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Brad Weber relives career-altering 'kick up the ass' from Tony Brown
Brad Weber’s story is one of rugby’s best, being the third generation of Weber to wear the Hawkes Bay No. 9 jersey, going on to represent the All Blacks and winning a Rugby World Cup bronze medal. It’s the stuff of rugby legend, especially for his hometown.
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Any visitors to the Weber household during the new Stade Francais recruit’s childhood may well have found Brad parked up in front of the TV, watching a VHS tape of the Magpies’ 1993 win over the British and Irish Lions – a game Weber’s father featured in, even scoring a try.
Weber’s journey to international rugby is a true reflection of the underdog mentality in his blood. Leaving his home province to attend Otago University, Weber landed an opportunity with Otago’s NPC team, an opportunity that was short-lived.
“So it was 2013 I think, Tony Brown was the head coach of Otago at the time and he brought me in and said that they’re dropping me from the Otago squad,” Weber told the All Blacks Podcast. “I wasn’t going to be in the squad that year and he laid out his reasons why.
“A lot of it was that he basically didn’t see me work on my game outside of the trainings that were prescribed by the trainers and coaches; that I wasn’t getting significantly better because of that.
“Looking back – obviously I was devasted at the time – but I think at the time I was really naive, thinking that just through getting older and just by doing the training what the trainers and the coaches had prescribed to you, that that’s going to be enough to get better. But it wasn’t.
“I’m really, really grateful to Brownie for doing that and making me realise that, and I remember thinking from that moment on that I’ll never allow a coach to say that Brab Weber doesn’t work hard at his game.
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“It was a huge moment for me and the kick up the ass I needed because I’m not the most talented guy. I was never a gun at school, so I actually have to squeeze every bit of talent out of me, actually working for it and Brownie made me realise that.
“From that moment on I worked my ass off to be a better rugby player and work on my game and so when I got an opportunity a few months later with Waikato halfway through the season, I just remember thinking, I’m not going to let this chance go. And because of the work that I’d done since that moment that Brownie dropped me, I finished the season with some of the best few games that I’ve had.
“I think it was about two weeks in, I had a real good game against Auckland and then Dave Rennie was around at my house the next day offering me a Chiefs contract.
“So, within two weeks I’d gone from playing Otago development, the B team, to getting a Super Rugby contract with the Chiefs – probably because of the kick up the ass that I got. I wish I wouldn’t have needed that and I was lucky I got another opportunity.
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“I really tried to turn that disappointment into a positive and then the rest is history like they say.
“But from that moment on, even through my Chiefs career and All Blacks career, I’ve tried to work my butt off to make the most of any opportunities that I’ve got.”
In his three-year Waikato career, Weber would go on to captain the side and win them the Ranfurly Shield in a game against his beloved Hawkes Bay. The following season, in 2016, he followed in his father’s and grandfather’s footsteps by donning the Magpies kit where he has since racked up 50 caps.
Comments on RugbyPass
looking forward to RWC2027 …. Boks on mission impossible for the Three-in-a-row, ABs to prove they being on par, France wishing to crown the “DuPont-era”, Ireland knocking on the Semi-Door ….. until then we’ll probably have to deal with Weird Ben’s fantasy-RWC23 (fun fact is, the drivel always creates a flooding of comments) …..
221 Go to commentsBen Smith you really make some good points in this article, the Springboks were not close to perfect and good still beat the All Blacks, imagine if they were as good as they were against France what a hiding the All Blacks would have gotten… maybe another Twickenham drubbing
221 Go to commentsIt is a good argument to keep the Rebels for one more year but also isnt this just opening the door as well for keeping them beyond 2025. If they can create some sort of financial stability in the next year and if their performances lift as they have this season then how would RA even cull them after that? It might be the most cost effective decision at this stage and perhaps many people are guilty of keeping relationships going because of the cost to decouple but then again when does that ever work out well?
16 Go to commentsDear Ben Smith you are a genius! God please become the next all blacks coach that can take on the mighty BOKS. Your rugby acumen is second to none - imagine your dads sperm bounced as unfortunately as that oval ball did….we would not be blessed with your presence. Just as the all blacks were missing a man you too are missing a chromosome for 80% of your life, so your insights are not only profound but ring true from your own experiences. Just as the TMO interfered with citing an illegal pass I am sure your local authorities interfere with your illegal passes you make on women - How dare they!!! God forbid that rugby be officiated fairly. You are the right man for the job. Next all blacks coach is here ladies and gentlemen Miss Ben Smith (He/She/They/IT)
221 Go to commentsHuge engine this guy and great to see him back ..The amount of clean outs he does at the ruck are ridiculous !!
3 Go to commentsThe level of desperation in this article is just embarrassing.
221 Go to commentsSome silly trolling in the comments.
9 Go to commentsEverywhere you turn some irish journo is advocating Ireland as the greatest, reasoning that the wc is a 4 year cycle event so, they say wc doesn’t matter it’s the rugby in between that should account for the accolade. If there was no wc then some substance could be gained, however in my opinion the moment that defined Ireland’s fate against the abs was 37 phases of repeated head bashing against a brick wall. If a change in strategy or a tinker with the game plan was executed then things could've been vastly different. And to point a finger the let down was in the hands of the number 10.
49 Go to commentsI have heard it asked if RA is essentially one of the part owners and I suppose therefor should be on the other side of these two parties. If they purchased the rebels and guaranteed them, and are responsible enough they incur Rebels penalties, where is this line drawn? Seems rough to have to pay a penalty for something were your involvement sees you on the side of the conned party, the creditors. If the Rebels directors themselves have given the club their money, 6mil worth right, why aren’t they also listed as sitting with RA and the Tax office? And the legal threat was either way, new Rebels or defunct, I can’t see how RA assume the threat was less likely enough to warrant comment about it in this article. Surely RA ignore that and only worry about whether they can defend it or not, which they have reported as being comfortable with. So in effect wouldn’t it be more accurate to say there is no further legal threat (or worry) in denying the deal. Unless the directors have reneged on that. > Returns of a Japanese team or even Argentinean side, the Jaguares, were said to be on the cards, as were the ideas of standing up brand new teams in Hawaii or even Los Angeles – crazy ideas that seemingly forgot the time zone issues often cited as a turn-off for viewers when the competition contained teams from South Africa. Those timezones are great for SR and are what will probably be needed to unlock its future (cant see it remaining without _atleast _help from Aus), day games here are night games on the West Coast of america, were potential viewers triple, win win. With one of the best and easiest ways to unlock that being to play games or a host a team there. Less good the further across Aus you get though. Jaguares wouldn’t be the same Jaguares, but I still would think it’s better having them than keeping the Rebels. The other options aren’t really realistic 25’ options, no. From reading this authors last article I think if the new board can get the investment they seem to be confident in, you keeping them simply for the amount of money they’ll be investing in the game. Then ditch them later if they’re not good enough without such a high budget. Use them to get Jaguares reintergration stronger, with more key players on board, and have success drive success.
16 Go to commentsYeah, and ours is waaay bigger than yours. Just as you's get a semi…oh hold on that never happens
49 Go to commentsLove watching
1 Go to commentsThe Melbourne Rebels lineout is a complete disaster so not surprisingly a kiwi coach of the Wallabies hires the worst lineout coach in the country and a foreigner to boot. No surprises whatsoever here…….
6 Go to commentsThank your for wasting 2 minutes of my life Daniel. There is a useful message in there somewhere but your delivery sucks.
7 Go to commentsBen Smith, you are cry baby
221 Go to commentsSux that homophobia is still a thing though. I wonder how many players who could have become legends never kept playing rugby because they felt unwelcome.
7 Go to commentsCrazy he’s only 28, feel like he’s been around forever - don’t mind the move, safe pair of hands and creates depth in a thin position for ABs. Hopefully aides Kemara’s growth also without thrusting too much responsibility on him
1 Go to commentsMen should show strength and be mean, but they should be able to show emotion to those close yo them in certain times, birth of your child, death of family, proud moment. This article is stupid
7 Go to commentsWhat a weak article…absolute drivel and clickbait, well done. Will stick to rugby365 thanks
7 Go to commentsHonest, discipline, humility… Priceless.
2 Go to commentsSo many excuses. No mention of the SA number 2 being taken out illegally in the 2nd minute. That act of foul play had a massive impact on the SA game. Face it, NZ play pretty dirty very regularly, and it’s only since 2016 they’ve been held to higher officiating standards via stricter officiating and TMO reviews. They deserved to have a man down. Sorry. Fix the yellow and red cards and NZ will win more RWCs. Plus, there WAS a knock on invalidating the one try, so it was NOT a try. Period. Here’s a Kleenex…
221 Go to comments