Rugby Union Weekly

Chris Jones and Chris Ashton dissect the Lions 21-10 win over the New South Wales Waratahs.

The Lions remain unbeaten but weren’t impressive in their win over the New South Waratahs in Sydney. Two weeks before the first test the Chris’s pick what they think that side currently looks like and ask why the team hasn’t been able to hit the heights just yet. Plus what do they want to see from the next match against the Brumbies on Wednesday.

Sam Warburton and Martin Johnson are the only players to captain the British & Irish Lions on back-to-back tours. So for this episode they sit down together to discuss their incredible achievement. They talk leadership, feeling under qualified, handling pressure and the art of a good team talk. Martin also relives the famous series win over South Africa in 1997. You’ll hear about training in the dark, getting stitches during a match and Jeremy Guscott’s winning drop goal. He also recalls his tour to Australia in 2001 and where it all went wrong. He shares his biggest regret, the issues with Graham Henry’s tactics and why he could have done more as captain.

Has bloodline loyalty influenced Owen Farrell’s Lions call-up? Coach Andy Farrell has drafted in his son to replace the injured Elliot Daly, sparking debate over whether family ties played a role. Chris, Danny and Tom unpack the backlash and ask whether it is the right call?

Is Andy Farrell closing in on his Test XV? The Lions ran in eight tries in a dominant 52-12 win over the Queensland Reds, with Tommy Freeman grabbing a brace. Chris and former Scotland captain John Barclay dissect the performance and are joined by Lauren Jenkins from the Suncorp Stadium. Plus, how much of a setback could Elliot Daly’s arm injury prove to be?

How big a blow is Tomos Williams’ injury to the Lions as he’s ruled out of the tour? And with so few nailed on starters for the first Test, should alarm bells be ringing? Tom, Chris and Gareth tackle those questions as the Lions gear up for their third game. Plus, Tom explains why the infamous "99" call from the 1974 South Africa tour might be more myth than reality.

What is the greatest moment in a Lions Test? Matt Dawson and Jamie Roberts join Chris to rank those iconic moments that every Lions fan will remember. Is Jeremy Guscott’s drop goal better than JPR Williams’? Which player had the howler of all howlers? And Chris tries his hand at recreating one of the all time great sporting speeches.

Ugo Monye & correspondent Chris Jones reflect on The British and Irish Lions eight-try win over Western Force in the first game of their tour on Australian soil. Plus BBC Sport reporter Lauren Jenkins joins the pod live from Perth.

00:30 What grade would you give it? 04:05 Initial thoughts on Tomos Williams’ injury 06:15 Lions ‘scruffy but clinical’ 09:10 How do Lions find the synergy? 13:20 Who should start at 9 and 10? 17:10 Lauren Jenkins joins the pod from Perth 22:35 Ugo’s team for Wednesday vs Reds 24:20 How is Lauren managing the jet lag? 26:05 Chris isn’t happy with Ugo’s team 32:55 Which players have put a foot forward?

Chris, Tom and Gareth share their thoughts on the Lions Top 10 episode about icons. Were there any glaring omissions? Was it right that Brian O'Driscoll missed out? The guys have plenty to say, and share their thoughts on next week’s ranking of the greatest Lions moments.

Was Owen Farrell ever in contention for England’s summer tour to Argentina and the US? England head coach Steve Borthwick joins Chris and Danny to reveal all, and to outline what he expects from his young squad over the coming weeks. He also shares his memories of the British and Irish Lions from watching them as a kid to being part of the coaching staff in 2017. And Danny picks out a couple of England players he thinks could make an impact on tour.

Gareth Edwards, Martin Johnson or Willie John McBride? Who is the most iconic British & Irish Lion of all time? In the first episode of a new six-part series, Matt Dawson and Jamie Roberts join Chris to answer that very question. How many Wales legends of the 70s make the cut? Do any coaches make the list? Find out which former Irish and Lions captain misses out. Plus, Matt reveals which Lions legend inspired his dad to give him two middle names.

We’re again podding from the heart of Dublin after Argentina pull off a famous win over the Lions at the Aviva. Chris and Ugo are joined by two former Lions, Dwayne Peel and Anthony Watson, to debate what went wrong - and right - for Andy Farrell’s side, and what they need to fix as they fly to Australia. Did the Lions attack actually show plenty of potential? Will that accuracy come in time? And we pay homage to the Pumas who made a mockery of the bookies’ odds.

Chris, Ugo and 2009 Lion Luke Fitzgerald are in the heart of Dublin ahead of the Lions tour opener against Argentina. What should we expect from Andy Farrell’s men at the Aviva? And should the Pumas be such big underdogs? We hear from Jamie George after his week in Lions camp and Owen Farrell tells Sara why he’s glad Ashy was there to welcome him home. And Lauren Jenkins from Scrum V pops in to talk Jac Morgan, Tomos Williams, and whether the Welsh public will be embracing this Lions tour.

Bath and Leinster end their seasons on a high, lifting the Premiership and URC titles. Will Bath now kick on and pick up next season where they left this one? And what will this mean for Leinster after a few barren years? Owen Farrell is once again a Saracens player after his year in France comes to a premature end. Ashy gives us the inside scope having bumped into him while walking the dog. Plus, they look ahead to the Lions’ warm-up game with Argentina on Friday before they head Down Under.

The wait is over! Bath are Premiership champions again. They ended a 29-year wait for the biggest prize in English rugby with a narrow win over Leicester. Chris, Ashy and Matt Dawson are at Twickenham to bring you reaction to a momentous day for Bath. Finn Russell tells us what it means to clinch the treble and explains why he decided to pass to Max Ojomoh when he was clean through. We also assess where it went wrong for Leicester and whether Dan Cole should have seen yellow for his collision with Finn Russell. And what does the future hold for Leicester with so many key departures at the end of this season.

It's the big one! Saturday sees the finale of the domestic season as Bath and Leicester go head-to-head at Twickenham for the Premiership title. Will Bath lift the trophy for the first time since 1996? Or will Leicester win a record-extending 12 title and send Michael Cheika and their club legends off into the sunset? Is Cheika using the emotion of Saturday to motivate his players? We hear from the Aussie and from Bath legend Tom Dunn, who explains how the club has risen again to the top of the English game under Johann van Graan. Plus, we look ahead to the URC final with Tadhg Furlong and Hugo Keenan both missing the final the Leinster.

We go behind the scenes at the Lions training camp in Portugal to see how preparations have begun for the clash with Argentina in Dublin and the tour down under. Chris chats to Ellis Genge who's already striking up an unexpected 'bromance' with one of the Irish players he's usually slating on the pitch. Genge talks openly about trying to get out of his comfort zone in camp and how he's approaching his first Lions tour aged 30. Forwards coach John Dalziel stops by to talk Argentina and what has impressed him most since the players came into camp. Plus, Jac Morgan tells us how it feels to be flying the flag for Welsh rugby on tour, his memories of the Australia tour in 2013 and he discusses the fierce competition in the back row.

A massive weekend of finals await. Can Bath end their 29-year wait for Premiership glory? Will Leinster finally end their trophy drought? Danny, Ashy and Chris are on the sofa to break it all down. It’s also been a busy week for the Lions with injury and availability issues prompting Andy Farrell to bring reinforcements into camp. Could Argentina be favourites in Dublin? And can the proposed R360 breakaway league succeed? Or is this just rugby’s version of the Saudi league?

It's that time of year where we sit down with all four directors of rugby involved in the Premiership semi-finals. Johann van Graan, Michael Cheika, Alex Sanderson and Pat Lam all join Chris to reflect on a chaotic and action-packed year. We get Cheika's impression of the Prem and hear what the coaches feel sets the league apart. But what are the next steps in order to grow the club game in England? We also get an insight into the difficulty of capturing the right emotions during a high-pressure week, and find out why fly-halves are so invaluable to a team after they continue to be the best paid players in the league.

Jaden Hendrikse sent the rugby world into meltdown over the weekend for his wink at Jack Crowley. Was the Springbok scrum-half genuinely injured or not? There is plenty for Chris, Ashy and Ugo to debate, including the fine line between gamesmanship and bad sportsmanship. Ashy and Ugo share their own tales of opponents winking at them on the pitch and the times they overstepped the mark on the rugby pitch. We also look ahead to a bumper weekend of semi-finals in the Premiership and URC. Plus, Sarries legend Alex Goode joins us to reflect on his wonderful career, tells us what's next and gives Ashy grief for not naming him player of the match in his final game!

