The Coach G Show

Flip van der Merwe — 30-cap Springbok, back-to-back Super Rugby champion with the Bulls, Cambridge MBA holder, data strategist, and the man who bought Biarritz Olympic for one euro — sits down with Coach G for one of the most honest conversations yet on the show.📩 Join Coach G’s Scrum Dominator Community -https://www.skool.com/coach-g-1708This isn't a greatest-hits career recap. It's a real discussion about identity, failure, late blooming, mental health, and what happens when the game ends.What you'll hear:How Flip played just 7 games in 4 years at the Cheetahs — and why it made himGetting called up to the Springboks from a camping holiday in Namibia, 18 hours from Cape TownThe lineout philosophy Victor Matfield installed that still holds up todayBuying Biarritz Olympic for €1 — and why he walked away 7 months laterThe loneliness and identity crisis that hit after rugby endedStudying for a master's in big data and an MBA at Cambridge while playing professionallyWhy AI is transforming rugby coaching — and what teams are getting wrong about it00:00 The Journey Begins: Rugby and Life Balance09:51 Overcoming Challenges: The Path to Professional Rugby20:00 Debut and Family Legacy: The Springbok Experience29:50 The Art of Lineouts: Learning from Legends30:21 Cultural Differences in Lineout Strategies34:10 Balancing Rugby and Education35:33 The Journey of Continuous Learning42:20 Transitioning from Rugby to Data Strategy46:01 Leveraging AI in Rugby Coaching52:07 Enhancing Player Development with AI56:20 Ensuring Data Security in Rugby58:28 Reflecting on Fond Memories with the Bulls01:02:12 The Journey of Buying Beer Rits01:05:46 Cultural Shock in French Rugby01:10:51 Personal Transformation and Health Challenges01:16:40 Navigating Mental Health Post-Rugby01:23:20 Insights from Coaching with Rassie ErasmusHonest. Sharp. Elite.🎧 Follow The Coach G Show on Spotify and leave a review if this landed.Follow us on ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ - https://www.instagram.com/thecoachgshowFollow Coach G on⁠⁠ Instagram⁠⁠ - https://www.instagram.com/ggsteenkamp

Bob Skinstad. 42 Springbok caps. The first professional rugby player signed in South Africa. Venture capitalist. Club owner. 📩 Join Coach G’s Scrum Dominator Community -https://www.skool.com/coach-g-1708And one of the most honest people Coach G has ever shared a dressing room with.This is not a highlights reel. This is a real conversation about what happens when the final whistle blows — and no one's prepared you for what comes next.In this episode:The mental crash that follows winning — and why players spiral without the right toolsThe "big hollow": depression, self-doubt, and what Bob wishes someone had told him earlierHow he started building business skills during his playing career while most players stopped being curiousThe brutal reality of owning a French rugby club as a South African outsiderWhy being paid to play rugby can quietly destroy your hunger and work ethicAI in rugby — what it can and can't replace, and why the human element still leadsProtecting your energy as an empath, and what years of giving to others costs youBob doesn't pretend to have it all figured out. That's exactly what makes this episode so valuable.00:00 Intro & Bob's Current World03:24 Managing Multiple Projects & Staying Focused05:22 The Challenge of French Rugby Culture16:56 USN Sponsor Message17:30 Bob's Journey From Player to Businessman21:00 The First Professional Rugby Player in South Africa25:51 The Mental Crash After the Highs of Professional Rugby32:35 Coping Mechanisms Alcohol and the Evolution of Self-Awareness34:30 Challenges Facing Modern Players41:44 AI in Rugby and High Performance Sport47:24 How Coaches Can Use AI to Save Time49:40 Would Bob Come Back as a PropWhether you're a player navigating the transition, a coach building something on the side, or a leader in any high-pressure environment — there is something in here for you.🎧 Listen, follow, and share with someone who needs to hear this.

Drew Mitchell played 71 tests for Australia, scored 14 World Cup tries across three tournaments, and won back-to-back European Champions Cups with Toulon. 📩 Join Coach G’s Scrum Dominator Community -https://www.skool.com/coach-g-1708He did it all clinically blind in his right eye — a fact he hid from clubs, coaches, and medical teams for his entire career.In this episode of The Coach G Show, Drew sits down with Coach G for a wide-open conversation about the parts of an elite rugby career nobody talks about.What you'll hear:The blind right eye he concealed from French club medicals to protect his contractWhy he retired on Twitter — mid-season, unannounced — and never looked backThe social anxiety, identity loss, and breakdown moment that hit after the jersey came offLearning to fly helicopters to replace the adrenaline rugby gave himHow George Gregan's "Apples" callout turned him into a harder playerHis zero-routine game day that always ended the same way — vomiting before kickoffWhat really held the Toulon Galacticos together when egos could have torn it apartWhy therapy was the most important thing he did before the problems started00:00 – Cold Open: "I'm done with rugby"01:00 – Introduction: Drew Mitchell's career01:37 – Life after Toulon / living in Bondi03:15 – Relationship with training post-rugby06:23 – "Chubb Club" and fat club stories07:30 – Playing international rugby blind in one eye13:04 – How he overcame the obstacle and kept it quiet14:44 – Family, discipline, and what drove him as a kid18:46 – Making the Wallabies and the gym reality check21:13 – Why respect is the only currency that matters22:36 – Rugby union over rugby league — the real reason26:29 – Bond with Gits, Ashley Cooper, and the podcast31:12 – The Twitter retirement nobody saw coming36:13 – Flying helicopters to fill the void41:38 – Selling pubs, finding structure, and commercial real estate45:06 – Mental health, anxiety, therapy, and breaking down in the car51:34 – Starting at 60kg in the Reds Academy54:36 – The "Apples" story with George Gregan57:32 – Pre-game routine: chaos, calm, and vomiting every test1:00:22 – Australian sledging culture on the field1:07:59 – Inside the Toulon Galacticos era1:13:44 – What actually built the culture at Toulon1:14:49 – Johnny Wilkinson's habits up close1:19:43 – The New York Marathon and Busta Rhymes1:27:10 – Final question: reincarnated as which prop?This one covers the full picture — career, character, culture, and the messy reality of life on the other side of elite sport.Listen, follow, and share with anyone who loves rugby, high performance, or honest conversations.

Scott Spedding walked away from South Africa at 22 with almost nothing — because his own attitude had closed nearly every door behind him. 📩 Join Coach G’s Scrum Dominator Community -https://www.skool.com/coach-g-1708What followed was one of rugby's most unexpected journeys: from scrapping in French junior rugby to earning 23 caps for the French national team.In this episode, Scott and Coach G go deep on the decisions, obsessions, sacrifices, and setbacks that defined a remarkable career — and what the transition out of rugby really looks like when no one has the answer.What you'll take from this episode:Why bad attitude at 19 nearly ended his career before it startedHow obsession — even when it went too far — drove him onto the French teamThe night Serge Blanco knocked on his door and changed everythingHow Joe Rokocoko kept him focused play by play through the most important game of his lifeThe criticism he faced for wearing the French jersey as a South AfricanWhy the rugby network is one of the most underused assets former players haveThe financial advice every professional player needs to hear before it's too late0:00 Intro1:47 Meet Scott Spedding2:10 Life in Southwest France4:31 Why He Left South Africa at 227:18 The Mentors Who Changed Everything9:59 What It Really Takes to Listen13:16 Arrogance, Mistakes & Hard Lessons14:57 The Toughest Years in French Rugby16:54 When Playing for France Became the Obsession20:26 What the Obsession Actually Looked Like25:30 On Balance vs Going All In26:40 Serge Blanco at the Door & the Plane Ticket Moment31:15 Facing Criticism as a Foreigner in the French Team37:46 Greatest Players He Shared a Changing Room With42:44 What Transformed French Rugby50:37 2023 World Cup Quarterfinal France vs South Africa51:48 Life After Rugby Property Meat Business & Safari Lodge59:05 The Real Value of a Rugby Network1:03:48 What He Would Do Differently1:09:45 Final Advice for Players & The Money ConversationA raw, honest, and genuinely inspiring conversation for players, coaches, and anyone chasing something that feels just out of reach.Follow us on ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ - https://www.instagram.com/thecoachgshowFollow Coach G on⁠⁠ Instagram⁠⁠ - https://www.instagram.com/ggsteenkamp🎧 Listen, follow, and share with someone who needs to hear this.

Steve Kitshoff. Springbok legend. Bomb Squad co-founder. A man who was 2mm from never walking again.📩 Join Coach G’s Scrum Dominator Community -https://www.skool.com/coach-g-1708In this episode of The Coach G Show, Coach G sits down with one of the greatest loosehead props to ever play the game for a conversation that covers the full spectrum — from school rugby fundamentals to building a licensing empire, and from scrum mechanics to the mental shift required when everything you've built your identity around is suddenly gone.What you'll learn in this episode:The career-ending neck injury Steve never saw coming — and the moment everything became clearThe Bomb Squad origin story: how a boardroom conversation with Rassie became a beer, a clothing line, and a national licensing brandThe 3 pillars of scrum dominance every prop needs to develop — conditioning, power transfer, and unit understandingWhat makes the Springbok scrum the most destructive in world rugby right nowRassie's philosophy: "right players, not best players" — and why it changed everythingHow Steve overcame imposter syndrome in the business worldPractical advice for young props, parents of junior players, and anyone navigating a major life transition00:00 Cold Open & The Spicy Plum Nickname01:32 Introducing Steve Kitshoff05:35 School Rugby & The Foundation Years at Paul Roos08:28 Mentors & Players Who Shaped His Career14:17 The State of Scrummaging Today19:22 3 Keys to Scrum Dominance for Props24:00 What Parents of Young Players Need to Know27:48 Quickfire Scrum Questions29:06 Why the Springbok Scrum Is So Destructive34:52 The Bomb Squad Origin Story40:33 Business Lessons from Rugby Leadership45:49 The Career-Ending Neck Injury49:57 Life After Rugby & What Comes Next53:11 Advice for Players Still PlayingThis is a conversation about identity, reinvention, and what it really takes to build something that lasts.🎧 Listen, follow, and share with anyone who plays, coaches, or loves rugby.Follow us on ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ - https://www.instagram.com/thecoachgshowFollow Coach G on⁠⁠ Instagram⁠⁠ - https://www.instagram.com/ggsteenkamp

