Rugby Union Weekly

Ugo Monye and Chris Jones chat to all the Six Nations captains, but put the rugby to one side and ask the really important questions, like what’s harder – a nine-darter, a 147 or a hole-in-one? You’ll also hear Antoine Dupont sing. Find out how to pronounce Jac Morgan’s name. What position Rory Darge dreams of playing for Liverpool. The greatest sporting achievement in the world, according to Maro Itoje. The one trophy Caelan Doris would love to win as captain and Michele Lamaro tries to convince us that Lazio aren't a real team.BBC Sounds / 5 Live Six Nations commentaries this week:Friday 31st January France v Wales 2015 kick-off - 5 Live Saturday 1st February Scotland v Italy 1415 kick-off - Sports Extra Ireland v England 1645 kick-off - 5 Live

Chris visits the England training camp in Girona and sits down with Cadan Murley who will make his long-awaited England debut this weekend after Steve Borthwick named his team to face Ireland. We deliver Murley a special message from a very proud team-mate, find out which former winger is his biggest inspiration and learn about his early career as a flanker. There was also big news in the back row, as the Curry brothers will become the first twin brothers to play for England. The man in the middle, Ben Earl joins us for a chat and tells us how special it will be to start alongside Tom and Ben having all played together back in 2014. But will the lineout be an issue for England this weekend? And are they lacking experience on the bench? We put the questions to Steve Borthwick and he explains why England have spent their whole build-up to the Six Nations overseas.BBC Sounds / 5 Live Six Nations commentaries this week: Friday 31st January France v Wales 2015 kick-off - 5 Live Saturday 1st February Scotland v Italy 1415 kick-off - Sports Extra Ireland v England 1645 kick-off - 5 Live

Chris, Scrum V's Gareth Rhys Owen and Tom English from the BBC Scotland rugby podcast return as the countdown to the Six Nations continues. They delve into what lies ahead for the four home nation teams. Gareth questions whether Warren Gatland still has the passion to guide Wales. Will Simon Easterby’s leadership bring a new look to Ireland? Tom voices his concerns about Scotland’s mounting injury troubles, while Chris explores the challenge facing England. Plus, find out which member of the team has found a new inner calm ahead of tournament.BBC Sounds / 5 Live Six Nations commentaries this week: Friday 31st January France v Wales 2015 kick-off - 5 Live Saturday 1st February Scotland v Italy 1415 kick-off - Sports Extra Ireland v England 1645 kick-off - 5 Live

The pod is daily once again for the Six Nations and to kick things off we are in Rome! Ugo and Chris chat to all the head coaches at the launch. They speak to Ireland's new interim head coach Simon Easterby and find out how he's settling into the role, what changes he will make - if any - and how he is dealing with the pressure of being defending champions. Warren Gatland wants to block out all negativity and build a siege mentality, but do Wales have what it takes to end their terrible losing run? Are Scotland still one of the favourites for the title despite losing their captain to injury? We put the question to Gregor Townsend and hear how Steve Borthwick has dealt with his own injury setbacks in the build-up. Fabien Galthie has some fashion advice for Ugo and, as is now tradition, we ask all the coaches to pick one player from another nation to have in their team.BBC Sounds / 5 Live Six Nations commentaries this week: Friday 31st January France v Wales 2015 kick-off - 5 Live Saturday 1st February Scotland v Italy 1415 kick-off - Sports Extra Ireland v England 1645 kick-off - 5 Live

Sara sits down with Zoe Aldcroft after she was appointed Red Roses captain for 2025. Aldcroft tells us what it means to lead the team in a World Cup year and how supportive Marlie Packer has been since replacing her as skipper. We hear all about Aldcroft's leadership style and what motivates her to always go the extra mile. She also revisits the heartbreak of losing to the All Blacks in the last World Cup final and how it affected her love for the game. Head coach John Mitchell explains the reasons behind the change of captain and what qualities he admires most in Aldcroft. He also explains how he and the leadership group are dealing with being the 'hunted' at the upcoming World Cup.

