Rugby Union Weekly

The southern hemisphere teams are in town as the Nations Championship resumes this weekend. Which of the home nations has the most to prove this autumn? Danny, Ashy and Ugo look ahead to a huge Test at Twickenham for Steve Borthwick’s England. Should Marcus Smith get the keys to number 10 against Australia? They also discuss the injuries at scrum-half and if England can develop an identity when wins are so important. Has New Zealand’s resurgence come at the worst possible time to end their All Blacks hoodoo? We also reflect on the Prem and Leicester’s flying start.

Sara Orchard and Ugo Monye are joined by former Scotland captain Lisa Martin to look back on the WXV Global Series, asking what next for England after losing their long unbeaten streak.

They're joined by coach Shaun Edwards, who gives an insight on working with the Red Roses, his new job with Argentina's men, and whether he was ever likely to join Steve Borthwick's England set-up.

The team also look at Scotland's winless campaign, as well as positive series for Wales and Ireland. And outside of the England, who looks in a good shape to be part of next year's Lions squad?

TIMECODES 02:00 Has the WXV Global Series format worked? And could it evolve further? 11:30 Shaun Edwards interview part one - working with the Red Roses 19:20 Where do England stand after the matches v Canada and USA? 30:00 Rest of the Home nations 44:00 Non-English players for the Lions 47:30 Shaun Edwards interview part two - his new job with Argentina and would he work with England's men?

Chris is in the England camp to speak to two of the headline selections in Steve Borthwick's squad. Joe Marchant reflects on winning a recall after three years away, and tells us what it's like to have Alan Shearer as a father-in-law. Will Joseph is also on to chat about his stellar form for Gloucester and how he is doing it all while deaf in one ear. And Borthwick himself joins us to discuss how well the Prem is preparing his players for the international game and what he made of the dust-up in the East Midlands deby

Are England picking for now or the World Cup? Ugo, Chris and Ashy debate Steve Borthwick’s latest squad, the big omissions and the new faces pushing for a place. Plus, are Bath and Saracens’ rotation policies protecting players or costing them their rhythm? The guys also get stuck into the weekend’s action, have their say on the red card row and ask what went wrong for the Red Roses against Canada.

Danny, Ashy and Chris reflect on a sombre opening weekend of the Champions Cup following the death of Lions and former Sale lock Hyron Andrews. They assess a chastening start for the Prem, with only one win from eight matches. Is it evidence of English rugby falling behind, or just a difficult opening weekend? Glasgow impress in the north west, Connacht turn on the style and Bath lose again. The Red Roses 41-match unbeaten run is over, but will the defeat to Canada prove to be a blessing in disguise? The All Blacks extend their winning run to 13 over the Wallabies and Spain enter the race to host the 2035 World Cup. Rugby in the Nou Camp anyone?

Ashy and Sara are at the Champions Cup launch speaking to a host of big names ahead of the opening round. Jack Conan reflects on the heartbreak of losing another final and the criticism Leinster receive over their Champions Cup record. Can they finally adda fifth star or will the French dominance continue? Ashy is reunited with his old team-mate 'big' Will Skelton, who gives us a the lowdown on why Ronan O'Gara is loved in La Rochelle and what has changed following last year's surprise exit. Nathan Hughes talks about life in Paris at Racing 92 and how a routine pre-season eye check-up saved his sight. Plus, former Wasps back row Nizaam Carr explains just how tough it is playing rugby during Ramadan and why the Champions Cup has struggled to capture the imagination in South Africa.

Can you ever have too many tries? Can a steak be too buttery? Ugo, Danny and Chris tackle all the big topics on this week’s pod after another try-fest at the Gardens. We try to explain why there are so many tries in the Prem and if it is devaluing the product. Ashy’s try record hangs by a thread after Christian Wade’s hat-trick took him to 100 tries. Should there be a draft system for young academy players who aren’t getting enough gametime? We ask Phil Dowson for his thoughts. Shaun Edwards will be coaching at next year’s World Cup, it just won’t be with England.

