Rugby Union Weekly

Fresh from his trip to Toulouse, Danny gives Ugo and Chris the inside track on Quins’ defeat in the south of France. He tells us about his latest rendezvous with his favourite scrum-half and how Blair Kinghorn ended up in his bad books on Sunday. We also discuss Northampton’s narrow defeat at Croke Park and ask who will have the edge in the final at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium. But will an Engli...

Chris, Danny and Ashy are on the sofa as the race for the Premiership play-offs hots up. Are Bristol genuine title contenders after another big win? Elsewhere Harlequins beat the league leaders Northampton, but should Danny have been sent off? And why are scrum-halves the lowest-paid players in the league? We also chat to former England lock Geoff Parling after his appointment to the Australia coa...

On the 30th anniversary of England's victory in the 1994 World Cup final, Sara sits down with Giselle Mather and Gill Burns to relive that historic day in English women's rugby. It was the tournament that almost never happened, but Scotland stepped in to host at the last minute and the rest as they say is history. Gill and Giselle take us back to the struggles being a rugby player in the early 90s...

We're talking reunions on this week's pod after Ugo's trip to see Blue in Liverpool. If there was one team or player in their prime you could pay to watch, who would it be? Bristol get some love after crashing the top four party in the Premiership and that's time of year where we start to talk end of season awards. We get Danny to run the rule over England's plethora of in-form nines now that he h...

We're at full strength on the pod this week with Ugo, Danny, Ashy and Chris all on the sofa to review the Champions Cup quarter-final weekend. We had to start with the thriller in Bordeaux, friend of the pod Marcus Smith drops by to give us - and Danny - the lowdown on that epic win. Is it working having the South African teams in the competition? Do we need a neutral host city for semi-final week...

It’s a big day for Danny as he calls time on his England career after 16 years and 101 caps. He tells Chris and Ashy what was behind the decision, the conversation he had with England boss Steve Borthwick and we get to the bottom of how David Beckham sent him a video message for his 100th cap. We also round up the action from the weekend as the Premiership came back with a bang as Saracens laid do...

Chris, Gareth and Tom reunite for one last pod to bring the curtain down on the 2024 Six Nations. What mark out of 10 does this year's tournament deserve? The guys pick their favourite match of this year's championship and their player of the tournament after the four-man shortlist was revealed. Can one scrum-half count himself unlucky to have missed out? And should there have been more than one I...

Chris is joined by Ugo Monye, John Barclay and Sam Warburton to go through the Six Nations after Ireland win back-to-back titles, while Wales pick up the Wooden Spoon for the first time in 21 years. The team rate each country and pick out some key moments from the tournament. Who overachieved and who came up short and why? And what next for those teams evolving and going through transition? Sam al...

Chris is joined by Tommy Bowe and Fraser Brown for on the whistle reaction from the Aviva after Ireland beat Scotland to win back-to-back Six Nations titles. Plus Chris has pitch side reaction from Jack Crowley and Robbie Henshaw. The team also chat Wales’ loss to Italy and what’s next for them. Elsewhere Sara is out in Lyon with Matt Dawson and Chris Ashton following France’s 33-31 victory over E...

Chris manages to track down Tom English in Dublin to look ahead to the final round of the Six Nations. They debate where back-to-back titles would leave Andy Farrell's Ireland after they missed out on successive Grand Slams. Rory Darge joins the pod with Scotland in the hunt for a first Triple Crown since 1990. How do they end a run of nine straight defeats against Ireland? Could this weekend be M...

Will Ireland wrap up back-to-back Six Nations titles or is there a big shock in store? The teams are out for Super Saturday and Chris is in Dublin to preview Ireland's clash with Scotland and get the thoughts of Luke Fitzgerald, who was part of the last Irish team to win successive titles. Sara is Lyon and has been to the England team hotel to speak to fly-half George Ford who hopes to mark his bi...

In the last episode of our rivalries series, Chris sits down with Martin Johnson to discuss the fixture known simply as Le Crunch. They look at the brilliant French side of the 80s and England's dominance in the 90s as Johnson made his breakthrough. We look at how the psyche of the French rugby player is built on emotion and why facing France in Paris was such a daunting task. Johnson also reveals...

