Rugby Direct
Every week, Rugby Direct gives you the lowdown on all you need to know from the rugby world. Whether it's the All Blacks, Black Ferns, NPC, Farah Palmer Cup, or just what's going down at the club grounds, we have you covered on your home for all things rugby. Listen on iHeartRadio for every angle, every moment, and every opinion.
Episodes
On the latest Rugby direct Elliott Smith and Liam Napier discuss the announcement of the new All Blacks coach Dave Rennie. Liam shares new details on the potential make up of the coaching group and Elliott believes its time to move on from Scott Barrett as the captain. Also, where to now for Jamie Joseph.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Elliott Smith breaks down the breaking news that Dave Rennie has been confirmed as All Blacks coach, succeeding Scott Robertson.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
On the latest Rugby Direct, Elliott Smith and Nick Bewley review round three of Super Rugby pacific, with only one New Zealand side winning over the weekend, what went wrong for the rest of them. We dive into the good, the bad and the ugly of it all.
LISTEN ABOVE
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
On the latest episode of Rugby Direct, Elliott Smith and Nick Bewley preview the third round of Super Rugby Pacific.
They also discuss the latest changes to the NZ Rugby high performance environment and how it could change the game across New Zealand.
LISTEN ABOVE
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
On this week’s episode of Rugby Direct, Elliott Smith and Nick Bewley review round two of Super Rugby Pacific, The Brumbies thump the Crusaders, What's going wrong for the defending champs?
Also, the boys review the latest matches out of the 6 nations, and could Stephen Larkham be a smokey to be part of the next All Black coaching staff?
LISTEN ABOVE
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
On this week’s episode of Rugby Direct, Elliott Smith and Nick Bewley preview round two of Super Rugby Pacific. They also discuss Dalton Papali’i’s move to the French Top 14 side Castres Olympique and Leicester Fainga'anuku being dropped to the bench.
And for the first time, the boys dive into the mailbag.
LISTEN ABOVE
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
On the latest Rugby Direct, Elliott Smith and Liam Napier review round one of Super Rugby Pacific who shone who didn't and who has the most to work on as we head into round two of the competition.
LISTEN ABOVE
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
On the latest episode of Rugby Direct, Elliott Smith and Liam Napier are back to discuss the team lineups for the opening round of Super Rugby Pacific.
They also discuss their Super Rugby fantasy lineups for the opening weekend and take a look at the latest developments in the Blues replacement coach saga.
LISTEN ABOVE
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
On the latest edition of Rugby Direct, Elliott Smith and Liam Napier preview the Super Rugby season - who will be the big movers and who is likely to be spat out the back? We give our predictions for winners and circle a few players who might have a breakout season.
We also cover the latest in the All Blacks coaching race, the Six Nations underway and cast an eye over the Rugby World Cup schedule for 2027.
On the latest episode of Rugby Direct, Elliott Smith and Liam Napier are back to discuss the fallout around Scott Robertson's departure from the All Blacks, the criteria NZ Rugby has set for coaching applicants, and who the contenders are in what looks to be a small-field race.
We also discuss Vern Cotter being ruled out of said race by taking on the Queensland Reds job from next year.
LISTEN ABOVE
See omnystudio.com/listener f...
The New Zealand Rugby Union has confirmed the news they have parted ways with All Blacks head coach Scott Robertson just 2 years in to his 4-year contract.
Following an in-depth review of the 2025 season, NZR Chair David Kirk confirmed the trajectory of the team is not where it needs to be in the current Rugby World Cup cycle and the search for a new head coach will start immediately.
Newstalk ZB rugby editor Elliott Smith and New ...
In the wake of a scathing internal review on the All Blacks coaching squad, pressure is mounting on NZR to make changes as players revolt.
Elliott Smith and Liam Napier discuss the breaking news.
LISTEN ABOVE
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
On the final Rugby Direct for the year, Elliott Smith and Liam Napier return from Europe and some time away to review the All Blacks' season - what needs work, what went right and what are the big fixes required ahead of 2026.
We also look at the Rugby World Cup draw for 2027, assess the state of New Zealand Rugby as a whole and the big issues confronting the game over the Christmas break.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy inf...
On the latest Rugby Direct, Elliott Smith and Liam Napier assess the All Blacks side named to face Wales and whether it's a missed opportunity on the selection front or if banking a win is the most important thing for Scott Robertson's men.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
On the latest Rugby Direct, Elliott Smith and Liam Napier check in from Cardiff for a post-mortem to the All Blacks' humbling defeat to England - where is this All Blacks side at, are they stagnant or going backwards and does there need to be a re-assessment of the side's coaching make-up in the wake of the third defeat of the year.
We also check in on the other results of the weekend, as well as predict how the All Blacks might li...
On the latest Rugby Direct from London, Elliott Smith and Liam Napier review the two sides named for Sunday morning's test between the All Blacks and England.
We discuss the key selections including moving Wallace Sititi to the bench and whether it will be enough to counter the 'Pom Squad' named by Steve Borthwick.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
This week on Rugby Direct, Elliott Smith and Liam Napier have moved on to London but first they need to assess the win over Scotland through both a glass half full and glass half empty approach.
We investigate what changes could be made for the test against England and also look ahead to Twickenham - is the hosts' 9 game winning streak something to fear?
And we take a look around the rest of the rugby world with a big weekend...
On the latest Rugby Direct, Elliott Smith and Liam Napier check in from Edinburgh to review the All Blacks side named to face Scotland on Sunday morning and their predictions for how the match will unfold
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
On the latest edition of Rugby Direct, Elliott Smith and Liam Napier wrap up the All Blacks win over Ireland at Soldier Field and analyse the efforts of the All Blacks' bench in sealing the victory, while also pondering the success of the venture overall.
We also look ahead to this weekend's match at Murrayfield and what to expect.
Also, we look at the other games of the weekend and update the search for the new NZR CEO. ...
Popular Podcasts
Saskia Inwood woke up one morning, knowing her life would never be the same. The night before, she learned the unimaginable – that the husband she knew in the light of day was a different person after dark. This season unpacks Saskia’s discovery of her husband’s secret life and her fight to bring him to justice. Along the way, we expose a crime that is just coming to light. This is also a story about the myth of the “perfect victim:” who gets believed, who gets doubted, and why. We follow Saskia as she works to reclaim her body, her voice, and her life. If you would like to reach out to the Betrayal Team, email us at betrayalpod@gmail.com. Follow us on Instagram @betrayalpod and @glasspodcasts. Please join our Substack for additional exclusive content, curated book recommendations, and community discussions. Sign up FREE by clicking this link Beyond Betrayal Substack. Join our community dedicated to truth, resilience, and healing. Your voice matters! Be a part of our Betrayal journey on Substack.
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by Audiochuck Media Company.
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com