DSPN - RUGBY

Martin Devlin, John Day, and Mark 'Watto' Watson run a full All Blacks selection review based completely on this season’s performances. No predictions, no World Cup chatter - just a hard look at who should be on the plane to South Africa next year.

We break down every group: props, hookers, locks, loose forwards, halves, midfielders, and outside backs. Expect strong takes on Luke Jacobson, Samipeni Finau, Quinn Tupaea, Will Jordan, Caleb Clarke, and of course… the Barrett family. Mark comes in swinging. John refuses to budge. Marty keeps the peace (barely).

If you’re an All Blacks tragic or love selection drama, this is your episode.

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Naas Botha knows Springbok rugby better than almost anyone, and today he gives us a brutally honest look at how South Africa have become the top team in the world in 2025. We rewind the season, the early stumbles, and the moment the Boks clicked into a different gear.

Naas talks through what’s changed in attitude, selection and belief, why that second half in Wellington was the real turning point, and how Rassie Erasmus' decision-making has unlocked a level of depth South Africa have never had. He also explains the impact of Tony Brown and why the Boks are now scoring tries they simply didn’t score in past years.

We dive into the luxury problem at first-five, with Sacha, Handré and Manie all bringing something different.

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R360 was meant to breathe new life into rugby. Instead, it’s been shoved all the way back to 2028, and no one seems convinced it’ll ever actually launch. So, on the DSPN we brought in two of the best: Christy Doran from The Roar and long-time rugby journalist Chris Jones, to help us figure out what on earth happens next.

Christy talks through what the delay really means, why key investors walked, and why signing players six to 12 months before a World Cup makes the whole concept almost impossible. He also explains the chaos now facing league converts who quit their NRL deals expecting this thing to exist.

Then, Chris Jones joins us with 40 years of perspective, calling R360 everything from a pantomime season to rugby’s latest attempt to copy the IPL without understanding rugby’s actual market.

No players, no coaches, no broadcast deal, and a billion-euro budget? You can guess his verdict.

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We’re wrapping the season with one of the sharpest minds in New Zealand rugby media. Jamie Wall jumps in with us to take a clear, honest look at where the All Blacks really sit right now, and why Scott Robertson’s second year has created more questions than answers.

Jamie talks us through the coaching setup, what Razor actually does day to day, and whether the assistants should be feeling a bit nervous as NZ Rugby begins its end-of-season review. We also dig into the set piece struggles, the attack going missing at key moments, and why the South African tour next year could define the entire coaching group.

Plus, Jamie gives us some great context on Wales, the Springboks’ ridiculous depth, and why one shining performance at Eden Park might still matter.

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Greg Martin is back talking Wallabies, and how Aussie has managed to sink to their worst calendar year on record. It’s a rough watch for fans, and even Marto admits the players coming home are “embarrassed” about what 2025 has turned into.

We revisit that false dawn in Johannesburg, the Lions series they could have won, and how everything since has unravelled. Marto talks openly about constant selection changes, the lack of a genuine five-eighth, and the impact of losing Will Skelton.

He also gives us a window into Joe Schmidt’s final months, why Les Kiss wasn’t involved on tour, and how messy the transition has become behind the scenes.

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Tony Johnson joins us for a full, honest debrief on the All Blacks season, and we get straight into what worked, what didn’t, and what absolutely has to change. Martin fronts with his C+ assessment of the year, pointing to those three costly losses and the frustrating habit of following big wins with flat performances.

Tony digs into the big-picture issues - leadership on the field, the domino effect of mistakes, and why the England loss felt so deflating even after a strong start. There’s plenty of positivity too, from the emergence of real depth at lock and prop.

We look at the next two years, the coaching questions that still linger, what the attack is actually trying to be, and the brutal schedule ahead.

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We start with Martin’s five positives from the All Blacks season: the crucial Eden Park win over South Africa, the undeniable world-class status of Cam Roigard and Ardie Savea, the loyal “rah-rah” fans, next year’s stacked schedule, and the blessing that the World Cup isn’t until 2027 .

Then, Marty and young producer Lachlan rip through What Has More Chance Of Happening? Will the All Blacks win their four-test South Africa series? Could Razor realistically lose his job if results crumble? Are England any chance of winning the Ashes if they refuse to change their approach? All that and much more!

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We’re closing the book on the All Blacks season, and there’s only one man we trust to call it exactly how he sees it - Murray Mexted. Mex joins us in the studio and doesn’t waste a second getting straight into it.

We talk through everything from rotation and the modern mindset, to where the loose forwards sit, why the scrum has slipped, and why letting a player walk off after 43 minutes still winds him up. Murray takes us inside his view of the tight five, the lineout issues that keep showing up, and why he thinks we haven’t improved since France.

Razor’s role, the assistants, the structure around the team, the aura of the jersey - nothing’s off-limits as Murray hands out his end-of-year grade and tells us what has to sharpen up before next season.

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This week on DSPN we dive headfirst into one of the spiciest Mailbags we’ve ever had. You sent us a mountain of comments about the All Blacks season, and we took the lot on. Are we improving? Are we repeating old mistakes? Are the coaches getting it right? And why on earth did Razor admit Scott Hanson is effectively running the show?

We talk leadership, selection standards, and whether the All Blacks have slipped into “just okay” territory. We also get into the big ones: conceding tries, the scrum going soft at the wrong moments, and whether fans are justified in demanding more. Plus a bit of England cricket chat, Team New Zealand comparison, and the eternal struggle between stats and the eyeball test.

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We’ve brought the whole crew in for this one. Marty, John Day and Mark 'Watto' Watson sit down for a full Rugby Roundtable and things get honest fast. Grades are handed out for the All Blacks’ 2025 season, and they’re not pretty. From record losses to South Africa, to the stumble in Argentina, to leaking four tries against one of the weakest Welsh sides in years, the pattern is hard to ignore.

We dig into Razor’s “we’ve turned a corner” claim and ask the obvious question: where exactly is the corner? The boys break down player depth, the 9-10, 12-13 combinations, and why the coaching group looks like it’s in real trouble.

And yes, there’s still hope. The talent is there. The passion is there. But the bad days keep coming, and the All Blacks don’t get judged on 10-3 records. They get judged on the losses that matter.

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