The Top 14 is the most intense domestic rugby competition in the world — and with five games left, the race for playoffs, Champions Cup qualification, and survival is wide open.📩 Join Coach G’s Scrum Dominator Community -https://www.skool.com/coach-g-1708Coach G sits down with French rugby agent Damien Dussaut to pull back the curtain on what's really happening inside the Top 14: the staff budgets clubs don't want you to see, the unconventional player journeys that challenge everything we think about recruitment, and why some clubs thrive on half the budget of their rivals.What you'll learn:— Why Toulouse's 60-player depth makes them nearly impossible to derail— The real numbers: staff and player salary breakdowns across Top 14 clubs— Aaron Grandidier's path from self-filmed highlight reels to Olympic gold— How Levani Botia went from walking 30km to training in Fiji to becoming a La Rochelle icon— What Damien means when he says "players are Ferraris — staff are the mechanics"— The recruitment trap most clubs fall into and why the best signing isn't always the best CV— Why mental performance coaching is the most underexplored edge in professional rugby00:00 - The Recruitment Lie Clubs Tell Themselves00:59 - Welcome & Introduction02:29 - Toulouse's Bounce Back & The Benjamin Bertrand Story09:18 - Inside the Toulouse Machine: Depth, Culture & Youth11:32 - Top 14 Standings & The Playoff Race13:44 - Managing Two Competitions: Squad Rotation & Injuries15:33 - Champions Cup Money & The Pau Model18:08 - Stade Français: From Chaos to Contenders23:54 - Why Foreign Coaches Struggle in France26:27 - Aaron Grandidier: Back Yourself & Think Outside the Box30:30 - The Recruitment Trap Most Clubs Fall Into34:41 - Levani Botia: A Living Legend Re-Signs at La Rochelle44:54 - Players Are Ferraris — Staff Are the Mechanics49:38 - The Mental Game: Rugby's Final FrontierWhether you're a player trying to get noticed, a coach building a programme, or a fan who wants to understand what happens behind the scenes — this is essential listening.Listen now. Follow the show. Share it with someone in rugby who needs to hear this.Follow us on ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ - https://www.instagram.com/thecoachgshowFollow Coach G on⁠⁠ Instagram⁠⁠ - https://www.instagram.com/ggsteenkamp

The scrum is one of the most contested elements in rugby — and right now, there are serious forces pushing to have it removed from the game entirely.📩 Join Coach G’s Scrum Dominator Community -https://www.skool.com/coach-g-1708This podcast is Sponsored by USN : https://za.usn.globalIn this solo episode, Coach G (Gurthro Steenkamp — former Springbok, World Cup winner, two-time European champion as a coach) goes deep on why the scrum matters, what's going wrong at every level, and what players, coaches, and parents need to do about it.This is one of the most direct, honest conversations about the scrum you'll hear anywhere.What you'll learn:Why removing the scrum would damage rugby's identity and inclusivityThe clear difference between dark arts and cheat codes — and why it's a values issueThe four phases of the scrum and what each one demands from playersPractical steps parents can take to help their child become a better scrummagerWhat the Scrum Dominator Mindset really means — and how it applies beyond rugbyWhy referees struggle to police scrums and what needs to changeThe FAST method for accelerating learning in sport and life00:00 – The Forces Trying to Remove the Scrum00:45 – What Is the Scrum Dominator Mindset?04:20 – Bullet Journaling, Reading & Building Player Habits06:23 – USN Sponsor Message06:49 – How the Scrum Actually Works (Explained Simply)09:00 – The Scrum & Inclusivity: Where Do the Big Players Go?11:20 – Dark Arts vs Cheat Codes: The Real Difference15:55 – The Four Phases of the Scrum18:20 – Player Safety, the Break Foot & Young Players Copying Cheat Codes21:00 – Who Is Responsible for the Scrum?24:00 – Practical Advice for Parents: How to Help Your Child29:45 – Spine in Line, Hip Drive & Home Training Exercises31:00 – Inside the Scrum Dominator Community (Resources & Courses)34:26 – What's Coming to the Community36:45 – The FAST Method: How to Learn & Level Up38:30 – Closing Thoughts & Thank YouCoach G also shares his personal story — from a self-described chubby, friendless kid who found identity and belonging through the scrum, to one of the most respected forwards coaches in European rugby.If you coach props, play in the front row, or want to help a young player improve — this episode is essential listening.🎙️ Follow The Coach G Show on Spotify and leave a review if this added value.Follow us on ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ - https://www.instagram.com/thecoachgshowFollow Coach G on⁠⁠ Instagram⁠⁠ - https://www.instagram.com/ggsteenkamp