Irish rugby legend Peter O’Mahony joins Danny and Sara for a special episode reflecting on his extraordinary career. We discuss World Cup heartbreaks, Six Nations success, and the sacrifices he made over 20 years as a pro. O’Mahony gives a fascinating insight into how Joe Schmidt transformed Ireland and unlocked a different level in him, and how team and environment has evolved since Andy Farrell took charge. He tells us how he was deeply affected by the tragic passing of Anthony Foley and how it changed him as a person and a rugby player. We hear how he bonded with Jamie George on the Lions tour in 2017 and why you should think twice before asking Ma’a Nonu for an All Blacks jersey. We also talk rivalries and quiz O’Mahony on his beef with Scotland.

Ugo, Ashy and Danny raise a glass to Brendan Venter’s short stint as Saracens’ wine consultant and review round two of the Prem. Venter finally spoke to the media, but was it worth the wait? And has the whole saga damaged the club’s reputation? The West Country clubs continued their 100% start to the season. Louis Rees-Zammit is back on the wing and scoring tries as Bristol put 41 points on champions Northampton, Gloucester schooled Quins at Kingsholm and Bath dug deep to edge another thriller with Exeter at The Rec. We also talk Sir Kev, Bristol’s new approach to post-match media and hear about Ashy’s trip up north.

Sara Orchard sits-down with two of the biggest names in women's rugby, Lions Women's head coach Jo Yapp and New Zealand women's head coach Whitney Hansen. A year out from the inaugural Lions Women's Tour and who would have thought the darts is at the forefront of Whitney Hansen's mind. The Black Ferns head honcho also discusses how New Zealand didn't capitalise on their 2022 RWC win, but is open to innovation with the Lions on what women's sport could look like in the future. Coaches dance-off, maybe? Yapp confirms New Zealand as her ideal destination and reveals her hopes a Lions Women documentary that can make the same impact as the men's from 1997.

There were 52 tries, four away wins and three hat-tricks as the Prem returned after its long summer break. Ashy, Ugo and Chris discuss who made the biggest statement on the opening weekend. Was it Saracens surviving a 20-minute red card at Welford Road? Or Gloucester’s demolition of last season’s finalists Exeter? Ashy reacts to Christian Wade closing in on his Prem try record and we discuss the impact of the Welsh players who have joined the league. There’s more on the Red Roses dramatic over the Black Ferns and Australia’s sensational win over the Springboks. Is this a sign of things to come from the Wallabies ahead of 2027?

Zoe Harrison is on the Rugby Union Weekly after she scored a last-gasp intercept try as England defeated New Zealand at Twickenham. World Cup winner Kat Merchant joins Sara Orchard for reaction to another classic encounter between the Red Roses and Black Ferns. Attack coach Emily Scarratt is also on the pod who reflects on England extending their unbeaten run to 41 matches and the impact Shaun Edwards joining the coaching team.

Ugo and Sara are inside the Red Roses camp ahead of their showdown with the Black Ferns at Twickenham. What makes this the biggest rivalry in the women’s game? They chat to head coach about this and the appointment of legendary defence coach Shaun Edwards. Has he already made a big impression? Natasha ‘Mo’ Hunt is back on the pod. She shares her thoughts on the size 4.5 ball and asks for fans to manage their expectations from the players’ post-match. Ugo and Sara also sit down with Maud Muir and Sadia Kabeya to discuss line dancing and what three words best describe them off the field.

Who will be crowned champions? Who will be the four teams in the play-offs? Who will be named player of the season? Who was voted the best finisher in the league? These are just some of the questions put to the 10 Prem DORs in an anonymous survey ahead of the new season. Ashy, Danny and Chris pick through the results and give us their own big predictions. We ask whether Tommy Freeman is literally worth his weight in gold, and why wingers don’t become head coaches. Plus, we react to the news that legendary defence coach Shaun Edwards is joining the Red Roses on a short-term deal after leaving France. What will Edwards bring to the role? And will this lead to a role with the men’s team?

We have a bumper pod for you ahead of the new season, as Chris and Ashy chat to some of the biggest stars in the Prem. First up is England fly-half Fin Smith, who tells us he wants Northampton to become one of the greatest teams in Premiership history. But just how many more titles would they need to achieve that? And is Henry Pollock really worth a million pounds? Ashy gives his thoughts and shares an interesting take on the Pollock contract saga. Finn Baxter tells us what it’s like to watch a game of rugby with the Princess of Wales, Jack van Poortvliet discusses his England contract and holidaying in Rio, while Dafydd Jenkins talks to us about mauling up sand dunes on the beach in Devon. Louis Rees-Zammit speaks openly about his struggles last season after returning to the sport. Plus, we discuss his love of kicking and whether he’s going to become a long-distance kicker like Elliot Daly. We also hear about Ashy meeting the Queen, an awkward case of mistaken identity involving Dylan Hartley and Sir Jackie Stewart, and the most brutal pre-season fitness sessions.

After South Africa crushed the All Blacks to seal a 3-1 victory in Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series, Ugo, Danny and Chris debate how you beat the Boks, and if anyone can stop them winning a record third successive World Cup. We react to your messages following our exclusive with Conor O’Shea and get Danny’s take on Steve Borthwick’s contract extension. Will we see a Six Nations match in the USA? World Rugby is keen, with the 2031 men’s and 2033 women’s World Cup heading Stateside, but would it actually help rugby break America, or would the tournament be selling its soul? We also discuss the new 4.5 size ball that is being trialled in WXV as the Red Roses come from behind to beat Australia.

Ugo and Chris sit down with the RFU performance director Conor O’Shea for a wide-ranging conversation about the big issues shaping English rugby. O’Shea reveals they plan to extend Steve Borthwick’s contract to cover the 2028 Six Nations and prevent speculation around his future. They discuss the importance of the upcoming autumn and despite a poor 2026 O’Shea tells us England can go all the way at the 2027 World Cup in Australia. Should the RFU scrap the rule preventing overseas-based players being picked for England? And how do they improve the coaching pathway for English coaches to make the jump from domestic to international rugby? They also quiz O’Shea on the Red Roses’ dominance and the succession plan for John Mitchell.

The big-name guests keep on coming on the pod as we continue our build-up to the new season. On this episode Chris and Ashy chat to four players who have made big moves over the summer. First up is England centurion Courtney Lawes. Why Sale? Which Prem ground is he most excited to play at? And will we see him play for England again? There has been plenty of Welshman on the move. Prop Nicky Smith talks scrums and reflects on a disappointing summer tour with Wales. Jac Morgan talks us through swapping Ospreys for Gloucester and how he’s finding life in Cheltenham. We are also joined by scrum-half Raffi Quirke, who hopes to rediscover his best form at Newcastle. After a plethora of new signings, is this finally the year Red Bull see a return on their investment?

The pod is back after the summer break and we have three big-name guests to kick off the new season. Chris and Ashy chat to Maro Itoje who reflects on being rested by England this July and about becoming a father later this month. We chat to Finn Russell about weddings, chilling on yachts in Cannes and a big year ahead for club and country. And fresh from making his England debut in the summer, centre Benhard Janse van Rensburg makes his pod debut. Chris and Ashy also catch up with Ugo and Danny to discuss the ‘Greatest Rivalry’ series so far and debate Rassie’s last-minute changes to his team.

It’s a full house on the pod this week as Ugo, Danny, Ashy and Chris bring the curtain down on the summer window of the Nation’s Championship. There is plenty of fallout from England’s victory over Argentina. Ugo and Danny have their say on Felipe Contepomi’s criticism of England’s post-match celebration and Steve Borthwick hits back at the media. We ask if the All Blacks are back after they dismantled Ireland at Eden Park. And with Chris arriving fresh from The Open at Royal Birkdale, we discuss who is on par for the summer and if the past three weeks has shaken up the world order.