The Telegraph Rugby Podcast

In this bonus episode of the Telegraph Women's Sport podcast, we’re diving into the topic of inspiration. Host Dame Laura Kenny is joined by three trailblazers known for pushing boundaries. Sue Dorrington delves into her pioneering journey in women’s rugby, from discovering the sport at 23 to helping to organise the first Women’s Rugby World Cup in 1991. Sue touches on the growth of women’s rugby and the significance of representation in retaining young girls in sports.Carla Ward, a football player turned manager, discusses how the mentorship of Emma Hayes guided her through the pressures of the Women’s Super League. Highlighting the importance of visibility, Carla shares her vision for empowering young girls in sports.Zara Lachlan, a 21-year-old preparing for an extraordinary solo rowing journey from Europe to South America. Transitioning from BMX racing to ocean rowing, Zara recounts her intense preparation and the inspiration she draws from female role models. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ben, Charlie and Charles are back for the final time this Autumn to reflect on a long overdue win for England.Steve Borthwick's side thrashed Japan 59-14 at Twickenham to pick up their first win of the month and left fans feeling a little more optimistic ahead of the Six Nations early next year.We discuss what's working and what isn't, particularly the defensive system which was once again exposed at the weekendFin Smith impressed off the bench, is the Northampton fly half a contender to start in the Six Nations?Elsewhere we wrap up the best of the weekend's action as Scotland ended their series with a win over Australia and Wales misery continued with a heavy defeat to South AfricaPlus we discuss the World Rugby awards and tackle all your questions as usual Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ben, Charlie and Charles reflect on another disappointing afternoon for England at Twickenham as their winless run stretched to five following a defeat to South Africa.Was this latest defeat a result of bad tactics, or was it down to individual errors for the Springboks tries? They also address the fitness concerns after Steve Borthwick mentioned his side were not in the right condition when they arrived into camp a month ago.Elsewhere things are much worse for Wales, they were thrashed by Australia in Cardiff, a result that extends their winless run to 11. Warren Gatland says he will consider his future following the result, so we take a look at who could realistically replace him.Plus we get into the huge news surrounding a potential breakaway league for the games biggest stars and if any deal can be brokered. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode from the Telegraph Women's Sport Podcast, we're delving into the topic of body image. Hosted by Dame Laura Kenny, we bring together three women to share their stories and insights. Ellie Boatman, a Great Britain rugby sevens player, opens up about her journey through body image struggles and overcoming an eating disorder to develop a healthier relationship with her body and food. She emphasises the influence of social media on body perceptions and the importance of education around its dangers. Amy Truesdale, an Paralympic taekwondo champion, speaks about her confidence in competing in a male-dominated sport despite her disability. She highlights the necessity of focusing on performance over aesthetics, celebrating individual differences, and rejecting societal pressures. Kate Dale, campaign director of "This Girl Can" at Sport England, brings her expertise in promoting women's participation in sports, discussing the need for positive reinforcement and conscious behaviour around diet culture and appearance. She champions the importance of understanding female physiology in training to shift focus from appearance to performance. If you have been affected by an eating disorder, contact the NHS or Beat for help. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ben, Charlie and Charles reflect on the second weekend of Autumn internationals which saw England stunned by a resurgent Australia at TwickenhamSteve Borthwick has now lost his six test matches in 2024 and up next is the visit of World Champions South AfricaAhead of that game, we discuss if England are lacking in leaders, we also take a closer look at the defensive system and ask why it has struggled so much since the departure of Felix Jones.Elsewhere it was a disappointing weekend all round for the home nations, with Scotland, Ireland and Wales all suffering defeat as well, Ben was in Murrayfield and tells us the Scots have plenty to be happy about despite defeat to the Springboks.Plus we tackle all your questions as usual, including the possibility of French based players featuring for England and early Lions shouts too. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ben, Charlie and Charles reflect on England's two point defeat to New Zealand at Twickenham, where Steve Borthwick's side played well in spells but ultimately came up short again for the fourth time in five test matches.Have England just been the victims of bad luck to be on the end of such narrow defeats or is there a deeper issue within the squad that is preventing them from seeing out games?One team who has no problems in seeing out games is South Africa, ahead of their clash with Scotland this weekend, we hear from Eben Etzebeth and Ox Nché about how the World Champions always manage to be on the right side of narrow wins.Plus we discuss a huge clash in Dublin on Friday night as Ireland take on the All Blacks and discuss the retirement of England prop Joe Marler. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Telegraph Rugby Podcast is back ahead of this year's Autumn Internationals!Ben, Charlie and Charles get stuck into England's upcoming campaign which kicks off on Saturday with a clash against the All Blacks at TwickenhamWe hear from England's new senior assistant coach Richard Wigglesworth on what his new role entails, he also explains why he will always value what he see's with his own eyes over any underlying data provided to him.The guys also attempt to nail down their selection picks in the back row and at half back, and we discuss the recently awarded Elite Player Contracts and if the right people received them. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ben, Charlie and Charles reflect on the final round of the 2024 Six Nations as Ireland retain their title in Dublin and Wales finish bottom, picking up their first wooden spoon in 21 years.England finished their campaign with a thrilling match in Lyon, losing out to France by just two points. Despite the defeat, there are plenty of reasons for England fans to be optimistic. We discuss how new life was sparked into their attack and how it could develop even further this summer away in New Zealand.We also talk about the future of Wales boss Warren Gatland, who admitted that his attempt to resign was rejected by the WRU and also ask if Italy finally arrived as legitimate Six Nations challengers after their history-making campaign. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ben, Charlie and Charles reflect on the penultimate round of Six Nations action which saw seismic shocks at Twickenham and in Rome.England defied the odds to produce their best performance since the 2019 World Cup to defeat Ireland and end the visitors hopes of becoming the first Six Nations side to win back-to-back Grand Slams.Elsewhere, Italy produced a shock of their own by coming from behind to beat Scotland 31-29. Harlequins' Louis Lynagh had a debut to remember and he tells us what it was like to pull on the Italy shirt for the first time.And, as Wales lose their fourth game on the spin, we speak to their former winger Louis Rees-Zammit who tells us all about his preparations to make it in the NFL after leaving rugby. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ben, Charlie and Charles look ahead to the penultimate round of the Six Nations and in particular England's showdown with Ireland at Twickenham.Former England captain Will Carling joins us to offer us his thoughts on England, arguing a 'data straitjacket' is holding them back while revealing he had to argue with Eddie Jones to get current captain Jamie George into the leadership group back when he was a team mentor.The big selection question mark this week surrounds fly-half with Marcus Smith back in contention. Should he be fast-tracked into the starting line-up, or is George Ford or Fin Smith the better option? The guys make cases for each of the three starting on Saturday. Plus, we ask if Wales can turn their good performances into a win against struggling France this weekend, and whether Italy can replicate their heroics from round three when they host Scotland in Rome.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ben, Charlie and Charles reflect on Scotland's win over England in the Calcutta Cup, their fourth in a row, and where the defeat leaves Steve Borthwick's side heading into the final two rounds of the Six Nations.We ask if it is time for the England coach to roll the dice with some of the emerging talent, like Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, and if it is time to say goodbye to some of the squad's elder statesmen. Whether changes are needed to England's coaching ticket moving forward to accelerate Borthwick's rebuild is also discussed.Elsewhere, we hear from Italy defence coach Marius Goosen who tells us that Paolo Garbisi's last-gasp penalty against France should have been retaken after the fly-half was forced to rush the potential match-winning kick.Ben gives us his verdict from the Aviva as Ireland's unbeaten start continued against Wales. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ben, Charlie and Charles build up to the return of the Six Nations this weekend and discuss the crucial Calcutta Cup clash in detail.Scotland scrum-half Ben White joins the show to discuss his successful memories of the fixture and as well as his transition from England youth player to Scotland international.We also discuss if Manu Tuilagi and Ollie Lawrence could feature this weekend after the pair were recalled, and who will replace Alex Mitchell at scrum-half for England.Plus, we cast our eyes over the rest of the weekend and ask if either Wales or Italy can cause a major shock when they face Ireland and France respectively. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ben, Charlie and Charles reflect on round two of the 2024 Six Nations where England secured back-to-back wins, coming from behind to see off Wales at Twickenham.There were yet more questions for England's new look defence and, with harder tests to come, we ask if new defence coach Felix Jones will make any amendments for the remainder of the tournament.As for Wales, they could have two victories under their belt but their young team remained winless. How can Warren Gatland turn his sides' near misses into wins?The big talking point of the weekend came from Murrayfield as Scotland were denied a win over France with a last-gasp TMO review not awarding a try that would have won them the game. There is agreement amongst the panel that although a try was probably scored, the right decision was ultimately reached.And can anyone stop Ireland making it successive Grand Slams after Andy Farrell's side put 36 unanswered points on Italy in Dublin. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The 2024 Six Nations is underway and it was defending champions Ireland who sent a message to the rest of the competition by recording their biggest win away in France, securing a bonus-point along the way in Marseille.Ben, Charlie and Charles look back on the opening weekend, including that win for Ireland and a nervy victory for England away in Rome. However, Charlie is feeling optimistic about the work being done behind the scenes by head coach Steve Borthwick and Felix Jones. There's praise also for Ethan Roots, who impressed on debut.Plus, we discuss a chaotic game in Cardiff as Scotland almost blew a 27-point lead against Wales. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The 2024 Six Nations is just around the corner and the Telegraph Rugby podcast is back ahead of the tournament's opening fixture on Friday.Ben, Charlie and Charles get stuck into how the England squad will cope in the absence of Owen Farrell and Courtney Lawes, with Jamie George to skipper the side for the competition.We also hear from Italy forward Sebastian Negri ahead of Italy's clash with England, and he opens up to us about his starring role in the recent Netflix series.Former England coach Eddie Jones joins the show for the first time since becoming head coach of Japan. We hear about his new role, the upcoming Six Nations, and his strong views on Owen Farrell's decision to step away from international rugby.Plus, we cast our eyes over the best of the weekend's action, including a potential classic in Marseille between France and Ireland on Friday night. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ben, Charlie and Charles reflect on the final of the 2023 Rugby World Cup which saw South Africa retain the Webb Ellis Cup and register a record fourth win.The game could have been different had New Zealand not lost their captain Sam Cane to a red card early on. The guys discuss the impact of that decision and also if South Africa skipper Siya Kolisi was lucky not to see red.We also discuss where this Springboks side rank amongst the best teams in rugby history and if it is possible they make it three in a row in 2027.England scrum-half Jack van Poortvliet joins the show to discuss his rehab from an ankle injury that ruled him out of the World Cup and also what he has made of their progress under Steve Borthwick.Plus, we discuss Eddie Jones' resignation from Australia and take a look at the World Rugby Awards too.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ben, Charlie and Charles reflect on an agonising weekend for England, who were knocked out of the Rugby World Cup after losing their semi-final by a single point to defending champions South Africa.The guys look at where the game was lost, and if England could have done more to build a lead when they were on top.The fallout from the match has been dominated by an allegation made by Tom Curry against Bongi Mbonambi after the England flanker accused the South African hooker of a racial slur. World Rugby are investigating the situation.We also take a look at New Zealand's comfortable win on Friday night over Argentina and ask if the All Blacks are now favourites to win a fourth World Cup on Saturday.And ahead of the third-place play-off on Friday night, we ask if the fixture is pointless.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ben, Charlie and Charles are joined in Paris by the Telegraph's Chief Sports writer Oliver Brown ahead of England's Rugby World Cup semi-final against South Africa.They run through the England starting line-up, which features three changes to the side that beat Fiji in the quarter-final and discuss if head coach Steve Borthwick has nailed his selection ahead of the biggest game of his coaching career.We hear also from the England head coach who is embracing the tag of underdog heading into Saturday's clash.South Africa named an unchanged side for the first time this tournament. We look at their strengths and ask if they have any weaknesses to exploit.We also hear from their head coach Jacques Nienabar, who outlines where he thinks England could hurt the defending champions.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ben, Charlie and Charles reflect on one of the most thrilling weekends in rugby history as the southern hemisphere sides show they are far from a fading force.England remain the sole hope for the northern hemisphere after Steve Borthwick's side survived a second half fight back from Fiji to book their spot in the final four. Owen Farrell responded to criticism of his selection at fly-half with a player of the match performance.In Paris, we were treated to the two best games of the tournament so far with defending champions South Africa just edging hosts France to book a semi-final date with England while New Zealand produced their best performance in years to see off Ireland, who once again exit at the quarter-final stage.We discuss if it was a case of choking for the Irish, or if they simply came up against a better side on the night, and Charles gives us the mood from Paris as the host nation lick their wounds after their exit.Plus, we discuss Argentina's win over Wales and pay tribute to two departing number 10s in Johnny Sexton and Dan Biggar.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ben, Charlie and Charles reflect on the final round of pool action and look ahead to a thrilling line-up of quarter-finals coming up this weekend.We discuss the side Steve Borthwick is likely to select following England's lacklustre performance against Samoa and if he will stick with captain Owen Farrell at inside centre or if in-form George Ford will be sacrificed against Fiji.Ireland dominated Scotland to set up a mouthwatering showdown with New Zealand and we check in with former All Black and 2011 World Cup winner Israel Dagg to discuss his former side's chances as well as why the future is not looking so bright for them.Plus, we take a look at the other games this weekend including a potential return for France captain Antoine Dupont, who is back in training following surgery on a facial fracture and could start against the Springboks on Sunday.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.