World Rugby’s attacking trend, Greatest Rivalry selections + Wallabies Les Kiss era begins!

David Pembroke, Steve Hansen and Ewen McKenzie take stock after the first phase of the Nations Championship and Nations Cup, and the big takeaway is simple: the calendar finally has purpose. The numbers back it up too, with more tries, fewer penalties against attack, and a clear shift towards rewarding ball-in-hand rugby, while the contestable kick and maul still matter if you can get into the 22 and stay there. The conversation then swings to Australia’s two-Test series against Japan, and what life might look like under new Wallabies coach Les Kiss, including the challenge of aligning a fresh coaching group fast. And looming over everything is the main event: All Blacks v Springboks, four Tests, contrasting styles, and even Eddie Jones calling a potential 2–2 split.

Also in this episode:

● Nations Championship and Nations Cup judged a big win

● Stats show tries up, penalties down for attack

● All Blacks v Springboks: contrasting styles, four-Test series

● Les Kiss profile: collaborative, width, harmony and alignment

● Wallabies pathway debate: Super Rugby teams and depth

● Third Voice Qs: Jordie Barrett, Tupaea, Brodie Retallick

PLUS: The panel debates cohesion, selection messaging, and what makes Test rugby harder than Super Rugby.

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