Rugby podcasts thread

Peregrine

There are so many rugby podcasts out there at the moment with every ex-player, newspaper and drinks manufacturer involved. So I thought it would be good to list them all in one place because I found it fairly difficult to find them in the first place.

Nobody has time to listen to all the rugby podcasts so it might also be good way to let others know if there are interesting discussions or guests on a podcast.

So here's my incomplete list:

Irish:
Baz & Andrew's House of Rugby: New Joe.ie podcast replacing The Hard Yards featuring Barry Murphy and Andrew Trimble. Only one episode in but it looks good so far. YouTube link.
Molecast: A podcast from Demented Mole. I think their blogs are great but infrequent. I had no idea they were podcasting away though! I'll definitely look into this. Thanks, Dog Botherer.
Rugby on Off the Ball: I believe it's pretty much the radio show in podcast form. Monday nights, Wednesday nights and Friday nights (which, I believe, is when BOD is on). Typical Irish guests such as Eddie, Matt Williams, Keith Wood et al. Their roadshows are interesting.
Second Captains: Seems to be one big sports podcast with rugby featuring often. I have no interest in other sports so I don't listen to it but it seems to be popular. I think they have extra paid content too.
The42 Heineken Rugby Weekly: New The42.ie rugby podcast with Murray Kinsella and Andy Dunne. Should be good. Clegg says it's insightful and funny.
The Left Wing: Luke Fitzgerald and Will Slattery with Independent.ie rugby journalists featuring sometimes. Leinster focused. Sometimes controversial. Long interviews with guests.
The 2nd Row: Connacht and Irish provincial focus.
Craggy Rugby Podcast: Connacht and Irish provincial focus.
The Club Scene: Weekly AIL review and preview of all five divisions.

British:
The Rugby Pod: Featuring Andy Goode and Jim Hamilton. Outside of international games and Heineken Cup games, it's mostly Premiership focused but they do talk about big Pro14 games. They have some great guests on sometimes but there's always always BANTER.
Eggchasers: Similar enough in content to The Rugby Pod but different perspectives and minus the guests. Tim Cocker works for BT Sport and I don't think the other two played professionally.
House of Rugby: New Joe.co.uk podcast. Alex Payne (the familiar Sky Sports presenter) with James Haskell and Mike Tindall (but it was Rob Vickerman in the first episode). Again, only one episode in but it looks good. YouTube link.
Full Contact: Presented by Brian Moore. Only getting into it now but he's very good.
Rugby Union Weekly: BBC Radio 5 show with Ugo Monye and Chris Jones
Scrum V: BBC Wales show. Interesting perspective to get during the Pro14.
Flats and Shanks: Features David Flatman and Tom Shanklin. Similar enough to The Rugby Pod if I'm honest.
Will Greenwood's Rugby Podcast: Will Greenwood's rugby podcast.
The Rugby Dungeon: JB and Phil from Eggchasers with a guest per episode. Mostly English
Blood and Mud: Very light hearted podcast.

Other:
End Games: The Kiwi guy behind the HYPR-SPORT Youtube channel is starting anew with a different format. He was great for analysis so hopefully it still shines through in the new format. Mostly about strategy, internationals and Super Rugby. YouTube link.
Green and Gold Rugby: Aussie rugby podcast. I don't know much about it but I used to listen to it during the summer tour. Might become interesting to Irish fans again during the internationals and the World Cup.
The 1014 Rugby: Used to do a podcast but they went quiet after they started working for Sky Sport NZ. Their YouTube channel is still good. They're great for analysis and insights. Presented by a Kiwi and a Munster man. Focus is on internationals and the global game. If they don't update their podcasts, their YouTube channel still has good video content.

If anyone knows any other ones or has recommendations, please post them below.

Peregrine

This week's highlight for me were:

The Rugby Pod with Darren Cave as a guest presenter standing in for Andy Goode. He was very good and fit in seamlessly. Rory Best also featured.
Baz & Andy's House of Rugby launching. This has promise.
House of Rugby UK launching.

