Underarm Bowling to the Rugby World Cup: Martin Snedden’s Incredible Life

Martin Snedden is a man who’s been at the centre of some of the biggest moments in New Zealand sport.

He played cricket for NZ in through the 1980s and was part of the infamous 1981 underarm match against Australia. He was one of the original members of the Beige Brigade and he’s got stories about playing with legends like Hadlee, Cairns and Crowe that are absolutely priceless.

But that’s only chapter one of his life.

After he retired as a player, Martin became CEO of New Zealand Cricket. He dealt with player strikes, bomb blasts outside team hotels, billion-dollar broadcast deals, and the politics behind international sport.

Then he took on the job of running the 2011 Rugby World Cup, the tournament that turned New Zealand into a “stadium of four million” and became one of this country’s great success stories.

Now in his 60s he’s as sharp, driven and purpose filled as ever.

This conversation is full of nostalgia, leadership lessons, wild behind-the-scenes stories, and some really vulnerable reflections near the end about family, fear, purpose and what matters most.

I loved this chat – “Snedds” is generous, thoughtful, funny, and genuinely one of the good guys.

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Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Early Memories

02:50 Career Highlights and Challenges

05:47 The Underarm Incident and Its Impact

09:09 Reflections on Playing and Transitioning

11:48 Family Legacy and Personal Growth

15:09 Life After Cricket and Identity

17:59 Final Thoughts and Lessons Learned

48:04 Nostalgia for Touring Days

51:12 The Social Dynamics of Cricket Tours

52:40 Lessons from Cricket to Law

54:58 The Complexity of Martin Crowe

56:53 The Funniest and Most Serious Teammates

01:01:09 Transitioning from Player to Administrator

01:06:22 Navigating Player Relations as CEO

01:09:22 The Pressure of the Rugby World Cup

01:12:41 The Stadium of Four Million

01:18:41 Crisis Management During the Christchurch Earthquake

01:22:57 Reflections on Success and Legacy

01:33:52 Navigating Power Dynamics

01:40:36 Memorable Moments from the Rugby World Cup

01:50:29 Reflections on Career Transitions

02:00:27 Family, Legacy, and Personal Growth