Women's Rugby Pod

WRP 191 - Bon joué! Another packed show from around the oval world! Siwan Lilllicrap, the former Wales captain, joins us on the pod and from France Francois Ratier - former Canada Women's coach. Siwan chats about the various hats she is wearing now having retired from the game; mainly her role with the WRU being the person in charge of the younger end of the pathway. She details the progress made,...

WRP 190 - Here comes Fiji!!! Fiji week, we are joined by High Performance Manager of Fiji Women's Rugby, Alana Thomas. We find out just why Fiji are where they are - the highest world ranking ever; just won the Oceania Championship and with it a place at next year's World Cup and the 7s side reaching semi finals on the circuit. Alana details the hard work that has gone into the programme, the...

WRP 189 - Too Goede. Off the back of Canada's historic win over The Black Ferns down in New Zealand, whilst picking up the Pacific 4 title; we chat to their captain and probably the best player in the world right now, Sophie De Goede. Sophie speaks about that amazing result in Christchurch, the history made and the effect it has had back home, especially with hosting wXV 1 later in the year. The b...

WRP 188 - Pac 4 power. Canada have had a brilliant week, winning the Pacific 4 title! Sarah Bern chats about this and the impact it might have on Canadian rugby, especially with the country hosting wXV1 later this year but also the wider game; beating New Zealand in New Zealand is no mean feat! The USA also finished on a high in the "Pac 4," this is spoken about too. Qualification for the three wX...

WRP 187 - Captain Red Rose is back! Our Grand Slammer Sadia Kabeya is back in the studio joining Sarah Bern. The Red Rose star is in fine form after a brief holiday to look back and reflect on the whole 6 Nations. She dives into the impact of new coach John Mitchell, the amazing crowds, the new philosophy and her debut as her country's captain! Berner "fresh" from Zoe Aldcroft's hen do, chats...

WRP 186 - Team of the 6 Nations with Scrum Queens. After a brilliant conclusion of the 6 Nations, WRP teams up with Scrum Queens for their annual "team of the tournament" pod. Ali Donnelly, the creator of Scrum Queens and BBC broadcaster, Sara Orchard join Johnnie to go through in detail every position and as ever most are hotly debated. Who will play at fly half, what is the make up of the back r...

WRP 185 - Super Saturday. The final round of the 6 Nation is upon us with England going over to France for the Grand Slam game against France. Ireland take on Scotland in a fascinating contest in Belfast and Italy and Wales battle it out at The Principality stadium for the wooden spoon. Injuries Red Rose star Sarah Bern gives her incredible insight not only to the final round of games but also eve...

WRP 184 - Mac is back! Sarah Bern is back to talk all things 6 Nations; looking back at The England win over Scotland at a sold-out Hive Stadium, The French breezing past Italy and Ireland's seismic victory over Wales. Also joining us is former Ireland coach Greg McWilliams, obviously so knowledgeable about this group; he tells us about his joy in seeing their improvement both on and off the...

WWRP 183 - Our very own rosarian. She's back, England coach and our co-host Sarah Hunter returns after a rather busy time! "Sunter" tells us about coaching in the 6 Nations rather than playing in it; her comfort levels following that transition and where the line is drawn in number of games of Tuk Tuk (listen to fully understand!). The opening two performances of The Red Roses are digested, where...

WRP 182 - What a start & more to come! An incredible start to the 6 Nations, history made, sensational tries, heroic defence and round 2 is days away, and Sarah Bern, the injured Red Rose star unpicks it all! Also on the pod, scorer of one of the tries of round 1, Coreen Grant. The wingers chats about the mood in the Scotland camp, just how tough the game was against Wales, the renewed confide...

WRP 181 - 6 Nations - Ding, ding....round 1! The third pod of the week looking in depth at the teams selections for all three 6 Nations games. There's fascinating insight into the England camp where Berner spent some time with this week; what are the differences to this camp under John Mitchell to previous years? What is England's approach to selection through this 6 Nations, why has this XV been...

WRP 180 - 6 Nations preview part 2 - Captains' log. In the second instalment of this week's previews we concentrate on the players, the captains. We spoke to all six captains at the 6 Nations launch; Marlie Packer, Rachel Malcolm the Scotland skipper, Eilsa Giordano from Italy, Wales leader Hannah Jones and Ireland co-captain Sam Monaghan. The chats go from moods in the camp, who's new, who is tra...

WRP 179 - 6 Nations - Coaches' corner. It is 6 Nations week here in Europe so a huge week on the pod. In the first of this week's episodes we hear from the lady and gentlemen who will be guiding their teams through the tournament. From Scotland Bryan Easson with a very settled squad, talks about the tweaks they have been making, the growing depth of his squad and the selection headaches he now has...

WRP 178 - Squads everywhere. Just days away from the 6 Nations the last four squads have been announced. Sarah Bern, the injured Red Roses star gives her views on who has been selected not only for the squad but potentially for the first few games. She speaks of the experienced heads returning, like Zoe Harrison, Zoe Aldcroft and Emily Scarratt and gives her unique insight to them. Where will John...

WRP 177 - News round - up. A short sharp pod this week, with a catch up on all the news from all over the globe with our very own Moira Stuart - Rori Taylorson. There are results from England, France, New Zealand; we catch up on 7s from Los Angeles where lots of milestones were reached by some amazing women in our sport. Where are this year wXV tournaments being held, who is the last to qualify fo...

WRP 176 - Meg-a weekend. Sadia, Berner and Johnnie have so much to talk about this week with Meg Varley as a guest too. The Bristol centre turned winger has just been named in the Scotland squad. We get her reaction to the call up, how she was asked and the feelings of playing in that Scottish backline with the likes of Chloe Rollie, Emma Orr and Lisa Thompson. Meg also chats about her move to Bri...

WRP 175 - All round the world. This week Red Roses Sadia Kabeya, Sarah Bern and broadcaster Johnnie Hammond with the help of our new newscaster, Rori, get you up to date with all the news from around the world. The new Wales 6 Nations squad is discussed, with the return of injured players and some that have not involved for sometime, plus fresh faces and those playing in the English league, The PW...

WRP 174 - Sharks' Tails!  Red Roses star Sarah Bern and Johnnie Hammond are joined by two guests this week, Sale Sharks coach Rachel Taylor and Helen "Flip" Street - wife of Gary and Rori has all the news. The latest round of games from the PWR (Premiership Women's Rugby) are reviewed including Saracens win at The Duel and the last minute winner in the west country derby between Bristol and G...

WRP 173 - Centres of excellence. Here again this week and every week at the very heart of women's rugby. Not one but two centres of excellence joining Sadia Kabeya, Sarah Bern and Johnnie Hammond. Doctor Phoebe Murray, from Bristol, joins us to chat about their superb win over Exeter at the weekend; what the tactics were, what was said at half time to prompt the second half performance and just wh...

WRP 172 -  Pod and Bern. Big news for us on The WRP......we have a new co-host joining us for the foreseeable, none other than Sarah Bern!! The Red Roses star has already amassed 61 caps, appeared in two World Cup finals and won multiple 6 Nations titles. "Berner," currently in rehab for a knee injury joins Sadia and Johnnie to discuss all this week's news. Sadia, fresh from England camp, get...

WRP 171 - Anything but flakey! This week Sadia is away in England camp so Johnnie flying solo but with a brilliant guest, Lleucu George the Gloucester-Hartpury and Wales fly half. Lleucu tells us all about that impressive win over league leader Saracens, in The PWR; only their third ever victory over the Londoners and their first at home. The pair also chat more generally about Gloucester-Har...

WRP 170 - The Full Roar! Huge week for the women's game, not just here in the United Kingdom but news that will travel the globe. The British and Irish Lions have announced a team to tour New Zealand in 2027. We were at the launch and spoke to the Chair Ieuan Evans, CEO Ben Calverley and two former player who have been involved in the journey so far, Irish legend Niamh Briggs and Scotland's Megan...

WRP 169 - Emma......Emma Orr! This week Sadia Kabeya, the Red Rose star and Johnnie Hammond are joined by Scotland centre Emma Orr. The young centre, with such a bright future ahead of her talks about the historic Edinburgh side she is playing with in the Celtic Cup. Emma also chats about her role within the side, tactically where have been and where they can improve with a trip to Wales at t...

WRP 168 - Talking Talia. Happy New Year! On the first pod of 2024, Sadia & Johnnie catch up on all the goings-ons over the festive season, from board games to worldie tries! After the first, historic, round of this year's Celtic Cup, Talia John, the Welsh international join us. The Celtic Cup (teams from Wales, Ireland & Scotland) returns & the second row also returns after many months...

WRP 167 - Kabeya is back! Sadia Kabeya makes her long-awaited return to the field for Loughborough Lightening and she co-hosts the pod, alongside Johnnie Hammond, The Red Rose star reveals the emotions around her return and the disappointment in her team's loss. All the other PWR round 4 games are reviewed; Exeter's big win at The Stoop and Ealing's historic victory. Guinness have launched (well.....