Sara is joined by John Barclay and Philippa Tuttiett for on the whistle reaction from a very loud and lively Principality Stadium after France beat Wales to complete round four of the Six Nations. They discuss what went right for France and what next for Wales, who host Italy on the final day. They also console a rather sad John Barclay after Scotland lost against Italy and look ahead to what will...

Chris Jones, Matt Dawson, Paul Grayson & Tommy Bowe reflect on England's shock win over Ireland. The team discuss what was a 'bouncing gantry' as England galvanised the Twickenham crowd to put a stop to Ireland's back-to-back grand slam hopes. We hear from Marcus Smith, whose drop goal won it for England to keep their Six Nations dream alive, and also discuss the end of the road for Scotland a...

With the Irish a bonus point victory away from another Six Nations title, Chris is at Twickenham chatting to The 42’s Murray Kinsella. They discuss takeaways from Peter O’Mahony’s press conference, what the England gameplan should be, and the fact that Ireland have barely come under any pressure during the competition to this point. England defence coach – and former Ireland international – Felix...

After 16 years on the international scene, Danny is set to win his 100th England cap this weekend. Chris and Ashy chat to him about the highs and lows of his career, his favourite tries, and how a chocolate cookie threatened to detail matters in 2017. We also ask if – and how - England can cause an upset against Ireland this weekend.

In the latest episode of our rivalries series, Jamie Heaslip chats to Chris about the battles between England and Ireland down the years and how the rivalry has evolved. Has the move to professionalism helped Ireland turn the tables on England? We pick out some Jamie's memorable victories over England and remember that historic encounter at Croke Park back in 2007. Heaslip also gives us his take o...

Has the success of Ireland and Wales in the Six Nations era created a rivalry between these two Celtic nations? Sara chats to Shane Horgan and Tom Shanklin to find out what it was really like to play in this fixture and relive those infamous encounters in 2005 and 2009. Has the gulf between the Welsh regions and the Irish provinces also been a contributing factor? They also look at how Warren Gatl...

Having been involved in 20 Calcutta Cups as either a player or a coach, Gregor Townsend knows a thing or two about out this famous fixture and why it is so special to him and the Scottish rugby fans. Chris sits down with the Scotland boss to discuss the Calcutta Cup matches that mean the most to him. We hear about his debut in 1993, his only victory as a player in 2000, the greatest draw of all ti...

Sam Warburton and John Barclay join Chris and Ugo to look back on a brilliant opening weekend to the 6 Nations. Plus Jonathan Davies is a special guest as we pay tribute to the Wales legend Barry John who died on Sunday.

Chris heads to Girona to sit down with Danny and the new England captain Jamie George. The pair explain why they have had to relinquish their roles on the social committee since Jamie’s appointment, and who has been tasked with replacing them. Jamie outlines what he wants from his England team this Six Nations and what kind of captain he will be. Will we see more of an attacking style? And are the...

The big names keep coming on the Daily as we are joined by a trio of head coaches in Gregor Townsend, Andy Farrell and Steve Borthwick, as well as Michele Lamaro, the Italy captain. How will Scotland recover from a disappointing World Cup? Likewise for Ireland, is it about continuity or a fresh start? Borthwick outlines why it’s time England delivered in the Six Nations, and Lamaro promises a full...

It’s Six Nations week, and the Rugby Union Daily is back! On the first of our bumper preview pods, Chris speaks to Wales boss Warren Gatland, new Scotland co-captain Rory Darge, the new Italy head coach Gonzalo Quesada and the new Ireland skipper Peter O’Mahony. Will Wales’ callow squad sink or swim? How do co-captains work together? What is it like following Johnny Sexton as captain of your count...

Ugo and Sara chat to Andy Farrell on the day he is named head coach of the British & Irish Lions for the tour of Australia in 2025. He explains why it is such an honour to be chosen to lead the Lions and reveals why he is 'embarrassed' of that infamous speech on the 2013 tour. They also chat to Ieuan Evans on why Farrell is the right man for the job and he pays tribute to JPR Williams, who sad...

Wayne Barnes, one of the greatest rugby referees in history, joins Chris, Ugo and Ashy on the sofa. Barnes retired from officiating after taking charge of the Rugby World Cup final, his 111th international match. He reflects on his magnificent career, which games stick in the memory, and why a certain bar in New Zealand has a special place in his heart. Barnes also discusses what the sport should...