The fallout from the Champions Cup final continues. As the Bordeaux party made its way back to France, some of their players were still aiming jibes at Henry Pollock during their trophy parade. What advice do Danny, Ashy and Ugo have the young Englishman? We reflect on Bath's Challenge Cup triumph and the controversy surrounding Sam Underhill's tackle. There's a new tournament to look forward to in 2028, plus it's the final round of the Premiership this weekend. Will Gloucester or Saracens sneak into the top four on the final day? And what can we expect from the URC play-offs?

We're in Cardiff to bring you immediate reaction to the Champions Cup final as Bordeaux overpower Northampton to win club rugby's biggest prize for the first time. Matt Dawson and Paul Grayson, who lifted the cup with Saints 25 years ago, join Chris to pick the bones out of a thrilling and chaotic final. They discuss the impact of the injuries to Saints duo George Furbank and James Rahm early in the game and the countless TMO interventions. Damien Penaud scored twice to finish the tournament with an incredible 14 tries, but who else caught the eye for the new champions? We analyse Henry Pollock's performance in his first final and ask if Saints' run to the final was a one-off or whether English clubs can continue to compete at the top end of Europe.

Ashy and Chris take the pod on the road to Franklin's Gardens ahead of Northampton's Champions Cup final against Bordeaux. They chat to captain Fraser Dingwall about the size of the occasion for the players and the club. Can they draw inspiration from the class of 2000? And what makes the bond between the Saints team so special? Scrum-half Alex Mitchell reflects on an emotional few weeks for the club and himself personally as he was named in the Lions squad to tour Australia. We also get some fascinating tactical insight from head coach Sam Vesty on they stop this formidable Bordeaux team and deal with star winger Louis Bielle-Biarrey.

It's a big day for Danny as he pods for the first time as an ex-player. He tells Chris and Ugo all about his emotional farewell at The Stoop and what is next for him besides building forts in his back garden. Can DC's former club shock Bristol on the final day of the season and blow the play-off race wide open? If you could only pick one fly-half from the URC or Prem to win you a final, who would it be? There is more uncertainty in Welsh rugby and we are joined by former Ireland sevens captain Harry McNulty to discuss the IRFU scrapping their men's programme. Plus, should you ever play a Six Nations match on Thursday?

The Lions squad continues to dominate the pod agenda as speculation intensifies around the two extra players Andy Farrell said he would take on tour. Ugo is convinced Owen Farrell will get one of those places, but is there another Englishman who could also get the nod? Danny and Ashy give their take on the 38-man squad and explain just how tough it is to miss out on selection after Mike Brown's comments about his omission in 2017. We also look back on a special farewell for Peter O'Mahony at Thomond Park, hear all about Ashy's eventful train journey back from Cardiff and react to the news that Geoff Parling will replace Michael Cheika as Leicester DOR next season.

The Nations pod is back to run the rule over Andy Farrell’s 38-man squad for the British & Irish Lions. Chris, Tom English and Gareth Rhys Owen see how the squads they picked after the Six Nations compare. GRO is forced to address the elephant in the room as only two Welsh players made the cut. How many more players will be called up? And will Owen Farrell end up in Australia after all? GRO makes a bold call for the 1st Test and shares the WhatsApp debate between Chris and Tom about two number 10s in the group chat.

We are at the O2 for the Lions squad announcement. Fresh from presenting the show, Ugo joins Chris to dissect the 38-man squad. Andy Farrell talks through his selection and why he decided to take Henry Pollock on tour and make Maro Itoje captain. Marcus Smith, Fin Smith and Finn Russell are on the plane, but could there be another fly-half added further down the line? Meanwhile Itoje sits down with us to reveal all the details about the captain’s dinner and why he feels now is the right time to be leading the Lions.

After Northampton stunned Leinster to reach the Champions Cup final, what impact could that result have on Andy Farrell's Lions squad? Ugo, Danny and Ashy discuss who played their way into contention and whose place could now be under threat. Is Maro Itoje now favourite to be named captain on Thursday? Northampton DOR Phil Dowson joins us to relive that epic victory in Dublin and and gives us a great insight into Henry Pollock and how Saints masterminded the victory over a Leinster team packed full of Irish internationals. Plus, there's more change at Exeter and Bath's dream of a treble continues.

Fresh from his Ash Splash at the weekend, England and Northampton star Henry Pollock is our special guest on this week's pod. Pollock chats to Ugo and Ashy about the Champions Cup semi-final with Leinster this weekend and his remarkable rise through the ranks over the past 12 months. We also learn how he deals with criticism on social media and how he stays grounded away from the pitch. There is plenty to discuss in the Premiership as Sale impress again. Is George Ford played his way onto the Lions tour? Plus, what's going on at Exeter? Scarlets and Cardiff boost their URC play-off hopes and do the Red Roses have an issue dealing with pressure?

England held off a late France fightback to secure a fourth consecutive Grand Slam and a seventh straight title. Sara Orchard is joined by Kat Merchant, Katy Daley-McLean and Claire Thomas to dissect how England nearly let the title slip away.

The team chat England’s performance with questions around selection and how this England team would fair at the World Cup which is fast approaching. James Burridge catches up with scrum-half Natasha Hunt and how she is feeling after that narrow victory at Twickenham.

There are also questions around the other end of the Six Nations table with Wales and Italy playing Sunday for the wooden spoon.

Only France stand in the way of England securing a fourth consecutive Grand Slam. Sara Orchard and Philippa Tuttiett preview the final weekend of the Six Nations, including the big showdown at Twickenham. Red Roses head coach John Mitchell talks about the connection he has formed with his players and how he is still assessing his options at fly-half. French rugby expert Paul Eddison joins the pod to give us the lowdown on their championship, and why they are struggling to keep pace with England. We also look ahead to a huge game for Wales in Italy as Sean Lynn warns his players their World Cup hopes could be in jeopardy if performances don't improve.

Christian Wade is our special guest on the pod! He chats to Ugo, Ashy and Danny about his shock move to rugby league and how it all came about. Does this mean Ashy's Premiership try-scoring record is safe? We also react to Johnny Sexton joining Andy Farrell's Lions coaching team and look at the impact on those in contention for the 10 jersey this summer. Plus, Leinster sign another All Black, and it was a big weekend in the race for a Premiership play-off place.

We are all set for a Grand Slam showdown at Twickenham after England thrashed Scotland and France edged past Italy in Parma in round four. Sara is joined by World Cup winner Katy Daley-McLean and former Scotland international Heather Lockhart to bring you reaction to another big Red Roses win. Who did enough to secure a place for next week’s decider against France? What were the positives for Scotland? And can France finally end their losing streak and stop another England Grand Slam?

With the Red Roses on course for a fourth successive Grand Slam, has the competition becoming too predictable? What can be changed to help make the Six Nations more competitive? Sara Orchard and Philippa Tuttiett discuss what can be done, and crucially, how the other nations can close the gap on England. We go inside the Scotland camp to get the thoughts of head coach Bryan Easson and we hear from Rachel McLachlan who wins her 50th cap on Saturday. Plus, England lock Abbie Ward shares some exciting news and talks to us about her husband Dave Ward leaving Bristol Bears.

Sara Orchard is joined by England World Cup winning captain Katy Daley-McLean to discuss Saturday’s action in the Women’s Six Nations. France beat Wales 42-12 before England thrashed Ireland 49-5 – and this after Ireland had taken a 5-0 lead. So what does that mean for the Championship? How impressive were England and what next for Ireland? We hear from Ireland coach Scott Bemand, while former Wales captain Philippa Tuttiett leaves a voicenote with her thoughts on the performance of Wales. Oh, and Sara and Katy also look forward to Scotland’s match against Italy on Sunday.

Does the round of 16 need to be scrapped? Are Leinster a better team than Ireland? When will English sides be able to compete for club rugby’s biggest prize again? Ugo, Danny and Chris pick through a tricky weekend in the round of 16 for the Champions Cup, as the Irish and French clubs underlined their dominance and Premiership clubs were eliminated. Plus, we talk Jack Willis, Jack Crowley and Tommy Freeman.

Is the hype around Henry Pollock justified? Is he England’s next superstar? If you’ve lost heavily, should you be dancing with an opponent on TikTok? Sarah Bern and Jaz Joyce-Butchers went viral after England’s big win over Wales but some fans didn’t think it was appropriate. And as we head into the round of 16 of the Champions Cup, Mark McCall rests his big England stars for the trip to Toulon. Ugo, Chris and Ashy debate all this and more.

