Rupert McCall: Sport, Storytelling & The Australian Spirit

There aren't many people who could walk into a room full of footy players, recite a poem, and leave every single one of them changed. Rupert McCall is one of them. Rupert is one of Australia's most celebrated poets and storytellers known for his performances at State of Origin, Anzac Cove, and Ground Zero. But before any of that, he was a kid from Redcliffe dreaming of wearing the green and gold. He never made it as a player, but he found a way to represent his country that turned out to be far more lasting. In this conversation, Tessa and Rupert talk about what it really means to back yourself. Rupert opens up about trading a law career for the uncertainty of poetry, how he holds the weight of enormous occasions, and the moment standing at Anzac Cove that completely rewired the way he talks to himself under pressure. They also revisit the poem Rupert wrote for Tessa's husband Nate, a piece that captured a chapter of their lives in a way only Rupert could. LINKS: Follow @artofliving.wrld Follow @tessacharis Email the show: [email protected] CREDITS: Host: Tessa James Guest: Rupert McCall Executive Producer: Hannah Bowman