RugbyBits — Listen to the Podcast

RugbyBits

About the show

Just four mates chatting about rugby. Kooks, Jared, Thala and Shaun talk all rugby with a major focus on the Springboks, URC and #SaffasAbroad

Newest episodes

Nations Championship Preview | Dupont at 10 and what will we learn about France this Friday?

Nov 12, 2026 1 hr 10 min

Shaun and Thala preview Week 5 of the Nations Championship and the blockbuster match up in Paris between France and South Africa. We react to Antoine Dupont’s selection at flyhalf and what challenges he could pose, as Fabien Galthie manages a long injury list. We discuss some players that have a lot to prove against the Springboks, including Yoram Moefana, Sipili Falatea and Louis Bielle-Biarrey, the challenge the French scrum is going to face, but an interesting bench with the likes of Tom Staniforth and Charles Ollivon for impact. Previewing the other games, we discuss why both Italy and Argentina can’t afford another horrible game after struggling over the last few games. We debate the changes made by Steve Borthwick in his side, including starting pod favourite Max Ojomoh. We discuss what Wales and Fiji could learn as massive underdogs against New Zealand and Ireland. Sunday is about how many Australians Sione Tuipulotu and Jack Dempsey can make angry.

Springboks play perfect rugby, All Blacks shut out Scotland, Wallabies allow Pollock to shine

Nov 9, 2026 2 hr 14 min

Shaun and Thala review the first weekend of Nations Championship games, which include a big 66-7 win for South Africa over Italy. We break down the almost perfect rugby the Springboks played in the first half as they got ascendancy in every area. We rave about the performances of Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu and Ethan Hooker. We look forward to the game against France where Rassie Erasmus named largely the same side. While Italy had a lot of injuries and their scrum was fantastic, their performance was still very disappointing. In the other games, we saw England, New Zealand and Ireland impressing against very disappointing performances from Australia, Scotland and Argentina. We debate the yellow card for Angus Bell on the hip drop tackle, we discuss the significance of the victory for the All Blacks in honour of Logan Cadwallader, their head of security. We discuss Boris Wenger trying to avoid having to play at hooker. In the final two games, France beat Fiji but at the cost of Romain Ntamack’s shoulder, as France are now in a major injury crisis before their game against the Boks. We debate the possibility of Antoine Dupont and Maxine Lucu starting at halfback together. Finally Louis Rees-Zammit impresses, but the Japanese bench makes things tight in a Wales win at Cardiff.

Moerat returns for Italy clash and a hot take about every team in the Nations Championship

Nov 2, 2026 1 hr 43 min

Kooks, Shaun and Thala react to the South African squad selected for the clash against Italy this weekend.We discuss how seriously the Boks are taking the Nations Championship, as Rassie Erasmus selects a full strength side for an Italy team battling with injuries. We discuss why Salmaan Moerat has been selected, despite not playing a lot of rugby recently and which of the debutants are likely to be selected for later tests. We discuss why this is a massive November for Jan-Hendrik Wessels, who needs to secure that 16 shirt and debate the inclusion of Markus Muller in the wider squad.We then look at all the other Nations Championship teams and deliver hot takes about what to expect from them this November. We discuss why Ireland v Argentina is a must-win for both sides and whether Ireland can fix their scrum issues and what Shaun Edwards can add to Argentina. We debate if Scotland can finally get their first win against a New Zealand team battling with injuries. We look at the significance of the Wales v Japan game with both teams eyeing a win in this game. France with their injury list will be weary of Fiji and the pragmatism that Jake White can add to them. Finally England and Australia face each other on Sunday and both teams are looking to get their seasons back on track after some bad losses.We finally review the URC performances of the South African sides and the Springbok Women’s loss against Ireland.

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All episodes

Nations Championship Preview | Dupont at 10 and what will we learn about France this Friday?

Nov 12, 2026 1 hr 10 min

Springboks play perfect rugby, All Blacks shut out Scotland, Wallabies allow Pollock to shine

Nov 9, 2026 2 hr 14 min

Moerat returns for Italy clash and a hot take about every team in the Nations Championship

Nov 2, 2026 1 hr 43 min

Lions play for Hyron Andrews, Bulls and Stormers dominate, Canada finally end the Red Roses streak

Oct 20, 2026 1 hr 15 min

Shaun and Thala review an emotional weekend of rugby.We start with the sad passing of Hyron Andrews in France and discuss the Lions’ decision to continue with the game against La Rochelle. While La Rochelle commemorated the passing in a beautiful manner, the Lions played bravely under the circumstances in their loss to La Rochelle.The Bulls and the Stormers had big wins against Stade Francais and Bristol respectively. Cheswill Jooste and Seabelo Senatla impressed in these bonus point wins. In the Challenge Cup, the young Sharks defeated Lyon, while the Cheetahs lost to a last minute try by Herschel Jantjies for Bayonne.In the rest of the Champions Cup, we discuss Toulouse surviving a scare against Exeter after an early full red card to Rodrigue Neti and injuries to their midfield, Henry Slade missed the last minute penalty to level the score. Gloucester and Bordeaux drew the opening game with Jac Morgan and Tom Willis impressing. Bath suffered a loss at home to Montpellier after some senior Scotland players Ali Price, Adam Hastings and Stuart Hogg all starred. And a generally bad weekend for the English Prem sides in Europe.In international rugby, Canada ended the 4-year, 41-game winning streak of the Red Roses with a 24-21 win in Toronto and we discuss what that may mean for women’s rugby. Meanwhile the Wallabies got thrashed by the All Blacks again in Bledisloe 2.

Bok-powered Sharks and Lions victories, Stormers lineout falters and Brendan Venter wines and dines Saracens

Oct 6, 2026 1 hr 49 min

Shaun and Thala review round 2 of the United Rugby Championship where the South African teams won 2 out of 4 games. We start with the Sharks beating Leinster through a strong defensive performance, Thomas du Toit putting the screws of Thomas Clarkson and Siphosethu Mnebelele impressing. The Lions maul and scrum secured their victory over Ospreys, with Francke Horn leading the charge and Erich Cronje maintaining his insane form. In Europe, the Stormers lineout faltered in their loss to Edinburgh, but they are looking forward to a host of Springboks rejoining them. The Bulls lost to Munster with young Charlie O’Shea impressing on debut. The Springbok Women continued their winning run with a 20-0 victory in Spain. Finally in other news, we review the crazy last 10 minutes of the Ulster and Glasgow draw, Louis Rees-Zammit trolling Northampton in Bristol’s win over Bath, the Force winning the (fraud) Super Rugby AU, Shaun hating on Paul Costes and Brendan Venter’s new role as a wine consultant for Saracens (maybe he should help with their attack).

Press 5 for Piardi: Wallabies stun the Boks, Springbok Women are victorious in Italy and good start for the SA URC teams

Sep 30, 2026 1 hr 47 min

Kooks and Thala review a crazy weekend of rugby with great weekends for the Springbok Women and the South African URC teams, but a loss for the Springboks in Perth. We first look at the Springbok loss an discuss what the Wallabies did so well to get a 42-17 lead, and the craziness of the last 15 minutes with TMO drama and the Boks making a furious comeback. While the likes of Ryan Lonergan and Max Jorgensen shone, there is no reason to panic for Springbok fans as some second string players got valuable experience. We then review a good weekend for the South African URC teams as they won 4 out of 4. Impressive performances from the likes of Luan Giliomee, Jonathan Roche and Erich Cronje stood out. Finally another chaotic weekend in the WXV, which saw South Africa make amends for their loss to Wales with a great win against Italy and England winning against New Zealand in the very last minute.

Grobbies big test v tricky Wallabies, URC preview and WXV Chaos

Sep 25, 2026 1 hr 20 min

Kooks and Thala preview a busy weekend in the world of rugby, with South Africa facing Australia in Perth, the opening weekend of the URC and the continuation of WXV happening this weekend. We start with a much-changed Springboks gearing up to face Les Kiss' Wallabies. We discuss why this is a massive game for Johan Grobbelaar in his bid to become the backup Bok hooker and why Franco Mostert needs to remind us all of his place on the lock depth chart. For the Wallabies, we discuss why Joseph Sua'ali'i's move to wing makes sense and what Les Kiss will be looking to get out of this game. Kooks is also not happy about the Springboks being made to play on a Sunday. Onto the URC and we preview the hopes for the South African URC sides. We discuss the Galactico signings the Stormers have made and why Riley Norton could be a key player for them; for the Lions we discuss if a settled squad with Boan Venter added can repeat the run into the playoffs they had last season; for the Sharks its about getting the rebuild going and seeing how youngsters like Vusi Moyo come through and we debate if the Bulls signings can take them the next step forward and what Curwin Bosch adds as a backup flyhalf. We wrap up with celebrating Canada for ending the Red Roses' streak, the lessons for the Springbok Women in Wales, a chaotic game between France and Australia and Henry Pollock's contract extension.

The RGR Review | A look at the Boks, Baltimore and Barrett

Sep 15, 2026 1 hr 55 min

Thala and Shaun take a brief look at the fourth test and dive into the nuts and bolts from the tour, the Springbok MVP and some questions from the Dirt Trackers. Thala talks in depth about what we need to be doing at Hooker and Shaun yet again highlights the power of our midfield and still can not understand how people feel Kriel is a liability#Springboks #AllBlacks #RGR2026 #SiyaKolisi #JasperWiese #JEsseKriel #DamiandeAllende #SachaFeinbergMngomezulu

RGR IV Preview: Krappies' big chance, Mo'unga returns, rugby in the States

Sep 11, 2026 48 min

Shaun and Thala preview the fourth test of Rugby's Greatest Rivalry in Baltimore. As the Springboks take a 2-1 lead to the US they welcome back Damian Willemse to the team and we see Morne van den Berg get a great opportunity to start this weekend. We discuss how van den Berg can back up his performance last week and whether Ethan Hooker is the first choice left winger. The All Blacks have made a raft of changes, including starting Richie Mo'unga. We discuss how New Zealand may play differently with Mo'unga at 10, how he combines with Cam Roigard and the other changes to the All Blacks team.

RGR Test 3 preview: Soccer City Double Header

Sep 4, 2026 1 hr 7 min

Kooks and Thala preview the double header for Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry at the FNB Stadium in Soweto plus Kolbe at Fullback and Swys out for Bok Women. Kooks and Thala preview the double header for Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry at the FNB Stadium in Soweto. After discussing a week of rising tensions between the teams and supporters, we break down the changes made by Dave Rennie in the All Blacks team, what Peter Lakai and Sam Darry will bring, why Codie Taylor was dropped and whether the All Blacks will target Cheslin Kolbe in the air. While Kooks is looking for improvement in the Boks attack, Thala looks forward to a massive ruck battle on Saturday. The Springbok Women play one of their biggest ever home matches against the Black Ferns in the first game of the double header, but Swys de Bruin has left the Springbok Women’s head coach role. We discuss the possible destabilizing factor that might be, but also look forward to how the Boks can repeat the heroics of last year’s World Cup quarterfinal. We also briefly discuss the 2nd test in Australia’s tour of Argentina, the start of the Top 14 season, James Slipper having one more year in him and debate Airlink-gate.

Boks (and Airlink) fly high but with little room to spare

Sep 1, 2026 1 hr 42 min

Shaun and Thala review the 2nd test of Rugby's Greaterst Rivalry, as South Africa level the series with New Zealand. We discuss what the Boks improved from the first test, as the Springboks attacked well off Cobus Reinach, Cheslin Kolbe couldn't miss with the boot and Malcolm Marx and Eben Etzebeth were heroic in defence. We look at the threat the All Blacks provided in attack and why Tupou Va'ai may need to move to flank. We discuss all the drama surrounding the game as well, including Rassie Erasmus' very late selection changes, Rassie and Dave Rennie debating the reffing of the scrum and the VERY low Airlink fly over Cape Town Stadium. We also review Australia's victory over Argentina in the first test and look forward to the upcoming Bok Women and Black Ferns test match and the start of the Top 14 season. Finally, the RugbyBits crew finally all had a drink together on Friday, featuring Victor Matfield.

RGR Test 2 Preview with Jamie Wall

Aug 28, 2026 43 min

Shaun and Thala are joined by Jamie Wall to preview the 2nd test in Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry. Jamie takes us through the changes in the test 23, with George Bower starting after surprising everyone in the first test and Simon Parker starting at blindside. We discuss whether the rain will affect the All Blacks game plan, concerns about Deon Fourie on the bench, why the All Blacks expected Handre Pollard and Siya Kolisi to return and what aspects of the All Blacks are starting to feel familiar again.