Sara Orchard is joined by former England flyhalf Katy Daley-McLean and former Wales international Philippa Tuttiett to reflect on England's 11-try thrashing Wales in front of a record crowd of over 21,000 at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff.

Sara Orchard and Philippa Tuttiett preview the second round of the Six Nations as England prepare to take on Wales at the Principality Stadium. Philippa and Sara discuss playing at the bigger stadiums but with less fans, versus smaller stadiums that is more likely to sell out.

Sara has been into the England camp and caught up with centre Meg Jones who speaks very openly about the death of both her mum and dad last year and this being the first England match without them.

Meg talks about what makes teammate Ellie Kildunne so good ahead of her winning her 50th cap this weekend and how she is feeling about playing at the Principality stadium. We also hear from Kayleigh Powell and how Wales are preparing as they head into this huge fixture.

Plus Sara and Philippa chat how France are not at the level of England right now and how Scotland can take confidence from their win against Wales. Philippa also shares her views on Eoife Wafer and her potential to be a stand-out player for Ireland.

This episode includes themes of addiction. If you've been affected by any of the issues discussed in this interview, BBC Action Line has links to organisations that can offer help and advice.

Sara and Ashy are in central London chatting to Lions head coach Andy Farrell and four of his assistant coaches in this bumper pod. Farrell tells us whether he will pick French-based players this summer, how many names are on his shortlist for captain and why a lack of Lions coaching experience won't be a problem for his team. Wiggy reflects on his rise through the coaching game and how his family reacted to the news. We also chat to Ireland scrum specialist John Fogarty who treats us to his best Andy Farrell impression. John Dalziel explains how proud he is to be on the Lions coaching ticket, but is feeling 'huge responsibility' to represent Scotland on the tour. There is no Wales representation among the coaching staff, but will that change between now and the end of June? Plus, Simon Easterby reflects on his stint as interim head coach at Ireland and how the experience will benefit him in Australia.

The Red Roses won again, Scotland and Wales produced another thriller and Ireland pushed France all the way in Belfast. Sara rounds up the opening weekend of the Women’s Six Nations and we start in York. World Cup winners Kat Merchant and Katy Daley-McLean look back at England’s 30th successive Six Nations win. But why did their performance drop off so dramatically in the second half? And did the Helena Rowland experiment at fly-half work? Commentator Claire Thomas joins us as we look back at Scotland’s narrow win over Wales on Saturday. Scotland’s Helen Nelsen caught the eye and Sara explains why her performance reminded her of Katy in her prime. We talk Ireland too as head coach Scott Bemand says it's time to ditch the tag of 'plucky losers' after their defeat to France.

What was the most impressive win in the 2025 Six Nations? And which nation actually exceeded expectations this year? Chris, Tom English and Gareth Rhys Owen are back for one last Nations Pod. Tom is claiming a unique Grand Slam for Scotland despite their fourth place finish. But what was the main reason behind another disappointing campaign for Gregor Townsend's side? Are there still more questions than answers when it comes to the future of Welsh rugby following another wooden spoon? And if Andy Farrell needs any help selecting his Lions squad we are here to help. Tom, GRO and Chris have trawled through all the stats and data to pick their 38-man squads for Australia.

Who underperformed and who overachieved in the 2025 Six Nations? Ugo Monye, Sam Warburton and John Barclay are back to round up an eventful tournament that saw France crowned champions on 'Super Saturday'. What next for Wales after a 17th Test defeat on the spin? Sam puts forward some radical ideas to fix Welsh rugby which includes cutting one of the regions and creating an Anglo-Welsh league. Did England silence their pre-tournament critics? And have they found their formula for success? We celebrate the most successful Six Nations coach of all time and there’s no surprise who gets our vote for player of the tournament. What is stopping Scotland from progressing and are they still to reach their peak under Gregor Townsend? Head to the BBC Sounds YouTube channel to watch the episode in full.

Does this Six Nations title signal the start of a dominant period for France? Have England laid down a marker with their record win in Cardiff? And where do Wales go from here, after an 17th successive test defeat?

