England Rugby Podcast: O2 Inside Line

For Morwenna Talling being born and bred in Yorkshire hits differently. The Sale Sharks lock and back row forward opens up as to why she values her northern upbringing so much and why she wants to help drive the game around where she grew up and now plays. Talling also reveals how the shock England call-up came as a teenager that saw her make a debut at 18, how some lengthy injury spells have helped her mindset, what being a leader...

After making peace with having to quit rugby because of injury, Emily Scarratt opens up on what it means to still be a Red Rose. The Loughborough Lightning centre talks about the neck surgery she had to go through with, growing up on a farm in Leicestershire and combining being a PE teacher with the start of her England career. The Red Roses’ record points scorer also open up in the origins and importance of her close friendship wi...

An induced coma, a psychiatric ward and three months with no memory are just some of the challenges Abi Burton had to overcome in the autumn of 2022. The Trailfinders Women back row reveals about her misdiagnosis with depression and stress, the aggression she showed towards her family and her eventual diagnoses of autoimmune encephalitis. The Great Britain 7s player also discusses her road back to rugby, realising a dream of going ...

From a football-loving childhood in Carlisle, touring with Jonny Wilkinson at 18 to balancing a university lifestyle with professional rugby, England head coach Steve Borthwick tells his story of how, and why, leading his country means so much to him.

Away from the game he opens up about his Masters in Management helped shaped his philosophy, how he gets joy in other's happiness now and the profound moment that transformed his o...

From quitting drinking and gaming, to buying a horse and becoming a father, Sale Sharks hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie opens up to England Rugby Podcast: O2 Inside Line about his life and career so far. From starting off in Cornwall not knowing rugby could be a career, to being diagnosed with atrial fibrillation during a game and his lifelong friendship with Jack Nowell, 'Dickie' reveals some of the stories that you may not have heard be...

Not only did Tom Willis grow up with brother Jack and sister Annabelle, but the back row forward reveals how it was growing up as part of a family who fostered children during his childhood. The Saracens number eight also opens up on the difficulty of facing his brother for the first time on the pitch, as well as the joy of playing together, what it was like being made redundant from Wasps and how his local rugby club played a mass...

Leaving your family and friends to move halfway across to the world and pursue a potential career is not for everyone, but Chandler Cunningham-South explains the reasoning for wanting to come ‘home’ to play. The Harlequins back-row forward explains life growing up in New Zealand, his matchday superstitions and book-writing ritual, his special relationship with his mum and his love of London.

In this podcast you will also hear fr...

Before his retirement, Anthony Watson sat down to talk about topics that are important to him. From growing up in England and struggling with his Nigerian heritage, how rugby helped him get over his childhood shyness and how the importance of a visualisation with a sports coach became in his career because of nerves.

You will also hear from his brother Marcus Watson, sports psychologist and mind coach Don Macpherson as well...

From growing up on a dairy farm to the international stage, England senior assistant coach Richard Wigglesworth has had a intriguing upbringing that has made him who he is today. The former scrum half opens up on his upbringing, the respect for his dad who had a heart transplant to secret story of crying ahead of his last playing game, he opens up on what still motivates him.

In this pod you will also hear from his dad Peter Wig...

After nearly having his life taken away from him because of sepsis, England assistant coach Andrew Strawbridge has a transformed outlook on life. After falling ill during a work trip to Samoa, Strawbridge received medical treatment but need to be put into a coma, he was resuscitated a couple of times and had said goodbye to his wife thinking he might not survive the illness. He reveals what he went through at the time, his recovery...

The same day he was asked to be England captain, Jamie George found out his mum had been diagnosed with cancer. 

In this podcast, the Saracens hooker reveals the joy his mum got from watching him lead England, and how it kept her positive in her final months. How he had to balance his emotions when his first child was born 10 days after her passing and how his England teammates supported him throughout it all. George also...

Having had to cope with a teenage diagnosis of epilepsy and being let go from an academy because of his size, Tommy Freeman has overcome many hurdles to make it as a rugby player. The Northampton Saints back opens up on his epileptic seizure that he thought was going to end his rugby career, how he mentally and physically had to deal with his late growth spurt and bouncing back from being replaced at half time early in his internat...

From thriving while playing in a boys' team to embracing her dyslexia, Sarah Bern has always overcome challenges presented to her. The Bristol Bears and Red Roses prop opens up on a number of issues including how her dyslexia and dyspraxia affect her playing international rugby, how she began to accept her broader body size after struggling at school and why she wants to inspire her ADHD autistic nephew Finlay. From her love of fas...

Being born in Leeds, growing up in England and New Zealand, and understanding your Samoan culture, there has been a lot of cultural influences Maddie Feaunati has taken in during her life so far. The Exeter Chiefs back-row forward opens up on coming to rugby late, growing up with her four sisters and the influence her dad has had on her - from playing for Samoa to starring as Jonah Lomu alongside Matt Damon and Morgan Freeman.

I...

Life away from rugby is just as important to Amy Cokayne as matters on the field. As an RAF police officer, the Leicester Tigers and Red Roses she has found comfort outside the sport after missing out on the chance to become world champions in 2017. From growing up with a nomadic childhood including her early rugby years in New Zealand, to playing against her future partner in the Army v Navy game and why a football club inspired h...

Being open and vocal is all part of what Meg Jones who she is. From growing up in Wales but choosing to represent England, to wanting to share her relationship journey with partner Celia Quansah and how rugby's community helped her find comfort in her sexuality and individualism, Meg's story so far in rugby has been a fascinating one.

In this pod you will also hear from her former coach and Red Rose Nolli Waterman and her partne...

From meeting her fiancé to giving her confidence on and off the pitch, rugby has given Zoe Aldcroft so much in her life so far. The Gloucester-Hartpury lock discussed the lack of female sporting role models growing up, now being rivals with her partner at club level with him working for Leicester Tigers, the added pressure of playing after being named World Player of the Year brought and her Jonny Wilkinson doll she carries with he...

From a desire to make people smile, to her photography and craft-making, Maud Muir puts as much into her time off the pitch as on it. The Red Roses and Gloucester-Hartpury prop opens up on her positive outlook on life, celebrating body confidence and size for strength and why she puts such an emphasis on rugby culture, and how that plays out in the West Country living near her club and international team mates.

In this pod you w...

After being attacked and tied up during a robbery in South Africa, John Mitchell's perspective on life completely changed. The Red Roses head coach talks in-depth about the trauma and recovery from that experience, how he has changed as a person from coaching the All Blacks to his first job in women's rugby as well as the personal difficulties he has had being a well-travelled elite coach.

In this pod you will also hear from his...