Life Is a Team Game: Inside 25 Years of South African Rugby with Simnikiwe Xabanisa

Veteran sports writer Simnikiwe Xabanisa joins Gurthro Steenkamp to reflect on 25 years of South African rugby, the lessons he’s learned from covering the Springboks, and why he believes that “life is a team game.” 📩 Join Coach G’s Free Community - https://www.skool.com/coach-g-1708/about?ref=2aa34cec096e4503a6e179cc75caaaec This episode dives deep into the evolution of the Boks, the media’s changing role, and the mindset that defines great teams and great people. It’s a conversation about truth, resilience and connection — on and off the field. Chapters Totally—here’s a tighter set (12 chapters) you can paste straight into YouTube/Spotify: 00:00 – Cold open: “Life is a team game” 01:36 – Intro & why Sim’s here 07:17 – SA Rugby’s evolution: 2000s to Rassie 22:16 – How player access & media changed 27:57 – What a rugby journalist really does (context > clicks) 35:26 – Coaching, performance & integrity (scrum “cheat codes”) 44:40 – Why the Boks keep winning: continuity, depth, transformation 56:09 – The rise of Sasha Feinberg-Mngomezulu 58:14 – France vs Springboks: rivalry, emotion, stakes 01:06:51 – Habits behind a 25-year journalism career 01:14:22 – Setback to comeback: Sim’s toughest years 01:28:06 – Closing thoughts & what’s next Follow us on ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ - https://www.instagram.com/lessonsfromthegamepodcastFollow Coach G on⁠⁠ Instagram⁠⁠ - https://www.instagram.com/ggsteenkamp