Coaching Culture with Ben Herring

A Champions Cup-winning rugby attack coach who never played professional rugby should not make sense and that’s exactly why Noel McNamara’s story matters. We sit with the uncomfortable truth that the “perfect CV” is often overrated, and the real separator is how you think when an opportunity is risky, unglamorous, or confusing to everyone around you.

We dig into what stood out most from Noel’s journey: a very low fear of failure and a willingness to say yes early. One move leads to the next, from New Zealand to South Africa to France, and suddenly the career looks inevitable even though none of the individual steps looked “reasonable” at the time. That launches a bigger reflection on the trap Justin Welsh describes: a chain of sensible choices that builds momentum, makes future decisions automatic, and eventually makes changing direction feel reckless. For coaches chasing a professional coaching career, that chain can quietly pull you away from the work and life you actually want.

We close with three practical takeaways for ambitious coaches in rugby and beyond: back yourself before other people back you, chase learning not status, and choose adventure over comfort. If you’ve been waiting for permission, waiting for the perfect job, or trying to keep everyone else comfortable with your choices, this is your nudge to trust your gut and build your path on purpose. Subscribe, share this with a coach who needs it, and leave a review with the boldest “unreasonable” step you’re considering.
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Contact Ben direct: Ben@coachingculture.com.au
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Winning a major trophy is supposed to be the moment, but Noel McNamara doesn’t romanticize it. He explains why a title can feel like relief for ten minutes, and why the harder, more meaningful work starts immediately after: rebuilding energy, sharpening clarity, and chasing improvement in a world where success keeps moving further away the moment you get close. If you coach rugby, lead a team, or care about high-performance culture, this is a grounded look at what it takes to stay ahead without burning out. 

We get practical about coaching leadership and player ownership. Noel shares how the best coaches and best players “work it out together,” why collaboration still requires real accountability, and how a team culture breaks when feedback only travels one direction. We also dig into the language of coaching: simple cues, clear principles, and creating learning environments that force problem-solving instead of passive listening. One story captures it perfectly: showing up with 21 slides, being told to bring three, and realizing connection beats information every time. 

The conversation also goes deeper than tactics. Noel talks about regrounding, staying connected to home, and why fun matters even in elite professional rugby. We explore development metrics that actually last, like whether young athletes still want to play after a season with you, plus the discipline of instant feedback that helps people change behavior now, not next week. 

If you enjoy honest coaching stories and specific leadership tools you can use immediately, subscribe, share this with a coach or manager who needs it, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway. What’s the one habit you’d change to help your team get better tomorrow?
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For all your rugby and sports gear needs Check out Silverfern here: https://silverfernsport.com/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=coaching-culture
Buy your set of "How to be a great Coach" By Ben Herring books here (amazon worldwide)
https://www.amazon.com.au/s?k=ben+herring&crid=1R6QYBT8QVPS1&sprefix=ben+herring%2Caps%2C221&ref=nb_sb_noss_1
Contact Ben direct: Ben@coachingculture.com.au
Support the show
Subscribe and Share, it makes a massive difference! Appreciation in advance.

Some teams win because they have better players. Leicester Tigers, at their best, won because they had a culture that could survive anything, including brutal training, relentless internal competition, and the pressure of living up to an identity everyone could see from the stands.

We sit down with Geordan Murphy, Leicester player, captain, coach, and senior leader across 23 years at the club. Geordan  tells the story of arriving from Ireland on what was supposed to be a three week trial, then being thrown straight into first team training with Lions and internationals. We dig into what made that era so formidable: standards that never blinked, competitiveness that stayed on the field, and the idea that you can earn your place by being different, not just bigger. Geordan  also shares how he used creativity, skill work, and rugby IQ as his edge in a world that worshiped strength.

From there we get into the nuts and bolts of coaching culture and leadership: why “the behaviors you accept” is the real definition of culture, how recruitment decisions either protect the environment or slowly poison it, and why a clear vision of how you play is inseparable from identity. Jordan opens up about the hardest stretch of his career, taking over under fire, navigating the pandemic, feeling the loneliness of head coaching, and the sting of being let go after two decades with little closure. If you lead people, this conversation will make you think about performance, endings, and what it takes to reach out before the pressure cooker changes who you are.

If this resonated, subscribe, share it with a coach or leader who needs it, and leave a review so more people can find Coaching Culture.
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For all your rugby and sports gear needs Check out Silverfern here: https://silverfernsport.com/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=coaching-culture
Buy your set of "How to be a great Coach" By Ben Herring books here (amazon worldwide)
https://www.amazon.com.au/s?k=ben+herring&crid=1R6QYBT8QVPS1&sprefix=ben+herring%2Caps%2C221&ref=nb_sb_noss_1
Contact Ben direct: Ben@coachingculture.com.au
Support the show
Subscribe and Share, it makes a massive difference! Appreciation in advance.

Send us Fan Mail
For all your rugby and sports gear needs Check out Silverfern here: https://silverfernsport.com/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=coaching-culture
Contact Ben direct: Ben@coachingculture.com.au
Support the show
Subscribe and Share, it makes a massive difference! Appreciation in advance.

Most teams don’t lose because they lack information. They lose because pressure hijacks attention, connection, and decision making. Craig White joins us to unpack a simple truth that too many coaches miss: your team feels your nervous system before they hear your message, and what you model becomes the culture.

We dig into conscious leadership and the difference between regulated and dysregulated coaching. Craig breaks down the “to me, by me, through me, as me” framework, why victim language spreads fast in staff rooms, and how a grounded coach can deliver hard feedback without becoming unsafe. We also talk brotherhood and connection as the foundation for high performance, not a soft extra. When people feel safe, they challenge each other, learn faster, and play freer.

From there we take it off the field. Many high achievers are visible at home but not present, chasing results because they think validation must be earned. Craig shares how to train presence like a skill, build relational fitness, set boundaries that protect family time, and use master regulators like sleep and nature to reset the nervous system. We finish with attention and intention, and why focused awareness changes outcomes in the gym, rehab, and leadership itself.

If you want practical tools for coaching culture, emotional safety, and leadership under pressure, listen through and share this with a coach who needs it. Subscribe, leave a review, and tell us: where do you most want to be more present this week?
Send us Fan Mail
For all your rugby and sports gear needs Check out Silverfern here: https://silverfernsport.com/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=coaching-culture
Buy your set of "How to be a great Coach" By Ben Herring books here (amazon worldwide)
https://www.amazon.com.au/s?k=ben+herring&crid=1R6QYBT8QVPS1&sprefix=ben+herring%2Caps%2C221&ref=nb_sb_noss_1
Contact Ben direct: Ben@coachingculture.com.au
Support the show
Subscribe and Share, it makes a massive difference! Appreciation in advance.