CatFromHue

Connacht have two pods

Clegg

The 42 have a new rugby podcast. The main host is Murray Kinsella. Andy Dunne has also been co-host for two of the three podcasts so far. I've always enjoyed Dunne's contributions to the Off the Ball rugby podcast and Kinsella is a brilliant analyst.

It's definitely worth a listen. The show is more serious in tone and tries to break down what's good and bad about the provinces. They have a bit of a laugh but it doesn't veer into cringeworthy banter like other rugby podcasts.

Peregrine

CatFromHue wrote: »

Connacht have two pods

It surprised me too!

Clegg wrote: »

The 42 have a new rugby podcast. The main host is Murray Kinsella. Andy Dunne has also been co-host for two of the three podcasts so far. I've always enjoyed Dunne's contributions to the Off the Ball rugby podcast and Kinsella is a brilliant analyst.

It's definitely worth a listen. The show is more serious in tone and tries to break down what's good and bad about the provinces. They have a bit of a laugh but it doesn't veer into cringeworthy banter like other rugby podcasts.

Thanks. Added to the list!

Great idea!

ClanofLams

Craggy Rugby Pod is very well done, well worth a listen for Connacht supporters. Listened to one episode of Heineken rugby weekly so far and that seemed good too. Off the ball is hit and miss depending on their guests. Second captains isn't great though I like their stuff more broadly. Not a fan of the independent one either. Haven't heard the new joe.ie one. Thought the hard yards was decent enough when I listened last season so surprised it changed.

wp_rathead

ClanofLams wrote: »

Haven't heard the new joe.ie one. Thought the hard yards was decent enough when I listened last season so surprised it changed.

Ya I like Andy McGeady so shame he no longer involved, but I really enjoyed the new episode and Trimble is actually hilarious when he isn't commentating Ulster matches

Steve

Some of them look very interesting indeed. Any chance you could include links?

Peregrine

Steve wrote: »

Some of them look very interesting indeed. Any chance you could include links?

Good idea. I'll update it later

Dog Botherer

Molecast from the lads at Demented Mole is by some distance my favourite for Irish rugby. The lads have been writing about rugby for years and know their stuff, often picking up on things that a lot of more professional pundits overlook.

I listen to a lot of podcasts these days, the rugby ones I'd recommend are, in no particular order:

Blood & Mud: My first rugby pod and by far the funniest. Don't look for a lot of deep insight but Lee and Josh love the game and are very very funny. No banter allowed.

Full Contact: My go to for an English view, Moore doesn't hold back and gets a good variety of guests on.

The 42 Heineken Rugby Weekly: Big fan of Murray's analysis, and the lads are a lot more laid back than most professional analysts.

Off The Ball: Not much to say here, good general rundown of Irish rugby.

I occasionally listen to Green & Gold Rugby (for an Aussie perspective), The Left Wing (for interviews mostly), and the Craggy Rugby Pod (for a better Connacht insight, most Irish pods are light on Connacht stuff).

The pods I did not care for include The Rugby Pod, Flats and Shanks, and Eggchasers. I found them either too BANTER, too Anglocentric, or both.

clsmooth

Dog Botherer wrote: »

Molecast from the lads at Demented Mole is by some distance my favourite for Irish rugby. The lads have been writing about rugby for years and know their stuff, often picking up on things that a lot of more professional pundits overlook.

This one is my favourite by far. Far more detailed than the professional pundits who seem to say the same thing every week on Second Captains and OTB

Peregrine

I had no idea Demented Mole had a podcast! This is what I mean. It's difficult to find these and the likes of Off the Ball feature prominently in search results.

I've included links to all podcasts in the OP. I've put in player.fm links where possible. Initially I had SoundCloud where possible but they automatically embedded and it was a mess. I've also included YouTube links to some of them if they have video recordings of the podcast or just good rugby video content.

Dear Molecast, on the off chance you read this thread, for the love of god stop eating into the microphone.

Thank you.

