Beefy & Beaumont 'Old Boys New Balls!'

Jason Leonard reveals the untold side of rugby's biggest transitions - from an outrageous disciplinary hearing after England vs Scotland, to the brutal shift from amateur to professional, to the mindset that helped England win the 2003 World Cup.

If you love rugby, leadership, or the stories behind elite sport's biggest turning points, this one is packed with laughs, honesty, and hard-earned insight.

Leonard sits down with Beefy and Bill Beaumont to revisit the moments that shaped his career, including the infamous Murrayfield incident, the chaos of early professionalism, and the pressure of being thrust into a World Cup final when every scrum felt like a battle of wills.

You'll hear how England's culture changed under Clive Woodward, why the move to professionalism shook up travel, training, and team standards, and how small tactical decisions like kicking for points and handling referees can decide the biggest matches in the world.

He also shares vivid Lions tour memories from South Africa and New Zealand, the story behind the "Fun Bus" nickname, and what it was really like playing through injury, adapting under pressure, and learning when to trust the process. Along the way, Beefy and Bill bring their own perspective on England, the modern game, and the ongoing debate around referees, coaches, and player welfare.

Jason Leonard is one of English rugby's most decorated forwards, a World Cup winner and Lions veteran whose career spans the amateur era, the dawn of professionalism, and the modern elite game.

Essential listening if you want brilliant rugby storytelling, candid opinions, and a front-row seat to one of the game's great careers.

#Rugby #RugbyUnion #RugbyPodcast #RugbyStories #JasonLeonard #EnglandRugby #SixNations #LionsRugby #RugbyLegends #SportsPodcast #RugbyLife #OldBoysNewBalls #Beefy #Botham #Beaumont #OBNB #SportStories

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He built a successful business from scratch and owns one of sport’s biggest global brands. But aged 38, Ryan Howsam could not even afford to put petrol in his car.

Ian Botham and Bill Beaumont get Ryan talking about the move from double glazing salesman to serial entrepreneur, the gamble of taking over the former European Senior Tour, and why he renamed it the Legends Tour to give it a bigger future.

He opens up about sponsorship, brand building, and the commercial reality behind sports businesses that look glamorous from the outside but are incredibly hard to make profitable.

You’ll discover:

• How the Legends Tour is growing prize money, events, and global reach
• Why Ryan believes sport needs business thinking to survive and scale
• The plan to build Legends Tour resorts, with tournaments tied to property and tourism
• How the tour’s TV series, Final Cut, is giving fans a behind-the-scenes look at the sport
• Why he thinks AI, tech, and lower barriers to entry make this the best time ever to start a business

Ryan also talks candidly about rebuilding after setbacks, staying focused when your head is full of ideas, and why he still believes the biggest opportunities are still ahead.

Ian and Bill bring the golf banter, the business questions, and the kind of conversation that gets behind both the numbers and the mindset.

Essential listening if you love golf, entrepreneurship, and the inside story of how a sporting idea becomes a global brand.

#Staysure #Entrepreneurship #Golf #LegendsTour #Business #FounderStory #AI #OldBoysNewBalls #Sport #Howsam #Beefy #Botham #Beaumont

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Former Manchester City player and manager Peter Reid fears the club’s clash with the Premier League could open a “can of worms” — and lead to a seemingly endless series of costly legal battles.

In this conversation, the former England midfield general shares his concerns about what the dispute could mean for the future of English football, alongside a wide-ranging discussion of how the modern game has changed. From VAR and diving to the pressures facing managers, he offers a candid perspective shaped by a lifetime in football.

The conversation also explores the teams, players and eras that shaped Reid’s career, including revelations from a chat with Diego Maradona, after his Hand of God knocked Reid and his England team-mates out of the 1986 World Cup.

An hilarious Old Boys New Balls chat not to be missed by all football fans.

#PeterReid #ManchesterCity #PremierLeague #Football #FootballPodcast #ManCity #OldBoysNewBalls #OBNB #Beefy #Beaumont #Botham

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Bill and Ian return this week for a mid-series catch up.

We discuss why referees need to be stronger and less reliant on VAR.

What difference can Shaun Edwards make to the Red Roses?

Who will win the rugby union Prem?

Plus Ian reveals what he does to relax in his spare time, while exposing Bill for cheating when it comes to cycling.

And Bill explains why he's been banned from the school run!!

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We also want to hear from you - got a question for Beefy and Bill? Agree or disagree with anything they've said?

