Super-fit footy star reveals what happened when he drank 600 cans of Coke in one month - and the pre-game meal he had to keep a secret from his parents
Panthers winger and four-time NRL Premiership winner Brian To'o has revealed that his health didn't suffer despite the fact he polished off nearly 600 cans of Coke Zero in a single month.
While most NRL stars take their diets very seriously to stay in top shape, To'o is is known for his love of junk food and soft drink.
Before the 2024 decider, the Penrith flyer sat down to eat a large bowl of chips with aioli, two breakfast burgers and a staggering six Coke Zeros.
When Coca-Cola heard about this they shipped To'o 24 cases of Coke Zero, each box holding 24 cans.
To'o says he finished the lot - 576 cans - in a single month and says he feels fine.
'I think Coke sponsored Penrith so they sent me 24 boxes of 24 packs (after the story),' To'o told News Corp.
'Put it this way, I got them in October and they were finished by November. My teeth still seem pretty good.'
The Panthers star is currently in camp for the Blues and says his game-day diet will not change before Game 1.
'My wife (Moesha) is always questioning me, asking: "Are you sure that's your game day ritual?" I'm like: "I have to stick with it, honey",' To'o said.
'It's always the same diet every time – two breakfast burgers, bowl of chips, cafe latte, two sugars and six Coke Zeros.
'The way I see it, it's a bit of fuel for the engine. I had it once when I was young, about 14, and played really well, so I kept doing it.
'I made sure back then I ate outside the house (so my parents didn't see.). My mum and dad would have told me off.
'Mum and Dad found out after my second NRL game.
'I took them out to breakfast and they asked whether I was playing after watching what I was eating. I have been lucky to maintain my shape but it's a normal game day routine.'
Nathan Cleary politely described To'o's food intake as 'unique', while Panthers five-eighth Jarome Luai said he has the 'worst diet in NRL history'
Last year, Panthers forward Liam Martin said he would be 'dying in five minutes' if he had the same meal before a match and his other teammates have previously joked about him having the 'worst diet in the NRL'.
'I don't know how he is a professional athlete,' Martin added.
'If he's ever worried we're on an away trip where there will be no Coke Zeros, he brings his own.'
Halfback Nathan Cleary is also dumbfounded by how his mate can still perform at incredibly high level despite what he puts into his body.
'His diet is the most unique I've seen for a rugby league player,' Cleary said.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BBC News
an hour ago
- BBC News
Is Test cricket financially sustainable?
This week's World Test Championship final between Australia and South Africa at Lord's is the longer format's fixture also represents an opportunity to celebrate international cricket's historic, and most romanticised, the majority of its 148-year life, Test cricket has been treasured as the pinnacle of the sport, but over the past two decades its popularity has diminished in some growth of shorter formats, and especially T20, has played a part and for some national boards Test cricket is seen as a financial millstone amid poor attendances and declining Sport has spoken to some of the game's senior figures to consider the key fiscal challengers which face Test cricket – and whether it's possible to solve them. What is the World Test Championship - and has it worked? The World Test Championship (WTC) was conceived during Greg Barclay's chairmanship of the International Cricket Council (ICC). Barclay, who stepped down last December after four years in the role, said it was a necessary step to ensure Test cricket appealed to modern WTC cycle runs for two years. Teams play six series in that time - three at home and three away - with 12 points awarded for winning a match, six for a tie and four for a as teams play a different number of Tests across their six series, the table is ranked by percentage of points won."The format of the WTC has got its critics and justifiably so, but we had to do something," Barclay told BBC Sport."I think it's driven a lot of interest in Test cricket. Conceptually it's been a real positive addition to the cricketing calendar. "If you have context, relevance and a bit of jeopardy the fans get far more involved in it." While the WTC is only in its third iteration, there is much work to be done to ensure it has the "sporting integrity" to help aid Test cricket's finances, according to former West Indies chief executive Johnny Grave."It's not 'pure' in the sense that every team plays equal games, that there's genuine jeopardy in terms of who might win, central marketing, revenue sharing and collective selling," Grave explained."All these things, in terms of the theory behind how and why a sports league works, don't exist within the WTC."We have a WTC where if you're being really honest, the most valuable fixture - India versus Pakistan - within that league never happens. It's like having La Liga but Barcelona and Real Madrid not playing each other."Three countries - Zimbabwe, Ireland and Afghanistan - play Test cricket but are not in the Ireland chief executive Warren Deutrom said he had a "very open mind" about the Irish joining the WTC in future, even though they currently only play Test cricket sporadically at the Deutrom acknowledged there would need to be more ICC funding - Ireland currently receive around $6m a year in the current cycle - for that to be a reality. "To be very blunt about it, if there was a was a change in the funding structure then it is something which we would give serious consideration," he added. Some players earning 10 times more in franchise cricket For players from England, Australia and India, playing Test cricket is financially Stokes, England's Test captain, has a central contract reportedly worth £2.47m a year with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB)Not all boards have the same depth of financial inevitably, there has been a talent drain towards franchise cricket, frequently ensuring the most talented players are not always available for Test finalists South Africa were criticised for sending a weakened squad on a Test tour of New Zealand so their star players could play in the country's domestic franchise tournament, the SA20. That notion appeared to go a step further this week when Nicholas Pooran, who has never played a Test match, decided to retire from international cricket for West Indies at the age of is paid $2.5m for his participation in the IPL alone, while the top-earning centrally contracted players with Cricket West Indies earn $200, idea of the ICC ring-fencing a Test fund to financially incentivise players to play the format has been mooted in the past."It has to be something that's looked at," said Grave, who is now the chief executive of Major League Cricket in the USA, but an advocate for Test cricket."Players will make decisions about what's good for them and their livelihoods and their future financial security."Deutrom believes there should be a degree of a financial autonomy for the likes of Cricket Ireland to decide how to spend the cash."I think the way it would work is that you would incentivise the boards in order to make sure that the players could be incentivised," he said."Every member deals with its players differently, incentivises different formats. Obviously we are very familiar with the approach England takes in terms of the incentivisation of its players to play Test cricket."Barclay remains more cautious and would be "loathe to see a direct subsidy" to enable Test cricket to be played. He added the idea "wasn't seriously discussed during my watch" at the ICC but conceded "there may be a slightly different emphasis" now."It's a case of prioritising, using resources sensibly, and accordingly," Barclay said."New Zealand obviously won the first WTC. That's a country with pretty limited resources, but it demonstrates that you don't necessarily need to have large pools of money put aside." Can Test cricket tap into fresh markets? "My dream is that in my lifetime I will be able to see India and China playing against each other in Test cricket," said Malcolm Speed when he was ICC chief executive in Sport understands the ICC sent a delegation to China last year, but the longer format was not part of discussions in any formal sense. Speed's comments feel like pie in the sky, yet China never had a world snooker champion until it had one. There were 34,000 snooker halls in the country around the time Speed made his remarks - there are now 300, Test cricket expand to new frontiers to boost its financial sustainability?"The ICC made both Ireland and Afghanistan full members in 2017 but it did not mean it was the end of the line," Barclay said."Again it's the old adage of being careful what you wish for, because once you become a full member you move into another echelon and you have a lot of commitments that you need to make. It costs a lot of money."Everyone thinks that becoming a full member is this financial El Dorado, and it kind of is. But if broadcast revenues and commercial outcomes were to fall away, and the full members have to split their pie other ways, it might not be the financial boost they are expecting that it is."Nepal, USA, UAE and Scotland are all seen as future Test-playing nations, even if there does not appear a rush for any of them to assume full member status. BBC Sport has been told there are no extra financial incentives from the ICC for those nations to develop their domestic structures for red-ball said it is "really important" to "have a basis for the game and playing red ball cricket at domestic level".Deutrom indicated a way to ensure growth and financial sustainability of the format to those who have recently come into the fold would be to remove some of the costly barriers to staging Test cricket."To preserve the prestige of the format doesn't necessarily mean it should be so exclusive as to be unaffordable," he added."Perhaps we could potentially remove some of the preciousness around how everything has to be done. With 24 to 30 cameras, Super Slo-mo, DRS, etc." Revenue-sharing model needs review In England, Australia and India, Test cricket's