Rucks, Mauls & Oval Balls

Send us a text... thoughts, feelings & feedback are all welcome! We will address them on the podcast! A 12–0 hole against the All Blacks usually means lights out. Not this time. We break down how England wrestled control back at Twickenham: Ford’s cold-blooded drop goals, a backline reshuffle that added real speed with Marcus Smith at 15, and a pack that went from shaky lineouts to statement s...

Send us a text... thoughts, feelings & feedback are all welcome! We will address them on the podcast! A bright afternoon in Bath set the scene for a tougher truth: cohesion beats potential. We walk through England A’s sobering loss to a slick New Zealand XV and pull out what matters for selection, development, and how fast “promising” becomes “test-ready.” Two names rose above the noise — Olli...

Send us a text... thoughts, feelings & feedback are all welcome! We will address them on the podcast! England put on a clinic. We break down how a sharp kicking plan, relentless two‑man tackles, and a late “Pom Squad” surge turned Australia’s momentum to dust, with Alex Mitchell’s box kicking and Tom Roebuck’s aerial work setting the tone. We get into the selection debates too: Tommy Freeman’s...

Send us a text... thoughts, feelings & feedback are all welcome! We will address them on the podcast! A whirlwind weekend gave us everything: Saints igniting Franklin’s Gardens with 30 minutes of pure velocity, Saracens scrambling to recover, Tigers and Sale trading test-level shots, and the PWR roaring back with pace and bite. We dive straight into the England squad for the Autumn Nations and...

Send us a text... thoughts, feelings & feedback are all welcome! We will address them on the podcast! Money, momentum, and a meteoric rise collide in a round that had everything—from a test-match brawl at Welford Road to a 65–14 shockwave in north London. We open on England’s Autumn Nations training squad and the headache it exposes: power up front and depth at fullback. With George Martin sid...

Send us a text... thoughts, feelings & feedback are all welcome! We will address them on the podcast! Forget clichés—this weekend showed exactly who’s for real and who’s searching for answers. We start with Bath, who didn’t just win, they imposed a standard: relentless collisions, clean set-piece, and a midfield pairing that bends games their way. Even with rotation, they rolled Gloucester wit...

Send us a text... thoughts, feelings & feedback are all welcome! We will address them on the podcast! A rebel league selling glitz and “player IP,” a beloved flanker facing MND, and a Prem weekend that swung on packs, pressure, and poise—this one has layers. We open the hood on R360’s promises and ask the only questions that matter: who sanctions it, who plays when international camps clash, a...

Send us a text... thoughts, feelings & feedback are all welcome! We will address them on the podcast! A world title in one hand, a battered match ball in the other—this week swings from the Red Roses’ crowning moment to a wild Premiership opening round that had big hits, bigger scrums, and even bigger talking points. We start with England’s blueprint against Canada: ruthless ruck denial, set-p...

Send us a text... thoughts, feelings & feedback are all welcome! We will address them on the podcast! The global rugby landscape is shifting dramatically, and we're here to break it all down. In a revealing conversation about Newcastle Red Bulls' resurgence, we witness what appears to be the birth of a northern powerhouse. With an impressive 9,000 fans turning out for a mere cup fixt...

Send us a text... thoughts, feelings & feedback are all welcome! We will address them on the podcast! The Women's Rugby World Cup takes center stage as the pool stages wrap up with England facing their first genuine test against Australia. While the Red Roses secured a comfortable 47-7 victory, questions emerge about their clinical edge in the backline as they prepare for potentially faci...

Send us a text... thoughts, feelings & feedback are all welcome! We will address them on the podcast! The flirty season begins! After a refreshing break, we're diving headfirst into rugby's most exciting developments with renewed energy and the same unfiltered perspectives you've come to expect. Welsh rugby finds itself at yet another crossroads, with the WRU contemplating a red...

Send us a text... thoughts, feelings & feedback are all welcome! We will address them on the podcast! The second Test between the Lions and Australia delivered everything rugby fans could hope for - drama, controversy, physicality, and a last-gasp victory that secured the series for the tourists. After a relatively straightforward first Test win, the Lions found themselves thoroughly tested by...

Send us a text... thoughts, feelings & feedback are all welcome! We will address them on the podcast! When test match players deliver test match performances, Andy Farrell looks like a rugby genius. The Lions dominated Australia physically in the first test, with Tom Curry and Tadhg Beirne silencing critics through outstanding displays that vindicated their controversial selections. Curry&apos...

Send us a text... thoughts, feelings & feedback are all welcome! We will address them on the podcast! Dave and Rory deliver a rugby-packed discussion covering the Lions tour, England's Argentina series win, and Premiership recruitment. • Lions are in a good position heading into the first Test despite some underwhelming performances in warm-up matches • Standout Lions performers include B...

Send us a text... thoughts, feelings & feedback are all welcome! We will address them on the podcast! The latest episode of Rucks, Mauls and Oval Balls delivers a comprehensive analysis of the Lions tour as it reaches a critical juncture, with Dave and Rory examining the performances against the Reds and Waratahs while identifying concerning patterns that could impact the upcoming Test matches...

Send us a text... thoughts, feelings & feedback are all welcome! We will address them on the podcast! The summer rugby season is heating up – quite literally, as our hosts confess to sweating through this episode due to the scorching temperatures! We dive headfirst into the Lions tour, analyzing the devastating blow of Tomos Williams' tour-ending injury and what it means for the scrum-hal...

Send us a text... thoughts, feelings & feedback are all welcome! We will address them on the podcast! What happens when grassroots rugby meets social media advocacy? In this captivating episode, we're joined by Mark Williams, a multi-faceted rugby coach whose TikTok presence (@MWRUGBYCOACHING) is helping shine a light on the beautiful game at its foundation.  Mark takes us into the trench...

Send us a text... thoughts, feelings & feedback are all welcome! We will address them on the podcast! Bath's triumph in the Premiership Rugby Final capped an exceptional season as they overcame a determined Leicester Tigers side in a match defined by physicality rather than flashy play. Guy Pepper emerged as the standout performer, demonstrating extraordinary strength to swat away defende...

Send us a text... thoughts, feelings & feedback are all welcome! We will address them on the podcast! The Premiership semi-finals delivered rugby drama at its finest, with Bath and Leicester emerging victorious through contrasting but equally compelling performances. Bristol Bears produced near-perfect first-half rugby at The Rec, with Ellis Genge setting the emotional tone and James Dunn deli...

Send us a text... thoughts, feelings & feedback are all welcome! We will address them on the podcast! The curtain falls on the Premiership's regular season, but the drama has only just begun. In this episode, Dave and Rory dissect a Round 18 filled with surprising performances, emotional farewells, and the final playoff picture taking shape. Bath's youthful squad showed remarkable co...

Send us a text... thoughts, feelings & feedback are all welcome! We will address them on the podcast! The landscape of global rugby stands on the precipice of transformation with the announcement of a 16-team Club World Cup starting in 2028. This landmark decision promises to answer the question that's lingered in rugby circles for decades: how would champions from different hemispheres f...

Send us a text... thoughts, feelings & feedback are all welcome! We will address them on the podcast! Welcome to an episode brimming with rugby insights, personal challenges, and in-depth analysis of the sport's evolving landscape! We kick off with tales from the Jurassic Coast Challenge – a grueling 100km trek that left one of your hosts with barely any skin on his feet but helped raise...

Send us a text... thoughts, feelings & feedback are all welcome! We will address them on the podcast! As rugby's landscape shifts beneath our feet, this episode captures a pivotal moment where tradition meets commercial transformation. We dive deep into the Red Bull acquisition rumours surrounding Newcastle Falcons – potentially the most significant development in English club rugby'...

Send us a text... thoughts, feelings & feedback are all welcome! We will address them on the podcast! A seismic weekend in European rugby as Northampton Saints produced arguably the greatest performance by an English team in Champions Cup history, stunning Leinster in Dublin. Tommy Freeman's hat-trick heroics, Curtis Langdon's physical dominance, and Phil Dowson's tactical maste...

Send us a text... thoughts, feelings & feedback are all welcome! We will address them on the podcast! George Ford masterminds Sale's statement victory over Saracens in a match that signals the Sharks' potential title credentials. With impeccable game management and a try of his own, Ford showcases why he deserves Lions consideration while steering Sale's increasingly Saracens-es...