All Blacks stun stuttering Springboks and Rassie responds with wholesale changes for Cape Town

Aug 25, 2026 1 hr 46 min

Shaun and Thala review New Zealand’s victory over South Africa at Ellis Park in the first test of Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry. We first give our flowers to the All Blacks for their ruthlessly efficient attack and resolute defence. We discuss how they dug out of a huge hole in the middle of the game and won the big moments to score 5 tries to win at the end. We also rave on the performances of Jordie Barrett, Tupou Va’ai, Fabian Holland and discuss why Will Jordan’s game was more than just his two tries. We break down what went wrong for South Africa, including Kurt-Lee Arendse’s early injury throwing the Springbok backline into chaos, an erratic performance from Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu and some questionable substitutions from Rassie Erasmus. While Jasper Wiese and Damian Willemse shone, the backs especially looked out of sync with each other, as many of them had to play out of position for most of the gam. We also debate the 23 selected for the Cape Town test as Rassie makes 7-8 changes, which include a return of Handre Pollard and Ethan Hooker to the starting team and a possible return for Siya Kolisi and whether this fixes the problems from the first test. We finally preview a possibly entertaining All Blacks v Lions game later this week, Australia are about to play Argentina over two tests and the Black Ferns wallop the Wallaroos in the Wallaroos’ 100th test match.

Celebrating Doogz and Highveld selections: Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry Test 1 preview

Aug 21, 2026 1 hr 13 min

Kooks, Shaun and Thala preview the start of the South Africa and New Zealand test series. Rassie Erasmus starts Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu and Wilco Louw. Damien de Allende starts in his 100th test and we talk about how under appreciated and unselfish he has been. Thala discusses all the Highveld selections Rassie has made for this year. On the All Blacks side, Dave Rennie welcomes back Ardie Savea, Will Jordan and Cam Roigard to the team, but there is no room for Patrick Tuipulotu. We discuss what is missing in the All Blacks team and how they’re prepared to run the Boks off their feet. We debate Tupou Va’ai’s selection at six and why Luke Jacobsen and Paul de Villiers will be one of the key battles. Finally, Kooks informs us of the possibility of extra time in the final test in Baltimore as we make our predictions for the Ellis Park test.

Rugby's Greatest Rivalry Tour with Jamie Wall

Aug 12, 2026 1 hr 3 min

We welcome Jamie Wall back and talk about the All Blacks and how they have been over the last two games against the Stormers and Sharks plus what we can expect.Kooks and Shaun share a good few laughs with Jamie Wall talking about rugby, the rivalry, where the All Blacks are sitting and how many double brandy and coke's are too many.We look into team selection, talk about the All Black lock stocks and how this set up differs from previous years plus pick a bolter Rennie selection ahead of the opening test.Finally, Jamie expands on why the NZRU selection rulings work, reiterates that the South African are missed in Super Rugby for reason other than pure South African muscle.

Springboks survive determined Pumas and All Blacks left with more questions with Harry Jones

Aug 11, 2026 1 hr 26 min

Shaun and Thala are joined by Lekker Rugby Pod’s Harry Jones to break down the weekend’s rugby action. We start with South Africa’s hard fought victory in Buenos Aires again Argentina. We discuss why this was the wake up call the Springboks needed before the All Blacks series, the impressive bench performances from the likes of Zach Porthen and Ben-Jason Dixon and some brilliant games from Santi Carreras and Pablo Matera. We also discuss the possible implications of an injury to Siya Kolisi. We then look at New Zealand starting the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry tour off with a win against Stormers. The Stormers impressed with a performance with a lot of heart and the All Blacks will be worried with about the flaws shown with the set piece, their discipline and the aerial game. We discuss Deon Fourie’s call up to the Springbok squad. Finally we finish with Australia’s victory over Japan and why there are some worries for Les Kiss.

Siya and Sacha return, strong Stormers to face Beauden & Rieko, Thomas Ramos transfer bombshell

Aug 6, 2026 1 hr 28 min

Shaun and Thala preview South Africa's test match against Argentina in Buenos Aries and the start of Rugby's Greatest Rivalry tour with New Zealand facing the Stormers.The Springboks welcome back some superstars in Kolisi, Etzebeth and Sacha. We discuss why this could be a big game for Canan Moodie and Aphelele Fassi and whether Ben-Jason Dixon is locked into the Boks best 23.The Stormers have selected a strong team to face the All Blacks, with the likes of Evan Roos, Ntutukho Mchunu and Neethling Fouche and some recent Baby Bok graduates in Imad Khan, Yaqeen Ahmed and Wandile Mlaba. They face a largely second string All Blacks team, but with a glut of players that could also play themselves into the Ellis Park test match team. We discuss why the Stormers staying in the game for a half would be a massive achievement.Finally, we look at other news items such as Thomas Ramos leaving Toulouse at the end of next season for Racing, Japan about to host Australia, and we discuss Tomas Albornoz's 4 match ban for his conduct after the Argentina and England game.Shaun and Thala preview South Africa's test match against Argentina in Buenos Aries and the start of Rugby's Greatest Rivalry tour with New Zealand facing the Stormers.The Springboks welcome back some superstars in Kolisi, Etzebeth and Sacha. We discuss why this could be a big game for Canan Moodie and Aphelele Fassi and whether Ben-Jason Dixon is locked into the Boks best 23.The Stormers have selected a strong team to face the All Blacks, with the likes of Evan Roos, Ntutukho Mchunu and Neethling Fouche and some recent Baby Bok graduates in Imad Khan, Yaqeen Ahmed and Wandile Mlaba. They face a largely second string All Blacks team, but with a glut of players that could also play themselves into the Ellis Park test match team. We discuss why the Stormers staying in the game for a half would be a massive achievement.Finally, we look at other news items such as Thomas Ramos leaving Toulouse at the end of next season fo...

RGR squads out, All Black selection battles and #FreeNonu

Jul 29, 2026 1 hr 18 min

Kooks and Thala break down the All Blacks squad selected for the upcoming Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry tour. We look at the additions to the Nations Championship squad and we break down the selection questions and battles for Dave Rennie. Will Tupou Va’ai start at 6? Is there a battle between Anton Lienert-Brown and Rieko Ioane for player 23? And why does New Zealand refuse to select Richie Mo’unga still? We debate whether this tour might be good for the All Blacks long term; why the first test in Ellis Park; and why Cam Roigard and Malcolm Marx better get ready to play 320 minutes of test rugby. We also look at which Springboks we expect to play the Argentina test, we welcome Les Kiss into the Wallabies job, we look at the young squad Argentina has picked and we welcome Ma’a Nonu as the Sharks newest signing.

