moment he made a tackle and instantly knew something was seriously wrong - Being told by doctors he would likely have to rely on others for the rest of his life - Spending over two years in a wheelchair and the reality of daily rehab - The mindset he used to stay positive and never give up despite the odds - Taking his first steps again and the emotion that came with it - The unbelievable support from the rugby community during his recovery - How he managed to become part of the…

People in this episode

Host: Presented by Betcha

Guest: Seti Tafua

Topics covered

  • rugby
  • injury recovery
  • resilience
  • mindset
  • life after sports

Keywords

  • Seti Tafua
  • rugby
  • neck injury
  • rehab
  • resilience
  • Hurricanes Analyst
  • positivity

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Hurricanes Analyst

Places: New Zealand

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