The Ruck

It's the final pod before Christmas and Alfie, Alex, Will and Elgan are back to review all the action over the weekend.They discuss humbling defeats for Gloucester and Harlequins and ask whether the current top five will be the teams to battle for a play-off spot at the end of the season.Plus, why are there so many high profile transfers ahead of next season? And, what can the whole league learn from Bath as they try and build a squad to win a title?Following Sports Personality of the Year they also praise Ellie Kildunne for coming 2nd in the individual award, ask whether the Red Roses should have picked up the team award and discuss what the British & Irish Lions missing out on a nomination reveals. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Will and Alex are solving all sorts on the Ruck this week. Mark Palmer comes on to chat about Glasgow's extraordinary win over Toulouse in the Champions Cup -- a rare shining light in another mixed round of the competition -- and the boys then debate how to fix the tournament, so there are fewer blow-out pool games. Could there be a "European Super League" instead? Or would it work playing it in one block in May and June?Then Will Collier, the Castres tight-head, joins us to discuss demystifying the scrum, following on from the superb guest column he wrote for The Times last week.And Alex dissects some news and theories around promotion from the Champ to the Prem, a subject that refuses to go away. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Ruck has a South African flavour this week as we interview Springboks hybrid hero André Esterhuizen, the centre who can also play back-row. We talk about that innovation, the Boks' fine 2025 and the upcoming Champions Cup clash between his Sharks and Saracens on Saturday.Will, Alex and Elgan delve into the first round of the Champions Cup, which featured some of the same old issues but good wins for Northampton Saints, Bath, Bordeaux-Begles and the Scottish sides. Plus, the boys rattle through the 2027 World Cup draw, and a gouging ban for Eben Etzebeth. We ask how the South Africans can be stopped from winning three tournaments in a row, and whether Rassie Erasmus might throw the Italy game. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Following the end of the Autumn Internationals, Alex Lowe and Elgan Alderman review the action. We look at South Africa's 73–0 mauling of Wales, as well as the late-game incident involving Eben Etzebeth.Elsewhere, Alex and Elgan discuss the latest in the R360 league saga, and with the 2027 Rugby World Cup draw coming this week, we look ahead to how the new 24-team format changes the pools, the seeding and the matchups it could deliver. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Following the end of the November internationals Alfie, Alex, Will and Barnsey are back in studio to review the action.In 2025 South Africa have cemented themselves as the number one side in the world but who are their closest challengers? Is it England who have won 11 out of 12 matches in the calendar year? And, will Steve Borthwick's side now be expected to win the 6 Nations?It's also been a tough November for the officials so the boys ask what World Rugby needs to do to give referees more support? And, whether they need to crack down on coaches pressuring them.Plus, the fallout from England's narrow win over Argentina, including accusations of Tom Curry being a 'bully', Wales' defeat to New Zealand and a strange 2025 for the Wallabies. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.