Email us at: [email protected]

Follow us on Instagram: @beefyandbeaumont

Follow us on 'X': @oldboysnewballs

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Produced by Shine Talent Management & Simon Watts

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Danny Care won over 100 caps for England and spent 19 years wearing the number 9 shirt for Harlequins.

Now two years into retirement, Danny joins Bill Beaumont and Ian Botham this week to discuss how he turned to rugby after being released from Sheffield Wednesday alongside Jamie Vardy.

He also reveals how his relationship with Eddie Jones got off to a bad start years before he got the England job, why Jones high standards were unsustainable at international level, his friendship with Joe Marler and why Owen Farrell is destined for greatness in coaching.

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AD - Old Boys, New Balls have teamed up with Staysure Travel Insurance and are offering our listeners 20% off their next policy with code OLDBOYS20

With their Comprehensive and Signature policies recognised as Which? Best Buys. They offer cover for all ages, and pre-existing medical conditions and 24/7 emergency support

Offer excludes costs to cover medical conditions and add-ons. New policies only. Ends 31/10/2026. T&Cs apply.

-----------------------

We also want to hear from you - got a question for Beefy and Bill? Agree or disagree with anything they've said?

Email us at: [email protected]

Follow us on Instagram: @beefyandbeaumont

Follow us on 'X': @oldboysnewballs

Artwork by wearepure.net

Produced by Shine Talent Management & Simon Watts

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From re-building homes to building Cornish Pirates into the 'Wrexham' of rugby union.

TV presenter Nick Knowles joins Bill Beaumont and Ian Botham to reveal why he's chosen to invest in the Championship club, what led him from a council estate in London to support them and how he's looking to replicate Rob Mac and Ryan Reynolds is taking the Cornish brand to Hollywood.

We also discuss the latest on the state of domestic and international rugby, debate whether league is more exciting than union and what's Ian's views on the latest goings on in the England cricket camp?

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AD - Old Boys, New Balls have teamed up with Staysure Travel Insurance and are offering our listeners 20% off their next policy with code OLDBOYS20

With their Comprehensive and Signature policies recognised as Which? Best Buys. They offer cover for all ages, and pre-existing medical conditions and 24/7 emergency support

Offer excludes costs to cover medical conditions and add-ons. New policies only. Ends 31/10/2026. T&Cs apply.

-----------------------

We also want to hear from you - got a question for Beefy and Bill? Agree or disagree with anything they've said?

Email us at: [email protected]

Follow us on Instagram: @beefyandbeaumont

Follow us on 'X': @oldboysnewballs

Artwork by wearepure.net

Produced by Shine Talent Management & Simon Watts

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There aren't too many people who can say they were Ian Botham's nemesis.

But Beefy has a long memory and he still hasn't forgiven Wasim Akram for removing him for a duck as Pakistan beat England in the 1992 Cricket World Cup Final!

Ian and Bill are joined by one of Pakistan's most celebrated players and one of the true gentlemen of the sport, offering intriguing insight into the state of Pakistan cricket after the recent failures in England.

He also talks deeply about his love and affection for former Pakistan captain and Prime Minister Imran Khan, the future of red ball cricket and the lure of the Indian Premier League - plus the gym habits and pre-match routines that let's say differ somewhat to modern day sport!

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AD - Old Boys, New Balls have teamed up with Staysure Travel Insurance and are offering our listeners 20% off their next policy with code OLDBOYS20

With their Comprehensive and Signature policies recognised as Which? Best Buys. They offer cover for all ages, and pre-existing medical conditions and 24/7 emergency support

Offer excludes costs to cover medical conditions and add-ons. New policies only. Ends 31/10/2026. T&Cs apply.

-----------------------

We also want to hear from you - got a question for Beefy and Bill? Agree or disagree with anything they've said?

Email us at: [email protected]

Follow us on Instagram: @beefyandbeaumont

Follow us on 'X': @oldboysnewballs

Artwork by wearepure.net

Produced by Shine Talent Management & Simon Watts

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Ryder Cup, broken traditions, and one brutally honest take on the future of golf. Colin Montgomerie joins Beefy and Bill Beaumont for a wide-ranging conversation that swings from championship pressure to the modern game’s biggest problem - and why some of golf’s most iconic courses are being pushed to the edge.

Monty opens up about what it takes to captain Europe, why playing the Ryder Cup is far easier than leading it, and the emotional weight of keeping Europe’s home record alive. He also revisits the moments that still sting, including Winged Foot, where one mistake changed everything, and explains why the mental side of golf can matter more than technique.

You’ll hear stories from his days as a trailblazing college golfer in America, memories of going toe-to-toe with Davis Love, Billy Mayfair, and the sport’s biggest names; and the lessons he learned from asking the right questions of legends like Faldo, Seve, Langer, Woosnam, and Olazábal. Beefy and Bill bring the banter, the memories, and the perspective of two men who have seen elite sport from the inside.

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AD - Old Boys, New Boys have teamed up with Staysure Travel Insurance and are offering our listeners 20% off their next policy with code OLDBOYS20

With their Comprehensive and Signature policies recognised as Which? Best Buys. They offer cover for all ages, and pre-existing medical conditions and 24/7 emergency support

Offer excludes costs to cover medical conditions and add-ons. New policies only. Ends 31/10/2026. T&Cs apply.

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Montgomerie also gets candid about the LIV Golf fallout, the friction around bringing players back into the fold, and why he believes the sport has reached a tipping point. His argument is simple and provocative: if the ball and equipment keep going the way they are, beloved courses like Royal Lytham and St Andrews will be forced into irrelevance unless golf makes a serious correction.

Colin Montgomerie is one of Europe’s greatest ever golfers, a Ryder Cup icon with 23.5 points and one of the most respected voices in the game. Bill Beaumont is a former England rugby captain and one of the sport’s most influential leaders, bringing a sharp eye for team culture and captaincy. Beefy steers the conversation with the kind of wit and authority only a true sporting great can deliver.

Essential listening if you love golf history, Ryder Cup drama, or big-picture debates about where the game goes next.Monty opens up about what it takes to captain Europe, why playing the Ryder Cup is far easier than leading it, and the emotional weight of keeping Europe’s home record alive. He also revisits the moments that still sting, including Winged Foot, where one mistake changed everything, and explains why the mental side of golf can matter more than technique.

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One of football’s most respected and best-loved managers, Harry Redknapp, joins the Old Boys for this incredible episode.

He takes us on a eye-opening journey through decades of football evolution - from the grit and grind of the 70s and 80s to today's high-paying, globalised game.

He’ll reveal incredible stories from his long career managing some of the biggest clubs in the game. You'll discover how scouting, recruitment, and youth development have been revolutionised, often at the expense of local talent. And Harry shares unforgettable tales of the underdog days, like coaching on a shoestring and training in cricket grounds, contrasting sharply with today's multi-million pound transfer market and huge pay packets.

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AD - Old Boys, New Boys have teamed up with Staysure Travel Insurance and are offering our listeners 20% off their next policy with code OLDBOYS20

With their Comprehensive and Signature policies recognised as Which? Best Buys. They offer cover for all ages, over 3,500 pre-existing medical conditions, a free 24/7 online doctor, pay up to £15,000 on cancellations and up to £5,000 lost luggage. And they’re rated “Excellent” by Trustpilot! 

Offer excludes costs to cover medical conditions and add-ons. New policies only. Ends 22/09/2026. T&Cs apply.

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In this episode, you'll also hear Harry give his unfiltered opinions on modern issues plaguing football - from culture and discipline, to VAR and the importance of nurturing homegrown talent.

You’ll find out why he believes: “The future of football is in the kids, not the foreign players or agents.”

His passionate insights make it a must-listen for anyone who loves the beautiful game but is concerned about its direction.

Beyond football, Harry discusses his beloved golf, from playing with Tony Pulis to the joys (and frustrations) of hitting the links at Trumps Aberdeen. There's genuine humour and warmth as he shares stories from the golf course, featuring top pros and funny mishaps. 

Plus, a glimpse into his family life, childhood memories of East London, and thoughts on sporting legends past and present.

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The Old Boys show off the young guns keeping their family sporting legacies in rude health... 

In this Family Edition, Ian is joined by his grandson, James Botham — the Wales international — and Bill Beaumont’s son, Josh Beaumont, who carved out a successful club career of his own.

Together, they share candid stories from life in professional rugby: the injuries, the pressure, the politics, and the relentless drive to keep going.

You’ll hear how changing pitches have affected player welfare, why club finances and selection rules matter so much, and what it takes to build a lasting career in a game that demands everything. 

Along the way, the conversation turns to iconic tours, memorable personalities, and the lessons passed down through rugby families.

If you love honest sporting insight, family legacy, and behind-the-scenes rugby talk, this episode is packed with it.

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