appeal to broadcasters can still move the needle for broadcasters, sponsors and deal between the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and Sky Sports is currently worth £880m.A sold-out Ashes Test, for example, can largely determine the balance sheet of an English county the Test-playing countries outside the so-called 'big three', attendances for matches have dwindled and broadcast revenues are considerably has long argued for a more even distribution of the pie."West Indies haven't got terrible overnight at Test cricket. Pakistan haven't fallen down the rankings overnight," he said."This has been a gradual decline since satellite TV came in, in 2001. And the economics of the game just changed, evolved dramatically over 20 years. "So in order to get up to where Test cricket could be, it's probably going to take another 20 years of changing the model before you're really going to see the benefit."England paid a touring fee to Zimbabwe for their Test at Trent Bridge last month and Grave believes the 'big three' should give a share of revenues from Tests where they are fulfilling broadcast contracts."I found it frustrating when we would come to England at a cost of $1m to Cricket West Indies and see no revenue," Grave added."We were regularly spending $25,000 on one flight for one player to Australia. The flights are tourist flights and therefore the price is through the roof." Four days and eight-ball overs? There has not been a single three-match Test series not involving at least one of England, Australia and India since main reason for the truncation of a series is that it is not possible to be fitted in because of the need for three days of rest between have to provide an expensive outlay for a fifth day which doesn't always it time for four-day Tests to become the norm? Barclay thinks it should be considered. "Anything is on the table and if that helps in terms of the betterment and maintenance of Test cricket then absolutely we should be looking at doing that," Barclay can see the practical benefits to keep fans said: "I would have all Test matches starting on a Thursday and finishing on a Sunday."When you have a longer Test series, and you have a complete week off, that ends up for the fan being 10 days off, it's quite difficult to switch on a casual fan and remind them the Test series is still going on."The former West Indies chief executive even suggested bolder proposals to get the game done within a four-day timeframe - including tweaking the number of balls in an over."The Hundred doesn't have six balls in every over. So why couldn't Test cricket have three sessions of 25 overs and eight balls for example?" Grave added."You'd have 400 overs and that's probably for most Test matches, plenty of overs for all teams to bat twice and have a really meaningful contest." So, is Test cricket financially sustainable? Test cricket's appeal would seem to lie in its brand legacy. As in other walks of life an individual's lifestyle choices change with age – and perhaps T20 can be the gateway to fans whose tastes alter later in Barclay the format is "in pretty good fettle" despite concerns it is facing some sort of existential crisis."I absolutely say it's sustainable. I think it's the format of the game which really represents the essence of cricket," Barclay said."To allow it to fall away, or in any way be compromised, I think would be at a massive loss to cricket as a sport. It's incumbent on everyone involved in the game to ensure Test cricket does sustain itself financially."The phrase I use is cross subsidisation so having an unabashed form of the game which is generating the revenue in T20 enables investment back into [Test cricket]."The game's never been more wealthy and more lucrative but it's never needed as much money now as it what it has so I guess you have to trade off in terms of what your priorities are."Grave is adamant changes need to be made to a "broken model" for the format to endure in monetary terms otherwise "the majority of Test cricket will just be played by three teams"."If the game of cricket wants Test cricket to be financially sustainable, I genuinely believe it is. Is it sustainable in its current model? Almost certainly no," Grave balancing the books weighs on Deutrom's mind, it does no detract from an unbridled passion for Ireland to continue to play the longer format."The discussion about Test cricket doesn't start with finance and funding," Deutrom added."It's a format that we all love. It absolutely symbolises and exemplifies the journey Irish cricket has taken."So any discussion around, funding and finance has to be placed within that context in the first instance."During a round of interviews as he embarked on a stint at Middlesex, former New Zealand captain Kane Williamson recently said red-ball cricket was the "soul" of the game while Virat Kohli chose the IPL final to declare his deep love for the successor as ICC chair, Jay Shah, is said to be a fan of Test cricket by those who know him well which would at least appear to safeguard its financial future for the immediate term at perhaps Test cricket is too valuable, regardless of the cost.
