Show Notes
Manu dominated the rugby league world for over a decade, cementing his place as the Vodafone Warriors' all-time leading try-scorer and a powerhouse for the Kiwis. But beyond the staggering stats, the massive hits, and the unforgettable tries, what has always made Manu a crowd favourite is his massive heart.
He has navigated the highest peaks of sporting stardom and faced some of life’s toughest, most vulnerable chapters with total honesty.
John sat down with Manu to chat about resilience, the power of reinventing yourself, and what it really means to lead with courage on and off the field. You don’t want to miss this raw, inspiring conversation.
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More from Real Life With John Cowan
He was the man who put the "pace" in New Zealand paceman. At his peak, Shane Bond was terrifyingly fast, clocking a blistering 156.4 km/h at the 2003 World Cup and dismantling the world’s best batsmen. Widely regarded as our greatest fast bowler since Sir Richard Hadlee, Shane’s career was a thrilling rollercoaster of immense triumph and devastating, career-threatening injuries. But his story is much more than just cricket statistics, it's a masterclass in resilience.
Before scaling the world's most unforgiving peaks—from Antarctica to the Andes and the Himalayas—Sir Graeme was a "painfully shy" child growing up in Gisborne who was afraid of everything. His life transformed when he discovered the outdoors, leading to historic feats like the first-ever winter traverse of the Southern Alps in 1971.But his greatest legacy isn't written in the snow. Spurred by a challenge to "do good for others", Sir Graeme co-founded the Outdoor Pursuits Centre (now Hillary Outdoors) and established the Graeme Dingle Foundation, which has empowered over 400,000 young Kiwis over the last 30 years. Recently awarded the prestigious global Order of Magellan for his lifetime achievements in exploration and youth advocacy, Sir Graeme joins John for an unscripted look at his extraordinary life, his worldview, and his latest mission to "move mountains" for the next generation of New Zealanders. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
This Sunday on Real Life with John Cowan, anything goes as we welcome one of New Zealand's most authentic, straight-talking leaders: Hon Shane Jones.
Known to Kiwi audiences as the co-host of TVNZ’s Eat Well for Less NZ and Cooks on Fire, Ganesh brings a wealth of energy, humor, and heart to everything he does.
This week on Real Life, John Cowan sits down with one of the most powerful minds in space exploration: NASA’s Head of Science, Dr Nicola Fox.