From the pitch to the podcast: Luron Iosefa’s mission to tackle rugby union’s silent struggles

For Luron Iosefa, rugby is never just about the scoreboard - it’s about survival, identity, and navigating the silent struggles that linger long after the final whistle.

A former King’s College First XV player and Blues Under-20s prospect, Iosefa spent years chasing the dream of professional rugby.

But between academy trials and uncertain contracts, he found himself in what he calls “that grey area” - caught between who he was as an athlete and who he needed to become outside of the sport.

“I struggled in that grey area,” he tells Pacific Huddle. “A lot of players have great careers, especially in rugby union, and they don’t really know what to do after. And we hear a lot of stories about retired players going through mental health issues and things like that.

“If I can get these young players that’ve been coming to talk about mental health, it'll be quite good for students, fans and listeners in general just to know,” Iosefa says.

It’s that experience, raw, often hidden, that inspired The Hurtlocker, a new podcast platforming the unfiltered voices of rugby players. Unlike traditional sports media, The Hurtlocker sidesteps match recaps and stat sheets to focus on the mental, emotional, and personal realities behind the game.

Luron Iosefa, of King's College, playing against Auckland Grammar in the Auckland Schools First XV Rugby competition on Saturday 18 May 2019. Photo/Photoshport/Andrew Cornaga

Named after a gym term referring to deep physical and mental pain, the podcast has quickly grown into a much-needed space for honest conversations - especially for young Pacific and Māori players grappling with identity, expectation, and life after rugby.

Each episode features rising players and emerging voices who discuss their mental health journeys, from using sports psychologists to journaling, and the mental frameworks that help them stay grounded.

“It’ll be important especially for the younger players coming through the ranks to hear someone like Wallace or Pellegrini talking about mental health,” Iosefa says.

Listen to Luron Iosefa's interview below.

“It’ll have a deeper effect than just reading a piece of paper or someone just telling them to be open.”

Raised in a Sāmoan household, Iosefa grew up internalising the idea that expressing mental challenges was a sign of weakness or ingratitude.

“In that generational cycle, it’s very normal for a lot of our Pacific people to push aside how they really feel.”

While The Hurtlocker is still in its early stages, it’s already carving out a new lane in New Zealand’s rugby media landscape - one where players are seen not just for their performance, but for their humanity.

Where mainstream sports coverage tends to highlight established stars, Iosefa gives a platform to emerging players, academy prospects, and those whose voices are rarely heard.

Outside the podcast studio, Iosefa works as a Market Analyst at interest.co.nz, covering the NZX 50. Balancing a day job in financial journalism with his work in sports storytelling, he reflects a new generation of Pacific professionals - navigating multiple worlds, breaking new ground.

Luron Iosefa, College Rifles winger, right, on the attack against Papatoetoe in their Auckland Premiership Rugby match on 30 April 2022. Photo/Photosport/Brett Phibbs

“More than it just being rugby related, The Hurtlocker entails a lot of different things,” he shares. “When you’re hurting mentally, that also counts as the hurt locker. It’s important to be open and to talk to people.”

Iosefa hopes the podcast will help reshape how we view athletes: not just for what they do on the field, but as people.

In that way, The Hurtlocker is more than just a podcast; it’s the beginning of a movement.