The Rugby Paper Podcast

The Rugby Paper Podcast

The podcast for the UK’s best-selling rugby newspaper! Join host Ollie Little, regular columnist Brendan Gallagher, Nick Cain, Chris Hewett and an array of quality guests for in-depth discussion on the biggest stories on and off the pitch in the world of rugby!

Episodes

February 4, 2025 65 mins

Three home wins marked the start of the 2025 Six Nations as France thrashed Wales, Scotland conquered Italy and Ireland saw off England. So much to look back on and look forward to as Round Two looks even more tantalising. 

Will England stick or twist with their selection? Is Antoine Dupont getting even better? Does defeat for Wales this weekend spell the end? Scotland or Ireland?!

Joining host Ollie Little and columnists Chris Hew...

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Here. We. Go.

The Six Nations is just two sleeps away and we can't wait! Join host Ollie Little and a special panel of Rugby Paper columnists Chris Hewett and Nick Cain, but also Richard Isaac from the Rugby Analyst as the guys welcome England, British & Irish Lions and Bath legend Jerry Guscott to preview the Championships.

Is third place a success for England? Will there be a Grand Slam winner? Can Wales stop the rot? 

We deb...

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What to make of that Champions Cup weekend? On one hand we saw a classic in Northampton's victory over Munster, however the issues with the tournament were highlighted by Toulouse and Bordeaux's drubbings of Leicester and the Sharks, who crashed out at the group stage along with the other South African sides.

How can the tournament become more competitive? Is the schedule too much for Springbok sides? 

Alongside this scrutiny the c...

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Join Ollie Little, Brendan Gallagher and Chris Hewett for this week's Rugby Paper Podcast edition, recorded just half an hour after it was announced that Maro Itoje would be England's captain for the Six Nations. 

The guys react to the England squad announcement before welcoming on former Fiji and Glasgow Warriors scrum half and winger Niko Matawalu. Just as he was on the rugby pitch, Niko is pure entertainment, providing some fant...

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Happy new year one and all and welcome back to the Rugby Paper Podcast! We hope you had a restful holiday season and are as excited as we are about the year of rugby ahead.

Kicking off a Lions year in style with the Six Nations just a month away, the guys are joined by former Australia, Northampton Saints, Waratahs and now Narbonne winger Taqele Naiyaravoro. The gang discuss his time in England, how Cheslin Kolbe transformed the mo...

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In our last episode of 2024, the gang is back together in full force. Host Ollie Little and columnists Nick Cain, Chris Hewett and Brendan Gallagher come together to review the Champions Cup weekend gone by and debate the tournament's changed format. 

Don't miss the Rugby Paper Podcast's awards for 2024, as the guys pick their Player of the Year, Team of the Year, Match of the Year and very finally, Podcast episode of the Year!

The...

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Join us for this week's episode of the Rugby Paper Podcast as Harlequins flanker Jack Kenningham joins host Ollie Little and columnists Chris Hewett and Nick Cain following his side's narrow defeat by Racing 92 in the opening round of the Champions Cup. 

The guys discuss the tournament's format, Jack's return from injury and England dream as well as the impact of Joe Marler's retirement around camp!

Our thoughts and prayers go out ...

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A jam-packed Autumn Series has come to an end, with Australia pushing hosts Ireland right to the limit in Dublin on Saturday, with the Irish ultimately holding on. Australia have now played all four of the home nations in back to back weeks and will return home with two wins, and what could have been a third. Today, the guys look at how next summer's British & Irish Lions tour down under is shaping up, as well as picking their ...

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England got back to winning ways with a routing of Japan at Twickenham on Sunday. However after five consecutive defeats prior questions burn even stronger than they did before the Autumn. 

Do England keep faith in the blitz defence? Who are the back row/midfield combinations to take the team forward? Is Steve Borthwick the right head coach?

Joining the guys today to assess where England stand is former England and London Irish win...

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Three weeks into the Autumn internationals and England and Wales both remain winless. Question marks hang over Steve Borthwick and Warren Gatland's futures going into the final full weekend of November action.

With more tantalising fixtures coming up this weekend including Fiji's trip to Ireland, the guys are joined by fearsome Fijian winger Nemani Nadolo to discuss what Steve Borthwick is like as a coach, Fiji's awesome backline a...

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It was a great weekend to be south of the equator as New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, Fiji and Argentina handed out defeats to Ireland, England, Scotland, Wales and Italy. England fell short from a winnable position for the fifth time in six matches against a rejuvenated Wallabies side, while Wales slipped to new lows with a record-equalling tenth consecutive defeat. 

Today the guys are joined by former Australia international...

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With an eight point lead England seemed in control at Twickenham, only for a New Zealand fight back and some questionable substitutions to once again deny the men in white for the third time in as many months. 

Did England's tactics blow it? How good is Wallace Sititi? Should New Zealand receive a fine for advancing their haka?

The guys are joined by British and Irish Lions and Wales wing Alex Cuthbert to review all, as well as loo...

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We loved this one!

Following last week's 20-minute red card debate amongst the guys, we thought it best to call upon someone entrusted with enacting its introduction to northern hemisphere test rugby this Autumn.

Ollie Little, Nick Cain, Brendan Gallagher and Chris Hewett are joined by RFU international referee and one of the best in the world Luke Pearce to discuss the logic and implications of World Rugby's decision, as well as t...

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With the rugby world divided over the trial of the 20-minute red card during the November internationals, it's only right that the Rugby Paper Podcast weighs in. Join host Ollie Little and columnists Brendan Gallagher and Nick Cain for an intense debate around its introduction to northern hemisphere test rugby. 

The guys also discuss Newcastle's first victory in 581 days, ending a 25-match losing streak! 

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We love a prop episode! The self-professed 'oddball' Nick Auterac joins host Ollie Little and columnists Chris Hewett and Nick Cain for this one. The former Saracens, Bath, Harlequins and Northampton front row is now pursuing a career in TV and film composition, and joins the guys to discuss how it's going as well as look back on his career! 

Stick around for the final ten minutes as the gang also react to England's Autumn squad an...

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After a few weeks debating the dramatic final rounds of the Rugby Championship, time to revisit the Gallagher Premiership!

Three rounds in and despite question marks around how Saracens would enter their new era, they sit unbeaten at the top of the table. However, the winless Exeter Chiefs have endured their worst ever start to a season.

One of Exeter's success stories so far this season has been Olly Woodburn, who has been moved t...

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The Rugby Championship has a new winner for the first time since 2019, as South Africa clinched the last trophy available to them with a resounding 40-point win over Argentina. At the other end of the table, Australia finish the tournament with just one win and bottom of the table for the second year running.

Despite performances improving somewhat for the Wallabies throughout the tournament, the situation is still pretty bleak, no...

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For the first time since their involvement in the Rugby Championship, Argentina have secured a win against the other three nations in a single tournament. They downed reigning World Champions South Africa on Saturday to give themselves a slim chance of winning the Rugby Championship for the first time. 

Joining the guys to revel in his nation's win and assess their chances of doing the double on Saturday is former Argentina and Sar...

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The Gallagher Premiership returns! Can Northampton defend their title? How will Saracens fare without Owen Farrell? Will Newcastle give a better account of themselves?

Ex-England centre Luther Burrell joins Ollie Little, Brendan Gallagher and Nick Cain to discuss all for this one. A former Saint and Falcon, Luther has seen it all in the Premiership. The guys discuss concussion in rugby, how the top sides are looking and stay until ...

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The Rugby Paper Podcast's microscope moves south of the equator for today's episode, as in the latest round of the Rugby Championship South Africa wrapped up their fourth consecutive win against the All Blacks before Argentina condemned Australia to their largest ever defeat. 

The Springboks continue to go from strength to strength under Rassie Erasmus, while question marks remain over whether Australia will be able to competitivel...

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