The Lost Sheep

Club scene podcast for coverage of AIL
Limerick centric a bit but will be when its three Limerick based guys doing it. This weeks along with previews of games had an interview with Johne Murphy
https://open.spotify.com/show/670TtAzR13vrKUuoTcSR6k

Dog Botherer

Also, I really recommend subscribing to Blood & Mud’s Patreon account, you get access to special Rugby History episodes (Wales, England, France, and South Africa so far), Rugby Life episodes (they had a great one with Jason Tovey a few weeks ago), and other special episodes, like their review of Shoulder To Shoulder.









(I promise I don’t work for them)

Dave_The_Sheep

Sticky this thread, damnit!

Didn't realise Blood and Mud were still going. Thought they stopped years ago. Also didn't realise Eggchasers had one, nor the Mole. The articles are fantastic, must check up on the podcasts.

Really like Green and Gold for the SH side of things, if you can get past the moderate bias.

Peregrine

The Lost Sheep wrote: »

Club scene podcast for coverage of AIL
Limerick centric a bit but will be when its three Limerick based guys doing it. This weeks along with previews of games had an interview with Johne Murphy
https://open.spotify.com/show/670TtAzR13vrKUuoTcSR6k

Thanks, I'll add this to the OP later.

I have yet to hear Cave on anything and not very much enjoyed his commentary. He's terrific on the rugby podcast this week, an absolute natural.

ionadnapokot

Not the greatest interview but Sexton gave allot.
It’s Dunphys podcast & again I thought Sexton gave more than was been asked of him.
Particularly insightful take on “it needs a good guy at the top”
The people not mentioned is the most revealing!
https://www.thestandwitheamondunphy.com

clsmooth

ionadnapokot wrote: »

Not the greatest interview but Sexton gave allot.
It’s Dunphys podcast & again I thought Sexton gave more than was been asked of him.
Particularly insightful take on “it needs a good guy at the top”
The people not mentioned is the most revealing!
https://www.thestandwitheamondunphy.com

Who was left out? MOC?

bilston

The Belfast Telegraph do a weekly podcast but it is exclusively focused on Ulster with a small bit on the Ulster club scene as well.

damianmcr

bilston wrote: »

The Belfast Telegraph do a weekly podcast but it is exclusively focused on Ulster with a small bit on the Ulster club scene as well.

Ive always enjoyed it but havent listened much this season. Flat out on the audiobooks.

ionadnapokot

clsmooth wrote: »

Who was left out? MOC?

Surprise, surprise

Peregrine

I'm so ill that I can barely remember my own name at the moment but Sexton wasn't around for the MOC era, was he? The two years he was at Racing for were the two years MOC coached Leinster.

I think. Someone more able can Google it. :P

Akrasia

I'm surprised ThreeRedKings wasn't mentioned in the OP

Very good podcast focused on Munster. Does excellent analysis before and after games. For 2 euros a month the patron gives more podcasts and access to video analysis (Tom Savage, the podcaster, works for a French rugby team as a professional video analyst

ionadnapokot

Peregrine wrote: »

I'm so ill that I can barely remember my own name at the moment but Sexton wasn't around for the MOC era, was he? The two years he was at Racing for were the two years MOC coached Leinster.

I think. Someone more able can Google it. :P

You’re right Sexton wasn’t there for MOC era.
He talks about how Leinster had moved away from “the culture” that had brought success
& that you need the man at the top to drive the culture.

ionadnapokot

ionadnapokot wrote: »

Not the greatest interview but Sexton gave allot.
It’s Dunphys podcast & again I thought Sexton gave more than was been asked of him.
Particularly insightful take on “it needs a good guy at the top”
The people not mentioned is the most revealing!
https://www.thestandwitheamondunphy.com

I thought it was funny when Sexton cuts across Dunphy while making the point that he's a good listener

Akrasia

Sporting Limerick has a podcast that mainly features GAA but on the weeks Munster play, they have a rugby podcast called 'The breakdown'

Kevski

Just came across this on Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/13JCY7pxB3ft2DFlzLD5RR?si=X-3oxEllQj2qUrua_wa5cA

“Relax as rugby legend Kieran Read shares bedtime stories that help put your children to bed, so you can watch the rugby in peace”

Kevski

Kevski wrote: »

Just came across this on Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/13JCY7pxB3ft2DFlzLD5RR?si=X-3oxEllQj2qUrua_wa5cA

“Relax as rugby legend Kieran Read shares bedtime stories that help put your children to bed, so you can watch the rugby in peace”

He throws in his own kiwiisms throughout. Love it

Dog Botherer

Been enjoying the Rugby Ruckus Podcast recently, it’s Ben Kimber (an Aussie journo) and Morgan Turinui (ex-Aussie international). Unsurprisingly it’s very Australia-centric but they do cover all the major action, plus Turinui is one of the best analysts of rugby I’ve come across, he’s easily the SH’s answer to Murray Kinsella. Definitely a lot more professional than Green & Gold Rugby.

Give it a miss though if you have an aversion to the word “deadset” :pac:

chupacabra

Just giving shout out to the 'ol Talking Rugby podcast that a lot of the boards lads here were involved in (including me once or twice). The good old days.

Dog Botherer

I know a lot of people on here enjoy SquidgeRugby’s videos, he’s put in a couple of appearances on Linebreak Rugby recently. The chat is a bit more casual than analytical but Squidge is still quite funny. Worth a shot.

Peregrine

Baz & Andrew's House of Rugby was pretty funny this week. There's an interview with van der Flier. Usual casual chat stuff. Thankfully, Baz is back. Paddy McKenna was awful. Alex Payne was alright though, he could present the opening of an envelope.

Robbie Owen (SquidgeRugby) was on Blood & Mud this week. I find a lot of the bits at the beginning of Blood & Mud tiring but the rest of it was an easy listen.

Rugby Union Weekly and Eggchasers were both recorded at Monaco during the World Rugby Awards and both episodes were full of interviews. Best, Kearney, Barrett, Stander, Wood, Dyanti, Kolisi, Roberts et al featured between the two podcasts.

Rugby Pod was pretty much the usual stuff. Stuart Hogg was on talking about moving to Exeter, Scotland etc.

Peregrine

For any Ulster fans out there, this week's Rugby Dungeon podcast is a 45 min interview with Billy Burns.

ClanofLams

Off the ball rugby really needs to change it up. Eddie O'Sullivan and Matt Williams on Monday night rugby - didn't even bother listening, find both of them needlessly negative. Williams in particular seems rather bitter and reluctant to give any praise to coaches these days but EOS is similar.

The last time I heard Matt Williams was pre All Blacks game when he basically said Ireland were too arrogant and were going to get a hiding - hardly any better that what Ewan McKenna would come out with that, sure what knowledge would Williams have that the management/squad were over-confident and the confidence/arrogance of anyone outside that group wasn't going to impact the game.

Dog Botherer

With the end of the international window and the return of the domestic season my rugby podcast intake is about to drop dramatically, going to return to my core lineup of Blood & Mud, The 42 with Murray Kinsella, and some OTB. Fortunately I came across Rugby Reloaded with Professor Tony Collins, a historian and an expert on rugby history. He does short 10 or so minute pods on various aspects of rugby history. I first encountered him on Blood & Mud's Rugby History pods and found him very informative and engaging. Highly recommend checking both out.

Peregrine wrote: »

Rugby Union Weekly and Eggchasers were both recorded at Monaco during the World Rugby Awards and both episodes were full of interviews. Best, Kearney, Barrett, Stander, Wood, Dyanti, Kolisi, Roberts et al featured between the two podcasts.

Gave Eggchasers yet another shot in the wake of my post beating the AB's buzz but couldn't hack it for very long. Is the new episode worth it for the interviews?

ClanofLams wrote: »

Off the ball rugby really needs to change it up. Eddie O'Sullivan and Matt Williams on Monday night rugby - didn't even bother listening, find both of them needlessly negative. Williams in particular seems rather bitter and reluctant to give any praise to coaches these days but EOS is similar.

The last time I heard Matt Williams was pre All Blacks game when he basically said Ireland were too arrogant and were going to get a hiding - hardly any better that what Ewan McKenna would come out with that, sure what knowledge would Williams have that the management/squad were over-confident and the confidence/arrogance of anyone outside that group wasn't going to impact the game.

It's gotten to the stage where I actively avoid listening to anything with either of them on it. Eddie is incredibly out of touch, he still talks about the game like it's 2008. I find all of his observations incredibly obvious and frequently either zone out or fast forward when he speaks. Williams is a different beast, he definitely has some tactical insight to give but I always find him reaching for a Hook-like controversial statement when he'd be better off just speaking his mind. Maybe he sees a gap in the market but it got old fast with Hook and it's not working at all for Williams.

bilston

Peregrine wrote: »

Baz & Andrew's House of Rugby was pretty funny this week. There's an interview with van der Flier. Usual casual chat stuff. Thankfully, Baz is back. Paddy McKenna was awful. Alex Payne was alright though, he could present the opening of an envelope.

I think Alex Payne is excellent. Its a pity for him that Sky have pretty much lost all their rugby rights.

Anyway, whatever about Payne, it's an excellent podcast/YouTube video.

errlloyd

Dog Botherer wrote: »

Williams is a different beast, he definitely has some tactical insight to give but I always find him reaching for a Hook-like controversial statement when he'd be better off just speaking his mind. Maybe he sees a gap in the market but it got old fast with Hook and it's not working at all for Williams.

Last weeks Wednesday night cast had Matt Williams and he said, "Now don't quote me on this, but I have heard, this is the first time, the All Blacks have been kept try-less, in the professional era"

I realise I am quoting him on it when he asked not to be, but by then it was Wednesday, the correct stat had been bandied around a few times by then. It has happened 12 times in the professional era. Twice against Australia relatively recently. I just don't get why we invite guests to just "talk" without doing any research at all.

Buer

errlloyd wrote: »

Last weeks Wednesday night cast had Matt Williams and he said, "Now don't quote me on this, but I have heard, this is the first time, the All Blacks have been kept try-less, in the professional era"

I realise I am quoting him on it when he asked not to be, but by then it was Wednesday, the correct stat had been bandied around a few times by then. It has happened 12 times in the professional era. Twice against Australia relatively recently. I just don't get why we invite guests to just "talk" without doing any research at all.

For a guy who was genuinely the best pundit on television a decade ago, that's a little cringeworthy.

Similarly, EOS was on Newstalk this week tripping over himself to dumb down Sexton's season. It was put to him that Sexton is surely now the best ever outhalf to play for Ireland. He went to painful lengths to play it down. "Don't get me in trouble with ROG, HAHAHA!" Went on to say Sexton can be in the same bracket as ROG, Campbell, Ward and Kyle.

EOS has completely lost his usefulness as a pundit in the last couple of years. Too far removed from the game at this point. Looks like we're developing our next versions of George Hook, though.

Kevski

Agree on EOS and Matt Williams. I find it very tedious to listen to them and have pretty much stopped listening to anything that they’re on. I’m also finding it increasingly difficult to listen to Shane Horgan in Second Captains but I can’t quite put my finger on why.

I found Donncha O’Callaghan quite good when he was on OTB a few times towards the end of last season. He would be a big improvement over O’Sullivan and Williams if they could get him on again.

aloooof

I'm not a big fan of EOS or Matt Williams, but they're still better than when Gavin Cummiskey was on interrupting people.

I always thought the best installment of OTB was Wednesday Night Rugby with Keith Wood and Gerry Thornley having a go at each other.

ClanofLams

ClanofLams wrote: »

Off the ball rugby really needs to change it up. Eddie O'Sullivan and Matt Williams on Monday night rugby - didn't even bother listening, find both of them needlessly negative. Williams in particular seems rather bitter and reluctant to give any praise to coaches these days but EOS is similar.

The last time I heard Matt Williams was pre All Blacks game when he basically said Ireland were too arrogant and were going to get a hiding - hardly any better that what Ewan McKenna would come out with that, sure what knowledge would Williams have that the management/squad were over-confident and the confidence/arrogance of anyone outside that group wasn't going to impact the game.

Off the ball definitely needs to freshen up the formula. I don't mind Eddie, Matt or Quinlan - I just don't think any of them nor all of them collectively offer enough insight to carry an entire show.

Quinlan produces 1 interesting tid bit for every 3-4 cliche or platitude. Matt Williams and Eddie are dinosaurs in terms of the modern game but at least Eddie occasionally hits a vein of insight that you take something away from.

bilston wrote: »

I think Alex Payne is excellent. Its a pity for him that Sky have pretty much lost all their rugby rights.

Anyway, whatever about Payne, it's an excellent podcast/YouTube video.

Alex Payne is extremely composed and he is naturally gifted at keeping a conversation flowing and maintaining continuity especially if people are nervous or struggling to get a point across.

But there is something soul-less about him that terrifies me.

clsmooth

I thought Shane Jennings was good when he’s been on in the past.

Utopia Parkway

Buer wrote: »

For a guy who was genuinely the best pundit on television a decade ago, that's a little cringeworthy.

Similarly, EOS was on Newstalk this week tripping over himself to dumb down Sexton's season. It was put to him that Sexton is surely now the best ever outhalf to play for Ireland. He went to painful lengths to play it down. "Don't get me in trouble with ROG, HAHAHA!" Went on to say Sexton can be in the same bracket as ROG, Campbell, Ward and Kyle.

EOS has completely lost his usefulness as a pundit in the last couple of years. Too far removed from the game at this point. Looks like we're developing our next versions of George Hook, though.

Don't think he said much wrong there to be honest. Ireland have had some very talented out halves. Most of them probably didn't play in such a strong era for Irish rugby though

Buer

Utopia Parkway wrote: »

Don't think he said much wrong there to be honest. Ireland have had some very talented out halves. Most of them probably didn't play in such a strong era for Irish rugby though

I'm loathe to get into the same old discussion (EOS named Humphreys also, a player he treated terribly) but Sexton is, for me, so far ahead of other Irish outhalves of the professional era at least, it's not a debate in my mind.

Synode

errlloyd wrote: »

Last weeks Wednesday night cast had Matt Williams and he said, "Now don't quote me on this, but I have heard, this is the first time, the All Blacks have been kept try-less, in the professional era"

I realise I am quoting him on it when he asked not to be, but by then it was Wednesday, the correct stat had been bandied around a few times by then. It has happened 12 times in the professional era. Twice against Australia relatively recently. I just don't get why we invite guests to just "talk" without doing any research at all.

Was the stat not by a Northern Hemisphere team? That's the one I heard anyway (not from Matt Williams)

errlloyd

Synode wrote: »

Was the stat not by a Northern Hemisphere team? That's the one I heard anyway (not from Matt Williams)

Yeah, that's what I meant when I said "the correct stat had been bandied around a few times by then"

Peregrine

ClanofLams wrote: »

Off the ball rugby really needs to change it up. Eddie O'Sullivan and Matt Williams on Monday night rugby - didn't even bother listening, find both of them needlessly negative. Williams in particular seems rather bitter and reluctant to give any praise to coaches these days but EOS is similar.

I've completely given up trying to listen to Off the Ball. It's the radio equivalent of RTÉ's rugby 'analysis' from a few years ago with Hook et al. There's just nothing to be gained from it.

Dog Botherer wrote: »

Gave Eggchasers yet another shot in the wake of my post beating the AB's buzz but couldn't hack it for very long. Is the new episode worth it for the interviews?

I can't stand Tim Cocker. The other two are alright.

It was pretty good. I had never heard from Dyanti, Gardner or Weir.

bilston wrote: »

I think Alex Payne is excellent. Its a pity for him that Sky have pretty much lost all their rugby rights.

Anyway, whatever about Payne, it's an excellent podcast/YouTube video.

Yeah, Payne is a great presenter.

Peregrine

Will Addison was on The Rugby Pod. Short but interesting.

Trimble interviewed Darren Cave on House of Rugby this week and Jacob Stockdale last week. Both very honest interviews.

John Cooney is due to feature in the Rugby Dungeon soon. That'll be a full episode. Looking forward to that.