Maggie Cogger-Orr: The Loneliest Job on the Field - Lessons from a World-Class Rugby Referee episode artwork

EPISODE · Jun 16, 2026 · 1H 6M

Maggie Cogger-Orr: The Loneliest Job on the Field - Lessons from a World-Class Rugby Referee

from Hunger & Heart with Kaila Colbin

What does it take to hold professional athletes to the highest standards - without ever raising your voice?Maggie Cogger-Orr is one of New Zealand's top rugby referees and the current Referee of the Year. Originally from Canada, she grew up playing gridiron football before falling in love with rugby - and after two ACL injuries ended her playing ambitions, she went all-in on refereeing. She's now officiating at the top level of the men's and women's game.In this conversation, Maggie unpacks the "know me, be me, stay me" framework NZ's top referees use to perform under pressure, and why accountability has nothing to do with anger. She shares the early mistakes that taught her how to de-escalate, how she processes being shouted at in front of thousands of people, and what every leader can learn from the loneliest job on the field.–Hunger & Heart is brought to you by the Crusaders Leadership Programme™. Whether you're coaching under-5s or a professional team, we all want the same thing: to build cultures of trust, get the best out of our people, and grow players into leaders.The Crusaders Leadership Programme™ lets you get up close and personal with some of the greatest rugby legends of all time — people like Sir Wayne Smith, Sam Whitelock, and Kieran Read.  You'll connect with a global group of ambitious, caring coaches from a range of codes and backgrounds, and most importantly, you'll gain skills and techniques to drive impact and outcomes for your team.  The Crusaders Leadership Programme™ is a two-week high-intensity virtual experience.  It is delivered exclusively online, accessible from anywhere. Hunger and heart Listeners get 10% off the full price of the program. Use the code HUNGER at checkout. Find out more: crusadersleadership.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What does it take to hold professional athletes to the highest standards - without ever raising your voice?Maggie Cogger-Orr is one of New Zealand's top rugby referees and the current Referee of the Year. Originally from Canada, she grew up playing gridiron football before falling in love with rugby - and after two ACL injuries ended her playing ambitions, she went all-in on refereeing. She's now officiating at the top level of the men's and women's game.In this conversation, Maggie unpacks the "know me, be me, stay me" framework NZ's top referees use to perform under pressure, and why accountability has nothing to do with anger. She shares the early mistakes that taught her how to de-escalate, how she processes being shouted at in front of thousands of people, and what every leader can learn from the loneliest job on the field.–Hunger & Heart is brought to you by the Crusaders Leadership Programme™. Whether you're coaching under-5s or a professional team, we all want the same thing: to build cultures of trust, get the best out of our people, and grow players into leaders.The Crusaders Leadership Programme™ lets you get up close and personal with some of the greatest rugby legends of all time — people like Sir Wayne Smith, Sam Whitelock, and Kieran Read.  You'll connect with a global group of ambitious, caring coaches from a range of codes and backgrounds, and most importantly, you'll gain skills and techniques to drive impact and outcomes for your team.  The Crusaders Leadership Programme™ is a two-week high-intensity virtual experience.  It is delivered exclusively online, accessible from anywhere. Hunger and heart Listeners get 10% off the full price of the program. Use the code HUNGER at checkout. Find out more: crusadersleadership.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Maggie Cogger-Orr: The Loneliest Job on the Field - Lessons from a World-Class Rugby Referee

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This episode was published on June 16, 2026.

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What does it take to hold professional athletes to the highest standards - without ever raising your voice?Maggie Cogger-Orr is one of New Zealand's top rugby referees and the current Referee of the Year. Originally from Canada, she grew up playing...

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