Borthwick's Negativity Committee with Charlie Morgan, our Bok 23 for Rugby's Greatest Rivalry & weekend review

Jul 21, 2026 2 hr 12 min

Shaun and Thala are joined by Charlie Morgan to review week 3 of the Nations Championship. First Shaun and Thala look back on the Springboks' 43-0 victory against Wales. We discuss an impressive debut by Carlu Sadie, the impact of Paul de Villiers and Jaco Williams' combination with Jesse Kriel. Shaun and Thala then debate what their Springbok 23 would be for Rugby's Greatest Rivalry tour - who starts between Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu or Manie Libbok? Would Ethan Hooker start in our team? Would we go 5-3, 6-2 or 7-1? Shaun and I then discuss way too early Rugby World Cup 2027 squad hot takes involving Cobus Wiese and Kurt-Lee Arendse. Charlie Morgan then joins us to discuss the wild Argentina v England game. Charlie discusses what England have learned from this year, the discipline issues that England has as they had 4 yellow cards in this game and the impressive performance of Immanuel Feyi-Waboso. We then debate the non-try from Bautista Delguy and how Angus Gardner handled a very contentious game. We then break down the rest of the weekend's games, including the All Blacks looking impressive in beating Ireland, the Baby Boks grinding out a win against France in the Junior World Championship, Fiji putting in a respectable performance against Scotland, Hong Kong China beating Uruguay and we discuss if Les Kiss has been handed an access card by Rugby Australia yet. 00:00:00 Start 00:00:45 Springbok Chat 00:04:38 Vusi Moyo, Ruben van Heerden, Carlu Sadie and Jaco Williams 00:08:10 Herschel Jantjies 00:11:23 Paul de Villiers excellence 00:16:15 Wales and their poor game plan 00:21:29 Our Bok 23 for Greatest Rivalry 00:43:53 Shaun's hot Springbok takes ahead of RWC2027 00:50:50 BabyBoks, Nations Cup and Nations Championship results 00:56:02 Los Pumas v England 01:15:57 All Blacks v Ireland 01:38:52 Les Kiss 01:41:26 Charlie Morgan joins and discusses England and why he is optimistic

Impressive Paul de Villiers, France settles down with Attissogbe, is Will Jordan the GOAT?

Jul 14, 2026 1 hr 53 min

Kooks, Shaun and Thala review Week 2 of the Nations Championship, which included the Springboks beating Scotland in a try-fest. We discuss which of the second string Springboks impressed, including Paul de Villiers, Ethan Hooker and Zachary Porthen, why the defensive lapses are worrying but are not all on Ntutukho Mchunu and the ups and downs of the Handré Pollard performance. While Scotland’s attack impressed and Sione Tuipulotu, Scott Cummings and Ben White were fantastic, we discuss why Gregor Townsend yet again failed to use his bench proactively and how Scotland failed to capitalise in yet another big game. We discuss the other Nations Championship games. We wonder where Australia is going as Les Kiss sits in the stand and watches France steamroll Australia in the second half. Shaun discusses why French coaches have chosen to ‘settle down’ with Theo Attissogbe. We debate whether Will Jordan is the best right winger the All Blacks have ever had, why Fiji need to repent for allowing a Henry Pollock hat trick, Eddie Jones’ rant on Japan playing a home game against Ireland in Australia, whether Argentina can build on this win against Wales (spoiler: no), the Springbok Women’s loss to the USA and the epic draw between Uruguay and Romania in the Nations Cup

Springboks rock England, All Blacks start the Rennie era right, SA Women make a statement

Jul 7, 2026 1 hr 44 min

Shaun and Thala review the weekend of Nations Championship and Nations Cup games which saw a lot of entertaining rugby and tries. We start with the Springboks thrashing England on the back of impressive games from Damien Willemse, Jasper Wiese and Paul de Villiers. The Boks adjusted to the late withdrawals of Kolisi and Etzebeth, but we are left with questions about what Steve Borthwick is doing as England loses their 5th game in a row. We also break down a much changed side for the next game against Scotland. We then review the other Nations Championship games, which include thrilling try fests between New Zealand and France and between Australia and Ireland as the likes of Ardie Savea and Hugo Keenan impress. Japan and Wales get surprise victories against Italy and Fiji respectively. In the Nations Cup we have impressive wins for Georgia, an honorable loss for Zimbabwe against Tonga and a high scoring draw between Canada and Spain. Finally the Springbok Women make a statement as they beat the United States after leading 34-0 as they start their climb up the world rankings.

Springboks name strong side to face England

Jun 29, 2026 1 hr 37 min

Kooks and Shaun shake off the FIFA World Cup blues after Bafana Bafana's exit and look ahead to the opening Nations Championship clash against England after Rassie Erasmus names his match day squad early. We unpack the side, look at the strength's and weaknesses and look ahead to the England threats and how they will approach the game. We then take a deep dive into the tournament as a whole and try and predict where the teams will finish on the North and South side plus figure out what the Wallabies and the All Blacks will bring

Quan Horn at 10, big chance for Carlu Sadie and 9 Junior Springboks in the sides

Jun 17, 2026 55 min

Shaun and Thala react to the first Springbok teams announced for the year in preparation for the Springboks clash against the Barbarians and the South Africa A curtain raiser against Zimbabwe. The big surprise is Quan Horn starting at flyhalf and we discuss why he was selected there and the opportunity he has to establish himself as a utility player. We see Riley Norton and Vusi Moyo getting opportunities with the Springbok side. We discuss why Carlu Sadie has a big opportunity on Saturday and whether Andre-Hugo Venter or JJ Kotze can take advantage of the lack of depth at hooker. In the South Africa A side, it’s a ton of Baby Boks in the team and we discuss why Zekhethelo Siyaya might be the most impressive, why Hashim Pead or Vincent Tshituka have opportunities to play themselves into the main squad and how much Markus Müller can learn playing next to Lukhanyo Am. Join us as we discuss why Dave Wessels has the toughest job in the world, whether Kevin Foote will be waiting with a bus to take his Baby Boks straight to the airport and a little bit about Gloucester Hartpury being shocked in the PWR semifina

The Henry Pollock Show and Exeter stun Bath

Jun 16, 2026 1 hr 14 min

Shaun and Thala unpack the Prem Rugby Semi Final action as Leicester try valiantly to beat a Henry Pollock lead Saints side that mean business. We look at who performed and what more Leicester needed to do. We unpack the Bath loss as Shaun asks the question around why the Bath forward pack off the bench is less impactful than last season, we look at the Santiago Carreras performance and why there is unfair criticism on the Bath pivot. We touch on the Top 14 and Super Rugby knock out games a and make predictions for this weekend

Bulls furious comeback, Leinster outlast the Stormers, first Bok squad & Tony Brown

Jun 9, 2026 2 hr 1 min

Shaun and Thala review a jam packed weekend of rugby, which included the semi finals of the United Rugby Championship. We start with the Bulls 18-point comeback win over Glasgow in Murrayfield off the back of huge performances from Embrose Papier, Steadman Gans and Cameron Hanekom. We discuss how the Bulls turned it around, whether the Canan Moodie centre experiment is working, and how Glasgow collapsed in another home knockout game. We then go to the Stormers loss to Leinster in Dublin where the Stormers heroically defenders and made over 200 tackles, but Jamison Gibson-Park broke hearts late. We discuss the controversial cards on Ruan Ackerman and Salman Moerat and the tunnel scuffle between Caelan Doris and Conor Evans. Then we break down the Springbok squad for the Barbarians and the SA A v Zimbabwe double-header, including the inclusion of a host of under 20 Baby Bok stars. We discuss why Tony Brown’s appointment to the NZR in 2028 is bad news for the All Blacks. Then we catch up on all the Prem, Top 14, Super Rugby, Japanese Rugby League One big clashes, the Blitzboks winning the Sevens series, all the coaching news and the strange Ellie Kildunne/Harlequins story.

