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Rugby
S3 Ep 04 - Saints Run Riot, Baths Bomb Squad Goes Quiet
Rucks, Mauls & Oval Balls›
Oct 13, 20261:08:52
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Rugby
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Seventy one points doesn’t happen by accident and neither does the backlash. We react to Northampton Saints v Bath finishing 71 to 48, why some pundits bizarrely call that “boring”, and what the scoreline actually tells us about Premiership attack, defensive systems, and the rising skill level across English rugby.
Before we get to the matches, we tackle three stories that shape the bigger picture: the knee drop clarification and the hip drop tackle crackdown (great for player welfare, awkward timing before a Rugby World Cup), the rumour of the Barrett brothers potentially heading to the Premiership after the tournament, and an NFL heavyweight, Jason Kelce, trying rugby with Old Albanians as the sport hunts US momentum ahead of the 2031 World Cup.
Then it’s round three, properly. We talk attendances and why so many seats are empty even when the rugby’s flying, dig into Leicester v Gloucester and how Tigers flip the contest through the breakdown, scrum and maul, and pick apart Saracens v Bristol including the debate around the StoneX surface and squad rotation. We also cover Sale v Harlequins and just how much Marcus Smith changes Quins’ tempo, plus Exeter v Newcastle and why the Falcons feel far better than an “easy win” for anyone.
If you enjoy smart, opinionated Premiership Rugby chat, follow the show, share it with a mate, and leave us a review so more rugby fans find us.
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S3 Ep 07 - Slade Shines, Pollock Flies & England Rise
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"S3 Ep 04 - Saints Run Riot, Baths Bomb Squad Goes Quiet" is an episode of Rucks, Mauls & Oval Balls. Runtime 1 hr 8 min. Published October 13, 2026. Hit play above to stream it here, or open the free Spot Sports app for background play and offline downloads.
