The Good, The Bad & The Rugby

Alex, James, Mike and Ellis look back on a fascinating weekend of Guinness Six Nations action. Ellis pulls no punches with his reaction to Matt Dawson's opinion on Owen Farrell, the boys get deep into the meat of the breakdown rules following the injury to Jack Willis and the sending off of Zander Fagerson, and we ask whether free-flowing-France are the most beautiful thing in the game.  Learn mor...

Alex, James and Mike talk about actual rugby as they look back on an eventful first round of the Guinness Six Nations. Together they reflect on Scottish success, French flair and a Welsh win, deconstruct why England got it so wrong, and ask whether the USA might offer more than Italy moving forwards.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In a rather unique episode of GBR, Alex and Ellis are joined by a disappointed Jack Willis to talk about missing out on the Six Nations squad.......only to discover a few hours after recording that Sam Underhill is out and he's in. So we all come back for a re-record with a jubilant Jack Willis: quite literally two shows in one as the trio look ahead to the 6N, talk about what really happens in ca...

Alex and James are joined by arguably the best winger in world rugby: Toulouse and South Africa star Cheslin Kolbe. Together they go deep on his troubled childhood - escaping drugs, gangs and murder in Cape Town - to his father's abilities as a centre, and what went through his head when Pieter-Steph du Toit gave him that pop pass with seven minutes left in the 2019 World Cup Final. It's thoughtfu...

Alex and James are joined by a true legend of the game: 127 caps for the All Blacks, including 52 as captain, and one of only 20 men to win two World Cups - the one and only Kieran Read. Together they talk about learning from Richie McCaw, what it takes to lead the Kiwis, the responsibility that comes with that position, and the feeling of winning a RWC in that iconic black shirt. They also discus...

Alex and James are joined by Mako Vunipola for a rare and intimate insight into the life and times of the England and Lions prop. Together they talk Billy, brotherly differences, growing up in Wales, and life at Saracens with no games to play. And they reflect on boarding school days, family ties and whether Mako really could make a drop goal in the last minute of a World Cup Final.  Learn more ab...

Alex and James are joined by one of the greatest players of a generation - David Pocock - for an amazing and wide-ranging conversation. The trio talk bird books, walking away from the game, escaping the horrors of Zimbabwe, and the obsession that leads to the very top of the game. In an incredible episode, the former Australian captain opens up for the very first time on what drove him on, and wha...

To tide you over between Christmas and New Year, Alex is joined by Luke Cowan Dickie, Shaunagh Brown, Zander Fagerson, Lewis Ludlam, Alex Corbisiero, Brad Shields and Hask and Tinds to answer some audience questions on a whole range of subjects from beards and roommates, to controversial tackles, favourite Spice Girls, terrible chat, Lions highlights, and the pedestrianisation of Norwich's town ce...

Alex, James and Mike are joined by an extraordinary plethora of guests for a Christmas extravaganza: British and Irish Lions, members of the Royal family, Uncle Bryn, Ryder Cup legends, World Cup Winners, stand-up comedians, try-scoring wunderkinds, home nations captains, referees, pop stars, cross-code giants, a vicar, Henry Slade's breath, an England star in a personalised thong, and a Clapham F...

Alex and Mike are joined by the former Canada and Clermont lock Jamie Cudmore, and the England World Cup winner Kat Merchant for a very powerful edition of GBR. Together they discuss their ongoing battles with multiple, career-ending concussions in the wake of the news that Steve Thompson has been diagnosed with early onset dementia. From migraines, anxiety and convulsions to an aversion to bright...

Alex, James and Ellis look back on the Autumn Nations Cup Final and reflect on the negative image of England's play, the mindset of Owen Farrell, and what really happens in the Beaumont Room. There's golfing disasters, frightening honesty over the Matera reinstatement, and Tind's jumps on and drops a bombshell.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Alex, Mike and James are joined by Ben Kayser for a hugely emotional episode to reflect on the death of the legendary French winger Christophe Dominici. They share reminiscences of the Stade Francais star, look inwardly at whether they've done enough for struggling teammates in the past, and discuss what happens when the cheering stops.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/a...