Fraser Brown, Sara Orchard and Chris Jones react to France’s win over Scotland in Paris to claim the 2025 Men’s Six Nations championship and reflect on the tournament. Shaun Edwards joins the pod after becoming the first man to win the six Six Nations titles.

We’re in Cardiff with Matt Dawson and Ken Owens after a statement 68-14 win for England condemns Wales to record-equalling defeat.

And we’ll discuss what impact the final weekend of the championship might have on Andy Farrell’s British and Irish Lions selections.

Timecodes: 01:00 – France Scotland reaction 07:35 – Shaun Edwards interview 16:06 – A statement win for England? 28:13 – Where do Wales go from here? 36:50 – Where does this Six Nations leave Lions selections?

Is this finally the weekend Wales end their losing run? Chris is greeted in Cardiff by Wales and Lions legend Jamie Roberts to preview the fixture he says brings the best out of the every aspect of Welsh rugby. Tomos Williams discusses his form and teaming up with his Gloucester team-mate ‘Chicken’ on international duty. Chris then heads into the England camp to speak to Sale’s Tom Roebuck ahead of his first Test start. There’s still more to unpick from that England backline with the rugby correspondent for the Times Alex Lowe and Jack Crowley’s selection at 10 this weekend prompts more Lions fly-half debate.

Marcus Smith is back in the starting XV. Tommy Freeman moves to outside centre. Tom Roebuck get his first Test start, but there's no room for Ollie Sleightholme. All this and more for Ugo and Sara to discuss as Steve Borthwick names his England team to face Wales in Cardiff this Saturday. Ben Earl is also on the pod as we get his take on playing in Cardiff, facing the 'phenomenal' Jac Morgan and lining up alongside the Curry brothers once again.

Bielle-Biarray, Penaud, Freeman… a few of the players who have made their try-scoring mark on this year’s Six Nations. With a number of individual records up for grabs on Super Saturday, Chris and Ashy discuss the men who have taken the Championship by storm. Tommy Freeman is our guest as he looks to become the first Englishman to score a try in every single round of the Six Nations. And we are joined by Bordeaux coach Noel McNamara who tells us what it is like to coach some of France’s most electric players, with Bialle-Biarray on the verge of tournament history and Penaud closing in on French rugby greatness.

Is playing Ireland in Dublin the ultimate challenge in northern hemisphere rugby? Shaun Edwards thinks so, and we hear how he's been motivating himself and the French players ahead of Saturday's showdown in Dublin. Chris chats to Gavin Mairs, chief rugby correspondent for the Daily Telegraph, and senior writer at ESPN Tom Hamilton. We look at Fabien Galthie's mind games this week with his comments in the press about Sam Prendergast. And speaking of Prendergast, just how big a day is this for him in his burgeoning international career? There's more on France opting for a 7:1 split and do Scotland really have cause for concern this weekend?

Chris is joined by Johnnie Beattie and French rugby journalist Paul Eddison to dissect the teams for round four. Does this France team need to win in Dublin to silence the French critics? There are plenty of talking points after Fabien Galthie named his team on Thursday, he's opted for a 7:1 split on the bench again and brought Romain Ntamack straight back in. We discuss Jamie Osborne's selection on the right wing and what Simon Easterby is hoping to gain from it. And how is Johnnie feeling about Wales visiting Murrayfield? Are there even nerves creeping in despite facing a team that's lost its last 15 matches?

Will we finally see England's attack click? Marcus Smith drops to the bench and Elliot Daly starts at full-back for England's Six Nations clash against Italy this weekend. Danny and Sara discuss the changes Steve Borthwick has made, plus Fraser Dingwall joins the pod as he starts alongside Ollie Lawrence in midfield. We hear about the challenge that has kept the players entertained in camp during the Six Nations and how special it will be to line up alongside four Northampton team-mates on Sunday.

We're at Pennyhill Park speaking to England legend, and pod favourite, Jamie George ahead of his 100th cap this weekend. He tells Chris and Ashy how it feels "surreal" to be reaching a century of caps for his country but how he remains as driven as ever. George also opens up about how difficult it was to lose the England captaincy before the start of the 2025 Six Nations and how head coach Steve Borthwick broke the news to him. Plus, we put England's latest centurion to the test with a special quiz on his international career so far.