Rugby Rivals - Sir John Kirwan & Victor Matfield

Australia led the world champions 42–17 with 15 minutes to go. Then four yellow cards, a penalty try and a Springbok scrum onslaught turned Perth into chaos - and the Wallabies held on with 11 men. Springbok great Victor Matfield and All Blacks legend Sir John Kirwan break down one of the wildest finishes in Test rugby: how the Wallabies built a 25-point lead, how the Boks clawed back through the...

Victor and JK dissect the Baltimore finale with very different emotions. JK isn’t happy with the referee, while Victor is happy with just about everything! They name the player who delivered across the entire series, break down the moments that decided the final game, and assess how the series has shaped both teams’ futures—with the Rugby World Cup firmly in mind. Plus, Victor asks: will the All B...

JK is back in green and gold as South Africa take a 2–1 series lead following their victory in Soweto. Victor declares the series won now that the South African leg is over—but he’s quickly reminded there’s still one game to play in the USA before the trophy can be handed out.

The Springboks hit back. South Africa beat the All Blacks 33-26 at DHL Stadium in Cape Town to level Rugby's Greatest Rivalry at 1-1. Sir John Kirwan and Victor Matfield unpack how South Africa saved it, with Ric Salizzo refereeing in the middle. The Boks led 24-14 at the break through tries to Jesse Kriel, Damian de Allende and a returning Siya Kolisi, with Cheslin Kolbe flawless off the tee. New...

JK and Victor are off the leash, so we've handed the mics to the fans. A special edition of Rugby Rivals pits two rugby podcasts against each other ahead of the second test in Cape Town - Rawiri and Gareth from Our Super Smack flying the flag for New Zealand, and Dane from Kick On Rugby holding the line for the Springboks.

The All Blacks have taken first blood in Rugby's Greatest Rivalry - five tries to one, the biggest All Blacks win ever at the ground, the end of a 12-Test Springbok winning streak, and the world No.1 ranking gone. Sir John Kirwan and Victor Matfield break down how it happened. Why the Boks were 13-12 up at halftime and then nowhere. The scrum dominance that counted for nothing. The All Blacks' tac...

The All Blacks are three from three in South Africa. 142 points scored, 40 conceded - but what have we actually learned? With the first Test at Ellis Park just days away, Sir John Kirwan and Victor Matfield ask whether this tour has told us anything at all about where the All Blacks are at yet. Plus: the elephant in the half-empty stadium. 14,759 turned up in Durban. Cape Town fell short of a sell...

The All Blacks kicked off their South Africa tour with a scrappy, ill-disciplined 38-21 win over the Stormers in Cape Town —\- surviving three yellow cards and needing four late tries to pull away from what should've been a comfortable night. Meanwhile, the Springboks ground out a nervy 17-10 win over Argentina in Buenos Aires, with the bench "bomb squad" bailing them out late as the Pumas threate...

Victor outlines the tactics he'd use to beat the All Blacks and JK counters with his cunning plan to beat South Africa.

Rugby's Greatest Rivalry is here - and Sir John Kirwan and Victor Matfield are making their calls. Thirty years on from the Incomparables, the All Blacks are back in South Africa for a full tour. Eight matches, four Tests, and the most anticipated series between these two nations in a generation. It starts Friday in Cape Town. But first - the story that's dominated the build-up. Thousands of South...

Sir John Kirwan and Victor Matfield react to Dave Rennie's 44-man All Blacks squad for the Greatest Rivalry Tour of South Africa and Rassie Erasmus' 43-man Springbok group, as the two greatest rivals in world rugby prepare to collide in a four-Test series. In this episode: - The uncapped trio - Siale Lauaki, Josh Jacomb and Semisi Tupou Ta'eiloa - injecting young talent into the touring squad - Ri...

The All Blacks ran riot at Eden Park! Sir John Kirwan and Victor Matfield break down a massive weekend of Nations Championship rugby - starting with New Zealand's six-try demolition of Ireland that stretched the Eden Park unbeaten run to 53 matches. JK explains why Dave Rennie's side is starting to click, and what this performance tells us about where the All Blacks are heading. Then it's over to...

The world champions got a fright! Victor Matfield and Sir John Kirwan break down a wild weekend of Nations Championship rugby - starting with the Springboks being pushed all the way by a fearless Scotland side in Pretoria. Two-nil up in the championship, but should Rassie be worried by 46 missed tackles? Meanwhile in Wellington, the All Blacks ran in seven tries against Italy as Will Jordan made h...

