Elite Rugby Banter

It's a full house at ERB HQ, as Ben (whose feeling a bit fluey), Alex (whose attention is demanded by Taniela Two-Poo), Matt (whose going to sleep after 12am) and Adam (who never listens to a full pod) chat about the Super Rugby final, Steve Hansen's comments surrounding Sevu Reece, the ABs squad, give their End of Season Awards straight from the hip, and listen to Ben as he drops another Big Idea...

Alex and Ben are joined by a debutante, Phil, and the trio pinball haplessly through news about Israel Folau (again), Western Province Rugby Union going bankrupt (still) and the new Chiefs head coach (it's Gatland). Ben has a Big Idea, Phil brags about having tickets to the Rugby World Cup in Japan, and we discuss the four most attractive props in Super Rugby and Owen Franks. Music by @monstroid,...

Adam is back to steer the ship, as he, Croaky Voice Matt and Alex (with a subtle entrance from Ben) discuss the news of the week and the Super Rugby quarterfinals before engaging on players to look out for in Fantasy Rugby 2020 - with Alex perking up whenever a New Zealand team is mentioned - before ending off on a range of subjects, including another terrible team name by Adam, plagiarism and wei...

Thank you listeners for your patience. Long weekends in South Africa wreck havoc, even though Ben and Matt don't get to experience them... Matt takes the wheel once more with Adam on a bender reportedly near the Hex River Valley. He is joined by Alex and Ben, with the Three Musketeers discussing the latest round of Super Rugby games, the Crusdarers' fudged branding decision, Elite Rugby Banter's o...

It's the Matt, Ben and Ant Show, with Alex and Adam in the wind, and apparently on Instagram. Events, unsurprising, proceed smoothly in that Matt-having-a-beer-and-being-"chilled"-on-the-stoep way, as the boys chat about SARU's new contracting model, the Junior World Cup, the pure savagery of the Crusaders' back three, and the permutations of Super Rugby qualification. It's arithmetic, so Ant gets...

It's a trio of bleary eyed gentlemen this week, as they discuss matters of extreme importance in the rugby universe. Ben being booked off (and who made queries about appearing towards the end), Alex, Matt and Adam chat about the week's Super Rugby, including the excellent Chiefs v Crusaders match, the Elton Jantjies snafu at the Lions, and other bits in between. It's our shortest episode in a whil...

The Super Rugby season is approaching crunch time, and lo and behold, the best South African team is from Argentina. Matt and Adam kick things off before Alex and Ben enter fashionably exactly when they meant to, as the gang chat about office politics and emails, Super Rugby, Amanaki Mafi's return, how the Stormers have been transformed plus the usual rambles. Also, for the first time ever, Alex c...

It's an early start for the gang, to the point Alex and Adam hadn't even had breakfast. But, thankfully, they filled their bellies chatting about Jordie Barrett's brain explosion, the Jag's excellent performance, refereering (again), the Stormers-Crusaders game and the rest of the Super Rugby action. Ben is also going on a boat. Off the field, baseball, Jeff Goldblum, the Cape Crusaders and Ma'a N...

It's a full house as the gang find form as they discuss Schalk Brits and things coming back to haunt you, a fake century of episodes, referees, positive energy, the latest round of Super Rugby, Fantasy, positive energy, do an ad hoc Marvel novelty XV (with Matt complaining that with an overpowered front row, we are worrying about 12), plus a poll and right before the end, the Blame Game. There is...

Ben and Adam hold the line, as Matt goes karaoking in South Korea and Alex is back in transit from India. In what is the shortest episode in months, the dynamic (yet maybe hungover?) duo chat about the week's games, Izzy Folau not being a nice guy (again), how Ben is the key to his company's golf team, some Fantasy snippets here and there plus the weeks games. Also, JJ Engelbrecht gets an award......

The laws of physics were bent by Sevu Reece on Saturday, but have no fear since Ben, Matt and Adam are here. With Alex in India, the Three Ruckerteers (?) fill the time chatting about Alex's love of George Bridge, segues, Rudolph Straeuli being silly, the week's game, Fantasy rugby, and doing it all interrupting each other. We are on Soundcloud, Stitcher, iTunes, Spotify and aCast. Music by @monst...

It's a full house at the ERB headquarters (metaphorically speaking) with Matt, Ben, Alex and Adam chatting about North Korean tunnels, Ben at high altitude, Alex's disdain for certain rugby data scientists, and Adam doing his best to make sure the gang chat about rugby - including Voyasco's move to centre, an excellent Lions wing, the Highlanders finding their mojo, the Canes squeaking past the Su...

