Winning The Away Game

Pierre Spies and Daniel Ornellas come from completely different worlds — elite rugby and global music — but this conversation reveals how similar the pressure of identity, purpose, loss, and reinvention really is. Pierre opens up about losing his father before his Springbok breakthrough, the emotional reality of retiring from rugby, and why fame can never become your identity. Daniel shares the story behind Tree63, moving to America, touring with Taylor Swift and Camila Cabello, and why living abroad made him feel even more South African. This episode is for founders, athletes, creatives, and anyone wrestling with reinvention after success. Key Takeaways Why success often exposes identity problems instead of solving them The hidden emotional cost of elite performance How grief shaped both Pierre and Daniel’s leadership journeys Why moving overseas can deepen your connection to home The danger of tying your identity to your profession How purpose becomes clearer after public success fades Chapters 00:00 Introduction 02:20 Living in Nashville and George 03:10 Favorite Springbok memories 06:55 Pierre’s nightmare Springbok debut 07:30 Losing fathers before career breakthroughs 10:00 The decision that changed Pierre’s life 11:35 Daniel’s father, rock music and radical faith 14:45 Growing up with no money and total faith 15:40 Why Daniel never wanted to be on stage 17:25 Becoming more like your parents 18:40 What death teaches you about life 20:00 Leaving South Africa for America 21:20 The problem with fear-driven emigration 23:00 Why South Africa still feels like home 26:45 Life after rugby and identity loss 28:15 From rugby career to calling 30:30 The hidden challenge of retirement 31:20 Why identity cannot come from achievement Listen on Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/26fB2unP9Ih6IA3QkjnGQF?si=4b4380f24a144716 Listen on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/za/podcast/winning-the-away-game/id1853818584 Connect with Justinus:https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinusadriaanse/ Connect with Flip:https://www.linkedin.com/in/flipvandermerwe/ Check out our other channels: Website: https://wtagpodcast.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/winning-the-away-game-podcast/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wtag_podcast/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wtag_podcast Winning The Away Game is produced by Jonathan Warncke Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/%F0%9F%8E%99-jonathan-warncke-45b2095/ Ping Productions: https://www.pingproductions.net/

What separates the leaders who sustain success from those who flame out at the top? In this episode, Springbok coach Nick Mallett and global fund manager Sean Peche strip back decades of high-performance experience to reveal the decisions, assumptions, and identity shifts that defined — and sometimes derailed — their careers. This is essential listening for founders, executives, and anyone operating in high-stakes environments where clarity disappears and the pressure to act is constant. From losing a team's confidence with one selection call, to spending 14 years marketing to the wrong market, both guests bring rare candour to questions most leaders avoid. If you've ever made a call you regretted under pressure, or held a belief that turned out to be quietly costing you, this episode will hit hard. Chapters: Chapters 00:00:00 Introduction — Decisions Without Certainty 00:02:30 Springbok Memories — 1995 and 2019 00:08:00 Nick Mallett: From Player to Coach in France 00:14:00 Sean Peche: Moving to London and Starting Ranmore 00:20:00 The False Assumption That Cost Sean 14 Years 00:25:00 From $50M to $2.5 Billion — The LinkedIn Turning Point 00:30:00 Nick's Biggest Coaching Mistake: The Gary Teichmann Decision 00:37:00 How One Selection Broke Team Trust Instantly 00:42:00 The South African Advantage — Confronting Poverty and Building Resilience 00:49:00 Nick Mallett's Advice for Aspiring Coaches 00:54:00 Two Roads to a Springbok Jersey — Privilege vs. Pure Resilience 00:58:00 Sean on Giving Back: The Run More Shoe Initiative 01:02:00 Should You Wait Before Taking the Big Job? 01:05:00 Getting the Odds on Your Side — Final Lessons Listen on Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/26fB2unP9Ih6IA3QkjnGQF?si=4b4380f24a144716 Listen on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/za/podcast/winning-the-away-game/id1853818584 Connect with Justinus:https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinusadriaanse/ Connect with Flip:https://www.linkedin.com/in/flipvandermerwe/ Check out our other channels: Website: https://wtagpodcast.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/winning-the-away-game-podcast/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wtag_podcast/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wtag_podcast Winning The Away Game is produced by Jonathan Warncke Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/%F0%9F%8E%99-jonathan-warncke-45b2095/ Ping Productions: https://www.pingproductions.net/

In this episode of Winning The Away Game, Pat Lambie and Bruce Whitfield unpack what it means to rebuild after loss - whether it's concussion ending a rugby career or walking away from a powerful media platform. This conversation is for founders, operators, and high performers navigating uncertainty, identity shifts, and global transitions. From elite sport to global banking, this episode explores pressure, resilience, and how South Africans consistently win on foreign soil. Key Takeaways • Why identity loss can be your greatest growth catalyst • The difference between sporting pressure and financial pressure • How rugby prepares leaders for business environments • Why chaos is not destruction - it's diversification The mindset required to rebuild relevance from zero • Why South Africans thrive globally Chapters 00:00 Introduction 03:10 Bruce on Rugby as a Unifier 06:06 Pat's First Springbok Anthem Moment 11:40 Concussion and Forced Retirement 14:09 Bruce's Move to London 18:03 Rebuilding Identity in a New Market 22:37 Transitioning from Rugby to Business 25:30 The Discipline Gap After Sport 29:19 Fatherhood as a New Purpose 33:10 Confidence Under Pressure 37:25 Ego, Leadership and Tough Conversations 44:12 The TymeBank Away Game Story 50:53 Why South Africans Win Globally 54:38 What the Next 10 Years Look Like Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/26fB2unP9lh6IA3QkjnGQF?si=4b4380f24a144716 Listen on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/za/podcast/winning-the-away-game/ id1853818584 Connect with Justinus: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinusadriaanse/ Connect with Flip: https://www.linkedin.com/in/flipvandermerwe/ Check out our other channels: Website: https://wtagpodcast.com/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/winning-the-away-game-podcast/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wtag_podcast/ Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wtag_podcast Winning The Away Game is produced by Jonathan Warncke Connect on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/%F0%9F%8E%99-jonathan-warncke-45b2095/ Ping Productions: https://www.pingproductions.net/

In this episode of Winning The Away Game, hosts Justinus Adriaanse and Flip van der Merwe speak with former Springbok Cabous van der Westhuizen and global entertainment executive Brannon Phillips about reinvention, starting over in new countries, and what elite sport teaches you about succeeding when no one is clapping anymore.From building a beach bar business in Mauritius to navigating the entertainment industry in Los Angeles, this episode explores resilience, identity, culture shifts, and the mindset needed to win the Away Game. Chapters 00:00 Highlights 01:04 Welcome 02:43 Favourite Springbok moment 07:12 Why leave South Africa? 15:59 Adjusting abroad 25:53 Rebuilding credibility 33:24 Culture shifts 39:19 Identity and leadership 43:00 Final reflections Listen on Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/26fB2unP9Ih6IA3QkjnGQF?si=4b4380f24a144716 Listen on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/za/podcast/winning-the-away-game/id1853818584 Connect with Justinus:https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinusadriaanse/ Connect with Flip:https://www.linkedin.com/in/flipvandermerwe/ Check out our other channels: Website: https://wtagpodcast.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/winning-the-away-game-podcast/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wtag_podcast/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wtag_podcast Winning The Away Game is produced by Jonathan Warncke Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/%F0%9F%8E%99-jonathan-warncke-45b2095/ Ping Productions: https://www.pingproductions.net/

In this episode of Winning The Away Game, we sit down with two true South African sporting icons — Springbok legend Rob Louw and world champion surfer Shaun Tomson. This is a powerful, wide-ranging conversation about breaking barriers, choosing adventure over comfort, leadership through change, and rebuilding life after elite sport. From apartheid-era tours and the evolution of South African rugby, to conquering Hawaii’s waves, building global businesses, and finding purpose after profound personal loss — this episode is about resilience in its truest form. We explore what it really means to win the away game when the rules keep changing. Chapters 00:00 – Introduction & welcome 02:33 – What is your favourite Springbok memory? 07:54 – What was the 1981 tour really like behind the scenes? 10:42 – Shaun, how did rugby shape your upbringing in Durban? 15:02 – Rob, when did you know rugby would define your life? 18:38 – What creates respect across different sports? 24:43 – How did Doc Craven influence your career and values? 29:49 – Shaun, who were your biggest mentors growing up? 38:29 – What did it take to leave South Africa and play overseas? 46:50 – Why were you banned after switching to rugby league? 48:10 – Shaun, what drove you to move to Hawaii and go global? 55:26 – Rob, how did you rebuild life after rugby ended? 1:02:05 – Shaun, how did you navigate life after retiring from sport? 1:10:30 – What role does purpose play in business and leadership? 1:13:30 – Why resilience and hope matter more than ever today Listen on Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/26fB2unP9Ih6IA3QkjnGQF?si=4b4380f24a144716 Listen on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/za/podcast/winning-the-away-game/id1853818584 Connect with Justinus: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinusadriaanse/ Connect with Flip: https://www.linkedin.com/in/flipvandermerwe/ Check out our other channels: Website: https://wtagpodcast.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/winning-the-away-game-podcast/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wtag_podcast/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wtag_podcast Winning The Away Game is produced by Jonathan Warncke Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/%F0%9F%8E%99-jonathan-warncke-45b2095/ Ping Productions: https://www.pingproductions.net/

We sat down with BJ Botha (a Sharks man through and through and a Springbok World Cup winner) and Linda Reddy (a South African leader flying the Nando’s flag globally) to talk about what it really takes to build a life and career across borders. This conversation is about identity, purpose, and the grit it takes to start again: from moving cities, to moving countries, to rebuilding after rugby, to leading teams from the other side of the world. Key moments: 00:00:00 Intro: What the away game really means 00:01:10 Springbok memories and the moments that shaped us 00:05:48 Identity, national pride, and carrying the flag abroad 00:09:42 Leaving home: expectations when you land overseas 00:13:30 Life after rugby and losing a playing identity 00:16:43 The Nando’s story that changes every immigration conversation 00:19:55 Comfort vs growth when making big moves 00:24:07 The shock of London winter and self-doubt 00:28:36 Why South Africans always have a plan (A, B, C) 00:32:41 Leading teams remotely across continents 00:36:58 Building connection when you’re not in the room 00:42:31 Running toward purpose, not away from pain 00:47:12 Family stability as the foundation for performance 00:53:41 Kilimanjaro, Machu Picchu, Mount Fuji — using challenge for impact 00:57:58 Giving back, leadership, and legacy 00:59:06 Guests ask each other a question Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/26fB2unP9Ih6IA3QkjnGQF?si=4b4380f24a144716 Listen on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/za/podcast/winning-the-away-game/id1853818584 Connect with Justinus: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinusadriaanse/ Connect with Flip https://www.linkedin.com/in/flipvandermerwe/ Check out our other channels: Website: https://wtagpodcast.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/winning-the-away-game-podcast/ Insta: https://www.instagram.com/wtag_podcast/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wtag_podcast Winning The Away Game is produced by Jonathan Warncke Connect with him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/%F0%9F%8E%99-jonathan-warncke-45b2095/ Ping Productions: https://www.pingproductions.net/

AJ Venter told us how his experiences growing up and playing rugby informed his strategy in the business. Watch the whole episode now.

In episode 3 of Winning The Away Game, Hein Wagner blew us away with the statement that if he could undergo a surgery that would give him sight, he wouldn’t take it. Watch the whole incredible interview with Hein and Corne Krige now.

We were so inspired by Hein’s incredible story that we had to make a highlights reel. If you haven’t watched the full interview with Hein and Corne Krige, go check it out now.

Kobus Wiese’s formula for success? Work hard, be a team player, and believe in yourself. Catch the full episode now.

Orrin Klopper had a rowdy childhood until he ended up at King Edward VII School, where he got set on a trajectory that would lead to international business success.

