Episode 18: Roses At The Curtain Call
Update: 2025-10-02
Description
The Rugby World Cup 2025 reaches its finale, and England’s Red Roses stand tall as champions on home soil. Canada threw everything at them but couldn’t crack a side built on set-piece power, defensive grit, and the depth to finish games out.
Ailbhe and Cian are joined by Fiona Hayes and Chloe Pearse to break down the World Cup Final and Bronze match. From Botterman’s turnovers and Bern’s scrum impact to Ellie Kildunne’s brilliance, they explore how England pulled away when it mattered. There’s reflection on what Canada got right and why it wasn’t enough, how France and New Zealand served up chaos rugby in the bronze final, and the way refereeing, TMO use, and “once bitten, twice shy” moments shaped the tournament.
The conversation also takes in the wider picture: record-breaking attendances, growing TV audiences, the investment question, and what Ireland can take forward into the next four-year cycle. It’s the last episode of Season 2 — a curtain call not just for the Roses, but for an unforgettable World Cup.
📸 Instagram → @mudderruckerpodcast
🟦 Bluesky → @mudderrucker.bsky.social
🎙️ Ailbhe → @irishwomens.bsky.social
📚 Cian → @rugbykino.bsky.social
▶️ YouTube → youtube.com/@MudderRucker
Ailbhe and Cian are joined by Fiona Hayes and Chloe Pearse to break down the World Cup Final and Bronze match. From Botterman’s turnovers and Bern’s scrum impact to Ellie Kildunne’s brilliance, they explore how England pulled away when it mattered. There’s reflection on what Canada got right and why it wasn’t enough, how France and New Zealand served up chaos rugby in the bronze final, and the way refereeing, TMO use, and “once bitten, twice shy” moments shaped the tournament.
The conversation also takes in the wider picture: record-breaking attendances, growing TV audiences, the investment question, and what Ireland can take forward into the next four-year cycle. It’s the last episode of Season 2 — a curtain call not just for the Roses, but for an unforgettable World Cup.
📸 Instagram → @mudderruckerpodcast
🟦 Bluesky → @mudderrucker.bsky.social
🎙️ Ailbhe → @irishwomens.bsky.social
📚 Cian → @rugbykino.bsky.social
▶️ YouTube → youtube.com/@MudderRucker
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