The Rugby Paper Podcast

Columnists Brendan Gallagher and Chris Hewitt rejoin Ollie Little once again for a fascinating look at coaching in the modern game. The guys welcome former England coach Brian Ashton. Widely known as one of the most visionary coaches in the game of rugby, Brian presents some of his more recent non-traditional coaching philosophies.

One man who has well and truly lived the highs and lows of sport is Christian Wade. After years of terrorising defences in the Gallagher Premiership, Christian jetted to America to chance his arm in the NFL. Now, he is weighing up his next move, and joins Ollie Little, Brendan Gallagher and Chris Hewett for what made for an unmissable episode!

For the first time ever on The Rugby Paper Podcast, a full house! Host Oliver Little is joined by columnists Nick Cain, Brendan Gallagher and Chris Hewett to discuss the The Rugby Championship. One week into the tournament and New Zealand struggles continue, while Australia fought back to beat a resilient Argentina despite the notable absence of their stalwart captain, Michael Hooper. Joining the guys to discuss is none other than former Wallaby captain James Horwill!

The focus of The Rugby Paper Podcast journeys across the pond for your next edition. Joining host Ollie Little and columnists Brendan Gallagher and Chris Hewett is Head of Europe and the United Kingdom for the NFL and former World Rugby CEO Brett Gosper, who discusses comparisons he has been able to make through his own transition between the two sports, as well as the groundbreaking potential of the Rugby World Cups in the USA in 2031 and 2033. The guys also briefly preview the upcoming Rugby Championship!

Episode 24 of The Rugby Paper Podcast welcomes former Ireland fly-half Mick Quinn, basking in the success of his team's historic summer in New Zealand. Together with host Ollie Little and columnists Brendan Gallagher and Chris Hewett, Mick lays out Irish prospects for the World Cup next year. Mick also takes the liberty to lay into English life prospects in general.

Points of discussion are in abundance in your next edition of The Rugby Paper Podcast after a fitting finale to the summer series. Host Ollie Little is rejoined by Brendan Gallagher and Chris Hewett as they welcome special guest, former England full-back, professional cricketer and rugby journalist Alastair Hignell. As well as discussing Ireland's phenomenal achievement in New Zealand and the perennial problem of England selection, Alastair provides fascinating insight into his charity work for The Sporting Memories Foundation, an organisation that uses the power of sports reminiscing and discussion to tackle dementia, depression and loneliness among the elderly.

Two weekends of summer tours have proved a microcosm of the very fine north/south divide at present. Australia vs England, New Zealand vs Ireland, South Africa vs Wales and Argentina vs Scotland are all locked at a win apiece. The Rugby Paper Podcast looks ahead to a weekend guaranteed of drama and unpredictability. To do so, Ollie Little is joined by columnists Brendan Gallagher and Chris Hewett, as well as former Bath and England prop Gareth Chilcott.

Saturday's Gallagher Premiership Final was a wonderful occasion - not least if you are a Leicester Tigers fan! The Rugby Paper Podcast looks back at the final and the Gallagher Premiership season as a whole, as well as reviewing the England squad for their tour of Australia which was announced following a dismal showing against the Barbarians. Joining host Ollie Little to do this are regular columnists for The Rugby Paper Brendan Gallagher and Chris Hewett, as well as former England prop Jeff Probyn.

Following a weekend of chaotic semi-final action, this week's instalment of The Rugby Paper Podcast previews the all-important Gallagher Premiership Final between Leicester Tigers and Saracens. Joining host Ollie Little is columnist for The Rugby Paper and podcast debutant Chris Hewett as well special guest former England scrum-half and World Cup winner Kyran Bracken.

Your next edition of The Rugby Paper Podcast discusses the United Rugby Championship. The URC is undergoing something of a revolution, with the addition of four South African provinces this season. Two South African sides made it to the semi-finals, however with all four Welsh regions missing out on quarter-final spots. Joining Ollie Little, Nick Cain and Brendan Gallagher to debate this imbalance is former Wales captain and one of the most distinctive voices in rugby, Eddie Butler.

This week, host Ollie Little and Assistant Editor Ben Jaycock are joined by Scotland international and Saracens back row Andy Christie to discuss the all important denouement for the Gallagher Premiership 2022 season, chaotic international call-ups, Love Island and more.

Episode 17 tackles one of the most pressing issues in English men's rugby. An already-shrinking grassroots game has been hit by the pandemic and needs as much support as it can get in order for the top levels of rugby to not be affected. Discussing what needs to be done, host Ollie Little is joined by columnists Nick Cain and Brendan Gallagher, as well as two time British and Irish Lion Peter Winterbottom.

A special family occasion for this week's episode of The Rugby Paper Podcast. Host Ollie Little is treated to the company of Leicester Tigers and England prop Joe Heyes, his father, former Nottingham Forest professional goalkeeper Darren Heyes, and his grandfather, former Leicester City and Swansea goalkeeper George Heyes. The episode includes discussion on Leicester's prospects ahead of a potential Premiership Final, overlap between rugby and football, and 84 year-old George's first experience over zoom - thoroughly entertaining!