Danny, Ashy, and Sara look back at a busy final weekend of the Champions Cup pool stages. They ask whether anyone can challenge Toulouse to lift the cup in May. Is Ashy’s European try-scoring record under threat after Damian Penaud scored six tries at the weekend. And the guys pay tribute to Anthony Watson who announced his retirement last week.

Ugo, Ashy and Chris are in Twickenham to bring you reaction to the news that Maro Itoje is the new England captain. It was the big headline as Steve Borthwick named his 36-man squad for the upcoming Six Nations. But with 88 Tests under his belt, why is now the time right for Itoje to lead the team? We hear about his interests off the field and why he is different to previous captains. Tom Willis made the cut but there is no place for Henry Pollock. So what will England's back row look like? We also pick our backline for England's opener against Ireland in Dublin and how to get the best out of Ollie Lawrence.

Danny is back from his weekend in Toulon and heads straight from the airport to join us Ashy and Chris for the pod. Danny reveals what Dan Biggar said to him on the pitch at the weekend and how difficult it is to find a restaurant in Toulon in January. Everyone is talking about Warren Gatland's Six Nations squad. There's an uncapped fly-half and plenty of experience returning to the fold but it's one or two surprise omissions that have raised a few eyebrows. We also look ahead to an intriguing final round of matches in the Champions Cup pool stage and look at who is best-placed to receive one of two golden tickets that guarantee a home advantage all the way to the final.

Danny has some big news for the pod and we round up an entertaining yet controversial weekend in the Premiership. There was a blockbuster at Franklin’s Gardens as Northampton edged past Bath at the death thanks to Finn Smith. Are the champions still in the play-off race despite being in eighth? Ollie Lawrence has apologised for his role in the incident with Alex Mitchell, but did the England centre overstep the mark? George Skivington's Welsh contingent continue to impress for Gloucester but which Premiership player is being held back by Wales' 25-cap rule? Ashy gives us an insight into French rugby as Owen Farrell is voted the worst signing of the season, plus Ilona Maher makes her Bristol debut and England are heading to Argentina for this summer.

Ugo, Ashy and Chris head into the studio in central London to record the last pod of 2024. Ashy gets a few Christmas gripes off his chest before we look ahead to a bumper year in 2025 and put our prediction skills to the test. Who will win the Six Nations and will we see a Grand Slam? And in what order will the home nations finish? We pick our Lions bolters and ask if there is anyone that can stop the Red Roses winning the World Cup. We also round-up a chaotic end to 2024 on the field as Exeter finally win a game, Bath put nearly 70 points on Saracens and Sale dominated Bristol at Ashton Gate. We also put forward a solution to solve the issues with the Champions Cup - remember you heard it here first!

Danny is the only one bringing the festive cheer to the pod as we discuss life as a rugby player at Christmas and how many eggs Ashy has with his Christmas dinner. Chris outlines a tumultuous few weeks for the RFU that has seen Tom Ilube resign as chairman and Sir Bill Beaumont appointed in his place on an interim basis. Warren Gatland is staying on as Wales head coach and has been challenged to deliver success in the Six Nations, but what exactly does that look like for a team that didn't win a match in 2024? Bristol win on the road again as they thrash Leicester at Welford Road. Can they go all the way this season, or will they need to tone down their attacking style?

Ashy critiques his son’s performance as one of the three Wise Men in his school’s nativity before we turn our attention to another weekend of Champions Cup action. It wasn’t without its issues again as a number of clubs heavily rotated their teams, but Northampton went fully loaded to Pretoria to face the Bulls and Tommy Freeman joins us to tell them all about their bonus-point win. Glasgow fell agonisingly short in Toulon and Toulouse ran riot in Exeter with Antoine Dupont getting one try closer to Ashy’s record. Away from the Champions Cup, Felix Jones has now officially left his role at the RFU. Can we expect him to pop up on the Lions coaching ticket next summer?

