Rugby Rivals - Sir John Kirwan & Victor Matfield

Was this just a loss — or a reality check?

Victor Matfield and Sir John Kirwan dissect a Six Nations weekend that sent shockwaves through the tournament:

Scotland overpower England.
France look unstoppable.
Ireland bounce back.
Super Rugby begins.
JK admits he misses South Africa from Super Rugby.

Are England regressing?
Is France already in a different tier?
And what does this mean heading toward the business end of the tournament?

Rugby Rivals is BACK - with a recap for all the Six Nations action over the weekend. Sir John Kirwan, Victor Matfield, Andrew Trimble and producer Ric Salizzo break down all the biggest stories - and ask the question... Is this the end of Ireland’s golden era? Are France the best team in the world right now? England’s huge statement win after crushing Wales Italy’s rise continues with an upset 18–15 victory over Scotland . A massive opening round of the Six Nations - and the tournament already feels wide open.

In this special episode of Rugby Rivals, JK and Victor break down the shock decision to move on from Scott “Razor” Robertson as All Blacks coach - what went wrong, whether it was inevitable, and what it says about the pressure of leading New Zealand rugby. They discuss who’s next in line for the All Blacks job, whether Tony Brown could be tempted away from the Springboks setup, and the other international coaches who could be in line for a call up. We cast an eye ahead to the Six Nations and preview the All Blacks vs Springboks tour at the end of the year, and Victor's got a bold take... Get closer to the show and have your voice heard in our private community, The Rivals Rugby Club - join here: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/17nhQTangN/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s our final episode of the year, and we’re sending 2025 off with The Rivals Awards Show, breaking down the Best, Worst and Most WTF Moments from a massive season of rugby.We’re handing out our end-of-year awards, including:🏆 Player of the Year🟥 Worst Red Card of the Year🌍 Team of the Year🚀 Future Superstar Award⏪ Team in Reverse Award🤯 Moment of the Year🔧 The One Thing Rugby MUST Change Next Year🧠 Coach of the YearPlus a full recap of the weekend’s international action and all the chaos, controversy and brilliance that defined rugby in 2025.Join our Facebook Group to get closer to the show: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/17SfVayzoi/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're back for another big episode of Rugby Rivals.John Kirwan tries to make sense of the All Blacks’ latest stumble… Victor can’t get through 80 minutes without seeing red, and Trimby relishes in Ireland's whalloping of Australia. In this episode we cover:– What’s REALLY going on with the All Blacks right now– The Springboks’ red-card problem and how it’s costing them– Why Australia can’t catch a break– The biggest performances, turning points and tactical shifts from the weekend Watch, comment, and tell us your take below. Join our Facebook Group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/853841957325005See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.