DSPN - RUGBY

Martin Devlin is joined by John Day and Mark Watson for a massive roundtable preview as the All Blacks gear up for their opening Nations Championship test against Scotland at Murrayfield.

Following a grueling year of test rugby, we look at the historical record against the Scots, the danger posed by flyhalf Finn Russell, and why our forward pack needs to front up from the first whistle. The team puts our set-piece execution under the microscope, discussing why an 80 percent lineout success rate is simply not good enough at test level.

IMAGE CREDIT:

Damian McKenzie during an All Blacks training session, Sydney, Australia, 15 October 2026. (Photo by John Cowpland / Alphapix)

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Tony Johnson joins Martin to unpack the big announcement from NZ Rugby on the future of Super Rugby and the NPC. We look at why privatisation is off the table, the idea of All Blacks playing across the ditch, and look ahead to the Nations Championship kickoff against Scotland at Murrayfield.

IMAGE CREDIT:

Will Jordan during the All Blacks training session, Sydney, Australia, 13 October 2026. (Photo by John Cowpland / Alphapix)

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It is mailbag time, and we are diving straight into your comments. Martin and Jamie break down why everyone went quiet on Du'Plessis Kirifi, Lester Fainga'anuku's hybrid bench role, and whether World Rugby needs to increase World Cup squad sizes. Plus, we look at the selection mystery around Emoni Narawa.

IMAGE CREDIT:

Du’Plessis Kirifi during an All Blacks training session, Sydney, Australia, 15 October 2026. (Photo by John Cowpland / Alphapix)

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If you're a young bloke chasing a professional sporting career, where do your best opportunities lie? Martin lays out the cold hard facts on rugby union versus rugby league, breaking down the odds, global markets, and post-career earnings.

IMAGE CREDIT:

Will Jordan during the All Blacks training session, Sydney, Australia, 13 October 2026. (Photo by John Cowpland / Alphapix)

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Nigel Yalden joins Martin Devlin to break down the Super Rugby squads for the upcoming season. We look at the Hurricanes retooling after a dominant year, the Crusaders and Chiefs setups, and the Wallabies welcoming back an old grunter.

IMAGE CREDIT:

CHRISTCHURCH, NEW ZEALAND - FEBRUARY 03: Richie Mo'unga poses during the Crusaders Super Rugby 2022 headshots session at Rugby Park on February 03, 2022 in Christchurch, New Zealand. (Photo by Kai Schwoerer/Getty Images for NZR)

DUNEDIN, NEW ZEALAND - FEBRUARY 05: Shannon Frizell poses during the Highlanders 2021 team headshots session at Forsyth Barr Stadium on February 05, 2021 in Dunedin, New Zealand.

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