Chris and Ashy are back to preview round two of the Champions Cup and we find out what role Ashy's son is playing in his Christmas nativity. George Ford is on the pod ahead of Sale's big clash against Racing 92 on Friday. He also reflects on England's autumn and that drop goal against New Zealand. Could a dramatic schedule change reignite interest in the Champions Cup? And what are the big clashes to look forward to this weekend?

Ugo, Danny and Chris look back at the opening weekend of the Champions Cup. La Rochelle weathered the storm - quite literally - to beat Bath on the opening night, but did the first round manage to showcase the best of the competition? The pre-tournament favourites all won handsomely, but which British team has the best chance of going deep in the tournament? Henry Pollock continues to make waves, and at only 19 what is the best way to nurture him and the next generation of talent? We also hear all about Danny's experience of the Stade Dominique Duvauchelle and how many Christmas trees he has this year.

Sara takes the pod to Bristol to track down American rugby sensation Ilona Maher, who has just announced she will be playing in the PWR next year. Sara chats to her about her first impressions of British food - and the weather! Which Bristol team-mate has she already bonded with? And now she's converted from Sevens to 15s, where will she play? We also hear all about her amazing rise to become the most followed rugby player in the world, why she loves the sport and how she hopes to inspire the next generation of young girls to play rugby,

Ugo, Danny and Ashy are back on the sofa to discuss the return of the Premiership, but Ashy is surprised by what he saw over the weekend. Has the gap between the domestic and international game ever been greater? Newcastle won again and Exeter lost again. Gloucester and Bristol continue to thrill and both claimed impressive wins on the road. But it meant Joe Marler's farewell didn't go to plan. We look at Andy Farrell's to-do list as he starts work as the Lions head coach and ponder how Scotland players will be in his starting backline. Plus, there is some exciting news in the PWR as Bristol confirm the signing of American superstar Ilona Maher.

The curtain has come down on the autumn for England, Scotland and Wales. Danny, Chris and Ashy assess where each team are at after testing themselves against the best from the southern hemisphere. How should England reflect on their autumn after only one win in four? And which players' stock has grown this November? Danny's upset the Scotland fans and shares some of the kind messages he's received after Gregor Townsend's side beat Australia in Edinburgh. The WRU have started their review into Wales' autumn, but could Warren Gatland still be in involved come their Six Nations opener in Paris? There's controversy at the World Rugby awards and with Ireland yet to complete their autumn schedule, we start looking at some of the issues awaiting Andy Farrell when he becomes Lions head coach.

Chris and Paul Grayson are at Twickenham to bring you reaction to England's dominant victory over Japan. It ended a run of five straight defeats for Steve Borthwick, but how happy is he with the team's progress this autumn? Jamie George is also on the pod and we get Eddie Jones' take on a tough day at the office for Japan and a less than ideal return to Twickenham for the former England head coach. We are also in Monaco for the World Rugby awards as Sara sits down with the men's and women's player of the year. South Africa forward Pieter-Steph du Toit claimed the men's award for a second time while Ellie Kildunne was crowned the best women's player after a stellar year with the Red Roses.

Chris, Tom, and Gareth are back for the penultimate pod of the autumn. They save the Wales chat for the end, as Gareth tries to make sense of the challenges facing the team. Chris questions whether England's coaching staff might be short on experience, while Tom argues that Scotland's clash with Australia is a must-win, believing it could define their entire year.

Is time running out for Warren Gatland? Wales have now lost 11 successive Test matches and conceded 50 points at home for the first time. Chris, Ugo and Ashy discuss what needs to change to get Welsh rugby back on track. Is the issue bigger than the head coach? England are also on a losing run. Are there still question marks around their identity under Steve Borthwick and is fitness one of the reasons behind their inability to close out games? Plus, the nominees for the World Rugby Awards are out and the Haka is back in the spotlight – quite literally!

