Winning The Away Game

What do catamarans, tequila, and elite rugby have in common?

On the surface—nothing.

But underneath, this episode reveals the mindset of people who refuse to live ordinary lives.

Ricky Maia and Percy Montgomery unpack what drives obsession-level commitment—from building a boat from scratch and sailing across the Atlantic, to kicking in World Cup finals and launching a tequila brand after rugby.

This is a conversation about chaos, risk, reinvention, and the kind of thinking that makes unconventional lives work.

If you’ve ever felt like your path doesn’t make sense—this episode will.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction
 00:02 The 2007 World Cup and elite pressure
 00:05 Leaving systems that no longer work
 00:08 Building a catamaran from scratch
 00:12 The reality behind chasing freedom
 00:15 Adapting across countries and cultures
 00:18 Losing money and entering the US market
 00:21 Rock bottom and rebuilding through obsession
 00:24 Life after rugby and launching tequila
 00:28 Finding purpose in unconventional paths
 00:31 Resourcefulness vs resources
 00:34 Advice for young South Africans
 00:37 Why doing what you love matters
 00:40 AI vs community
 00:42 Legacy and long-term impact

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/

This episode isn’t about what happens after success.It’s about what you do while you’re in it.Adriaan Strauss was building businesses while playing at the highest level. Stephan Weyers started as a mascot—and never stopped stacking opportunities until he built a high-performance coaching business.Two completely different journeys. One shared principle: they never waited.If you're a founder, operator, or athlete, this episode will challenge how you think about timing, effort, and long-term success.Chapters00:00 Introduction 02:00 Favorite Springbok memories 06:30 From mascot to sports agent 11:45 Turning down overseas money 13:30 Building business during a rugby career 18:40 First business ventures and early mindset 21:00 Why athletes struggle after retirement 25:30 Identity vs effort 29:00 From executive to Ironman 33:30 The power of consistency 37:00 The John Smit comeback story 48:00 What separates elite performers 54:40 Business lessons from sport 58:30 Leverage and negotiation 01:02:00 How to start where you areListen on Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/26fB2unP9Ih6IA3QkjnGQF?si=4b4380f24a144716Listen on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/za/podcast/winning-the-away-game/id1853818584Connect 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_podcastWinning 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:
00:00 Introduction — Decisions Without Certainty 
02:30 Springbok Memories — 1995 and 2019 
08:00 Nick Mallett: From Player to Coach in France 
14:00 Sean Peche: Moving to London and Starting Ranmore 
20:00 The False Assumption That Cost Sean 14 Years 
25:00 From $50M to $2.5 Billion — The LinkedIn Turning Point 
30:00 Nick's Biggest Coaching Mistake: The Gary Teichmann Decision 
37:00 How One Selection Broke Team Trust Instantly 
42:00 The South African Advantage — Confronting Poverty and Building Resilience 
49:00 Nick Mallett's Advice for Aspiring Coaches 
54:00 Two Roads to a Springbok Jersey — Privilege vs. Pure Resilience 
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/

What does it take to succeed in systems that were never designed to recognise you?
In this episode, Nomsebenzi "Noms" Tsotsobe, the first captain of the Springbok Women's Team, and Francisca Lombard, engineer and creator of MineGPT, share what it really looks like to build credibility, authority, and resilience in male-dominated environments.
This episode is for anyone navigating career transitions, entering spaces where they feel like outsiders, or trying to build something meaningful without recognition.
The core tension: doing the work long before the system is ready to acknowledge you.If you’ve ever felt overlooked, underestimated, or out of place—this conversation will shift how you approach your career.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction
00:01 Proving Yourself in Unfair Systems
00:03 Nomsabenzi’s First Springbok Moment00:07 Francisca’s Start in Mining
00:10 Loss, Cancer, and Perspective
00:14 Building Women’s Rugby From Nothing
00:18 Working Without Recognition
00:22 Moving to Canada Alone
00:26 Cultural Shock and Isolation
00:30 Fighting for Authority
00:34 Role Models and Early Influence
00:38 Building Confidence From Scratch
00:42 Finding Your Footing
00:46 Why the Struggle Continues
00:50 The Future of Women’s Rugby
00:53 AI and the Future of Work
00:57 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, Pat Lambie and Bruce Whitfield unpack what it means to rebuild after loss - whether it's concussion ending a rugby career orwalking 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 howSouth 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/