Ciao! Adam has returned from Italy, and finds that Ben, Alex and Matt took the week off but have no fear, Ant is here! The pod's favourite Sharks fan joins Adam as the two discuss the fallout of Israel Folau's social media habits, Joe Marler, Adam Thompson being a legend, the weekend's games - including giving the Crusaders the title now, the cracker in Waikato and the Sharks melting down in style...

30 seconds into discussing Curwin Bosch's apparent move to WP we start discussing the differences between a 4 and 5 lock. So join us as we spend about 2 hours almost covering this week's rugby news and Super Rugby games. As promised in the show, our email address: elitebantercommentary@gmail.com Also follow Ben on twitter: @Ben_from_Tax Music by Robbie Wessels

Heads up everyone. Instead of just disappearing in the middle of the episode somewhere, Adam has finally taken the plunge and left Alex, Ben and Matt run the show while he's off enjoying his holiday. Someone talks about rugby at one point during the podcast, but for like no longer than 10 minutes.

It's a birthday edition of ERB! Adam turns [insert age here] and received courtesy of SANZAAR, the Sunwolves being kicked out of Super Rugby (they will not be missed). Alex's rant on this topic, Ben reflects on his existential angst regarding his career choice, and Matt shows rare flashes of anger when speaking of the Sunwolves. He needs a new team...a competition will be held. Between all this ac...

An Alex-less ERB crew tackle the awful events of Christchurch, the Greatest Rugby Company in the World (and wonder if the pod should carry the same weight?), whether Jake White is the coaching version of a Cross Fitting-Vegan, and wonder aloud about Jack Maddock's bootylicious booty. They also chat about some Super Rugby rugby, the latest update to the World League, Adam rants about commentators a...

Adam returns in his quest to keep Alex, Matt and Ben to an hour and a half...and fails miserably. But the #bants! The boys are on form, as they are every week depending on who you ask, as they chat about South American rugby, further World League news, dodgy Wallabies, the meat grinders that are the Saders, paint fumes, Lions 2.0 and explore the potential of their selected Dickheads XV. Matt also...

Ding Dong, the Witch is Dead! The gang, without Adam around for disaster control, takes aim at the two hour milestone and discuss Robbie Fleck's long overdue departure from the Stormers (just as his team was starting to come right...it just doesn't make sense). Other topics include the brewing Infinity War between World Rugby and the Tier 2 nations, whether Marika Koroibete is the most over-hyped...

Well, that was close. Matt came to the rescue with the file so here we are! Sorry for the late episode. It's Adam's fault (as usual). This week, the gang chat about SA Rugby's new contracting model, a rather meh round of Super Rugby (I mean, look at this lot here) where the game of the week turned into a stomping, the novelty XV of SA sports persons who didn't play rugby (professionally), picks an...

Super Rugby is finally here and Alex - aka The Prince of Rants - pretty much goes off the deep end when the gang discuss the Bulls battering of the Stormers. All the other weekend's games are discussed, with Japan slated for not caring about Super Rugby, the poor standard of kicking in round 1, and how Quade Cooper is making the Rebels a better side. Beyond that, the Stormers were so terrible, the...

Alex and Adam take the reins this week, and they are joined by Cargie from Draft Rugby after the news to chat all things draft rugby. They catch up on what draft is all about, Draft Rugby's progress with their own platform, Fantasy XVs of all time and also, a novelty XV focused on American presidents. It's a long one...apologies. We lost track of time. :/ Music from Monstroid. Track: 80s TV Show....

Super Rugby is but two weeks away and Ben, Matt and Adam chew the cud over the Hurricanes, Sharks and Rebels this week (Alex's plush podcast studio has been invaded by family so is on a bye). Before that, Adam grabs the title of Viscount of Rants over the Six Nation's anger regarding promotion-relegation for the proposed World League, Ben gets offended by the word "commoner" and speculates about l...

The gang are back and Super Rugby is one week closer. Yes please. Adam continues his Mortal Kombat-style winning streak of Blame Game titles, but before throwing it all away, Alex, Ben and Matt are mildly cooperative as they chat about concussion, a certain offspring, look at the Lions, Stormers and Bulls' chances in Super Rugby this year, and attempt to look at the 6 Nations (badly). Also, new th...

Super Rugby is one week closer and the gang, with Ben a bit more tired than usual for good reason, get into the prospects for the Waratahs (Ben was meh), Crusaders (Matt was bitter) and Chiefs ahead of kick-off 2019. Before then, they chat about Pat Lambie's retirement, give Draft Rugby an early shout out and discuss whether DDA will be in the first 24 picks of the draft. Also, the #10YearChalleng...