Chris, Tom and Gareth return after a clean sweep of defeats for the home nations. They begin with the narrative in Wales as more pressure is being heaped on Warren Gatland. Gareth asks whether the WRU are considering his future. Despite their poor showing against the All Blacks, Tom isn’t concerned for Ireland. And Chris tries to explain what is going on behind the scenes at England.

Chris and Ashy bring you a special pod looking ahead to England's massive game against the World Champions South Africa at Twickenham. You'll hear from Ellis Genge on the challenge of facing the Boks up front and how they've been picking themselves up after the shock defeat to Australia. We also Jerry Flannery on how special it is to be working with the double World Cup winners. Follow the Autumn Nations Series on BBC Sounds: Friday 15th November: Ireland v Argentina - 20:10 Saturday 16th November: Scotland v Portugal - 15:10 | England v South Africa - 17:40 | France v New Zealand - 20:10 Sunday 17th November: Wales v Australia - 16:10

It was a weekend to forget for the Northern Hemisphere in the Autumn Nations Series. Ugo, Danny and Chris look back on a clean sweep for the Southern Hemisphere sides as the home nations all lost on home turf. To blitz, or not to blitz, that is the question facing England after they shipped 42 points against the Wallabies. Is it time for them to adopt another defensive system? What next for Wales after they suffered a record-equalling 10th Test in a row? Will the WRU give Warren Gatland the time to turn things around? Ireland lost their unbeaten home record as the All Blacks continue to impress under Scott Robertson. And South Africa got the better of Scotland once again, centre Andre Esterhuizen joins us from Edinburgh airport as they start their prep to face England. Plus, we talk 20-minute red cards.

Chris, Matt Dawson and Paul Grayson bring you reaction to a bonkers game at Twickenham as Max Jorgenson scored an 84th minute to inflict another defeat on England. Why aren't they able to hold onto a lead? England led by 12 points in the first half and then fought back to lead 37-35 with only two minutes to go, but couldn’t see it out. We hear from England captain Jamie George and head coach Steve Borthwick immediately after the full-time whistle on where it went wrong. Is it a coaching issue or a psychological one? “A megastar in the making,” that was verdict on Joseph Suaalii's Test debut as he picked up player of the match as the Wallabies won at Twickenham for the first time since 2015.

Chris, Tom and Gro are all finally together as the Autumn Nations Series starts in earnest. Gro seeks positives to cling on to as Wales prepare to face Fiji, and we discuss whether Ireland are justifiably favourites against New Zealand on Friday night. Scotland face the stiffest test in world rugby, while after losing to the All Blacks, England are under pressure to return to winning ways against Joe Schmidt’s Australia.

There's a new rugby autobiography hitting the shelves this week and it's already caused quite a stir. Ugo and Chris quiz Danny about his book and what he's got to say about Eddie Jones' England regime. We continue to pick the bones out of England's last-gasp defeat against the All Blacks and discuss the most effective way to nail a drop goal. But are England scoring enough points under Steve Borthwick? And how do they avoid getting sucked into an arm wrestle when they keep coming up short? Duhan van der Merwe and Darcy Graham are fighting it out to become Scotland's all-time try scorer, but can they stun the Boks this weekend? Joe Marler retires from international rugby, again, and a depleted New Zealand head to Dublin to face Ireland at the Aviva.

Chris, Ashy and Matt Dawson react to New Zealand’s dramatic win over England at Twickenham. They pick through the final stages and where the game got away from England. Was it the right decision to bring Marcus Smith and Ben Spencer off? We hear from Jamie George on the pod, who says England need to start closing out tight matches. All Blacks head coach Scott Roberson also gives us his take on another narrow win over England and we wax lyrical about the winning try from Mark Tele'a.

The Nations Pod is back! GRO, like Wales, sits out this episode as it falls outside of the international Test window, but Chris and Tom eventually look ahead to the start of the Autumn Nation Series after battling yet more technical issues. How much pressure are England under to beat the All Blacks this Saturday? Steve Borthwick has named his team early picking Ben Spencer at scrum-half and Henry Slade in midfield, despite him only playing 54 minutes this season. Sione Tuipulotu will lead Scotland against Fiji and Tom is full of praise for the new Scotland captain and is backing Gregor Townsend's side to take a big scalp this autumn.

To launch our coverage of the autumn nations series, Chris and Ashy head to Jersey to sit down with double World Cup winning South Africa coach Rassie Erasmus. We ask what makes him tick, how he stays motivated, and whether the Springboks can win a third World Cup. And given his emotional connection to South Africa, would he ever coach another international side? We are also joined by the great winger Cheslin Kolbe; what has been his favourite moment in a Springbok jersey, and what’s the driving force behind his brilliant career so far?

We’re with England at their training camp in Girona as they continue their prep for the autumn internationals. Chris sits down with new senior assistant coach Richard Wigglesworth to find out more about his new role, plus we get the latest on the fitness of Henry Slade and George Ford ahead of the first Test against the All Blacks. Alex Lozowski is back in the England fold for the first time since 2018, so how much is he relishing the chance to prove himself on the international stage again? There’s also a fascinating interview with Luke Cowan-Dickie who opens up about overcoming the health issues and injuries that stalled his England career. He also reveals he’s quit gaming and alcohol in a bid to rediscover his best form.

Wales boss Warren Gatland is our special guest on the day he names his squad for the autumn internationals. It’s been a tough year for Gatland, so how is he approaching the upcoming Tests? And which of his players could play their way into Lions contention? Meanwhile it was a gripping weekend in the Premiership, with Newcastle pulling off a much-welcomed and long-awaited win, and nearly all of the other games going down to the wire. And with England going into camp in Girona this week, who should play in the midfield against the All Blacks? We also debate whether 20-minute red cards are a step forward for the game, or a step back.

Sara and Kat Merchant bring you all the reaction to the Women’s World Cup draw. They chat to England captain Marlie Packer about the Red Roses being drawn against Samoa, USA and Australia and what it was like to have the draw live on The One Show. Ireland are in the same pool as the Black Ferns, can they stun the World Champions again? We speak to their co-captain Sam Monaghan about their progress over the last year. And with Scotland and Wales in the same pool as one of the top seeds Canada, is it a straight shootout between the two for second place? Scotland captain Rachel Malcolm and Wales skipper Hannah Jones discuss and look back at their last World Cup encounter.

Sara and Danny react to England's 36-man squad for the Autumn Nations Series which sees Henry Slade included despite not yet playing for Exeter this season. Sara chats to Steve Borthwick about why he included Slade and the return of fellow centre Alex Lozowski to the England fold. With Alex Mitchell missing out through injury, we get Danny to predict how Borthwick will his scrum-halves during the November Tests. Is Ben Spencer finally going to get his first start for England? Sara also quizzes Borthwick on the numerous changes to his coaching staff over the summer and the decision to promote Richard Wigglesworth to senior assistant coach.

Ugo, Danny and Ashy wrap up a try-laden derby weekend in the Premiership. There 12 tries at Kingsholm which ended with Finn Russell shushing the Shed for the second year running. There was another 10 tries at Sandy Park, three of them scored by Bristol's Gabriel Ibitoye who joins the pod to tell us why he's loving life at Bristol and whether we can expect to see him in an England shirt soon. Quins finally got the better of Saracens, there was a 25th successive defeat for Newcastle and Leicester took the bragging rights in the Midlands derby. Plus, we also react to the news that Richard Wigglesworth has been promoted to become Steve Borthwick's number two in the latest change to England's coaching set-up.

Chris and Ashy sit down with one of Ireland's greatest ever players, Johnny Sexton, to look back at his illustrious career. We find out how Sexton is finding retirement and what the biggest challenges have been so far. We hear about his admiration for Owen Farrell and he reveals the best coach he's ever worked with. Will Sexton himself ever be tempted into coaching? He also picks through that painful World Cup quarter-final defeat to New Zealand, and we get the lowdown on his spat with Rieko Ioane.

There is plenty for Ugo, Danny and Chris to discuss on and off the pitch this week as the war of words - and emojis - continues between Rieko Ioane and Johnny Sexton. But it was Bristol who delivered the knockout blow of the weekend as they wrecked Bath's perfect start to the season. Alex Lozowski could be in line for his first England cap since 2018, but were there any big omissions from Steve Borthwick's training squad ahead of the autumns? The Red Roses beat the Black Ferns again and things aren't going well for Chris in Fantasy rugby.

Ashy, Danny and Chris react to an eventful weekend of rugby including Christian Wade’s hat-trick for Gloucester. Is Ashy going to be tempted out of retirement or is he resigned to losing his Premiership try record? We chat to the league’s in-form 9 as Bath’s Ben Spencer reflects on their win at Welford Road and tells us about his England ambitions. There are upsets in the URC and WXV, but not in the Rugby Championship. Is this Springbok team the greatest ever? And there are more complications for Steve Borthwick as he tries to rebuild his coaching team before the autumns.

Danny, Ashy and Ugo are on the sofa to look back at a hectic weekend which featured an impressive win for Bath and a good old fashioned smash and grab by Leicester to get Michael Cheika off to a winning start. DC has an issue with his market value on Fantasy Rugby and we debate what a prime Ashton and Monye would have fetched. The code if you want to join the league is: posysash or you can email: [email protected] for the link. Plus, we look back at round five of the Rugby Championship delivered yet again, with a thrilling Bledisloe Cup encounter in Sydney and Los Pumas stun the Springboks.

For our last pre-season pod, Danny and Chris head into central London to chat to one of the Premiership's biggest stars in Finn Russell. We hear all about his parenting skills after becoming a dad for the second time and how fatherhood has changed him as a player. He also talks Lions selection, life in the Prem and his desire to win a title. They also chat to Mike Brown who claims he's never been interviewed on the pod despite playing 300 games with DC. He reveals what keeps him motivated at 39, gives plenty of insight into Michael Cheika and where it went wrong for Tigers last season. Plus, we hear all about Danny rubbing shoulders with a Hollywood A-lister while at a 40th birthday party in Surrey at the weekend.

Danny, Ashy and Chris are back on the sofa as we continue to gear up to the new domestic season. There is more talk about Ashy coming out of retirement after Gavin Henson's comeback Pencoed and how Danny's knee is holding up ahead of a 20th season at the top level. They discuss the pros and cons of a potential merger between the Premiership and the URC; which league would benefit most and is it inevitable at some point to secure the future of the domestic game? We also discuss Australia's struggles and what it means for the Lions tour next summer, plus if anyone - or anything - can stop the Red Roses from becoming world champions on home soil next summer.

Sara sits down with England captain Marlie Packer and new vice-captain Natasha Hunt to look ahead to a big 12 months for the Red Roses. They can lay down a big marker in their quest for World Cup glory next year by beating New Zealand on home soil this weekend. Ruby Tui gives her take on England and Hunt's return to the set-up after missing last year's World Cup. Marlie talks about juggling motherhood with a busy schedule and why Mo is doing such a great job as vice-captain. We also hear all about coffee etiquette and which players are always desperate to be involved in the photos for a trophy lift.

Chris and Ashy chat to some of the biggest names in the Premiership as we continue our build up to the new season. Ashy quizzes Christian Wade on his desire to break his Premiership try record. With Wade needing 19 tries to usurp Ashy, how concerned should he be? Ben Earl is back on the pod to tell us what to expect from a new-look Saracens and whether his golf game has improved over the summer. We also chat to the new Northampton captain George Furbank. Can he lead the Saints to back-to-back Prem titles for the first time? Marcus Smith gives opens up about how much those missed kicks in Dunedin affected him and give us an update on Danny’s fitness.