Stormers and Bulls to the URC Semis, Lions out but hopeful, Leinster coaching drama

Jun 3, 2026 1 hr 34 min

Shaun and Thala review the United Rugby Championship quarterfinals and other rugby tournaments barrelling towards the business end. We start with the Stormers victory over Cardiff and are impressed with the performance of the forwards and how impressive Imad Khan played, but we discuss how the Stormers can deal with the injuries to Sacha Feinberg Mngomezulu and Seabelo Senatla. The Bulls also won their home quarterfinal against Munster, also off the back of an impressive scrum and a strong performance from their loose forwards, especially Cameron Hanekom, we also discuss why Munster played quite conservatively in attack. Glasgow beat Connacht in the match of the weekend and we discuss why the Bulls have a mountain to climb to beat them and the form of the likes of Kyle Steyn, Rory Darge and Stafford McDowall. In Dublin, Leinster thrashed the Lions and we reflect on a largely positive URC for the Lions and how pivotal it is that they keep their best players. We discuss some of the drama with the Leinster coaches, Leo Cullen and Jacques Nienaber, and their comments in the media and whether it may be the end of the road for the whole coaching staff. Finally we round up other global competitions, including the possibility of Bordeaux being knocked out of the Top 14 playoffs, a showdown between Exeter and Saracens for the final semi final spot, the Japanese Rugbly League One heading to the semi finals and the absolutely confusing Super Rugby playoff structutre.

Lucu leads UBB to Champions Cup repeat and the Leinster blame game

May 26, 2026 1 hr 26 min

Shaun and Thala look back on the finals weekend in the EPCR, which saw Bordeaux thrash Leinster in the Champions Cup final. We rave about Lucu and Jalibert dominating the game and the impacts of Woki and Moefana. We discuss Bordeaux controlling the game with their kicking and defence and why they are already one of the great historical European teams. We then turn to the Leinster post moterm and why they have lost yet another final, some lackluster performances from key players and debate on how much blame Jacques Nienaber and his defence deserves. We also do a quick preview of the URC quarterfinals and discuss why the Stormers and Bulls should be wary in their home quarterfinals and heat the Lions can do to upset Leinster. Hear why we think Munster and Connacht might be the teams best placed to steal a quarterfinal away. We also review Montpellier thrashing Ulster in their Challenge Cup final and Cheslin Kolbe signing with the Stormers for next season.

Lions finally end their URC playoff drought, Stormers and Bulls to host quarterfinals

May 20, 2026 1 hr 20 min

Kooks and Thala look back on the final round of the URC, with the 8 playoff teams finally confirmed, including 3 South African teams. We review the Stormers disappointing loss to Cardiff and how the second half of their season faltered. On the other hand, the Bulls look to be peaking at the right time after taking care of Benetton. In spite of the loss to Munster, the Lions finally secure their ticket to the URC playoffs - but this leads to a debate about the rumours that South Africa are looking to step away from the Champions Cup and Challenge Cup. We finally try to look on the bright side as a young Sharks team impress against Zebre. We look at some other rugby news, including the latest Springbok alignment camp finally including Embrose Papier, the debate about the inclusion of Benhard Janse van Rensburg into the England training squad, why are English teams always conceding a lot of points in the Prem and a quick preview of the Leinster/Bordeaux Champions Cup final.

BathGate, how UBB & Leinster won it plus the Farah/Littler debate

May 6, 2026 1 hr 15 min

Kooks and Sharky dive into a review of the weekends Champions and Challenge Cup Semi Finals. We get underway with the controversies of the UBB v Bath game with Sharky not fully subscribing to all the footage being hidden and asks how a business as big as the EPCR will allow a random TV Director influence their product. Kooks also weighs in and provides insights from a production point of view and we debate whether the social media fall out between SquidgeRugby and Andy Goode was necessay. We then take a look as to why UBB were triumphant and it was off the back of some exceptional defence which kept Bath snatching at opportunities all game. Equally so, Leinster were sublime on defence to get their win over RC Toulon despite nearly losing it and we look at the Challenge Cup games and how Ulster advancing will impact the URC. With the Dragons' loss, Kooks had to put his Dragons Rugby merch order on hold for another year. Finally we discuss the Luke Littler and Mo Farah half marathon debate. Who wins...?

Western Problems, Lions flying high, Magic numbers

Apr 21, 2026 1 hr 46 min

Shaun and Thala look back on the weekend’s rugby, as the URC’s Race for 8 heats up. There are still 11 teams in the race for playoff spots and all 4 South African teams can still qualify. We looked at Week 15’s results and the remaining fixtures for the contenders. The Bulls took care of business in Wales against the Dragons with a bonus point win and have fixtures against 3 of the bottom 4 sides remaining putting them in a great position for earning a home knockout game, but will be sweating over the fitness of Canan Moodie this week. The Stormers shock loss to Connacht comes in a week after the passing away of longtime Stormers manager Chippie Solomon and some interesting quotes in the media by John Dobson. We try look at what is wrong and what can be fixed urgently as they go into a top of the table clash against Glasgow this weekend and have a tough run in. Speaking of Glasgow, they were spanked by the marauding Lions at Ellis Park who blitzed them in attack and on defence. This places the Lions at 4th and on path to earn their first URC playoff berth, but they have probably the toughest fixtures remaining and will need to get maximum points against Connacht this weekend. Finally the Sharks loss against Ospreys means their playoff hopes are still hanging by a thread. We discuss the injury Ethan Hooker suffered after scoring and at least they’re doing better this weekend than the Sale Sharks! Stuck around as we also discuss the Top 14 games that featured on ESPN Africa this weekend, Saracens destroying Sale Sharks, the Black Ferns getting revenge on Canada in the PAC4, the Chiefs beating the Hurricanes with a golden point in Super Rugby Pacific and the Blitzboks winning their first Hong Kong Sevens.

