Rugby Union Weekly

Danny and Ashley are here to wrap up the champions cup quarter-finals . They reflect on Friday’s epic clash at The Rec and Henry Pollock’s controversial yellow card. Is Maxime Lucu France’s number one scrum-half right now? Does Bordeaux’s defence get credit it deserves? Leinster are into yet another semi-final, but can Toulon defy the odds again next month in Dublin after dumping Glasgow out of the competition? Where did it go wrong for the URC leaders at Scotstoun? And will we see Courtney Lawes add to his 105 England caps? His move to Sale prompts Ashy to declare he is also coming out of international retirement!

Sara Orchard is joined by 2014 World Cup winner with England, Kat Merchant and former Ireland international, Anna Caplice as England beat Ireland 33-12 in the first round of the women's Six Nations.

The team react to the new-look England and a stellar performance from new captain Meg Jones. Hear from wives; Cliodhna Moloney-MacDonald and Claudia Moloney-MacDonald after they play against each other for the first time! Are there signs of Ireland closing the gap on England? And is there any possibility of England being beaten during this campaign?

The Women’s Six Nations starts on Saturday and ahead of the tournament, Sara Orchard and former Wales captain Phillippa Tuttiett get the lowdown on life in camp with the captains from England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland.

Sara and Philippa asked the all-important questions, and find out what the fans really want to know; from their ‘girl dinners’, to which celebrity would play them in a film. (To assist with that, Philippa has a little bit of help from AI - and the results are surprising!)

The captains come thick and fast – as Sara and Philippa juggle them all during the Six Nations launch. First up is Red Roses skipper Meg Jones. She lets them in on what it’s like being named as captain, new tattoos and the role she will play in the side.

Wales captain Kate Williams has a Navy background and tells us her journey from being in New Zealand to playing for Wales. Scotland stalwart Rachel Malcolm is no stranger to these events and tells Sara and Philippa all about the warrior mentality in the group – and Ireland’s Erin King lets us in on how many times it took for her to pass her driving test (spoiler…. it was 13 times!)

The quarter-finals in the Champions and Challenge Cup are set. Ashy, Ugo & Chris look back at the round of 16. There were stunning solo tries and plenty of TMO controversy, but did the weekend deliver? We also preview the blockbuster showdowns in Bordeaux and Bath this weekend as the best teams in France and England go head-to-head. Who is best placed to go all the way? Should seedings from the pool stages last until the semi-finals? Which try-scoring scrum-half is mirroring Ashy’s runs? And after Ugo's boxing presentation debut it sparks a debate around what rugby can learn from boxing when it comes to promoting the sport.

Did taking Prem rugby to bigger stadiums pay off? Danny and Ashy were blown away by the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday, despite getting lost. Is too much being made of Geoff Parling’s outburst at Craig Doyle? Ashy questions whether Saracens are bringing through enough academy players amid their bad run. And what about Robbie Deans’ appointment at Quins? Will it work out if he’s only spending 12 weeks of the year at the club? And with the Champions Cup returning this weekend, Chris asks whether the Prem gets too many spots. Plus, can Eddie Hearn turn Henry Pollock into the next Anthony Joshua?

Can anyone stop Bath? And how worried should Harlequins and Saracens be? The Prem is back as Ugo, Danny and Ashy assess the weekend’s action, with Bath looking a level above the rest. But can Northampton challenge them? There’s also high praise for Geoff Parling as he continues to impress, guiding Leicester into the top three. But it’s a different story for Harlequins, with questions mounting both on and off the pitch, including whether they can keep hold of Marcus Smith if results don’t improve. Saracens, meanwhile, have little to smile about after conceding 62 points. Plus, with the Men’s Six Nations set to name its Player of the Championship, is there any real contender to Louis Bielle-Biarrey?

What was the most impressive win of the 2026 Six Nations? The biggest upset? Who was the best player? Ugo is joined by John Barclay and Sam Warburton to wrap up the tournament as France are crowned champions once again. They discuss THAT winning kick from Thomas Ramos and ask if Louis Bielle-Biarrey is now more important to France than Antoine Dupont. England scored seven tries in Paris but lost for a fourth time, what positives can Steve Borthwick take from their worst championship in the Six Nations era? Sam picks out the four players Wales should build their team around as they sign off with a win in Cardiff. Scotland finished without any silverware and failed to beat Ireland again, so can it still be considered a successful championship? And after the pain of Paris on the opening weekend, do Ireland take home the title of most improved team during the Six Nations?

Chris Jones, Matt Dawson and Paul Grayson reflect on a dramatic final day of the Six Nations.

France clinch the Six Nations title thanks to a long-range Thomas Ramos penalty with the clock in the red against England.

It’s our big Super Saturday preview as Chris arrives in Paris and we link up with the BBC Scotland pod team of Tom English and Andy Burke who have made it to Dublin. Darcy Graham’s comments about Ireland being ‘there for the taking’ have caused a stir. Is this a sign Scotland believe they can finally end their long wait for victory over Ireland? How will they cope without the talismanic Gregor Brown? Is Finn Russell about to cement his legacy as one of Scotland’s greatest players by delivering a Triple Crown or even a Six Nations title? England fly-half Fin Smith gives an honest assessment of England’s struggles and how the adversity has has impacted. He also addresses the exchange with captain Maro Itoje in Rome and what the mindset needs to be heading into the Stade de France this weekend. We also grab a word with Ashy who explains the difference between a Steve Borthwick gameplan and framework and what you need to beat France in Paris.

It’s the final instalment of our guide series, and this week Chris, Tom and GRO are transporting you to Paris. They discuss their favourite memories of watching rugby in the French capital. Tom recalls Brian O’Driscoll’s hat-trick at the Stade de France and why it’s memorable for all the wrong reasons. GRO tells us about Sir Gareth Edwards’ favourite spot in the city and how he spent an evening with the legendary scrum-half and Jean-Claude Skrela. Where does the atmosphere at the Stade de France rank amongst the other Six Nations venues? And what’s the one you thing you shouldn’t do in Paris according to GRO?