Paisami Ban, Bledisloe squads & 1 Year to RWC 2027: Steve Hansen and Ewen McKenzie react

One year out from Rugby World Cup 2027, the noise is building and the details matter. Steve Hansen and Ewen McKenzie explain what teams should be locking in right now, and why the vibe around the tournament in Australia feels different already.

David Pembroke runs through the RWC 2027 ticket numbers and what they signal, before the panel gets into the nuts and bolts: scouting venues, hotels, gyms, travel loads, and how touring time gets used (with a nod to Eddie Jones). Then the focus shifts to the Bledisloe Cup squads, including Shannon Frizell’s return, Reuben Love out, and Cody Taylor likely captaining without Ardie Savea. There’s also the Paisami ban, the refereeing and transparency debate, World Rugby communication frustrations, and what it’ll take to strengthen rugby’s top 20 nations.

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In this episode:
00:00 🏟️ Rugby World Cup 2027 Australia ticket numbers revealed
01:00 🌎 USA fans surge for Rugby World Cup 2027 tickets
02:00 🛥️ Sydney Harbour vibes shift ahead of RWC 2027
03:00 🌧️ Ewen McKenzie on Victoria flooding and tournament reality
05:00 🧠 Steve Hansen on one-year-out World Cup squad thinking
07:00 🏨 All Blacks 2015 travel plan and England crowd strategy
08:00 🧳 Ewen McKenzie on 2014 World Cup scouting and logistics
12:00 📋 Eddie Jones tours: “fill in the spaces” preparation style
13:00 🧰 Steve Hansen on management wish lists and venue planning
17:00 🏆 Bledisloe Cup squads named: All Blacks v Wallabies preview
18:00 🧱 Shannon Frizell back, Reuben Love out for All Blacks
21:00 🔥 Wallabies depth: Tupou, Hooper absences and midfield questions
22:00 ⚖️ Paisami ban, judiciary process, and post-match review debate
25:00 📣 Mark Robinson, World Rugby communication, and CEO rumour talk
29:00 💬 Third Voice questions: selection judgement and Wallabies form
39:00 📺 Women’s Lions tour paywall debate and visibility concerns
43:00 🧑‍⚖️ Refereeing accountability: Piardi chat and transparency push
55:00 🌍 Growing rugby top 20: Portugal, Spain, Chile and Nations Cup
01:01:00 🎟️ Sydney Bledisloe double-header: Wallaroos, Sevens, Fiji mention
01:03:00 👋 Final RWC 2027 pitch from David Pembroke

Call to action:
📌 Was Paisami’s four-week ban the right call, or too harsh?

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