Bordeaux host Toulouse in what could be the most loaded quarter-final in French rugby history. Coach G and agent Damien Dusseau go deep on the game, the politics, and the human stories behind the players.📩 Join Coach G’s Free Community -https://www.skool.com/coach-g-1708What you'll get from this episode:Full breakdown of UBB vs Stade Toulouse — matchups, tactics, and what to watchThe coaching succession race: Hugo Mola or Yannick Bru for France after Galtier?Cameron Woki's comeback — how leaving Bordeaux made him a complete playerTeddy Thomas at 32: why the most criticised player in France is now one of the bestThe burnout crisis hitting Top 14 coaches — and why French rugby is brutal on managersWhy giving players freedom and joy is the secret weapon of both clubsThe importance of blank space, morning routines, and mental resets for coachesTwo friends with deep rugby knowledge, no filter, and genuine insight into what's happening in France right now.🎙️ Listen, follow, and share with anyone in rugby.Chapters:00:00 The clash of titans begins01:11 Intro: Bordeaux vs Toulouse + coach burnout03:40 Why this game is so big in France05:44 Galthié succession talk: Ugo Mola vs Yannick Bru09:37 Key matchups and players to watch16:06 Freedom, expression, and team environment18:00 Sponsor message: USN18:29 Player growth: LBB, Woki, Teddy Thomas, Jelonch27:49 The knockout path after this quarter-final29:20 Coach burnout in Top 14 rugby38:49 How coaches can protect their energy and mind45:45 Damien Dussault + Scrum Dominator MindsetFollow us on ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ - https://www.instagram.com/thecoachgshowFollow Coach G on⁠⁠ Instagram⁠⁠ - https://www.instagram.com/ggsteenkamp

Springbok Women star Nadine Roos joins Coach G for a powerful conversation on the real state of women’s rugby in South Africa.📩 Join Coach G’s Free Community -https://www.skool.com/coach-g-1708This episode goes beyond World Cup headlines and social media moments. Nadine opens up about what has changed, what still needs to change, and the personal journey that shaped her into one of the most exciting players in the game.Inside this episode:The reality for Springbok Women after the World CupWhy sponsorship and structure still matterWhat South Africa needs to close the gap on the top nationsWhy girls’ rugby in schools is such a big issueHow her grandmother helped shape her lifelessons on discipline, adversity, and beliefher message to the next generation of female athletesChapters:00:00 Women’s rugby stigma in South Africa01:46 Intro: Nadine Roos joins the show03:34 What changed after the World Cup?07:23 Recognition and role models12:46 How South Africa reached the quarter-final18:05 What South Africa still lacks28:15 Why girls’ rugby in schools still struggles35:13 Nadine’s upbringing and her grandmother43:05 University, bursary, and first rugby income49:04 Missing parents, gratitude, and support56:24 Advice for young female athletes1:00:21 Social media, discipline, and modern pressure1:06:06 Final thanksFollow us on ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ - https://www.instagram.com/thecoachgshowFollow Coach G on⁠⁠ Instagram⁠⁠ - https://www.instagram.com/ggsteenkampListen now, follow the show, and share this episode with someone who cares about rugby, growth, and opportunity.

Why do players train well during the week, then fail to transfer it on Saturday?📩 Join Coach G’s Free Community -https://www.skool.com/coach-g-1708In this episode, Gordon Pretorius joins The Coach G Show to unpack one of the biggest problems in rugby coaching: players getting overloaded with information and not learning well enough under pressure.Gordon is a coach and university educator based in the Netherlands, and this conversation sits right at the intersection of rugby, learning, performance, and coach development.You’ll hear:Why great training does not always lead to great performanceHow coaches overload players without realizing itWhy chaos and unpredictability matter in rugby trainingHow to improve meetings, learning, and retentionWhat working memory means in a rugby contextHow players can better remember roles, calls, and key actionsSmart ways coaches can use AI to improve planning and feedbackThis is a practical episode for rugby coaches, players, and anyone trying to build better performance through better learning.Listen, follow, and share with a coach or player who needs this conversation.