Bath make a big comeback, Bordeaux have Toulouse number, BREAKING: Rieko Ioane is a good wing

Apr 15, 2026 1 hr 21 min

Shaun and Thala look back on the weekend's rugby, including the quarterfinals of the Champions Cup. We start with Bath's comeback win over Northampton which saw Bath come back from 21 points down after fantastic games from Finn Russell and Alfie Barberry. We also debate the pivotal penalty and yellow card to Henry Pollock. In Glasgow, Toulon outlast Glasgow, who will be kicking themselves for missing out on making a Champions Cup run. Toulon were spearheaded by Nacho Brex and Charles Ollivon, and we are impressed by young Georgian Mikheil Shioshvili. Leinster ease past Sale and we discuss the loosehead prop injury crisis at Leinster and we are SHOCKED that Rieko Ioane plays well on the wing (sarcasm). Finally, the big match of the weekend was Bordeaux v Toulouse and we debate if Bordeaux finally have Toulouse's number, rave about the impact of Ben Tameifuna and Maxine Lucu leading the defence. We debate whether any of the remaining teams can stop Bordeaux. We also look at the Challenge Cup quarterfinals, which saw a thriller won by Kooks' Dragons over Zebre and Exeter beating Benetton in a try fest. We also look at the international womens rugby that started this weekend with the Women's Six Nations and the Pac4 Championship. #Leinster #RiekoIoane #BathRugby #FinnRussell

Champions Cup Round 16 Review and exciting Quarter Final Preview

Apr 10, 2026 1 hr 25 min

Kooks, Shaun (and Top 14 SuperSub Thala, Ben Tameifuna, Msutu) chat about the dire weekend as all the South African sides made an exit from Europe.We unpack the way forward for the Bulls, Sharks, Stormers and Lions if they are to make a stand in the competitions moving forward. We take a brief look at the next few rounds of the URC and how each side will approach it along with why we think the Lions have a chance to beat Glasgow Warriors next week.Our main focus is the weekends Champions Cup Quarter Finals and we look at the blockbuster games that bookend the tournament with Bath v Northampton on Friday and UBB v Toulouse on Sunday. We pick our winners and how things will play out.We pick our Challenge Cup winners (it is Ulster) and Kooks and Shaun make a bet on the Dragons.We touch on Super Rugby, the fantastic SA School Rugby results from the lats few weeks as well as what is coming up this weekend.#ChampionsCup #FinnRussell #LouisBielleBiarrey #UBB #Toulouse #AntoineDupont #StuartMcCloskey #ChallengeCup #BathRugby #Ulster #Leinster #HenryPollock

Six Nations Winners and Losers, Clutch Ramos & URC home stretch with Riaan Louw

Mar 19, 2026 1 hr 25 min

Thala is joined by YouTube rugby content creator Riaan Louw to break down a dramatic Six Nations Super Saturday and to look forward to the final third of the URC league season. After discussing Ireland keeping Scotland at arm's length, Wales finally winning their first Six Nations game in 3 years and Thomas Ramos winning the Six Nations at the death against England, we discuss who the winners and losers of this year's Six Nations were. There is a lot of love for Stu McCloskey (and Ulster) and Andy Farrell, we discuss the impact of Joe Heyes and Kyle Steyn, we debate if Mathieu Jalibert has made the 10 jersey his own, but we raise some eyebrows on what England's tactical plan is, whether each coach has done enough to keep their jobs and is rugby and its tactics all looking very cookie cutter and samey right now. We get the Lions' biggest fan to discuss whether his team can finally break into the top 8 and discuss their tough run in. We look back at the Bulls faltering in the second half against the Stormers and what each South African side needs to do to qualify for the playoffs.

Six Nations Super Saturday preview; France, Scotland, Ireland gun for the title, big North/South URC derby

Mar 12, 2026 1 hr 20 min

Shaun and Thala preview the final weekend of the Six Nations with France, Scotland and Ireland gunning for the championship. We preview each match and ask if Scotland can finally end their drought to Ireland and who will get the upper hand in the ruck battle. The Wales v Italy has a lot more significance, with Italy chasing their best Six Nations performance and Wales building their confidence from two previous games. Finally we discuss if the pressure will get to France and if there’s any way for England to give a good account for themselves. We finally preview the catch up of URC games this weekend, including a massive Bulls/Stormers clash with big implications for the winners.

Shit to Champagne, Scotland Shock France, Italy deepen the England crisis

Mar 9, 2026 2 hr 4 min

Kooks, Shaun and Thala are back all together to break down a dramatic weekend in the Six Nations. We start in Murrayfield for Scotland’s 50-40 win over France in one of the most impressive Scotland performances we’ve ever seen. Shaun gets a chance to rave about Kyle Steyn and Kooks is feeling smug about Finn Russell, while we wonder what happened for France to lose their heads after halftime of a crazy game. In Rome Italy finally beat England for the first time. While Italy and Tomasso Menoncello deserve the plaudits, we debate whether Steve Borthwick should continue and why can’t he get his game plan, tactics and substitutions all correct at the same time. Finally the main thing we can about for Ireland v Wales is the amazing Rhys Carré try and Ireland get a bonus point win without much drama. We also have a rant from Kooks about all time Super Rugby teams, we celebrate the Blitzboks victory in Vancouver and debate which Australian WWE wrestlers would help their rugby teams.

Rennie named All Blacks coach, Borthwick's selection gambles, Lions win the SA Shield

Mar 5, 2026 1 hr 43 min

Shaun and Thala look back on Round 12 of the URC and preview Round 4 of the Six Nations. We start with the breaking news that Dave Rennie has been appointed as the All Blacks head coach. We debate whether Jamie Joseph should have got the job instead, what Rennie brings and what he learned from his time at the Wallabies. Next we preview the Six Nations where Steve Borthwick made some confusing selections in the backline including Seb Atkinson and Tommy Freeman in the midfield. We wonder if this is Italy's best chance to finally beat England. Ireland have rotated their squad for their clash against Wales on Friday, who will be looking to continue from their performance against Scotland. We also debate what Scotland's chances are against France and whether they can suck them into a joue joue contest. Finally we look at a big weekend for the inland SA URC teams with big wins for the Lions over the Stormers, who extend their losing streak to three in a row, with Morne van den Berg in fantastic form. The Bulls continue in their good run and the Sharks drop their second consecutive game since JP Pietersen was appointed as a permanent head coach. We discuss the landscape for the South African teams in the URC as we enter the home stretch.

McCloskey and Ireland batter England, France cruising, Lions with a big derby win over the Sharks

Feb 26, 2026 1 hr 25 min

Kooks and Thala review the weekends rugby, including Round 3 of the Six Nations and the Lions beating the Sharks in the URC. We start in Twickenham where Ireland shock England 21-42. While Jamison Gibson-Park, Stu McCloskey and Rob Baloucoune impressed, we discuss the selection and game plan issues England suddenly have, McCloskey chasing down Marcus Smith and how did Fin Baxter do in the royal box with Kate Middleton. We look at Finn Russell and Scotland stealing a win in Cardiff against a much improved Wales, France in 3rd gear crushing to a bonus point win over Italy where Thomas Ramos did the brilliant and the daft and Emmanuel Meafou was impressive. We also react to the first Springbok alignment camp squad for the year with surprise inclusions including Frans Malherbe and some talented Baby Bok players, and finally where the Lions victory and Morne van den Berg’s performance leave both them and the Sharks in the hunt for URC playoff places.

Sixmas, Sharks and Bulls riding high, Rugby World Cup fixture drop

Feb 4, 2026 1 hr 43 min

Kooks and Thala chat through a busy time in world rugby right now. We start with the South African derbies in the URC, with the Sharks and Bulls bagging vital wins. We discuss how the Stormers have fallen off the top of the log, what has changed for the Sharks, are the Bulls back or were the Lions horrible and Willie le Roux clap backs on Twitter. We then preview the upcoming Six Nations by discussion our one question or take for every team (except Scotland), look at the upcoming France v Ireland clash on THURSDAY and make our predictions for who will win it all. Finally, we react to the Rugby World Cup fixture release, which sees Australia open the World Cup against Hong Kong China, South Africa face Italy and no midweek matches. We also rant about Super Rugby Pacific’s new law variations and react to the unfortunate retirement for Uini Atonio.

All Blacks cut Razor, Stormers and Bulls make knockouts, Munster and La Rochelle tumble out

Jan 20, 2026 1 hr 44 min

Shaun and Thala look back on the last round of European Champions Cup and Challenge Cup games, but they start with the big news of New Zealand removing their head coach, Scott Robertson. Shaun and Thala debate whether this was the right call, the influence of the players in removing Razor and who are the likely candidates to replace Robertson and will Tony Brown possibly leave the Springboks to join the All Blacks (in spite of Rassie saying Brown will stay). Then we go through the Champions Cup results, which include the Bulls first win in 8 games, the Stormers and Sharks getting big wins at home, shocking home losses for Munster and La Rochelle knocking them out and impressive campaigns from Glasgow and Bordeaux. We look at the knockout bracket and see who we think will make the Champions Cup and Challenge Cup finals.

Ardie & All Blacks chat, Champions Cup predictions & more

Jan 15, 2026 1 hr 20 min

Kooks and Sharky get stuck into the Razor and All Black troubled relationship (We recorded this before the big news of him stepping down) We look into the most exciting Champions Cup Pool stages since the new format and again discuss how the South African teams can capitalize on this opportunity moving forward but are under no illusions that the URC is the number one focus.

Etzebeth eye gouge, Champions Cup preview and Kooks makes a new friend

Dec 2, 2025 1 hr 52 min

Kooks, Shaun and Thala look back on the weekend’s matches, which includes the Springboks record win in Cardiff over Wales. We talk about impressive performances from Andre Esterhuizen and Damian de Allende, but the big controversy is Eben Etzebeth’s red card for eye gouging and we discuss why there’s so much noise surrounding this incident. We then quickly review the weekend’s URC games, which include the Stormers comeback win over Munster and the Lions surprising the Bulls in Loftus. We talk about the crazy red cards from the Top 14, as Antoine Dupont comes back to rugby. We do a pool by pool preview of the Champions Cup, trying to predict which teams will make the knockouts, how difficult the Sharks will find it playing in Toulouse in the first week and the Bulls hosting the defending champs Bordeaux. Kooks tells us about his experience in Cardiff and making a new friend in a former Wales international player, we rant about apology letters in citing processes and Kooks has a massive rant about the Sharks.

England pass their big test, Ireland got their groove back, Gregor Townsend has got to go

Nov 19, 2025 1 hr 25 min

Shaun and Thala review the week's Autumn Nations Series matches which include victories for England, Ireland, Wales, France and Argentina. We start in Twickenham where England passed their big test against the All Blacks, coming back from 12-0 behind. We break down George Ford's masterful performance and big games for some newer faces like Fraser Dingwall and how the All Blacks did not adjust to England's 2nd half. Then we move to Dublin where Ireland had a record victory over Ireland where they found their attacking and kicking game and Mack Hansen impressed at fullback. In Paris, Fiji comes back from 21-0 down to tie 21-21, but France pull through at the end with big performances from Charles Ollivon and Nicolas Depoortere. Wales have their first win in Cardiff in two years with Jarrod Evans last minute penalty against an impressive attacking Japan. Finally Shaun and Thala unleash on Scotland who lost to Argentina after establishing a 21-0 lead and conceding 33 points in 27 minutes. We wonder if Gregor Townsend is failing with using his bench, why Scotland falter in the last quarter and whether it is finally time for him to go. We finally react to breaking news of the matches for next year's Rugby Nations Championship being announced and we debate whether this competition is a good idea.

Italy v Springboks Review | Boks impress again with 14 men, Willemse fullback masterclass

Nov 18, 2025 1 hr 8 min

Shaun and Thala review South Africa's 14-man victory over Italy in Turin. Shaun and Thala are once again in awe of this special Springbok team and try to figure out how they are so good at playing with 14 men. We discuss Damian Willemse's masterful performance at fullback, Rassie Erasmus' proactive substitutions and tactical changes and Johan Grobbelaar finally earning his stripes with the Boks. We then debate on whether Franco Mostert's red card was deserved and Shaun is tired of all this talk about conspiracies against the Springboks. We also discuss whether Italy panicked with the man advantage, whether Tomasso Allan should've started instead and Italy's general play attack faltering.

ANS Weekend Preview | All Blacks v England Escalator match, Ireland/Australia must-win and previews to the other international matches

Nov 14, 2025 1 hr 4 min

Shaun and Thala preview the rest of the slate of international fixtures for the upcoming weekend. The match of the weekend is at Twickenham where England and New Zealand play for the right to be seen as the second best team in the world. We discuss why do both teams still confuse us even if they win regularly, whether England can outrun the All Blacks and whether the All Blacks need to keep it tight. We then move to Dublin for a must-win game between Ireland and Australia. While both teams have made some confusing selections, we focus on their halfbacks with Sam Prendergast starting for Ireland and inexperienced Ryan Lonegran and Tane Edmed coming off the bench for the Wallabies. We then preview the other internationals this weekend, including discussing why Maxine Lucu will be important for France to get back to winning ways against a dangerous Fiji side, Wales loading their side with experience for their big clash with Japan with massive RWC27 implications, Scotland and Argentina clashing to be the 6th best team in the world and discuss Belgium and Samoa setting up a massive winner-takes-all clash for Rugby World Cup qualification.