In episode 2 , we sit down with two South African giants of the Away Game: 1995 Rugby World Cup winner and Wiesenhof Coffee founder Kobus Wiese, and Cape Classics and Indaba Foundation founder André Shearer. From lifting the Webb Ellis Cup to lifting espresso machines and wine cases in far-flung markets, we unpack how teams, attitude and sheer graft turn rugby lessons into global businesses. In this episode, we talk about: ● How the Springboks became South Africa’s best brand builder when everything else was failing ● Kobus’s blind date that turned into a marriage and a coffee empire ● André’s unlikely journey from teetotal medical student and model to New York wine merchant ● What it really takes to start a business in a country where no one knows your story ● Why attitude often matters more than CVs in building winning teams ● The brutal honesty of Players’ Player of the Year and what it teaches us about feedback in business ● The power of early childhood education and the vision behind the Indaba Foundation ● Why less than 1% of an education budget can break an entire economy over 20 years ● Coffee, wine and why the best leaders are willing to mop the floor and host the boardroom If you love Springbok rugby, entrepreneurship, South African wine and coffee, this one is for you. 00:00 – Welcome to Winning the Away Game 01:06 – Introducing Kobus Wiese & André Shearer 02:32 – Springboks as South Africa’s greatest brand builders 03:12 – Flip’s dad, Jan Boland Coetzee and scrum lessons for life 07:16 – When did Kobus realise he could make it as a Bok? 10:12 – Herklaas Engelbrecht and falling in love with rugby 11:49 – André’s journey: medicine, modelling and stumbling into wine 14:11 – The first cellar tasting that changed everything 17:46 – Landing in New York with South African wine no one knew 23:22 – Two-sided marketplace: convincing farmers and US buyers 25:53 – South Africa’s missing national brand story 28:12 – Kobus’s second date that led to Wiesenhof Coffee 31:33 – Chaos on day one and learning the trade from scratch 35:30 – The real lows of entrepreneurship and finding trustworthy people 38:12 – Building a business in New York with no network 43:59 – The ethics of relationships and why partners matter more than terms 49:37 – Rugby lessons for business: sacrifice, attitude and honesty 53:46 – Rowing, leadership and leading from the front 60:51 – The Indaba Foundation and early childhood education 65:05 – From 46% to 92%: what early learning can unlock 71:23 – Entrepreneurs, honest government and proper parenting 81:57 – Kobus’s next chapter dream: classical music and the violin 83:40 – Backs play the piano, forwards move the piano 84:08 – Wrap-up and how to support the work About Winning the Away Game: We are Justinus Adriaanse and Flip van der Merwe. Connect with us on LinkedIn. Got a guest you’d love to see on the show? - Drop some suggestions in the comments and we’ll try to get them on the show. And if you have a question you think we should ask our guests? Let us know. Winning The Away Game is available on YouTube, Apple, Spotify, and on the Winning The Away Game website at www.wtagpodcast.com. Subscribe to our newsletter for latest releases and behind the scenes content. Winning The Away Game is produced by Jonathan Warncke

In this episode we sit down with two South Africans who know all about pressure, change, and starting again: former Springbok captain Corne Krige and blind adventurer and speaker Hein Wagner. They take us from leaving home for boarding school as young kids, to captaining the Springboks and crossing oceans, to starting businesses and building institutions that create opportunity for others. Along the way we talk discipline, identity, independence, and what it really means to build a country that works for everyone. In this episode we cover: - Growing up far from home: boarding school at 4 and 5, and learning independence early - Corne’s journey from Zambia to Paarl Boys’ and captaining the Springboks on debut - Hein’s story of blindness, adventure, and crossing the Atlantic with a deaf skipper - Land-speed records, Cape Epic on a tandem, Ironman, and chasing challenge after challenge - The brutal England test, retiring from rugby, and starting over in business - Building discipline, resilience, and identity beyond a Springbok jersey - Moving to Sweden and how a different system changed Hein’s view of South Africa - Hein’s daughter’s leukemia, the Swedish healthcare system, and what “a country that works for everyone” can look like About Winning the Away Game: We are Justinus Adriaanse and Flip van der Merwe. Connect with us on LinkedIn. Got a guest you’d love to see on the show? - Drop some suggestions in the comments and we’ll try to get them on the show. And if you have a question you think we should ask our guests? Let us know. Winning The Away Game is available on YouTube, Apple, Spotify, and on the Winning The Away Game website at www.wtagpodcast.com. Subscribe to our newsletter for latest releases and behind the scenes content. Winning The Away Game is produced by Jonathan Warncke What both guests wish their 16-year-old selves knew about gratitude, mistakes, and giving back