Is this the new age of rugby? Sir John Kirwan and Victor Matfield react to the opening weekend of the inaugural Nations Championship. The All Blacks edged France 34-32 in a Christchurch thriller in Dave Rennie's first Test in charge, with Ardie Savea leading the side as captain and a new-look backline featuring Ruben Love. Meanwhile, the Springboks dismantled England 45-21, running in seven tries...

Dave Rennie has named his first ever All Blacks squad, and it's a massive one — the test against France kicks off this Saturday. Sir John Kirwan joins Rivals to break down every selection, the big calls, the surprises, and what it means for the new coach's tenure. Subscribe for more Rivals specials and expert reaction as the All Blacks season unfolds. #AllBlacks #DaveRennie #SirJohnKirwan #Rugby #...

This weekend, world rugby gets serious. The All Blacks face France and the Springboks take on England - and with the world rankings tighter than ever, both results matter. Sir John Kirwan and Victor Matfield go head to head on both matchups: who wins, who surprises, and who's genuinely the best team on the planet right now. Subscribe to Rugby Rivals and make sure you never miss an episode. Thank y...

The All Blacks squad has been named... and JK and Victor have some thoughts. Sir John Kirwan and Victor Matfield break down the selections, debate who deserved to be in and who got left out, and ask whether the Hurricanes are the best club side on the planet right now. Plus - the URC Final and the Bulls' defeat, and the Springboks kick off their season, Victor weighs in on what to expect from his...

Finals week is here - and Victor Matfield and Sir John Kirwan are breaking down both the URC Final and the Super Rugby Pacific Final with their picks, predictions, and tactics. Victor makes the case for the Bulls to strangle Leinster up front - scrum dominance, a physical maul game, and keeping the ball off their dangerous backs. JK sees Leinster's quality in the backs as the difference. Then it's...

Tony Brown is BACK with the All Blacks… but should New Zealand rugby be looking wider than just coaches? In this week’s Rugby Rivals, JK and Victor Matfield go head-to-head over Tony Brown’s return and ask a provocative question: if rugby is happy to bring in overseas coaches, why not overseas players? The boys also break down a huge weekend of rugby as the Bulls charge into the final, while JK’s...

What happens when two rugby legends reveal the one game they’ll never forget? In this special bonus episode of Rugby Rivals, Sir John Kirwan and Victor Matfield look back on the greatest game they ever played — and the choices may surprise you. From epic All Blacks vs Springboks battles to unforgettable clashes involving Auckland and the Bulls, JK and Victor relive the pressure, the moments that c...

JK and Victor are back to break down a massive week in world rugby. Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu limps off scoring a try against Cardiff — and the prognosis isn't good. Is the Boks' brightest young playmaker about to miss a chunk of the season just weeks out from the England Test? Rassie's injury list is getting ugly. Plus: the URC semis are locked in, the Super Rugby Pacific playoffs are heating up...

JK and Victor are back — and this week's Champions Cup served up chaos. Bordeaux dismantled Leinster, and we're breaking down exactly why defensive structure can be the difference between glory and embarrassment. Plus: New Zealand's overseas player eligibility debate — where do JK and Victor stand? We name the form players in both NZ and South Africa right now, and make our calls on who's winning...

We are back for a brand new season of Rugby Rivals, with Sir John Kirwan and Victor Matfield. JK and Victor open with a personal tribute to Scott Hastings, the legendary Scottish midfielder who passed away this week. Then we're straight into Champions Cup final predictions, the Springboks alignment camp ahead of this year's All Blacks tour, and why Richie Mo'Unga WILL be in South Africa... JK is c...

The Six Nations is done. And if you watched it, you'll know it was something special. JK, Victor Matfield and Andrew Trimble are back to break down what was one of the most compelling Six Nations in recent memory, and ask the question that's going to rile a few people in the southern hemisphere: is the Six Nations now the best rugby competition on the planet? Whether you're a diehard northern hemi...

France and England were supposed to be the heavyweights of this year's Six Nations... so what on earth happened this weekend? Sir John Kirwan and Victor Matfield react to the shock results, break down what went wrong for two of Europe's biggest rugby nations, and give their take on what it means for the rest of the tournament. Subscribe to Rugby Rivals so you never miss an episode!