What happens on the field stays on the field - well not when Graham Purvis is your after dinner speaker. One of the most fearsome forwards on the field Graham is one of the funniest after dinner speakers you'll ever experience.

An All Black for 5 years from 1989 to 1993 Graham played 28 games for New Zealand including 2 test matches. His provincial rugby career spanned 15 years, with 147 games for Waikato, including winning 2nd & 1st Division NPC titles and the Ranfurly Shield twice. “Off Seasons” playing club rugby in southern France for 5 years and 2 seasons in Cork, Ireland cap of his sporting career. Such a smorgasbord of rugby travel and adventure cannot go without many an amusing and entertaining tale. His involvement with the national game is now limited to relating the adventures of his rugby career to audiences around New Zealand and offering expert comments for television and radio.

Achieving success and longevity in such a physically demanding arena as the rugby front row has given Graham a first hand insight into the commitment, rigors, and determination required to achieve in first class sport, as well as the humorous situations that have presented themselves along the way. As with life, the quality of preparation, training, technique and execution play a huge part in ensuring the performance on the field is the absolute best it can be; and that you are able to repeat that performance consistently and with confidence.

Graham retired at the end of the 1993 season with 133 games for Waikato under his belt. He returned to club play in 1995 to help Ohaupo win the division two title and to the Waikato side in 1997 at age 36. His 14 appearances for the union that season took him to a provincial match record of 147.

Graham fought in the 2001 Yellow Ribbon "Fight for Life" which raised over half a million for youth suicide prevention.

In 2002 Graham was featured in the book "Rugby Nomads" as a subject and technical adviser.

When Graham's not relating his rugby experiences he is a senior business manager with one of New Zealand's biggest companies and can draw parallels to business where appropriate.