A Southlander's hands-on work behind the scenes
“The difference between a good season and a great season often comes down to how well an athlete looks after their body."
Enter your email address to get each Tribune edition in your inbox.
In elite sport, milliseconds define champions, and endurance separates the good from the great.
Maintaining peak physical condition is not a luxury - it’s a necessity.
Southland-based massage therapist Rebecca Whyte is well aware of that.
Whyte and her team at Peak Performance Massage have a growing reputation amongst top-level athletes around muscle integrity, joint health, and full-body maintenance.
She has had hands-on experience working with many of New Zealand’s elite sports teams and athletes.
The list includes the All Blacks, the Chiefs, Crusaders, Black Ferns, professional golfers, and many others.
“People see the game-day performance, but the real work happens behind the scenes,” Whyte said.
“What we do at Peak Performance Massage is ensure that the body is moving efficiently, that tightness and imbalances are corrected before they become injuries, and that athletes can continue training and performing at their absolute best.”
She said her method goes beyond traditional sports massage.
Rather than simply treating tension or pain as it arises, Whyte focuses on prevention, correction, and optimisation, combining deep tissue techniques with movement assessment, functional mobility work, and a deep understanding of biomechanics.
“Every athlete is different. A front-row forward has completely different demands to a professional golfer, yet both need precise joint integrity, muscular balance, and freedom of movement to perform at their peak.”
“Our work is about tailoring treatment so that the body functions like a well-oiled machine, free of restriction and risk of breakdown.”
While Peak Performance Massage is based in Southland, Rebecca’s work takes her across New Zealand and beyond.
She has been trusted by some of the biggest names in sport, proving that world-class treatment isn’t confined to Auckland or Wellington - it’s happening right here in the deep south.
“The difference between a good season and a great season often comes down to how well an athlete looks after their body,” Whyte said.
“We make sure that athletes aren’t just reacting to pain or injury but actively maintaining their body to prevent issues before they arise.”
Another Southlander working in the high-performance athlete space is Karl McDonald, the lead physiotherapist for the All Blacks.
McDonald has worked alongside Whyte and her team and has seen the impact of their work.
“Rebecca is well known in the industry for optimising physical performance. She and her team at Peak Performance Massage are respected as industry leaders, and their approach to body maintenance is second to none,” McDonald said.
“The level of precision they bring to their work plays a crucial role in keeping athletes at their peak. The All Blacks themselves rate Rebecca’s team as the best group of therapists they get throughout the world.”
Whyte said recovery wasn’t just about resting, she pointed out it is active process.
“We integrate manual therapy with education, mobility work, and individualised treatment plans so that every athlete walks away not just feeling better but understanding how to maintain their body at the highest level.”
Her expertise has not gone unnoticed.
Included in the list of Rebecca Whyte fans is Silver Ferns netballer Ameliaranne Ekenasio.
“I’ve worked with Rebecca a handful of times and would hunt her down because of the incredible work she has done with my body,” Ekenasio said.
All Black Beauden Barrett also dished out plaudits.
“Rebecca’s team is the best in the business. I always look forward to travelling south knowing that I’m in great hands of her highly skilled therapists,” Barrett said.
Excellent.... we are very lucky to have this expertise available to sportspeople here in Southland :)