The Rugby Pod

The lads are feeling inspired after an epic cross-code weekend for the MND charity game in Leeds, before crashing back down to earth with another England loss. We break down all the weekend’s matches including Ireland’s patchy win over Argentina, England’s defensive frailties against South Africa, and Wales’ drubbing by Australia. The lads discuss who England and Wales might be approaching as their potential saviour. Plus, we look at the hype and the off-field drama from France’s thriller against the All Blacks. We also cover the latest rumour around a potential global franchise competition set to shake up rugby by 2026 and what it potentially means for the sport. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Fresh off another loss to the Boks, Steve Borthwick and Jamie George face some tough questions from the media with pressure piling on. Is England’s rebuild on track, or are they running out of excuses? Rassie Erasmus also chats to the press and credits South Africa’s victory to their experience and cohesion, and also offers some advice to Borthwick and England moving forward. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We're back for a bonus episode to preview England’s massive showdown with South Africa. Can England handle the Bok bomb squad and hold steady in the scrum? What’s the ideal bench strategy and has Borthwick made the right changes? We’re also joined by Mark Mapletoft to discuss England's upcoming stars from the Under 20s and England A ahead of their clash with Australia. Plus we preview Wales vs. Australia, Ireland vs. Argentina, and France vs. New Zealand. Don’t miss our live show at the Ed Slater game with rugby legends coming together to fight MND. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jim and Goodey dissect a tough weekend for Northern Hemisphere rugby. England’s defeat to Australia raises big questions, including their defensive woes, midfield struggles and coaching frailties. The lads give their take on what's going wrong behind the scenes and some potential fixes. Scotland fell to the Boks despite some standout moments, while Ireland’s unbeaten home run ended against the All Blacks on a damp night in Dublin, who look to be rebuilding a terrifying squad. Plus, listener questions: Should England poach NRL stars? Is the 20-minute red card working? And does Owen Farrell change England’s fortunes? All this and lots more—subscribe now on Spotify to get notified as soon as it's released. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Austin Healy joins the lads for a bonus episode this week to chat about the Autumn Nations Series and how rugby is promoted and packaged from a commentary and insights perspective. Austin is one of the most respected pundits in the game and gives some insight into what it's like behind the mic, how he sees the media landscape changing, dealing with social media abuse, and what he thinks of the rule changes. He also gives his take on England's performances and looks forward to Ireland v All Blacks and Australia coming to Twickenham. The lads also reminisce about their Leicester days, we get to the bottom of Goodey and Austin's punch-up. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Bigs joins the lads in studio this week as we break down England’s narrow 22-24 loss to New Zealand, marking their third straight defeat to the All Blacks despite leading into the final quarter each time. We chat about England's struggles to close out games, Steve Borthwick’s massive decision to sub out Marcus Smith and Ben Spencer early, and standout performances from Marcus Smith, and Feyi-Waboso and Wallace Sititi. We also cover Scotland’s impressive 57-17 win over Fiji, where Darcy Graham returned in style with four tries, and look forward to massive Friday night lights in Dublin as Ireland take on the All Blacks in rugby's newest grudge match. Plus we look Wales vs Fiji, while also tackling listener questions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Steve Borthwick, head coach of the England national rugby team, joins rugby star Jamie George and New Zealand's innovative coach Scott Robertson for a gripping analysis of the recent England vs. All Blacks match. They delve into critical moments that swayed the game, including the pivotal decision to substitute Marcus Smith. The guests reflect on the strong yet bittersweet performance from England, showcasing emerging talents and tactical strategies while sharing lessons for future matchups. Expect insights that tackle both resilience and ambition in rugby.

You asked for it, so we're back for a bonus episode during the November internationals. We preview the two opening fixtures of the November series, with the Al Blacks coming to Twickenham, and Fiji visiting Scotland. The lads give their thoughts on Borthwick's early team announcement, the 6-2 bench, Marler's comments around the Haka, and where the game will be won. Meanwhile, Scotland has a tough test against a flying Fijian squad coming off the back of some big wins. The lads give their thoughts on Gregor's tactics, Scotland's new captain Sione Tuipulotu, and predict the outcome of both big games. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Lots to cover this week across the Prem and URC. Jim gives some insight into Michael Cheika's culture-building at Leicester, while Goodey is frothing over Argentine star Marcos Kremer Isgro and his moustache. We chat EPS and how England is trying to avoid more situations like Jack Willis. The lads reminisce on their best team talks from legends like Lawrence Dallaglio and Greig Laidlaw. Plus, we're joined by Rugby League Hall of Famer Jamie Peacock, who gives his take on Andy Farrell and Kevin Sinfield, his retribution list, and what he has planned for Rob during the Lions Tour in Australia. You don't want to miss this one. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It was an inspiring and emotional weekend with the Slater Cup, where Leicester pulled off a thrilling comeback, beating Gloucester 29-26, thanks to a halftime spray from Cheika. The big news of the week, though, is Newcastle breaking their 25-match losing streak with a 24-18 win over Exeter, can Steve Diamond keep the momentum? We’re joined by Bath’s rising star, Guy Pepper, to talk about his comparison to Richie McCaw, what it’s like training with the stacked Bath back row, and how he's adjusting to life at the club after moving from Newcastle. Elsewhere, Siya Kolisi marked his second debut for the Sharks with a try, and Saracens pulled off a hell of comeback to beat Bristol 37-35 in an action-packed game at Ashton Gate. And we dive into the latest on 20-minute red cards, as they're set to be trialled during the Autumn Nations Series. Ireland and France are opposed, but Southern Hemisphere teams are all in. What impact will it have on the biggest stage? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices