Episode 1 | Breaking the Ice with Emmanuel Auru & Shane Koal 🎙️🏉

In our very first episode, hosts Emmanuel “Emax” Auru and Shane Koal break the ice and introduce the vision behind the Beyond Bava Park Podcast.

Both men are part of the Wounded Harlequins—former Harlequins players who’ve come through the club system and now carry the responsibility of giving back by inspiring the next generation.

Emax, a standout at club level with Harlequins and later a proud Pukpuks representative in both 15s and 7s, shares how he balanced rugby with the challenge of completing law school—eventually becoming Head of Legal in the corporate space.

Shane recalls his rise from junior rugby with Harlequins to wearing the Pukpuks 15s jersey in junior tours, including a trip to Russia, and later in the senior men’s squad. He speaks on balancing rugby, school, and university—including adapting to life in Indonesia, where he learned Bahasa to earn his degree.

Together, they also reflect on a core truth of the game—no matter how well you play on Saturday, you must earn your spot again through training the following week. That discipline, they explain, has carried over into their lives beyond rugby.

Beyond the field, both men open up about the shared challenge of climbing the corporate ladder, and how lessons from rugby helped them persevere in their professional careers.

This opening episode offers inspiration, lessons, and a glimpse of what’s to come—stories of rugby, resilience, and life well beyond the try line.

👉 Subscribe and be part of the journey—because life, like rugby, is played well Beyond Bava Park.