The Rugby Pod

This week we're joined by Harlequins and South Africa centre André Esterhuizen as we preview his side's Premiership semi-final London derby against Saracens. We also discuss the other semi-final as top of the table Leicester face Northampton in the East Midlands derby, Jim and Goodey run through all the results from across the premiership this weekend and look ahead to the semi-finals of the URC this weekend too. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After La Rochelle toppled a seemingly unbeatable Leinster side, Jim and Goodey discuss where O'Gara's side won the game and where Leinster fell short. We also chat with former Leinster and Scotland second-row Nathan Hines ahead of his upcoming challenge. We're joined by Gloucester's Freddie Clarke ahead of their huge final game of the regular season, and discuss the massive task ahead of them in securing a place in the semi-finals.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode, Jim chats with a fellow Covskin and a Championship stalwart Ben Gulliver about his career and life playing in the second tier of English rugby. Ben played over 300 times in the championship and experienced the highs of playing alongside his hero, Zinzan Brooke, to the lows of having to undergo 21 operations. The guys chat through the challenges the league faces in terms of funding and supporting players, but also the importance of the competition whilst taking a trip down memory lane when their careers overlapped. Ben is also a big supporter of the women's game and talks about how he sees it evolving. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As the regular season enters its final rounds, we look back at the weekend's action in the URC ahead of the quarter finals in 2 weeks time. Jim and Goodey also run through the results from across the Premiership and look ahead to how the semi-finals will likely shape up. We preview this weekend's Champions Cup Final as La Rochelle face favourites Leinster on Saturday. Following Jim's surgery last week, the lads discuss their plans for some self improvement under the knife. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

With the semi-finals of both the Champions and Challenge cups all wrapped up, we review all the weekend's games and look ahead to the finals in a couple of weeks time. Jim and Goodey are joined by former Leinster and Ireland hooker Bernard Jackman to discuss why Leinster are such a dominant force in European rugby. After the final two English teams crashed out of Europe, the lads discuss how they seem unable to compete at this level with the current Premiership salary cap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We're joined by one of the all-time greats in Shane Williams to chat about his transition to life after rugby. It's Mental Health Awareness Week, so this episode takes an intimate look into the lives of Shane and Jim as they struggled with certain aspects of life after rugby. They discuss the highs of their careers and professional rugby, and what tools helped them cope and come to terms with some of the lows and challenges that they faced and that many people face on a daily basis like loneliness, anxiety and finding the right support network. To find out more about any of the topics discussed on this podcast, visit www.mentalhealth.org.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Our long-awaited return to studio is finally here and what a studio it is. Coming to you from Spotify HQ, we're joined by Scotland and Racing 92 fly half Finn Russell following his side's Champions Cup Quarter final victory over Sale Sharks on Sunday. The lads run though all the European fixtures from last weekend and look ahead to the semi finals this week. Jim and Goodey give their predictions for those games as well as their thoughts on the so-called "Nations Championship" which has been in the news again this week. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, Jim and Goodey are joined by former Ireland, Leinster and Leicester back row Shane Jennings to look ahead to his two former clubs facing off in the Heineken Champions Cup Quarter final this weekend. The lads predict the winners of all the Champions Cup Quarter Finals as well as running through last weekend's Premiership fixtures which saw a whopping 409 points scored across all 6 games. We discuss the constant battle that is the global season and Jim puts forward his argument for summer rugby. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Former CEO of Harlequins, Saracens, Melbourne Storm and Global Rapid Rugby, Mark Evans sits down with me to give his take on everything from how to grow the game, ring-fencing, salary caps, a global season and what rugby union can learn from other successful sports leagues and teams around the world. It's a great chat with someone who has been at the very top of the game, with a huge amount of experience. Enjoy and if you find it interesting, please give it a share! Cheers. Big Jim. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After a Harlequins' crucial win over Leicester Tigers on Saturday, we're joined by Man of the Match and Scottish international Huw Jones to chat about life at Quins and his hopes of a return to international duty. With the playoffs drawing closer, Jim and Goodey give their predictions of who will join Leicester and Saracens in the top 4. The lads introduce our brand new segment that'll see YOU, the listeners, joining us live on the pod to tell us your stories. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices