Future All Blacks: What The Crusaders Really Look For

For 12 years, Aaron "Webby" Webb ran the Crusaders Academy: the pipeline that turns 16 to 20-year-olds into Crusaders and All Blacks. Before rugby, Webby spent 14 summers leading expeditions at a summer camp in Maine, then ran a programme for at-risk teenagers in Christchurch. There, a 14-year-old taught him the lesson he still lives by: every behaviour has a reason sitting behind it. In this episode, we talk: • The three character traits that separate future All Blacks from the rest • The slackline test that showed who'd make it — and who wouldn't • Why he visits prospective young players' families at home before deciding • Chay Fihaki's journey from "wouldn't say boo to a mouse" to All Black • How one man running 102 laps of Rugby Park ended up raising $700k for Child Cancer Foundation • Taking on the New York Marathon for Te Tahi Youth with Kieran Read, Ryan Crotty and Colin Slade 🏉 The Long Run: Friday 22 January 2027, Rugby Park, Christchurch. Raise funds for Child Cancer Foundation.https://the-long-run-2027.raiselysite.com/https://the-long-run-2027.raiselysite.com/ 🏃 Running for Rangatahi(Te Tahi Youth):https://running-for-te-tahi-crusade-with-heart-nyc-marathon-2026.raiselysite.com/https://running-for-te-tahi-crusade-with-heart-nyc-marathon-2026.raiselysite.com/ — Hunger & Heart is brought to you by the Crusaders Leadership Programme™. Whether you're coaching under-5s or a professional team, we all want the same thing: to build cultures of trust, get the best out of our people, and grow players into leaders. The Crusaders Leadership Programme™ lets you get up close and personal with some of the greatest rugby legends of all time — people like Sir Wayne Smith, Sam Whitelock, and Kieran Read. You'll connect with a global group of ambitious, caring coaches from a range of codes and backgrounds, and most importantly, you'll gain skills and techniques to drive impact and outcomes for your team. The Crusaders Leadership Programme™ is a two-week high-intensity virtual experience. It is delivered exclusively online, accessible from anywhere. Hunger and heart Listeners get 10% off the full price of the program. Use the code HUNGER at checkout. Find out more: crusadersleadership.com * * * Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.