Welsh Regional Rugby Appreciation Podcast

The boys are a man down but manage to rattle through the prospect of another WRU review, the coverage of the women's game and drink of the week before heading into another winless weekend in the URC and trying to work out how to put it right. They finish up with an optimistic venture through the prospect of the French visiting on Mothers day and the difficulties in watching the game AND keeping everyone happy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The pick through the pieces of the Wales team performance against Ireland - what went well and what didn't - and what needs to change for the France game. There is a full weekend of #URC fixtures ahead and the task doesn't get any easier for the regions! There is also an absolute classic #Drinkofthe week with some proper #Wankybollocks to get through! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

With only the one win from four games to discuss and the prospect of an international game against Ireland, the boys try to find new and exciting things to discuss but keep getting dragged back in to the quagmire that Welsh rugby has become! Thankfully drink of the week and the Ospreys provide something positive to discuss - briefly! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jamie, Harley and James chew the fat over Wales’ narrow defeat to England at Twickenham. Plus the usual Drink of the week, Newsdesk, James’ Beef and a look ahead to the weekend as the Welsh regions are back in URC action. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The boys forensically dissect the Scotland performance with insightful observations, detailed analysis and game specific analysis - or to put it another way - they talk crap about rugby and other stuff for a while. Which ever is your taste, it is a bloody good listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

While James has another crack at breaking into the over 50's 2nd team - the rest of the boys crack on with the serious of work of analysing the Welsh and Scottish teams for the opening weekend of this years 6 nations with Jonny from the Scottish Rugby Podcast. There is plenty to discuss with lots of new faces, plenty of uncertainty and an expectation upon the Scottish team that they are not used to. There are a few bizarre diversions, some interesting predictions and a lot of bashing the English team - enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Meatloaf said that 2 out of 3 aint bad - but Welsh Regions have 1 out 4 through to the next round of European fixtures - the boys give their opinions on where that stands on the Meatloaf rating! Lee G has finally found a beer that he doesn't like, Jamie has done hospitality, Harley forgot his laptop and James is happy - would be the bulk of the show - and then they discus the Anglo Welsh league! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The boys were a man down but struggled through regardless - discussing the shock news of LRZ going to the NFL and the selection of the Wales squad. There were other things to discuss as well - injuries, excuses, last weeks games and this weekends previews. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The boys wanted to start the year in a positive frame of mind - which lasted right up until newsdesk. There was plenty of stuff to discuss - Christmas presents, beer, dry January!!!! and kids to begin with but then the nitty gritty stuff for example the festive derbies and different beer. Harley has some stats and James introduces 'Beef and Banter' - the less said about predictions the better! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In a packed episode there are many bases covered - starting with Harleys ELF gin, discussing the Cardiff takeover, Samson Lee retiring then on to the European fixtures and a full preview of the festive derbies. You can find the Christmas Quizzes on our Youtube channel here: https://youtu.be/tnqqgYafziQ It would mean a lot to us if you could listen to the very end if you can. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Harley was on the bench this week while the boys pulled in the bomb squad with Carwyn from the Cardiff Central Podcast and European Rugby journalist Francisco Isaac coming on to close out the game. The boys talk through the games coming this weekend - in particular the Black Lion trip to PYS and the chances of any side winning. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The boys were joined by Sei Williams (@CapS45) to discuss his book 'Welsh Rugby - What went wrong' and some of the things he found while researching the book plus his verdict on the changes that are currently underway in the WRU. All the usual stuff is in there as well - drink of the week, the review of last weekends games (especially Cardiff v Scarlets) and a preview of the first weekend of European rugby this season. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Cardiff picked apart the Stormers before the Dragons got bitten by the Sharks. The West Wales Derby was a 2nd gear victory for the Ospreys and the Scarlets have some deeper issues that need to be resolved and quickly. The boys demonstrate that it is easy to get down about Welsh Rugby sometimes, but it is also good to get your frustrations off your chest with a few mates and have a laugh about the game every now and again! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The boys dive straight in to the Cardiff game against Zebre and work out how it ended up as a draw, then they try to find some positives in the Scarlets battering by Leinster before chatting through the Dragons destruction of the Ospreys. Then there is a look ahead to Cardiff v Stormers, Dragons trip to the Sharks and the West Wales derby - Ospreys v Scarlets! If you have ever wondered how our prediction league works - that gets explained as well. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On the face of it the boys had a pretty miserable weekend to discuss but on closer inspection there were a lot of positives to be found over the weekends games. Listeners questions takes them into the unexpected area of DNA manipulation and end of season predictions and then they delve in to the weekends games. They finish on predictions for the weekend ahead and an update on the prediction league standings. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The boys were joined by rugby analyst Sam Larner to discuss the important goings on in Welsh Rugby over the last week. Conversation somehow moved from Halfpenny's move to New Zealand to sparkly suits and spray tans as Sam shared his thoughts on how we market the game and improve it;s image. We throw in the usual mix of last weekends games, a look forward to next weekends games, a few listeners questions and drink of the week and still somehow end up on sparkly suits! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Round two of the URC has produced another bumper pod - it is safe to say that this is not one to listen to with the kids! A poor game between the Dragons and Cardiff, barely anyone watching the Ospreys game and some lovely scenery being the only thing worth watching with the Scarlets all get discussed in detail. The expectations for this weekends games are not much more encouraging but it is safe to say that the boys are firmly backing the regions to come through this and find a way back to the top half of the table - even if it takes some honest conversations and hard truths. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This weeks pod welcomes our new Ospreys chappy James and we say a fond thank you to Carwyn. There is plenty of stuff to unbox this week - the World Cup, scrums and refs and World Cup predictions. Then the boys, including Huw from Scarlets Fever and Pirate pods, dive in to the URC and flail around looking for positives and a way forward. We also ave the first derby of the season to look forward to as the Dragons entertain Cardiff, while the Scarlets take a trip to the Stormers and the Ospreys have a tough game against Zebre. No one said this season would be easy - strap yourselves in coz Judgement Day is a way off! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The boys are joined by Iestyn from the Ospreys Eyrie and Podcast Rygbi Cymru who sits in for Carwyn to preview the coming season of URC action. The start is a little flat as the weekends quarter final against Argentina gets reviewed but there are some positives to take from it. The boys talk through the options to go forward and where things may need to change if Wales are going to improve their performances. After what feels like an eternity, the URC is back which means a return to the normality of winding each other up, downplaying each others chances of winning and the start of this seasons prediction league - love it! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the second part of this bonus podcast, Harley and Huw continue to discuss rugby with Francisco Isaac and the effect it has had on Portugal. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The story of RWC2023 so far has been the style of rugby that Tier 2 nations are playing and the man who has been championing Tier 2 rugby for 20+ years is Francisco Isaac. In the first part of their chat with Francisco, Harley and Huw, don their flatcaps and review the group stages of the Rugby World Cup. The up's and downs and how things need to change if we are to see more from these sides. Part 2 will be out soon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Despite the temptation to dive straight in to discussing the quarter final - the boys begin with a few pre-season game reviews and the prospects for the coming season. Some are more enthusiastic than others to discuss them but the need for better coverage of these types of games is obvious. Conversation then turns to France - the good bits from the Georgia game, the impressive performances, the unfortunate injuries, the players putting hands up for Argentina - then the injuries, the call up, the options, the tactics and how Argentina can be beaten. We also discuss the Portugal v Fiji game, which was a joy to watch - almost as much as last weeks guest Francisco's reaction on social media was. More games like this we need - not less, if World Rugby are listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We had the pleasure of welcoming back Francisco Isaac to the pod tonight - not only one of the most knowledgeable and experienced journalists in European rugby circles but also a fantastic person to talk to. This weeks discussion begins at the World Cup, works its way around the pre-season warm up games from last weekend and then weaves its way back to the World Cup. We take a look at the best games from last weekend, how the Tier 2 nations are fairing, some of the marketing decisions made by World Cup organisers and then on to the final weekend of the pool rounds. There is honesty, humour and even a bit of politics in this one - enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It doesn't take a genius to work out that we discuss Wales win over Australia in the Rugby World Cup quite a bit on this pod. We were joined by renowned rugby journalist Simon Thomas to discuss the game and some other stuff - but mainly the game! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Finding positives in the Portugal game was difficult but the boys got there with a bit of effort and determination. There were a lot of learning to be taken from that game both for the Australia game and for future development in general. The Fiji v Australia game gave Wales a lot of information to work with but exactly how Gatland puts it to good use is up for debate. One thing the boys do agree on is the standard of TV and media coverage is well below par and in some cases just plain wrong! Plenty of other stuff in there - well worth a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The first hurdle has been overcome - it wasn't easy nor fun but Wales got over it and the World Cup has begun. This week's pod covers the vital bits of the World Cup so far, including french men pretending to be cockerels, the social media reaction to referee decisions and English red cards. We then dive into the Fiji game in all its glory before looking forward to the Portugal game. Who knew Portuguese rugby was so interesting! If you are looking for a new 'Second team' - Portugal may be it - just not this week! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Drink of the week excels itself this week - interesting doesn't come close to describing this weeks drinks. This weeks guest is Ged from the Attacking Scrum Podcast - he of the mystical missing pod, who joins the boys to discuss all things Fiji and the Rugby World Cup. Discussion points include are Fiji over-rated or a genuine threat? Did Gatland get the selection right? Is this Welsh team under rated? and how can Wales come away with a win on Sunday? We finish off with our 'other' games to watch and our score predictions for Wales v Fiji - it is going to be a great World Cup. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Our guest this week is Paul Eddison, renowned rugby journalist with a particular interest in French rugby. Together we look at the World Cup build up, how Group C is looking and what are the chances of Wales progressing beyond the group. Most importantly, we begin our search for the best moustache, beard and hair at the World Cup. We have some very strong contenders already. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jamie is very impressed with this weeks Newsdesk intro but it wasn't enough to cushion the conversation about the South Africa game. We tried to avoid it but we had to cover it. The conversation about squad selection was easier and much less depressing. We skipped over the important topics such as hair, facial hair and level of fake tan - maybe we will cover them next week, Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's a bit of a long one but well worth it. We deep dive into the England v Wales game and the controversy surrounding it to begin with. We look for the good points and the areas we stuffed it up with our guest AP Cronje (rugby writer extraordinaire) who provides most of the positives! Then we dive headlong into the peculiarities of the Springbok world cup squad selection and the expectations for the World Cup before finishing up with our predictions for the Wales game. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Our second season starts with Jamie on holiday but replaced seamlessly by Gav. There are a few transfers and appointments to get out of the way first before we delve into the first World Cup warm up game against England. We discuss players who impressed, who didn't and why. Were Wales on top form form or were England below par? Did Wales play their first firsts against England 2nds and what can we take from that match. Then we take a look into the coming weekends game, discuss the selections we would like to see and why. You will need forgive me for my bit at the end and getting a touch political - the last couple of weeks has been crazy - Lee G Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welsh rugby never fails to deliver something to talk about and this week was no different. From players being released from the Turkey training camp, an actual signing for the Ospreys and a discussion about why the WRU might be promoting a Gallagher Premiership game ahead of a URC game! Throw in some theme tunes for Jamies newsdesk AND drink of the week and finish off with a chat about who would win in a fight between all 4 regions coaches and you have yourself a bit of a show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We said goodbye to one of the original gang this week and welcomed on board their replacement. There is plenty of transfer information to be discussed including AWJ to Toulon and Cai Evans to Dragons as well as the Welsh U20's performance and the new season fixtures. It turns out that there is a lot to be positive about in Welsh rugby at the moment but a lot to be nervous about as well. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Just when we thought things were calming down and going quiet - the Dragons agree to the takeover of the club, the Scarlets sign a utility forward who marches straight into the Welsh squad, the Ospreys confirm the loss of a key player and Cardiff are still seeing if anyone turns up for work. On top of this we also discuss the rumours around the Cardiff and Ospreys merger, we ask if Y11 are being fair to Ospreys fans and we discuss the Wales U20's performances so far. PS - Lee has been on holiday to Mexico as well - that might pop up once or twice! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What a year it has been for Welsh Rugby - well for Welsh Rugby news reporters at least! Steff Thomas from Wales online joins us for a look at the season from a Wales point of view. The on field performances and the off field dramas, the good stuff (there was some) and the ugly stuff (there was plenty) all gets a good going over with the man at the centre of Welsh Rugby news. Steff gives an honest opinion of where we are and the way forward, where we have gone wrong and how we could correct it. It is a candid and honest discussion with someone who really knows his rugby. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The best league in the world is ...... a question that fans love to discuss over a drink or two and we are no different . Depending on the criteria that you use, the URC is either a little bit ahead or quite a bit ahead - well that is our opinion anyway. We take a look at the stats and the details with out guest Huw Griffin in order to cut through the guff and get to the facts. We have only just started on this debate - feel free to join us on social media and tell us why you think the URC is better, Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welsh Rugby continues with it's regular supply of news stories and Cardiff are determined to keep people talking about them! Somehow we managed to focus more on Drink of the week, the songs of Natasha Beddingfeild and who has the coldest ground than we did the Scarlets season. We did manage to discuss plenty enough of it, the frustrations and the fun bits, the cards and the close calls as well the rugby and who has the prettiest pitch. Your offers for Jamies news desk music are also welcomed on social media. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We are joined by Chris Kirwan to review the ups and downs of the Dragons season. Everything from Dean Ryans comments after the first game to the final try of Judgement day gets a going over. We couldn't skip over the news from the English Premiership and some of the other news coming out of Welsh rugby this week but we begin with our most adventurous 'Drink of the week' so far! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Our planned review of the Scarlets season has been bumped to next week as a load of news stories popped up that demanded our attention. We started with transfers - the real ones and the rumoured ones, then we moved on to the URC final before picking our way through the short list for the WRU Chair. Most importantly - drink of the week continues to surprise and educate us all - long may it continue! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If you want to find out about Womens rugby in Wales, the best person to start with is Philippa Tuttiett, one of the most respected and liked pundits around. Philippa joined us to discuss how the game has progressed on and off the field over the last season, what we can expect from the future and what it was like to work with Eddie Butler. We then discuss another quiet week in Welsh rugby, with two international retirements, a major sponsor suspending their involvement with the game, another Dragons player leaving and one possibly coming home. Throw in a couple of made up rumours and you have got yourself an episode! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Together with this weeks guest @huwgriffenrugby we review the Ospreys season, game by game, the highs and lows and everything in between. Huw's analysis is bang on the money and puts facts behind the stuff we think we know about the game. Finally we introduce our summer feature where we search for or make up the most bizarre rugby rumour and see how far we can push it, Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Now that the season has ended for all Welsh regions. it is time to review 2022/23, remember the good times and take learnings from the bad times. Putting aside the issues within the wider game in Wales, we focus on Cardiff's season from the egg incident through to Dai's suspension, the players and the games that impressed us and those that we can comfortable forget. Rhys returns to his favourite game of the season - the Sharks in Durban apparently other stuff happened after that game but most Cardiff fans didn't care, coz that was an awesome game! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jamie still can't get over the pint of something that Carwyn bought him at Tiny Rebel - it may take some time! We started with Scarlets v Glasgow and the non yellow card that might have changed the game - then we go through the various comings and goings in both playing and backroom teams this week before we discuss all the talking points from the Wales world cup training squad. We finish up with a brief chat about the Wales Women six nations performance which we will discuss in more detail in the coming weeks, Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The next dictionary to be published should have an entry for 'Welsh rugby' where the definition should be 'the inability to go more than a few days without ballsing something up' - last week was very 'Welsh rugby'. We discuss the timing of the announcement Dai Young's suspension and the players response, the Welsh womens game against France and the improvements that have been made, Judgement day as an event, Dragons v Scarlets, Ospreys v Cardiff and finally we preview Scarlets v Glasgow - a very busy week! We were joined this week by regular listener James Rees, who - as an Ospreys supporter - was delighted to be invited on this week! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We were joined by Will from Squidge Rugby for a quick chat about the weekends games. We started with the most interesting 'drink of the week' in the brief history of the podcast before we journey through the weekends games. We begin with the Wales women game against England before picking the bones out of the regional games, desperately trying to find something positive to cling to. We finish up with our predictions for Judgement Day and an invite to everyone to join us for our Facebook live broadcast prior to the game. The title will make sense at the end - you can blame the drink of the week section! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A busy one this week as we discuss Scarlets European delight and Cardiff’s European disappointment. We round up the latest transfer news and rumours and preview a HUGE game at Cardiff Arms Park as Wales take on England. We also make our URC predictions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jamie has spent the week at the 'Worlds best Budgie Smugglers' convention somewhere in Spain so we welcomed Harley Worthy to the pod as a temporary replacement. We began by discussing the new fathers hat trick of urine, puke and poop and conversation went downhill from there. We discussed a forgettable Scarlets performance, a non existent Dragons performance, a fitting tribute of a Cardiff performance and a 'good enough to win but didn't' Ospreys performance! The Dragons and Ospreys can now look forward to a week off, while the Scarlets and Cardiff earn their money in the quarter finals this weekend. We also discussed our twitter interaction with a fellow podcaster and differing opinions on the womens game - that one may run for a while! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We obviously had to start with a discussion about the EGM and the vote on Sunday but it was then nice to be talking about rugby again. We started with the Wales v Ireland game in the Womens 6 Nations and then we moved on through the URC games and onto predictions. There is a little bit of Twitter fun in there and an opportunity for someone to join us next week when Jamie is off in his budgie smugglers! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Christy Haney, Leinster captain and Irish international takes us through her career, from her first training session right up to preparations for this years 6 Nations and what it is like to play rugby in Ireland right now. Not only is she an inspiration to young girls taking up the sport for the first time but she also makes you want to watch the game, especially if you haven't watched the womens game before. And - after many years of confusion, Christy explains 'How to remember which is tighthead and which is loosehead' for Lee! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We review a more positive performance against France, despite the score line with Simon Thomas, one of the most respected rugby journalists in Wales. The expected hammering was kept at bay but it was still a heavy defeat, so we look at what Wales can take from that game and the championship as a whole. We than take a gentle stroll through the politics of Welsh rugby, the EGM, the possible CVC television deal and our expectations for the World Cup. We finish off with the final placings on our fantasy league and our predictions for this weeks URC games. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices