Maul or Nothing

First things first, head to our @maulornothing Youtube channel and subscribe for exclusive content!  The boys are delighted to be joined by Springbok World Cup Winner Marco Van Staden wearing his scars from a bruising encounter with Ryan’s Glasgow Warriors.  We hear all about the big clash as well as Marco’s World Cup stories, what the win meant for the people back home in South Africa and about the man, the myth, the legend that is Rassie Erasmus and what it’s like being one of his disciples. Max meanwhile takes us through the disappointing loss to Saracens and how their big name players step up at key moments and are almost operating on a different level.  Unfortunately there’s still time for the boys to bang on about DIY and golf but far more enjoyably they also try to answer all your fabulous  questions you’ve written into the show so THANK YOU!!!

Watch the Ep (and check out Blair's Schnozz) here;  https://youtu.be/PApEB_C3dPk?si=beiGfmCdnmnHUetO) A super special Champions Cup show from the boys as they bring you not one but TWO superstars in the shape of World Cup winning wrecking ball André Esterhuizen and Toulouse royalty Blair Kinghorn.  André relives the previous 24 hours with Harlequins, the pride in their performance but also the frustration at how close they got. He gives his take on that silly penalty from Joe Marler at a crucial time and the mindset of the boys as they entered the “neutral” lions den. There are also some choice words on the French broadcasting standards and Thomas Ramos Lord of the shithousers. He also takes us through the heartbreak of missing out on a World Cup and then winning one, his Sharks move and he explains his thinking around why Marcus Smith is the best fly half for him.  VIP friend of the show Blair meanwhile is living the dream as Toulouse head to the Champions Cup final but it’s kinda hard to see his emotions because HIS NOSE IS FAAAAAAAAAAAACKED and buried under a ton of dressing like he’s been mummified. So what was he doing while his buddies were out celebrating? We won’t give it all away but it involves crying and holding hands….

Game changing, match winning, Tiger mauling, whitewash crossing, ball destroying Max Lahiff obliterating his try scoring statistics with not one but TWO meat pies. You might be surprised to hear that we go quite big on Max’s starring role in the Bears stunning comeback win at Leicester to boost their hopes of a playoff place.  Maxotron takes us through those defining moments and what was being shouted at the Bristol bench when they were 19 points down with around 10 minutes to go….. The boys also wade into the Danny Care card controversy… should he have been sent off? Is it wise for referees to officiate their former teams?  In any case the Thriller at Twickenham is put under the microscope as the Saints march is halted and Quins keep up the pace with the top four.  It’s so tight in the Prem that even Exeter in 7th are still in with a shout. The boys take us through the big talking points of the URC as the top 4 put daylight between themselves and the chasing pack…. And we look ahead to those monumental champions cup semi finals

Big week for the Maxotron! With Ryan dropping hints on every episode that Max was heading to the URC with Benetton…. Max is in fact remaining a Bear for another year. Speaking of Bristol… there was a feeding frenzy at Ashton Gate as The Falcons had their wings clipped by a ravenous record Bears mauling. Some eye watering statistics included: 13 Tries (Max Lahiff 0 but claiming almost 1…) 44 clean breaks (Max Lahiff 0) The boys discuss the business end of both the Prem and URC which is getting tighter per day.  Bath are back on track while the Saints go marching on…. There are some particularly surprising weekend results in the URC though including 2 home defeats for the South African sides…. What do the Bulls fans make of resting their stars for the European Cup and then losing to Munster anyway?  Ospreys carry the Welsh flame as they stun the Stormers in SA. But the big one…. The Lions liquifying Leinster to make sure there were some smiles on South African faces on Saturday.  Oh and the boys want your rugby stories! The Rumour Maul is back!  Also to our fans in Dubai, there’s a live show coming so keep your eyes and ears peeled for a forthcoming announcement!

The King of the South (of France) joins the boys to talk through the ton of tries which lit up a weekend of European action. Blair / Smaug gives an insight into the pre match hysteria, the half time roasting and the post match celebrations at the home of the Kings of Europe. Rugby is great and none more so than when underdogs get their day. Very few people saw that Quins win coming, least of all Mystic Max and The Oryancle Wilson. There is time though for Ryan (Jonny) Wilkinson to highlight how easy Maxime Lucu’s kick should have been (having never himself been in that position) Leinster (yet again at home) send out a big message of intent in dispatching the Champions but the lads aren’t convinced that La Rochelle’s exploits in Cape Town vs the Stormers had anything to do with the loss. We hear their take on the Bulls’ controversial decision to put the URC ahead of the Champions Cup…were they justified in their complaints or is it just what they signed up for…and either way Northampton keep doing what they’ve been doing all season…but is this the end of the road? And the boys talk through Toulouse’s ‘Gone in 600 seconds’ job on Exeter…it was close until it wasn’t any more! There’s also time to discuss Smaug's best mate Adam Hasting’s outrageous piece of skill. But what was the real driver for that tekkers masterclass?

‘Fresh’ from a hard Day (& night) in Hong Kong, Ryan catches up with a player widely regarded as one of the very best in the world of Women’s Rugby Sevens; Charlotte Caslick. They talk through all things Sevens; from the fastest players to the best venues, and of course the wild weekends in Hong Kong. We hear about her personal journey - from how she got into the sport via a serious injury to dishing the dirt on her room mates. Plus, with Ryan’s eyes firmly opened to what the Sevens tour has to offer, they discuss just what the game of XVs can learn from it’s smaller sided variant.

European knock out rugby is back and the big boys deliver as Bordeaux Blitz a Fazless Saracens while La Rochelle somehow survive the Stormers onslaught. Are Northampton contenders according to the boys? It’s worth noting that Ryan joins us from Hong Kong having had an almighty time at the Sevens. Fair to say anxiety levels are high after partying with all the stars. How will he take the fact that Max thinks we’re recording on another day….  We hear all about the amazing Hong Kong Sevens, and the boys round up a fabulous weekend of Champions Cup Action.

This week the boys break down another howler in the Prem…. Sin Bins optional between Harlequins and Bath. Regardless what a match! This Is Rugby! The guys revel in a great win for Bristol. The only unbeaten side in the Prem since the end of the 6 Nations. (2 games…) It is tight at the top for the Play Offs with the lads rounding up all the action. Similar story in the URC, although Ryan reckons the top 3 are locked up, but there’s still space at the top table. Our darlings Benetton back in the mix…. But just 5 points separate 5th and 11th…. The Race for Europe is on, speaking of which… the Boys give their Champions Cup round of 16 previews and predictions. The usual hot takes are there and more importantly deep life affirming questions answered…. What to wear as a rugby player if you want to get melted on the field? What would Ryan and Max do now if they came up against each other? The one piece of advice for a Hong Kong Sevens Virgin?  Enjoy!

Club rugby is back and so are the big talking points. Ryan and Max get their heads around a bizarre big game call as Quins and Sarries clashed at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.  What about the Bears mauling the Saints, Max takes us into Bristol’s mindset around that statement win. We round up all the action and hot takes as the business end of the URC/Prem crank into gear. We also discuss the latest transfer rumours, giving away some tantalising big goss from within the rugby inner sanctum and there’s even time to discuss how wily coaches get their players into the international set up. Oh and there’s an update on Louis Rees-Zammit’s NFL dream

The curtain has come down on the greatest six nations of all time (in Max’s words) Ireland worthy winners, although Ryan will no doubt infuriate some of our Irish friends with his take. But what about the others? Max is thrilled with England’s resurgence. They backed it up in Lyon, but there’s definitely some disagreement between the boys as to where France are. One thinks they’re back and the other thinks they need Dupont back!  Ryan takes his time with a sobering assessment of Scotland's campaign but everyone agrees what a tournament its been for Italy. And what of Wales? Is it all doom and gloom or are there chinks of light in the distance. The boys round up a thrilling final round of rugby and an unforgettable competition as a whole. Rugby is back!!!! There’s also the Maul or Nothing Team of the Tournament to sink your teeth into or more likely sharpen your comments online.

Wow…. That was unexpected. Italy put paid to the Fans Grand Slam much to the chagrin of Ryan. And Despite his best efforts at the art of filibustering, the outlandish predictions of Mystic Wils finally catch up with him...Scotland to win by 14 points...AT LEAST!  Back by very popular demand Simon Zebo is given his right to reply to his own predictions...but is the humble pie on his menu? We catch up with Italy winger Monty Ioane to hear all about the emotion at the Stadio Olimpico. How did the players prepare, what was the atmosphere like on the pitch and most importantly what did they get up to after.  We’re then back at Twickenham with Ryan in the corporate boxes enjoying England's best performance since the 2019 World Cup Semi Final. How Ryan and Simon Zebo laughed at the suggestion England could beat Ireland… but Max said “there’s always a chance”…. Heartbreak for our Irish cousins as the potential Grand Slam is torn from their hands at the death with Marcus Smith dropping the dagger between the posts and through the Irish hearts.  Question is… how did Max enjoy the action on a weekend in Prague?

We’re delighted to be joined by Ireland, Lions and Munster star Simon Zebo. He gives the boys the keys to the kingdom with his take on how England can beat Ireland. Only 3 things need to happen….  He gives us an insight into what makes Jack Crowley tick and what makes Joe McCarthy such an irresistible force.  The real question is “are Ireland better now than they were during last year’s grand slam” and Zeebs is pretty sure of his answer. He explains to the Philistines just why Andy Farrell is so good at what he does and just for good measure gives his prediction on the “Fans Slam” for Scotland….  The boys preview of the penultimate round of the Six Nations filled with predictions, hot takes and hopefully the perfect soundbite from an extremely confident Ryan.

“Humble in Victory, Gracious in Defeat” does not apply to Ryan Wilson ever. Disgraceful post-France, his humility following Scotlands resounding win over England is something to behold. Max remains admirably calm in the face of Ryan’s gloating and can’t help but wax lyrical over Big Duane VDM… We also catch up with Italy Captain, Michele Lamaro, and those heartbreaking last seconds when the win against France was in their hands. He tells us what went through their heads and the atmosphere within the squad. It’s also a bright future for Italy and they know they’re going in the right direction and things are falling into place.

The boys are back to talk Darts, Dublin and Domestic duties, as Max finally completes his incredibly protracted house move....somehow thanks largely to his cutting loose with a hand saw...which gives Ryan an idea!  Also in this episode, recorded at the start of the week but unfortunately delayed due to technical reasons, the boys dish out some now not so hot takes on recalls for Manu Tuilagi, Harry Randall & Hamish Watson😬, while also giving some much more relevant opinions on actual recalls for friends of the show Ollie Lawrence and Blair Kinghorn...as well as the mysterious continued omission of Zach Mercer. The boys also give us some deep thoughts on a hopeless task for Wales and a maybe not quite so hopeless task for Italy... And they also find the time to check in on the Saudi deal…. Is the Kingdom about to descend upon the Premiership? Can we expect Toulouse to Tyneside for Antoine DuPont as Newcastle look to be the big beneficiaries of barrels of banknotes??? Get on the banter bus!

Sacré Bleu Ryan is angry. He is still seething at Saturday’s result. Having spent the week in Dubai, had his return flight cancelled and arrived for all his work at Murrayfield at the last minute he can’t quite fathom what’s happened. Unfortunately for Max, Ryan is going through the 6 stages of grief…. He’s done denial but can’t get past anger. Which is funny. Max meanwhile is the eternal optimist seeing the good in England’s narrow win over Wales (something which irritates Ryan immensely)  Luckily both the boys agree that Ireland are unstoppable and could become the first team to win back to back six nations championships in the history of the 6 team competition. Also if you want to see the boys, they’ll be recording a live podcast at the Prince of Wales pub in Covent Garden on Tuesday! Ticket proceeds go to charity so come say hi!

The Maul or Nothing Boys get the inside scoop on that most astonishing of matches between Wales and Scotland. Sione takes us through those suffocating moments as the game looked to be slipping away…. What was being said, who stood up, what goes through your mind when the noise is deafening and what was Gregor Townsends reaction to the unfolding events. We also hear about the post match reaction in the changing room and their approach as they turn their attention to the France game.  We also hear about Sione first bumping into Max in the gym when he was a teenager in Melbourne and the absolute beasts they had in their young squad.  There’s also been some family fun trying to persuade his brothers to come and enjoy the delights that Scotland has to offer. As always a front row seat to all the chat and gossip from the Six Nations… Enjoy!

The boys break down a ridiculous round of rugby as the Six Nations kicked off with a bang. A record breaking Ireland pulverising France in Marseille Was that the finest ever Irish performance in the six nations or were DuPont-less France a little bit Bleu….  Ryan enjoyed all the hospitality at Wales vs Scotland and even managed to enjoy 1 half of rugby as Wales almost pulled off the unspeakable comeback to end all comebacks. Seen schmoozing with all the big Wales stars, how did Ryan survive and make it on the pod? Max meanwhile waxes lyrical on an England back row and a performance to finally be proud of. (Sidestepping the fact it was England’s narrowest ever victory over Italy) He’s played Ethan Roots in his Fantasy Team and thinks he’s a different specimen of rugby player.  It’s a full round up of the highs and highers of the Six Nations and also find out how to win tickets to Scotland vs France!!!

In this second part of their chat, Ben tells the boys all about life at Sarries; including life under the tough love leadership of Captain Faz, the infamous get right sessions and having to pretend to be our very own Ryan Wilson…and just how unpopular that made him! We also hear about Ben’s hopes for the Six Nations, his captaincy aspirations and just what did go down between Farrell and Arundell in that World Cup training session… 

It’s finally here… The Maul or Nothing Six Nations Mega Preview Fest 2024. The boys break down each team, who to look out for, what the big talking points are and most importantly they answer the conundrums currently flying around one of the most intriguing Six Nations for years. With the raft of retirements, unavailabilities, 5 new captains and question marks over most of the fly halves (bar Finn “Messi” Russell) the boys do the hard work by answering all those queries for you. They gaze into their crystal balls to predict the final outcomes while trying not to alienate themselves from every single fan base.  We also have time to hear from Max after that epic 101 point encounter against Bath and the ecstasy of the victory and the smash in the Bristol Bermuda Triangle

It’s finally here, after months of ghosting and self reflection from Max, it turns out his friendship with Ben Earl is real and the ultimate gaslighting was merely an illusion.  It’s a bumper episode with Ben Earl as he talks us through his time playing at Bristol with Max, the ups and downs and a particular man of the match performance which was all the sweeter for how it came to be in the first place.  Ben takes us through his World Cup experience and putting all the pressure on himself before the Fiji game.  He talks us through 24th man beer fears and what was the most powerful driver for some of Sarries best performances. There’s a lot of honesty around his England aspirations and how he felt under Eddie Jones. There’s even more honesty around how ridiculous he thought Max looked in his new scrum cap. He also gives us his take on media furore around his celebrations, Sarries and Faz It’s England’s Future Captain (in our minds) Under the Microscope