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Rugby
S2 Ep 35 - Global Calendars, Coaches Galore & Giant Collapses
Rucks, Mauls & Oval Balls›
May 20, 20261:30:08
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Rugby
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Rumours of South African teams stepping away from European competition are getting louder, and the consequences could be huge. We get into why the Champions Cup and Challenge Cup have been such a logistical headache, why “player welfare” is both a real concern and a convenient headline, and how a broken global rugby calendar keeps forcing square pegs into round holes. If South Africa moves, the URC, European formats, and even the shape of British domestic rugby could shift with it.
From there we give the Red Roses their flowers after another Women’s Six Nations Grand Slam, with a look at how England’s evolving attacking game is raising the bar for everyone. We also take a moment to reflect on the sad passing of Scotland legend Scott Hastings, and what it means when names from the sport’s history suddenly feel much closer to home.
Then it is full throttle Gallagher Premiership: Northampton Saints explode for 94 against Bristol, Bath cruise past Newcastle, and Harlequins pull off a wild fightback to stun Exeter. We also unpack Saracens’ win over Gloucester, why Maro Itoje and Ben Earl look red hot, and why Leicester’s win over Sale comes with a serious late season problem at fly half. We finish with England’s training camp squad, the debate around Bernhard Janse van Rensburg, and our picks for a best XV plus a frightening “absent” XV that shows just how deep England rugby can be.
If you enjoy smart, honest rugby chat, subscribe, share the pod with a mate, and leave us a review. Who makes your England starting XV from that camp squad?
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S3 Ep 07 - Slade Shines, Pollock Flies & England Rise
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"S2 Ep 35 - Global Calendars, Coaches Galore & Giant Collapses" is an episode of Rucks, Mauls & Oval Balls. Runtime 1 hr 30 min. Published May 20, 2026. Hit play above to stream it here, or open the free Spot Sports app for background play and offline downloads.