Italy v Springboks Preview | Boks make big Hooker calls and Italy can sniff an upset

Nov 13, 2025 47 min

Shaun and Thala react to the South Africa and Italy squads selected for the test in Turin. The Springbok Hooker/hookers are the main story - with Johan Grobbelaar getting a rare chance to impress, Marco van Staden as the back up hooker and Ethan Hooker getting a chance to start at 12. On the Italian side, after a massive win against Australia, they will be feeling confident playing against a second string Springbok side with many of their key players that did not make the July tour to South Africa returning. Find out why Shaun has worries about the Springbok halfbacks, why this is a free hit for Boan Venter and Zachary Porthen, why a fast start is important for Italy and why David Odiase should be a name that Springbok fans should remember.

Siya Kolisi 100, Magnificent Marx, Juggernaut Jasper and all the ANS reaction

Nov 12, 2025 1 hr 25 min

Kooks takes the helm as we unpack the weekends action. We start off as Kooks tells us about his week in Paris and how the forwards things, we're joined by Thala on his train back home from France via Brussels and Shaun rants about toxic fans.We start off with the incredible game between the Springboks and France and laugh off the notion that France 'weren't ready'. We highlight the performances of Malcolm Marx and Jasper Wiese along with the other players after securing an impressive result with 14 men, we dive into the red card and other incidents too.The sad in Scotland must be real after their loss to the All Blacks and we look at why, Joe Schmidt is killing his reputation in Australia but don't discount how good Italy were.No England v South Africa in 2025 could be a master marketing stroke of genius and Steve Tandy under immense pressure already despite showing some glimpses of a turn around but the Welsh ran into a confident and ruthless Los Pumas

Boks trample Japan despite Ox injury, All Blacks get Soldier Field Revenge, RugbyBits plan to fix US rugby

Nov 4, 2025 1 hr 59 min

Shaun and Thala review the first weekend of November test matches, which include a big Springbok win over Japan in Wembley. We rave about the performances of Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Kurt-Lee Arendse and Cheslin Kolbe. We debate how the Boks replace Ox Nche who is out for the rest of the November tour and how Thomas du Toit could be an important player for the Springboks next clash against France. We then move to New Zealand’s defeat of Ireland in the United States. We discuss impressive performances from Fabian Holland, Quinn Tupaea and Leicester Fainga’anuku, whether Razor Robertson has stumbled upon his best backline and how do the All Blacks replace Scott and Jordie Barrett. We debate if the end of Ireland’s run near the top of international rugby is near, is the squad aging out or is the team just rusty. Then we move to Twickenham for England beating Australia. We debate Tommy Freeman’s move to centre and why England are looking scary two years from a World Cup. We finally finish on Scotland thrashing the USA, Antoine Dupont extending his contract with Toulouse with 2031 and Shaun and Thala debate whether the experiment of bringing rugby to the USA will ever work and Shaun comes up with a crazy plan to save rugby there!

Championship contenders, playoff contenders, dark horses and basement dwellers: Our URC Tier list

Oct 14, 2025 1 hr 31 min

Kooks and Thala try to divide the 16 URC teams into four tiers to determine who are the contenders from the pretenders. We debate whether the Stormers are championship contenders after their unbeaten start and nilling the Scarlets. Does Johan Ackerman have cause for concern about the Bulls defence? How to even analyze the unpredictable Sharks and how much cause for concern should Lions fans have. We also discuss other teams tough to rank - like Glasgow, Ulster, Benetton and which of the Welsh sides will make a challenge. We then look at other news around the rugby world, including Bath looking unbeatable, Carter Gordon returning to the Wallabies, the All Blacks upcoming Grand Slam tour and the major rugby unions refusing to support R360.

Wiese the Bok MVP? Rugby Championship review, as the Boks go back to back

Oct 8, 2025 2 hr 22 min

Shaun and Thala chat about the final round of the Rugby Championship, which the Springboks won after their victory over Argentina in Twickenham. We conduct a team by team review by giving each team a rating out of 10, discussing who their MVP and breakthrough players were and what they still have to work on. Listen as we discuss why Jasper Wiese might be the Bok MVP, the impacts made by Ethan Hooker, Leroy Carter and Max Jorgensen, why Len Ikitau might be the best back in the Rugby Championship and the stats Santi Carreras and Marcos Kremer topped. We then review Round 2 of the United Rugby Championship, which saw the Stormers keep their impressive form with Wandi Simelane and Vernon Matongo impressing, the Bulls overcoming Leinster and the impact of Willie le Roux, the Sharks being lucky to escape with a draw against the Dragons and the Lions staring into the abyss after their loss to Zebre. We also look at Bath’s impressive victory in the rain against Sale, Bordeaux and Lyon entertaining us in the Top 14, we reflect on the unfortunate diagnosis on Lewis Moody and our First Phase we discuss players we will never sell our stocks on, which includes a discussion on Ruan Pienaar and Howard Mnisi

Sacha-mania moves to Twickenham, dominant England win the World Cup, Roigard boosts the All Blacks

Oct 3, 2025 1 hr 12 min

Shaun and Thala review the weekend's rugby and look forward to the last round of the Rugby Championship. We start by discussing the record-breaking performance of Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu against Argentina that earned comparisons to Dan Carter. We discuss how the Springboks have become a more balanced side, the chaotic test in Durban and what to look forward to in the clash in Twickenham this weekend. The All Blacks retain the Bledisloe Cup for another year and we discuss the impact Cam Roigard made to the side and why this weekend's game is a must win for the Wallabies. We celebrate England capping off a historic dominant run with winning the World Cup at a packed Twickenham and how that will inspire improvement in the women's game and Sophie de Goede winning World Rugby Player of the Year. We then wrap up by discussing the first round of the United Rugby Championship, which included the Stormers nilling Leinster, James Slipper retiring from international rugby this weekend, Chile qualifying for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, a chaotic draw between Northampton and Exeter in England and Steve Diamond being sacked by Newcastle Red Bulls with Gregor Townsend coming in as a part-time consultant.

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Podcast details

Created by: RugbyBits
Status: Active
Latest episode: Nov 12, 2026
Episodes: 84
Release period: Weekly
Avg. episode length: 1 hr 31 min
Explicit: No
Language: English

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