For The Rugby Paper Podcast this week, host Ollie Little, Assistant Editor Ben Jaycock and Digital Editor Ben Redwood are joined by Bristol Bears stalwart Jake Woolmore. Being the first Bear to 100 caps is just one of many feats on the loosehead's resume, as we find out in discussing his work as a barber and his gin brand (listen for a discount code). In Mental Health Awareness Week, we also discuss Jake's lessons learned from working as a Mental Health First Aider, and mental health in rugby.

Grand Slam champions! The Red Roses secured the Six Nations title, in France on Saturday finishing the tournament unbeaten and scoring a record 282 points. Post-celebrations, England captain Sarah Hunter joins host Ollie Little and record-breaker Rocky Clark to review the tournament, look ahead to the World Cup as well as discuss dentistry and voodoo dolls...

For your next edition of The Rugby Paper Podcast, host Oliver Little is joined by Digital Editor Ben Redwood, as we welcome breakthrough Bath centre Max Ojomoh. On the menu for today are the new Bath, Max's academy and professional arc, dreadlocks, FIFA career mode and much more.

A week of contention and fierce debate as The Rugby Paper Podcast welcomes back Nick Cain and Brendan Gallagher alongside host Ollie Little, as well as RFU referee Craig Maxwell-Keys to discuss the laws of the game. Scrums, forward passes, high tackles and much more - fasten your seatbelts!

This week, alongside regulars Oliver Little and Brendan Gallagher, The Rugby Paper Podcast welcomes former England captain Phil de Glanville and teammate and ex-British and Irish Lion Tony Underwood to discuss dealing with the void left when you go out of the professional game.

This week The Rugby Paper Podcast welcomes two of the faces of England women's rugby's Mount Rushmore. Mid-way through the Women's Six Nations, Rocky Clark and Emily Scarratt join host Oliver Little to discuss Emily's return from injury, watching from the sidelines as well as reviewing the Championship so far and the rest of the tournament to come!

Calmed down from Super Saturday weekend yet? We hope so, since The Rugby Paper Podcast is back with an episode full of contention and controversy. Nick, Brendan and Ollie are joined by former England fly-half Toby Flood to debate an England XV for 2023. We are sure it will spark thought at home!

What a Super Saturday it was, culminating in Paris as Les Bleus secured the grand slam for the first time since 2010. This edition of The Rugby Paper Podcast reviews the weekend and tournament as a whole. Host Oliver Little is joined by resident panellists Nick Cain, Brendan Gallagher, as well as ex-England prop and TV pundit David Flatman.

It's time for the best day of the year - Six Nations Super Saturday! To preview all the action, host Oliver Little is joined by regular panel Nick Cain and Brendan Gallagher, as well as Scotland and British and Irish Lions icon Gavin Hastings.

This instalment of The Rugby Paper Podcast welcomes none other than Wales's record try scorer and Lions legend Shane Williams as we preview the most pivotal weekend yet in the 2022 Six Nations.

Following France's impressive demolition of Scotland, an unconvincing England win over Wales and, well the less said about Ireland vs Italy the better, The Rugby Paper Podcast takes a break from Six Nations action in the tournament's final rest week. Leicester Tigers prop James Whitcombe and his dad, ex-pro Martin Whitcombe come on to discuss the Whitcombe rugby dynasty, as well as generational change in the game.

Episode 4 of The Rugby Paper Podcast previews a tantalising weekend of Six Nations rugby. The Rugby Paper analysts Nick Cain and Brendan Gallagher return and we welcome special guest former Wales captain and British and Irish Lion Michael Owen to preview Scotland vs France, Ireland vs Italy and of course, England vs Wales.

Weekend two of the Six Nations was an absolute cracker. Wales proved many doubters wrong to beat Scotland, France overpowered Ireland to cement their status as tournament favourites and England bounced back from Murrayfield disappointment against Italy. Speaking of crackers, in this week's episode of the Rugby Paper Podcast host Oliver Little is joined by Assistant Editor Ben Jaycock and special guest Harlequins winger Cadan Murley to discuss modern pressures on young rugby players.

After a furious first weekend to kick the Six Nations off, weekend two is even more pivotal. England and Wales look to bounce back from disappointing defeats to Scotland and Ireland, whilst the Irish gear up for what is likely to be a title-decider in Paris in France. Join host Oliver Little, panellists Nick Cain and Brendan Gallagher and Italy and Harlequins fly-half Tommaso Allan for the lowdown on what to expect this weekend.

Join Ollie Little, Nick Cain, Brendan Gallagher and special guest Jerry Guscott for a jam-packed Six Nations preview including team analysis, tournament predictions, one to watch and Jerry Guscott's Random Rugby XV!