Future All Blacks: What The Crusaders Really Look For

For 12 years, Aaron "Webby" Webb ran the Crusaders Academy: the pipeline that turns 16 to 20-year-olds into Crusaders and All Blacks.

Before rugby, Webby spent 14 summers leading expeditions at a summer camp in Maine, then ran a programme for at-risk teenagers in Christchurch. There, a 14-year-old taught him the lesson he still lives by: every behaviour has a reason sitting behind it.

In this episode, we talk:

• The three character traits that separate future All Blacks from the rest

• The slackline test that showed who'd make it — and who wouldn't

• Why he visits prospective young players' families at home before deciding

• Chay Fihaki's journey from "wouldn't say boo to a mouse" to All Black

• How one man running 102 laps of Rugby Park ended up raising $700k for Child Cancer Foundation

• Taking on the New York Marathon for Te Tahi Youth with Kieran Read, Ryan Crotty and Colin Slade

🏉 The Long Run: Friday 22 January 2027, Rugby Park, Christchurch. Raise funds for Child Cancer Foundation. https://the-long-run-2027.raiselysite.com/

🏃 Running for Rangatahi(Te Tahi Youth): https://running-for-te-tahi-crusade-with-heart-nyc-marathon-2026.raiselysite.com/