We’re back after the summer break and to kick things off we’ve got a special interview with the Premiership’s big new arrival. Chris and Ashy sit down with the new Leicester boss Michael Cheika to find out how he ended up at Welford Road and what keeps the experienced Aussie motivated as a coach. It’s been a tumultuous off-season for Steve Borthwick and the RFU. We react to the news that Aled Walters has joined Ireland and Felix Jones will also leave his role as England defence coach. Plus, Twickenham has a new name and we hear all about Ashy’s packed summer trying to keep his kids entertained during the school holidays.

Sara Orchard takes you back 10 years to remember the Red Roses’ World Cup triumph in 2014. Sara is joined by Katy Daley-McLean, who led the side to glory in France, and the current England captain Marlie Packer, to relive their victory over Canada in the final. We find out why there was an armed guard at the Red Roses training base, Katy explains why she turned down a visit from Jonny Wilkinson before the final and Marlie pinpoints the exact moment she knew England were going to win the World Cup. There’s also plenty on the celebrations at full-time and the Take That song that became the team’s anthem during the tournament.

Chris hosts Ugo and Danny for a definitive review of the 2023/2024 season. With the help of the listeners, we go through the highlights of an exhilarating campaign at both club and international level, from South Africa’s Rugby World Cup triumph to the flex of the Olympics-bound Antoine Dupont. How good was George Ford’s masterclass against Argentina? How impressive was Glasgow’s URC title win? And where does Ireland’s victory in South Africa rank? The guys also pick their Lions XVs for the 1st Test against Australia next summer, and unsurprisingly struggle to agree.

Ugo, Ashy and Danny are back on the sofa to look back at a busy weekend for the Home Nations. They begin with Ireland’s impressive victory over South Africa despite the absence of several key players. With England once again coming so close against the All Blacks, the guys ponder whether it was a missed opportunity for Steve Borthwick’s side. And how close are Wales to ending their winless streak having not won since October? Plus, they delve into what has been learnt about each of the four team as the season reaches its conclusion.

Chris is at Eden Park and looks back on another narrow defeat for England against New Zealand who win the test series 2-0. It was an important learning curve for Steve Borthwick's side, but what are the positives from two straight defeats? What can the team learn from this tour? All Blacks legend Ian Jones and World Cup winner Paul Grayson discuss, plus Chris speaks to England captain Jamie George, head coach Borthwick and New Zealand boss Scott Robertson.

We’re less than 24 hours from the second Test at Eden Park which finally brings the curtain down on a long season, and Alex Lowe is back on the pod to preview it all with Chris in the heart of Auckland. England will be without George Furbank who has been ruled out through injury. How much will the absence of the Northampton full-back change England’s gameplan on Saturday? We hear from England flanker Sam Underhill on Freddie Steward coming in to replace Furbank and he tells us how much he’s relishing the Eden Park challenge. Chris has also been speaking to Chandler Cunningham-South about his rapid rise to becoming an England international after growing up in New Zealand.

Chris is at the England team hotel in Auckland to chat to captain, and friend of the pod, Jamie George. We hear how the England team watched their footballing counterparts reach the Euro 2024 final and why Gareth Southgate is such a big inspiration to Jamie and Steve Borthwick. Who will be England's Ollie Watkins at Eden Park on Saturday? Chris also chats to Andrew Strawbridge, who recently joined England's coaching set-up on a permanent basis having helped the All Blacks to reach the Rugby World Cup final in October. But in 2015 Strawbridge was given days to live after contracting sepsis in Samoa. He recounts his near-death experience, the impact it has had on him physically and how it has shaped his approach to life.

Tom channels his inner Rassie Erasmus as he highlights some issues with the officiating in the 1st Test between South Africa and Ireland. The Boks use of the bench is once again up for discussion. GRO tries to come up with some positives following another defeat for Wales that’s seen them fall to 11th in the world rankings. And where do England need to improve if they are to end New Zealand’s long unbeaten run at Eden Park?