SA v England, ABs v France in Nations Championship opening round + can the Wallabies upset Ireland?

The Nations Championship is here and it’s an absolute rugby overload: France v New Zealand to light the fuse, Wallabies v Ireland in Sydney, and England walking into a Springboks ambush in Johannesburg.

David Pembroke and Ewen McKenzie rip through the big selections and the big questions: Ruben Love at 10 for the All Blacks, France’s Bordeaux-heavy combinations, and whether Japan’s calculated gamble on Ryunosuke Ito can shock Italy with Eddie Jones still suspended (Neil Hatley running the show). The Wallabies naming of Josh Nasser, Carter Gordon and Jock Campbell gets the microscope, while South Africa’s power-heavy side has England under serious pressure at Ellis Park. Plus the Nations Cup slate, under-20s scorelines, crowd concerns in Georgia, and why rugby has to keep evolving to get the best players on show.

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In this episode:
00:00 🏉 World Rugby launches the Nations Championship weekend
01:12 ⏰ Nations Championship marathon: 15 hours of rugby
03:08 🖥️ World Rugby comms: team sheets and info gaps
04:02 📺 TV audience guess: Nations Championship global reach
06:24 🇳🇿 All Blacks v France in Christchurch preview
07:05 🎯 Ruben Love at 10 for New Zealand selection call
08:36 🇫🇷 France lean on Bordeaux combinations for New Zealand
14:17 🇯🇵 Japan v Italy: Eddie Jones suspended, Hatley coaching
15:01 ✨ Ryunosuke Ito starts at 10 for Japan
19:18 🇦🇺 Wallabies team v Ireland: Nasser, Gordon, Campbell calls
22:04 ☘️ Ireland selections: Prendergast, Gibson-Park, bench threats
26:20 🏟️ Fiji v Wales in Cardiff Nations Championship fixture
28:10 🦌 England v South Africa at Ellis Park power test
34:12 🧉 Scotland v Argentina in Córdoba preview and pick
37:18 🌎 Nations Cup fixtures: Uruguay v Georgia, Samoa v Hong Kong China
44:10 🧑‍🎓 Under-20s results: England, France, Argentina big scores
47:28 👥 Under-20 crowds debate and Georgia hosting reality
55:12 🧠 Global season debate: Six Nations, calendar, best players
59:56 👔 Sir Steve Hansen joining Rugby Unity next week
01:05:00 🎟️ Live show Newcastle July 10 fundraiser for Hunter Rugby

Call to action:
📌 Can the Wallabies beat Ireland in Sydney, and did Joe Schmidt pick the right 15?

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