Tuning in…
Tuning in…
Castaway
1 appearance
Rugby league player widely regarded as one of the greatest in history, Leeds Rhinos legend, and fundraiser who ran seven marathons in seven days for motor neuro
On the island
Eight records
Hunley Male Voice Choir and the band of Her Majesty's Royal Marines
I felt like I needed to have a rugby league anthem in there. I grew up watching the Challenge Cup final and I played before a Challenge Cup final in 1992 as a schoolboy in a curtain raiser at the Old Wembley. And this anthem, if you like, got played that day and it's synonymous with the sport.
It's the first song I've really I can remember sort of being a a crazy five or six year old charging round the lounge with my little white vest on and big boxing gloves... and it's a song now that I love to hear and reminds me being five and six.
I've chosen this because of my dad. He's a big Van Morrison fan... We played this a number of times on those long car journeys over from Moldham to Leeds.
I had to go with one of this guy's songs. He is the double of my best mate, who I played the vast majority of my career with in Jamie Jones Buchanan... So I'm going to go with one of his classics, which is Seven Days by Craig David.
This is a really easy pick. It's my wife's favourite song. She goes absolutely crazy every time it's played... So it is Tiffany. I think we're alone now.
I am a massive saxophone fan... I remember being on a rugby trip to Jacksonville, Australia, on a pre-season camp... they did a wonderful job of this song... it'd be Baker Street by Undercover.
Last RequestFavourite
This is probably my favourite song. It does remind me of The Marathons. It was played every day during the Marathons and it is Last Request by Paolo Nattina.
I was fortunate enough to get to see these guys play a couple of years ago. Jane and I had gone along and loved the song... but it is Fix You by Coplaire.
In conversation
Presenter asks
1:45How optimistic are you that one of our national teams might win?
Yeah, very optimistic. I think it's huge for the sport of rugby league to have the men's, women's and wheelchair finals all in the UK, all across October and November is is wonderful for the sport and it'd be a wonderful tournament.
Presenter asks
2:11What does it mean to you to be part of a team?
When you have such a combative sport as you're doing in League and Union and people are putting their bodies on line every single day, then y you sort of forged together and there becomes a real friendship. I think rugby dressing rooms are different anyway. I think the banter and the way people look after each other and care for each other actually isn't talked about that much from such a match all sport, but it's very much a part of the dressing rooms I've been in.
Presenter asks
9:09When did reality catch up with you? When did you really think that this could work out for you?
I was eleven when the penny dropped. I weren't the most gifted rugby player, certainly physically. There were guys who were a lot bigger and faster and stronger and skilful and all those different elements that make a great rugby player. But the thing that I knew I could be was the most committed and the most disciplined. So it all became about attitude and getting that right. And I didn't want to end up a bloke propping up a bar when I was in my late twenties and have regrets and look in the mirror and think I've wasted what I had, so I thought I'm gonna throw everything at it.
The keepsakes
The book
It's a book called The Edge. It was given to me by a former rugby league great, a guy called Dean Bell. He was the guy who gave me my debut as a sixteen year old. It's an American book full of wonderful quotes from different sports people and actors and governors and people who've been really successful in their careers and um it's pretty much been my Bible through my career.
The luxury
I think we have to stick with the running theme, so it'd be a self-propelled treadmill. I need to train every day. I need thirty minutes.
Presenter asks
16:28How much research did you do into psychology to take on the captaincy role and how to get the best out of people?
Honestly I didn't do any. [I] spent a lot of time with rugby lads all the way through. I felt they had a good understanding and a good read on most rugby lads. ... Yeah, I had a good a good understanding, I think probably came from my upbringing and decent amount of emotional intelligence and then those senior players who were in around me like were better than me at different things and at different moments and I was quite happy to share the workload and say, I need your help.
Presenter asks
26:05Did you have any doubts that you would complete the 101 miles in 24 hours?
Yeah, massive doubts. I started a new job. I'm in August. You know, I'm coaching, and typically a coach. So you were in Leicester then? I was in Leicester, yeah, but I'm still living in Oldham. So typically, a coach's job isn't 40 hours a week. You can time that by a couple more, and you get somewhere near. Plus, you factor in the travel and juggling family time. It made it really difficult to try and train. ... We had to come up with something I could do in a day. I couldn't have a great deal of time. ... with the help of my wife and the fact that I've been involved in two wonderful sporting organisations in Leicester Tags and Leeds Rhinos, and you work out the distance between the two, and it just seems to fit. So, we actually run 104 miles because we got lost twice.
Presenter asks
32:02How will you be with all that solitude? You're a team player.
Yeah, it'll be tough. I think I've talked a lot about friendships and memories. I'll be able to take the memories with me, but unfortunately the friendships won't be there, so I will get very fidgety after an hour or two.
“I got home that day and I was covered in mud and I didn't get told off for it and I thought I've probably found where I need to be.”
“I didn't want to end up a bloke propping up a bar when I was in my late twenties and have regrets and look in the mirror and think I've wasted what I had.”
“The thing I'm most proud of is the friendships.”
“Time's a great healer 'cause you don't remember any of the pain or the strife you went through, but you just remember the good times.”
“Yeah, it'll be tough. I think I've talked a lot about friendships and memories. I'll be able to take the memories with me, but unfortunately the friendships won't be there, so I will get very fidgety after an hour or two.”