Alex, James and Mike discuss the second round of action in the Autumn Nations Cup, there's some royal news, the wonderful Susie Dent drops in bringing wisdom and decorum, and Dan Leo joins the boys to talk about threats on his life, corruption, exploitation and his new documentary: 'Oceans Apart - Greed, Betrayal and Pacific Island Rugby' on Amazon Prime.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit p...

Alex, James and Mike set the world straight, (well, James does), on the Georgians, the new series of The Crown and how it's gone down at Chez Tindall, the Baabaa's potential punishments, and the beautiful Pumas. Plus there's a 'shvili' and 'dze' debate, and a full round-up of the opening games from the Autumn Nations Cup where Tinds shows actual love for Ireland.  Learn more about your ad choices....

Alex and Mike are joined by a true legend of two games - Jason Robinson - for a wide ranging and hugely emotional conversation about dominating two codes, regrets, religion, racism and being left out in the cold. Plus, what really happened the night before the 2003 World Cup Final, and the importance of a good teacher. It's 90 minutes you won't want to miss.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visi...

Alex and James are joined by the newest member of TGTB&TR team as Ellis Genge signs on full time. They discuss England's Six Nations win, strawberry laces, melted candles and how they'd look to change the game to make it more of a spectacle. Ellis also takes James to task over Thierry Dusautoir, there's broken toilets, new cap sing-a-longs and a party barn!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit...

Alex is in Bermuda for the World Tens, but hops off his surfboard long enough to join James and Mike to discuss the fallout from the Barbarians cancellation after breaking Covid-19 rules. Hask defends the players and questions the strength of the BaaBaa's bubble. There's also tributes to David Pocock and Alun Wyn Jones, a DJ request, a discussion around 'Baxter' and the England job, and the boys p...

Alex, James and Mike are joined by Exeter's Jack Nowell to talk through the Chief's dramatic Heineken Champions Cup win against Racing 92, and discover what happened on the night out that followed. Plus, who's got a hyperbaric chamber and why, who bought night vision goggles, and what on earth is Stuart Hogg putting on his legs. All that plus a live Zoom audience and Kyle Sinckler's wardrobe toile...

Alex and James play host to the 2020 RPA Awards Show, live from their living rooms. It's a smorgasbord of interviews, excitement, laughter and tears as the best of the best from across the men's and women's game are rewarded for their outstanding contributions at the prestigious black tie (or t-shirt or pyjamas) event. Hear from some of the biggest names in World Rugby as they collect their gongs,...

Ahead of the 2020 Heineken Champions Cup Final Alex, James and Mike turn back the clock to discuss what it's like to win the tournament and argue the best games, the most iconic players, the best away trips, and the greatest nights out. Full of fantastic stories, incidents, private jets, Clément Poitrenaud, Subaru Impreza Turbo's, nightclubs in rural Italy, noogies and reminiscences about the grea...

Alex, James and Mike are joined by the former England and Lions loosehead Alex Corbisiero as he comes to terms with the return of cancer,  just over a year after being first diagnosed. In a truly inspirational and remarkably upbeat 90 minutes, the guys discuss the power of dads, fear of death, THAT try, coming to terms with a failing body on and off the field and why you converse with absolutely e...

Alex and James are joined by one of the very best to have played the game over the past decade, Leinster and Ireland captain Johnny Sexton, to talk Irish rugby, credit ratings, the mental stress of leadership, critical dads, Soldier Field, what exactly James called Johnny and why Nigel Owens was so offended by it.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Alex, James and Mike put the rugby world to rights as they discuss superstars, Saracens, semi-finals, and locked out spectators. And then ahead of publication of his autobiography, James reveals for the first time what really happened with Martin Johnson and Stuart Lancaster at consecutive World Cups, the nightmare of the New Zealand maid, the infamous Altitude Nightclub incident and how he almost...

Alex and Mike welcome the Scotland captain Stuart Hogg to The Good, the Bad and the Rugby to talk pressure, walking away from the game, dinner with JK Rowling, George Best, Finn Russell, and the accident that changed his life forever. And he reveals why he almost end up in The Sport of Kings.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Alex, James and Mike are joined from Wellington by arguably the greatest center of all time in double World Cup winner Ma'a Nonu. Together they discuss Owen Farrell's tackle, creamed rice pudding, the pressure of being an All Black, pineapple chunks, being humble, and what it was like to live next door to James. Oh, and THAT try!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoice...