Women's Rugby Pod

WRP 166 - All round the world. This week Sadia Kabeya alongside Johnnie have lots to catch up on; as there is news from around the world!! The English league, The PWR, completed round 3 at the weekend, with wins for Saracens, Loughborough Lightening and reigning champions Gloucester-Hartpury, the games, tactics and key players are discussed. There is chat about the world of 7s, with the shiny new...

WRP 165 - Shark bite! After another intriguing round of PWR (Premiership Women's Rugby) here in England, where the standout results was Sale beating Harlequins, the 2021 champions, for the first time. Sadia and Johnnie reflect on that with England U20s and Sale hooker Niamh Swailes. The Shark takes us inside the Sale Sharks' camp; how and where they beat Quins, how the season is going so far,...

WRP 164 - Scottish Tiger. Scottish international Eva Donaldson joins us this week in a short pod (Johnnie has man-flu!!!!!). The rising star in the navy blue of Scotland reflects on a whirlwind 24 months, making her debut, playing in wXV and now starting a new club making their debut in a new competition! Eva chats about all of it, including the game last weekend with Leicester Tigers, at Welford...

WRP 163 - Packer & PWR. Power-packed pod, with the return of Sunter, CEO of the best league in the world and the world's best player! The most capped English player is back to host with Johnnie, chatting about her unexpected role in the Red Roses coaching set up, wXV1 and being back out in New Zealand. And there is real honesty from Sunter about the challenges she has faced going straight from...

WRP 162 - wXV 1 champ Maud Muir. Sadia Kabeya hosts the pod again this week, with Johnnie and they are joined by Red Roses star Maud Muir; who also happens to be one of Sadia's best friends! The Red Roses pair chat about England defeating New Zealand on their home patch to be crowned the inaugural wXV 1 champions. and if this victory gives some redemption for the World Cup final loss just a year a...

WRP 161 - wXV comes to a climax. Another huge week for the Women's game at wXV. Scotland were crowned champions of wXV 2, Emma Wassell joins us - expressing the happiness & joy within the group, plus what the celebrations were like; as well as a bird's eye view of Sarah Bonar's "length of the field" try!! Ireland picked up their third win of the tournament, beating Spain but only just. Sadia a...

WRP 160 - Wall to wall wXV. Huge weekend in wXV, the international women's rugby tournaments and we reflect on it all; with co-host Red Rose star Sadia Kabeya. wXV 1 saw history made as France beat New Zealand for the first time ever, England beat Australia and Wales went down to Canada. Talking us through that result and looking ahead to a massive game against The Black Ferns, Kelsey Jones, the W...

WRP 159 - A new dawn. This week all three wXV (the new global women's rugby competition) tournaments are in action, wXV 1 in New Zealand, wXV 2 in South Africa and wXV 3 in Dubai. We have a a very special co-host this week in Red Rose star Sadia Kabeya. The flanker chats of her injury, the mood of the squad out in New Zealand, selection, competition for places and what she feels she is missing out...

WRP 158 - wXV is here! Finally the wXV is here, the new global women's rugby tournament, all kicking off in South Africa and Dubai this weekend. We hear from two of the 6 Nations teams; we hear from Emma Wassell - the Scotland stalwart about her thoughts on the new tournament, how the team is shaping up. But also her return from injury, something very new for her, how she coped mentally and physic...

WRP 157 - A horde of rugby! SO much women's rugby on at the moment and as ever The WRP is across it!!! England and Canada are mid series; The Red Roses started their new chapter with a resounding win, can Canada bounce back, we speak to their Captain Fantastic, Sophie De Goede. There's all the news from around the world over the last month or so; Ireland have a new coach, as do USA, who won the Ir...

WRP 156: Red Roses, soft launch. Another season begins, for us here on the World's first and only podcast exclusively on the women's game of rugby union; it's the start of series 5. Next week will see a full-blown start to new season with chats with The Barbarians, Canada, England, Leinster and Auckland Storm. For now the Red Roses take on Canada in a two test series, both preparing for WXV 1. We...

WRP 155 - Queensholm shone!! England has a new name on it's trophy. On the final whistle at "Queensholm" Burf & Johnnie reflect on an incredible final; the game, the players, the atmosphere, the occasion itself. There is immediate reaction from a jubilant winning co-captain, Mo Hunt and flanker Bethan Lewis; both, understandably, full of emotion. And there's reflection from the other side...

WRP 154 - Chiefs at The Circus! We are down to the final two in England, Gloucester-Hartpury - known as the Circus - and Exeter Chiefs. The Premier XV final being played at Kingsholm (the home ground for Gloucester-Hartpury has been turned into "Queensholm," for what promises to be an epic final, in front of a record crowd. Gloucester-Hartpury have topped the table most of the season and came thro...

WRP 153 - Rocking semis with Rocky! This week Rocky Clark, the Red Rose legend drops in to co-host and their is plenty to chat about!! Last weekend, in England, the Premier XVs finalists were decided and it's Gloucester-Hartpury and Exeter; so there will be a new name on the trophy this season!! They were exceptional games of rugby, they had everything and great occasions too. Rocky gives her...

WRP 152 - Fab four. Our focus this week is the English domestic league The Premier XVs which sees it's most competitive semi-finals this weekend. On Saturday Gloucester-Hartpury take on Bristol and Sunday sees Saracens travel to Exeter and we spoke to all four of the club's bosses, Sean Lynn, Dave, Ward, Susie Appleby and Alex Austerberry. From Gloucester-Hartpury the chat circulates around "winni...

WRP 151 - Madagascar & Pineapple!!  What a show for you this week!! Over the last few weeks the Rugby Africa Cup has been taking place in Madagascar, for the very first time with Cameroon, Kenya, South Africa and the hosts all trying to qualify for WXV. The scenes of sheer rugby joy coming out of Madagascar and being beamed around the world has been fantastic to see. So (of course) we got...

WRP 150 - The Green & Gold Queen. This week, one of the sport's true "greats" retired from the game in style. A Wallaroo for no less than 13 years, Shannon Parry said goodbye against Fiji at the weekend, so we had to get her on the pod! The legend talks about bowing out, watched on by her family, the match itself but also her emotions around the occasion. We take the gold medal Olympian back t...

WRP 149 - So much news! On this week's episode there is plenty of news to catch up on. The Premier XVs, in England, it is the last few rounds of the regular season with some interesting results to review & a packed fixture list this week; Burf & Johnnie discuss who has the best run in, Bristol or Quins, in that race for the fourth spot. New Zealand have dominated the entire season of...

WRP 148 - Captain to coach. This week we catch up with our very own Sunter & there is plenty to catch up on!!! Weeks after retiring as Red Rose captain, Sarah was appointed as one of the assistant coaches for the national side. Sunter chats about how it came about, what conversations she has had with the head coach, John Mitchell, how those conversations have been; plus her views on the "right...

WRP 147 - Coaches, WXV & Team of the tourny!  As the dust settles after an historic 6 Nations, Rachael Burford & Johnnie Hammond - still buzzing from the "occasion" at Twickenham; give their final review. They also pick a WRP 6 Nations "team of the tournament," is it Vernier or Heard, Tremouliere or Aitchison, Packer or Callender? Before that, even more news coming out of women's rugb...

WRP 146 - It didn't disappoint! Bonus on the whistle pod... Twickenham saw history made for a world record crowd at a women's test match, nearly 60,000 people were there to witness The Red Roses crowned as Grand Slam Champions, in a riveting game. All the WRP team were there (wild horses and all that....) & after the final whistle, Burf & Johnnie sat down to try & put into words just w...

WRP 145 - Super Saturday with 50K + An historic game awaits the 50K + supporters (and they all pid for their tickets!) that will travel to Twickenham on Saturday; the first game of Super Saturday, Italy face off against Wales and Scotland host Ireland. As well as looking ahead World Cup winner Rachael Burford and Johnnie Hammond reflect on last weekend, with some fascinating performances and resul...

WRP 144 - Round 2...final whistle A quick pod after the final whistle at Franklin's Gardens where England beat Italy 68-5, in the final game of the 6 Nations' second round. Johnnie catches up with co-host Sarah Hunter, after her television appearance but also to chat about the game. What did Sunter make of the Red Roses' performance, how complete it was; what did she make of the back row as a unit...

WRP 143 - 6 Nations chapter 2 In the second pod of the week, well it is 6 Nations time, co-host Sarah Hunter is in the chair with Ireland star Anna Caplice to preview the round 2 games; Ireland v France, Wales v Scotland & England v Italy. All but Italy had announced their team, at time of record, the team selections are discussed, as well as tactics, areas to improve on from round 1. Ireland'...

WRP 142 - Round up, round up!  For the first pod this week, something slightly different! We take a look back at the opening round of the Women's 6 Nations, where there were victories for England, Wales & France; with respected rugby journalists. Lauren Jenkins, of BBC Wales, & Gary Heatly of GH Media, join to discuss all the twists & turns of the three games. The send off for Sar...