Rugby Union Weekly

Episodes page 1 of 6

1. England’s World Cup thinking and the rotation gamble

   26 Oct 2026 · 1 h 08 min

   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…

2. Power Struggle

   19 Oct 2026 · 1 h 01 min

   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…

3. The Champions Cup Is Back: Conan, Big Will Skelton & More

   15 Oct 2026 · 1 h 07 min

   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…

4. Can a steak be too buttery?

   12 Oct 2026 · 58 min

   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…

5. Peter O'Mahony: How Schmidt changed me, World Cup pain & the cost of success

   8 Oct 2026 · 53 min

   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…

6. Venter’s Vintage

   5 Oct 2026 · 1 h 01 min

   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…

7. Lions Women's special: Yapp & Hansen on innovation & making history

   30 Sep 2026 · 27 min

   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…

8. The Prem returns: Away wins, tries & the Welsh invasion

   28 Sep 2026 · 58 min

   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…

9. Harrison's last-gasp try seals dramatic England win

   26 Sep 2026 · 28 min

   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…

10. Red Roses Special: The Edwards Effect & Black Ferns Rivalry

    24 Sep 2026 · 59 min

    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…

11. Prem season predictions & Edwards joins England

    21 Sep 2026 · 1 h 07 min

    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…

12. Prem Players Special: Fin Smith, LRZ, JVP & more!

    17 Sep 2026 · 1 h 13 min

    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…

13. Brilliant Boks and Six Nations Stateside?

    14 Sep 2026 · 54 min

    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…

14. Conor O'Shea: Borthwick's contract, overseas rule & Red Roses

    9 Sep 2026 · 1 h 01 min

    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…

15. Lawes, Morgan & Quirke: The New Signings

    7 Sep 2026 · 1 h 11 min

    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…

16. We’re back with Itoje, Russell & Janse van Rensburg!

    2 Sep 2026 · 1 h 08 min

    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…

17. Have we learnt anything from the Nations Championship?

    20 Jul 2026 · 58 min

    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…

18. Late TMO drama as 13-man England beat Argentina

    19 Jul 2026 · 30 min

    Sara, Ashy and Matt Dawson bring you reaction to crazy night Santiago del Estero as England hang on to beat Argentina. But should Bautista Delguy's last-minute try have stood? Was Henry Slade's covering tackle legal? A…

19. The Nations Pod

    15 Jul 2026 · 53 min

    Chris, Tom and GRO preview the final round of the Nation’s Championship this summer. Can Sam Prendergast cement his position as Ireland's number one fly-half as Andy Farrell's side look to become the first team to win…

20. Nations Championship: Tries and tribulations

    13 Jul 2026 · 1 h 03 min

    Danny, Ashy and Chris look back at round two of the Nation’s Championship with the north and south both on six wins each. Scotland scored four tries and pushed the Boks all the way in Pretoria. Did they show the…

21. Pollock hat-trick helps England end losing run

    11 Jul 2026 · 42 min

    Ashy and Chris bring you instant reaction from the Hill Dickinson stadium as England thrashed Fiji in Liverpool to end their five-match unbeaten run. But what are the positives for England after such a one-sided…

22. Slade takes centre stage against Fiji

    9 Jul 2026 · 55 min

    Ashy and Chris go inside the England camp ahead of the must-win Test against Fiji. After the defeat at Ellis Park, Ashy quizzes skipper Jamie George on the England gameplan against the Boks and why they keep repeating…

23. The Nations Pod: Stick to Egg-Chasing

    8 Jul 2026 · 1 h 06 min

    Fresh from his jaunt following Scotland in the World Cup, Tom joins Gareth and Chris to unpick the big talking points from the weekend and look ahead to the second round of the Nations Championship. They assess…

24. Musings from the Nations Championship

    6 Jul 2026 · 1 h 03 min · Explicit

    What did we learn from the opening weekend of the Nations Championship? Ashy, Ugo and Danny look back on a dramatic first round of fixtures and ahead to what next weekend has in store. They ask why England appear to…

25. England blitzed and bossed by the Boks

    4 Jul 2026 · 41 min

    Chris and Grays are at Ellis Park to react to England’s comprehensive defeat by world champions South Africa. After an early Boks blitz, England fought back to make it close at half-time, so what was behind the…

26. The Nations Championship is here!

    3 Jul 2026 · 37 min

    Chris and Paul Grayson take you through the opening round of the Nations Championship as the north v south battles begin. Chris heads to Ellis Park and catches up with England’s vice-captain Ollie Chessum ahead of…

27. England team and the best Boks ever?

    2 Jul 2026 · 51 min

    Chris and Paul Grayson react to the England team to face South Africa. George Furbank gets a first start for nearly two years while Henry Pollock is on the bench. We head inside the England team hotel to catch up with…

28. In Jo’burg with Sir Kev

    30 Jun 2026 · 39 min

    Chris and Paul Grayson are in Johannesburg ahead of England’s huge Nations Championship opener against South Africa. They are joined by the sport’s newest knight, Sir Kevin Sinfield, to talk about being awarded the…

29. Nations Championship: Good for the game?

    29 Jun 2026 · 1 h 03 min

    The inaugural Nation's Championship is here, but are fans actually excited about it? Do they even understand the format? Chris, Danny and Ashy dig into the new competition, the logistical nightmare facing travelling…

30. Final Thoughts and the England Squad

    22 Jun 2026 · 1 h 04 min

    Did the new Prem champions, Northampton, make a mistake by letting George Furbank leave? And has Steve Borthwick got the balance right in his Nations Championship squad? Ugo, Chris and DC take a more considered look…

31. Saints beat Exeter to the Prem title

    20 Jun 2026 · 52 min

    Chris Jones is joined by Matt Dawson and Chris Ashton as Northampton Saints beat Exeter Chiefs at Twickenham to claim their second Prem title in three years. They break down where Northampton edged the final, and…

32. Prem Final Preview with Furbank and Baxter

    18 Jun 2026 · 57 min · Explicit

    Can Exeter pull off an upset and beat Northampton at Twickenham on Saturday? Chris and Ashy look ahead to the Prem final and discuss where the game could be won and lost. Chiefs Director of Rugby Rob Baxter joins the…

33. Saints or Chiefs?

    15 Jun 2026 · 1 h 06 min

    Have Exeter shown enough to convince us they can beat Northampton in Saturday’s Prem final? Ugo, Chris and Ashy look back at both semi-finals and assess whether the Chiefs have the game to upset the favourites. Or are…

34. Prem play-offs: DOR special

    11 Jun 2026 · 52 min

    The pod has been given exclusive access to the four directors of rugby ahead of this weekend's play-offs. Chris heads to the Prem awards in central London to sit down with Phil Dowson, Johann van Graan, Rob Baxter and…

35. Slade, semi-finals & send-offs

    8 Jun 2026 · 55 min

    Exeter are into the Prem play-offs and Ugo, Ashy and Danny are joined by Henry Slade to reflect on a memorable win over Saracens, and the Chiefs’ remarkable transformation. Slade also discusses his outstanding form…

36. Mark McCall: End of an era

    4 Jun 2026 · 47 min

    Chris and Ashy head to the Saracens training base for a special pod about one of the most influential figures in English club rugby history. After 17 trophy-laden years at Sarries, Mark McCall is standing down as…

37. The Sandy Park showdown & Edwards to England?

    1 Jun 2026 · 58 min

    All eyes are on Sandy Park this weekend as Rob Baxter and Mark McCall go head-to-head for one last time. Danny, Ugo and Chris look back on Exeter’s impressive win at Leicester that sets up Saturday’s showdown with…

38. Brilliant Bordeaux go back-to-back

    23 May 2026 · 58 min

    We are podding from the San Mamés stadium in Bilbao after Bordeaux win a second successive Champions Cup crown. Chris and Paul Grayson chat to one of the key man behind Bordeaux’s success, their attack coach Noel…

39. Bonus: Borthwick on Janse van Rensburg, RFU review & summer schedule

    20 May 2026 · 38 min

    Ashy and Chris are back with a bonus pod after Steve Borthwick spoke to the media for the first time since England's disappointing Six Nations campaign. Chris went inside the camp to see the England head coach who…

40. Remembering Scott Hastings

    18 May 2026 · 1 h 01 min

    How do you sum up the life and legacy of Scott Hastings? Chris, Ashy and Danny are joined by his close friend and former teammate Andy Nicol to share memories of the great man, both on and off the pitch, following his…

41. Was this England’s most impressive Grand Slam?

    17 May 2026 · 24 min

    Sara, Ugo and Katy Daley-McLean are podding pitch side immediately after the Red Roses won an eighth successive Six Nations title and fifth Grand Slam. Given the injuries, absentees and retirements - is this the best…

42. Women's Six Nations: Super Sunday Preview

    13 May 2026 · 58 min

    Will England claim an eighth successive Six Nations? Or will France finally beat the Red Roses and claim a first title since 2018? Ugo, Sara and former Ireland international Anna Caplice look ahead to the big showdown…

43. Noah's Ark, the play-off race & Borthwick backed

    11 May 2026 · 1 h 03 min

    It was a huge weekend in the race for the Prem play-offs as the top two both lost. Ashy, Danny and Chris dive into Leicester’s massive derby win over Northampton and discuss the electric atmosphere at Welford Road, the…

44. Women’s Six Nations: Red Roses continue ‘systematic dominance’

    9 May 2026 · 28 min

    Former England international Katy Daley-McClean and ex-Black Fern Ruby Tui join Sara Orchard to review the Red Roses’ 61-33 thrashing of Italy in Parma. John Harrison’s reigning world champions made it 37 consecutive…

45. Women’s Six Nations: Smaller balls and bigger crowds

    6 May 2026 · 43 min

    Should the women’s game be using smaller balls? The debate is back on the agenda after Zoe Harrison’s interview with Sara about the decision to use size 4.5 balls at this autumn's WXV Global Series. Kat Merchant and…

46. Bordeaux end Bath’s Champions Cup dream

    4 May 2026 · 45 min

    We’re podding from the Stade Atlantique in Bordeaux after Bath’s hopes of winning a first Champions Cup since 1998 were dashed by the holders. Chris and Paul Grayson pick the bones out of an epic encounter and discuss…

47. Champions Cup: The big semi-final preview with Henry Arundell

    30 Apr 2026 · 51 min

    Can Bath reach a first Champions Cup final since 1998? Do they have the gameplan to beat the holders Bordeaux in their back yard? Chris and Ashy look ahead to what promises to be an epic semi-final weekend. Henry…

48. Caluori, try records & semi-finals week

    27 Apr 2026 · 51 min

    Is Noah Caluori ready for England? Have we entered a new era for try records? Can Bath topple the best club team in Europe? Chris Ashton, Danny Care and Chris Jones dissect the big talking points from the weekend,…

49. Women's Six Nations: Wales earn bonus point but Red Roses win again

    25 Apr 2026 · 21 min

    Sara is joined by World Cup winner Kat Merchant and former Wales captain Siwan Lillicrap to reflect on England's victory over Wales. Despite the Red Roses scoring 62 points, there were still plenty of positives for…

50. Is the Women's Six Nations competitive enough?

    22 Apr 2026 · 46 min

    The Women’s Six Nations is pulling in record crowds and viewing figures, but is the tournament itself keeping pace? Ugo, Sara and Philippa Tuttiett discuss whether there needs to be more emphasis on the rugby than the…