Rugby Rivals - Sir John Kirwan & Victor Matfield

Rugby Rivals - Sir John Kirwan & Victor Matfield

All Black Legend Sir John Kirwan and Springbok Legend Victor Matfield go head to head on all things rugby just as you'd expect an All Black Winger and a South African Forward to do battle. Bringing in their friends and rivals from all over the Rugby world for a truly Global perspective. Refereeing in the middle is NZ media legend Ric Salizzo . And as all of them are well in the second half of their lives, Sir JK has some well meaning wellness advice to help them extend their lives and therefore the life of this podcast

Episodes

July 20, 2026 39 mins
The All Blacks ran riot at Eden Park! Sir John Kirwan and Victor Matfield break down a massive weekend of Nations Championship rugby - starting with New Zealand's six-try demolition of Ireland that stretched the Eden Park unbeaten run to 53 matches. JK explains why Dave Rennie's side is starting to click, and what this performance tells us about where the All Blacks are heading. Then it's over to Durban, where Victor's Springboks s...
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The world champions got a fright! Victor Matfield and Sir John Kirwan break down a wild weekend of Nations Championship rugby - starting with the Springboks being pushed all the way by a fearless Scotland side in Pretoria. Two-nil up in the championship, but should Rassie be worried by 46 missed tackles? Meanwhile in Wellington, the All Blacks ran in seven tries against Italy as Will Jordan made history - a hat-trick to become the ...
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Is this the new age of rugby? Sir John Kirwan and Victor Matfield react to the opening weekend of the inaugural Nations Championship. The All Blacks edged France 34-32 in a Christchurch thriller in Dave Rennie's first Test in charge, with Ardie Savea leading the side as captain and a new-look backline featuring Ruben Love. Meanwhile, the Springboks dismantled England 45-21, running in seven tries and reminding the world why they'...
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Dave Rennie has named his first ever All Blacks squad, and it's a massive one — the test against France kicks off this Saturday. Sir John Kirwan joins Rivals to break down every selection, the big calls, the surprises, and what it means for the new coach's tenure. Subscribe for more Rivals specials and expert reaction as the All Blacks season unfolds. #AllBlacks #DaveRennie #SirJohnKirwan #Rugby #Rivals #AllBlacksvFrance
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This weekend, world rugby gets serious. The All Blacks face France and the Springboks take on England - and with the world rankings tighter than ever, both results matter. Sir John Kirwan and Victor Matfield go head to head on both matchups: who wins, who surprises, and who's genuinely the best team on the planet right now. Subscribe to Rugby Rivals and make sure you never miss an episode. Thank you to Klipdrift for supporting the...
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The All Blacks squad has been named... and JK and Victor have some thoughts. Sir John Kirwan and Victor Matfield break down the selections, debate who deserved to be in and who got left out, and ask whether the Hurricanes are the best club side on the planet right now. Plus - the URC Final and the Bulls' defeat, and the Springboks kick off their season, Victor weighs in on what to expect from his former side! 🎙️ Rugby Rivals is pr...
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Finals week is here - and Victor Matfield and Sir John Kirwan are breaking down both the URC Final and the Super Rugby Pacific Final with their picks, predictions, and tactics. Victor makes the case for the Bulls to strangle Leinster up front - scrum dominance, a physical maul game, and keeping the ball off their dangerous backs. JK sees Leinster's quality in the backs as the difference. Then it's the Chiefs - can they finally get ...
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Tony Brown is BACK with the All Blacks… but should New Zealand rugby be looking wider than just coaches? In this week’s Rugby Rivals, JK and Victor Matfield go head-to-head over Tony Brown’s return and ask a provocative question: if rugby is happy to bring in overseas coaches, why not overseas players? The boys also break down a huge weekend of rugby as the Bulls charge into the final, while JK’s Blues some...
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What happens when two rugby legends reveal the one game they’ll never forget? In this special bonus episode of Rugby Rivals, Sir John Kirwan and Victor Matfield look back on the greatest game they ever played — and the choices may surprise you. From epic All Blacks vs Springboks battles to unforgettable clashes involving Auckland and the Bulls, JK and Victor relive the pressure, the moments that changed everything, and ...
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JK and Victor are back to break down a massive week in world rugby. Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu limps off scoring a try against Cardiff — and the prognosis isn't good. Is the Boks' brightest young playmaker about to miss a chunk of the season just weeks out from the England Test? Rassie's injury list is getting ugly. Plus: the URC semis are locked in, the Super Rugby Pacific playoffs are heating up across both sides of the Tas...
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JK and Victor are back — and this week's Champions Cup served up chaos. Bordeaux dismantled Leinster, and we're breaking down exactly why defensive structure can be the difference between glory and embarrassment. Plus: New Zealand's overseas player eligibility debate — where do JK and Victor stand? We name the form players in both NZ and South Africa right now, and make our calls on who's winning the URC quarter-finals...
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We are back for a brand new season of Rugby Rivals, with Sir John Kirwan and Victor Matfield. JK and Victor open with a personal tribute to Scott Hastings, the legendary Scottish midfielder who passed away this week. Then we're straight into Champions Cup final predictions, the Springboks alignment camp ahead of this year's All Blacks tour, and why Richie Mo'Unga WILL be in South Africa... JK is certain. Subscribe wherever you ...
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The Six Nations is done. And if you watched it, you'll know it was something special. JK, Victor Matfield and Andrew Trimble are back to break down what was one of the most compelling Six Nations in recent memory, and ask the question that's going to rile a few people in the southern hemisphere: is the Six Nations now the best rugby competition on the planet? Whether you're a diehard northern hemisphere fan or a Springbok support...
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France and England were supposed to be the heavyweights of this year's Six Nations... so what on earth happened this weekend? Sir John Kirwan and Victor Matfield react to the shock results, break down what went wrong for two of Europe's biggest rugby nations, and give their take on what it means for the rest of the tournament. Subscribe to Rugby Rivals so you never miss an episode!
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Dave Rennie is the new All Blacks head coach — and the rugby world is reacting. On this episode of Rugby Rivals, Sir John Kirwan (All Blacks legend) and Victor Matfield (Springboks legend) give their immediate reaction to the appointment of Dave Rennie as the next All Blacks coach. What does Rennie bring to the role? How will his coaching style shape the next era of the All Blacks? And what challenges will he face leading on...
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Ireland go to Twickenham… and suddenly everything changes. Just weeks after talk of “crisis,” Ireland deliver a world-class performance against England. So, are they back on top of the world? Or was it just one emotional afternoon? This week on Rugby Rivals: Ireland’s statement win at Twickenham - turning point or overreaction? The promotion and relegation debate — should the Six Nations introduce ...
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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 ...
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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 ...
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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 ...
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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 ...
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