Between Two Beers Podcast

Matthew Ridge is one of New Zealand's most recognisable sporting figures - All Blacks captain, NRL star, television personality. But behind the swagger and the highlights reel is a story most people have never heard.

Originally released in 2024 and one of our most popular episodes, we're bringing this one back because it deserves to be heard again.

Ridgey sits down with Steve and Seamus to tell it all. At 16, he was wrongfully convicted of aggravated robbery - three High Court trials, a 14-year sentence hanging over his head, and a sports career that nearly never happened.

He talks about growing up without his father, finding mental toughness through tennis, and the moment he got a voicemail from Graham Lowe asking if he wanted to play rugby league for Manly.

He opens up about the NRL years, the TV relationship with Marc Ellis - and he talks honestly about his meth use, functioning as an addict while the cameras rolled, and the moment he looked at a photo of himself and saw no light in his eyes.

This is Matthew Ridge like you've never heard him before.

Between Two Beers is proudly brought to you by One New Zealand. We believe that One NZ connects New Zealand, while Between Two Beers connects New Zealanders. And together, we are NZ's most trusted connection platform.

Steve and Seamus are proud to be dressed by Barkers Clothing.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s been our biggest six months ever - landing on TVNZ+, heading to the World Cup, and sitting down with Steven Adams.

Steve and Seamus sit down with business and mindset coach Di Foster to pull back the curtain on how it all actually came together, the chaos behind the scenes, and what it really takes to turn a podcast into a mainstream media brand.

They break down the TVNZ deal, how they landed four World Cup sponsors at 100% conversion rate (and why that's actually a red flag), and the Steven Adams episode that had Seamus too nervous to speak for the first five minutes.

Plus - the mindset that keeps it all in check. Because the most dangerous thing you can do when things are going this well is start believing your own BS.
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For 20 years, Darren Shand was the most powerful person in All Blacks rugby that nobody knew about.

As Team Manager across four Rugby World Cups - including the back-to-back title wins of 2011 and 2015 - Shand sat above the coaches, managed the operation, and helped build the cultural architecture of the most successful international rugby team in history.

He worked alongside Sir Graham Henry, Sir Steve Hansen, Sir Wayne Smith, Richie McCaw, Dan Carter, and some of the greatest players to ever pull on the black jersey.

He talks about the 2004 wake-up call that forced the entire culture to change. The private battles with depression. The end of his marriage. The moment a former Crusaders teammate came to his house to tell him he was fired.

He shares stories that have never been made public - including a stunning incident before the 2015 Rugby World Cup final that nearly ended his campaign entirely. And he gives his most honest assessment yet of what happened to the All Blacks after he left - and why Ian Foster never really had a chance.

Between Two Beers is proudly brought to you by One New Zealand. We believe that One NZ connects New Zealand, while Between Two Beers connects New Zealanders. And together, we are NZ's most trusted connection platform.

Steve and Seamus are proud to be dressed by Barkers Clothing.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on Hambassadors, Steve and Seamus reveal their biggest project yet: a dedicated All Whites fan show heading to Vancouver for the FIFA World Cup.

They're going in camp with the team, bringing the families, and building something that hasn't been done before in New Zealand sports media.

Also this week: a behind-the-scenes look at the Joseph Parker x Barkers event (with some Chatham House rules intel that stays in the room), gut health is officially on the agenda, and the guys reflect on the overwhelming response to the Nate Alley episode.
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Stacey Morrison has been a fixture of New Zealand television and radio for thirty years - but this is the story behind the story.

In this episode she opens up about growing up embarrassed by her Māori identity, a gruelling fifteen year journey to te reo fluency, the heartbreaking loss of her mum Sue, and finding the love she never thought she'd have with Scotty Morrison.

Between Two Beers is proudly brought to you by One New Zealand. We believe that One NZ connects New Zealand, while Between Two Beers connects New Zealanders. And together, we are NZ's most trusted connection platform.

Steve and Seamus are proud to be dressed by Barkers Clothing.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.