BBC News
3 hours ago
- BBC News
World Test Championship final: Smith & Labuschagne rebuild for Australia
Update: Date: 11:47 BST Title: Post Content: Jonathan AgnewBBC Chief Cricket Commentator on Test Match Special There is a gentle buzz reverberating around Lord's today. Update: Date: 15 overs Title: Aus 37-2 Content: Ooooh! A heart in mouth moment for Marnus Labuschagne as his edge drops just short of Aiden Markram in the slips to start the 15th. It's another maiden for Wiaan Mulder. Update: Date: 11:44 BST Title: Get Involved Content: #bbccricket, via WhatsApp on 03301231826 or text 81111 (standard network charges apply) Loving the match. But with the weather being what it is this week. What happens if it is a draw? Tom in Billingshurst Hello Tom. If the match is drawn, tied, or abandoned, the two sides will share the mace. I don't know how they'll share it. One team getting the stick and the other the ball would be the sensible option but I'd rather watch someone slice it lengthways. Update: Date: 11:42 BST Title: Post Content: Jonathan AgnewBBC Chief Cricket Commentator on Test Match Special That was at a catchable height and it went straight between the two players. Update: Date: 14 overs Title: Aus 37-2 Content: A lively start to the second half of this session. Steve Smith flicks Lungi Ngidi's opener fine for four and he sneaks another off the penultimate delivery, this one more aerially between the keeper and leg slip. A touch of fortune there. Update: Date: 11:37 BST Title: Get Involved Content: #bbccricket, via WhatsApp on 03301231826 or text 81111 (standard network charges apply) With Rabada just one Test wicket behind the great Allan Donald and likely to go past him in this match, where does he stand in the pantheon of South African fast bowlers? Maybe only behind Dale Steyn? Bob in Hammersmith Update: Date: 11:35 BST Title: Post Content: While refreshments are served, here's a reminder of the two Australia wickets to fall in the first hour. Kagiso Rabada has 2-9 from his first six-over spell. This video can not be played Rabada takes two quick wickets to put Australia under early pressure Update: Date: 11:34 BST Title: Post Content: Vic MarksFormer England spinner on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra Marnus Labuschagne is here with his career struggling a little bit and Lord's could be another turning point for him. Update: Date: 13 overs Title: Aus 29-2 Content: Smith 5, Labuschagne 17 Australia's selectors would be pretty chuffed with that outcome, @mardysim. Steve Smith casually perches on his bat as Marnus Labuschagne plays out a maiden to Wiaan Mulder, who has replaced Kagiso Rabada. Mulder beats the outside edge to finish the over. And that's drinks. Update: Date: 11:31 BST Title: Get Involved Content: #bbccricket, via WhatsApp on 03301231826 or text 81111 (standard network charges apply) @mardysim on X: Couple of quick wickets for the Saffies. Excellent work. 326-2 at the close? Update: Date: 11:30 BST Title: Post Content: Jim MaxwellBBC Test Match Special commentator at Lord's It's quiet here at Lord's as Australia dig themselves in, but South Africa's bowling has been compelling as they make the batters play a shot with each ball. Update: Date: 12 overs Title: Aus 29-2 Content: How do you think Labuschagne's audition to be Australia's next opener is going, George? Apart from that one edge which fell just short of Ryan Rickelton, he's been pretty solid I think. Strong leaves and running smartly. He runs three to finish the 12th over. Update: Date: 11:26 BST Title: Get Involved Content: #bbccricket, via WhatsApp on 03301231826 or text 81111 (standard network charges apply) David Warner retired over a year ago and Australia are yet to find a permanent opener to partner Khawaja. Sometimes Smith opens, sometimes Head opens, and now Marnus is opening. That vacant spot is a permanent musical chair. That just tells about Warner's huge impact. George, India Update: Date: 11 overs Title: Aus 26-2 Content: A fourth maiden for Kagiso Rabada, with Steve Smith defending all the way. There's a couple of darts to suggest he's interested in the single but every time, he retreats. Rabada has 2-9 from his six overs. Impressive. Update: Date: 11:21 BST Title: How's stat?! Content: Andy ZaltzmanTest Match Special statistician There were 19 balls before Kagiso Rabada conceded a run and only once has he done better in his illustrious career. He has a strike rate of a wicket every 39 balls in Test cricket. This is the best record from a bowler who has bowled 500+ in the history of Test cricket of which there are 292 bowlers. Update: Date: 11:21 BST Title: Get Involved Content: #bbccricket, via WhatsApp on 03301231826 or text 81111 (standard network charges apply) Dave Bedingham playing club cricket in Nottinghamshire six years ago taking the first catch at Lord's in World Test Final. Great persistence. Bryn, Angel Update: Date: 10 overs Title: Aus 26-2 Content: Marnus Labuschagne tastes early success against Lungi Ngidi, easing a solid drive through the covers for four. So far, so good for the opener who moves onto 14. Update: Date: 11:17 BST Title: Post Content: A change in the bowling attack for South Africa, with Lungi Ngidi replacing Marco Jansen. Update: Date: 11:17 BST Title: Get Involved Content: #bbccricket, via WhatsApp on 03301231826 or text 81111 (standard network charges apply) Glad to see Broad's coaching in the South African setup in the lead up to this game is working its magic. Aussies all over the shop. Richard, London Update: Date: 9 overs Title: Aus 22-2 Content: Kagiso Rabada has quite the swagger as he walks back to the top of his run-up. He looks the least-hurried man in the world. However, it's Steve Smith who gets the last laugh, punching the ball square to finish the over with a four. It just beats Tristan Stubbs to the rope.
The Independent
3 hours ago
- The Independent
Joseph-Aukuso Sua'ali'i provides update on recovery as Wallabies prepare for Lions series
Wallabies back Joseph-Aukuso Sua'ali'i said he would be fit to face the British and Irish Lions in July and August after a month-long layoff with a broken jaw. The high profile signing from rugby league has had a disrupted first season in Super Rugby Pacific with injuries severely limiting his time on the pitch. "My face was really big for a bit, I was wearing a face mask everywhere," he told reporters after meeting some real lions at Sydney's Taronga Zoo on Wednesday. "I'll be fully fit. Obviously, had a toe injury, then my jaw and concussion as well. But you know, it's all part of the game. "It's such an important time for myself and Australian rugby and I want to be playing, so obviously I was a little bit of a nerves but ... I had surgery maybe three weeks ago now and looking good going into the Lions." Sua'ali'i said he had lost nearly five kilograms due to the difficulties of eating with a broken jaw but had put it all back on again since. "I've been eating heaps," he said. "Thanks to my mum and my family around me to help me stay on track." The knee of his Wallabies teammate Andrew Kellaway's was the inadvertent cause of the broken jaw and the winger feared at one stage that he might be remembered as the man who ended Sua'ali'i's chances of facing the Lions. "Nobody wants to crash the Ferrari, that's not what anyone wants," Kellaway joked. "He looks alright, he's doing a lot of talking, which is a good sign." Sua'ali'i said he felt he had played enough rugby to compete at the highest level against the Lions, adding that he would be comfortable playing at fullback, on the wing or in the centres. Australia's one warm-up test against Fiji in Newcastle on 6 July was definitely on his radar, Sua'ali'i said, and he could not wait to tangle with the tourists. "These are the biggest games of my life, I believe," he said. "Some people play it once in your career, and it happens every 12 years." Reuters
