Rugby podcasts thread

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.

[Deleted User]

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.

chupacabra

Just came across this on my youtube recommended.

Not bad.

Squidgy Black

I enjoy the House of Rugby episodes, both the Irish and English versions, but Barry Murphy's voice can be extremely boring sometimes. The episode he did with Earls could make you fall asleep between the two of them, was just so slow and monotonous.

Dog Botherer

Squidgy Black wrote: »

I enjoy the House of Rugby episodes, both the Irish and English versions, but Barry Murphy's voice can be extremely boring sometimes. The episode he did with Earls could make you fall asleep between the two of them, was just so slow and monotonous.

I generally like them too but I find they can really drag on a bit. They could easily knock it down to about 45 minutes instead of over an hour. Their interviews and behind the scenes anecdotes are very good though, much better than their analysis.

errlloyd

Squidgy Black wrote: »

I enjoy the House of Rugby episodes, both the Irish and English versions, but Barry Murphy's voice can be extremely boring sometimes. The episode he did with Earls could make you fall asleep between the two of them, was just so slow and monotonous.

At the start I really liked his voice, I found it sort of soothing. He's a musician and you can tell he put some time and effort into the aesthetic sound quality of the podcast. I still enjoy it later in the day when I'm trying to relax. But I often find I skip to whatever game Trimble is covering in detail.

I did not expect to like Trimble as much as I do, he's absolutely gas.

aloooof

errlloyd wrote: »

and you can tell he put some time and effort into the aesthetic sound quality of the podcast.

Do you think so? I actually find the sound quality pretty poor at times and it's the one thing that puts me off.

I preferred the Hard Yards, really liked Andy McGeady.

elliot_st

Off the ball podcasts are usually munster dominated.
House of rugby not much better and the "banter" is awful. Hard Yards was much better.

The 42.ie's rugby podcast is probably the best, aslong as they don't have eddie on and it's andy and murray.

errlloyd

aloooof wrote: »

Do you think so? I actually find the sound quality pretty poor at times and it's the one thing that puts me off.

I preferred the Hard Yards, really liked Andy McGeady.

I thought so yeah! Like proper mics and a dampened studio, but the call quality is terrible. I am listening when I commute though...

arsebiscuits1

errlloyd wrote: »

At the start I really liked his voice, I found it sort of soothing. He's a musician and you can tell he put some time and effort into the aesthetic sound quality of the podcast. I still enjoy it later in the day when I'm trying to relax. But I often find I skip to whatever game Trimble is covering in detail.

I did not expect to like Trimble as much as I do, he's absolutely gas.

He's got such a way of taking the piss out of both himself and whoever he is talking to in such an inoffensive yet still make it very funny. Very easy to like him

ktulu123

Was pissing myself laughing walking in town at lunch listening to Trimble describe how the other provinces are like rescue dogs. I must of looked nuts haha.

Really enjoy the Irish House of Rugby, I did enjoy the hard yards also. Pity one had to go to make way for the other. Off the ball just annoys me anytime I listen to it. As a Leinster fan the Munster bias drives me mad, they spend most of the show usually talking about how amazing Carbery is then have a few words about the other provinces haha. Only listen when drico is on or player interviews.

GavMan

I think the Left Wing is improve. Its less and less matey matey and Luke is talking less and in shorter sentences. This is good