The Ruck

By The TimesSports News Sports News Rugby

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36 min
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The Ruck episodes

July 19, 2025 The Lions beat the Wallabies in Brisbane to go 1-0 up in the series
The British & Irish Lions are 1-0 up in the test series against Australia. They won 27-19 in Brisbane to gain a huge advantage in the three test series. Alfie Reynolds, Alex Lowe and Will Kelleher are on hand to look back on the match. They discuss a very impressive Lions performance in which they physically dominated the Wallabies and ask how Australia can get back into the series? Plus, they praise Ellis Genge, Tadhg Beirne, Tom Curry and Finn Russell's performances.
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26 min
July 17, 2025 Wallabies and Lions name their 1st test squads. Is it advantage Lions?
Australia and the Lions have named their matchday squads for the first test in Brisbane on Saturday. Alex Lowe and Will Kelleher are alongside Alfie Reynolds to go through all the big talking points. The Wallabies are without Will Skelton and Rob Valetini, how big a blow is that to their chances? Why has Andy Farrell selected Tom Curry over Jac Morgan? And, is this a Lions squad designed to overpower Australia?
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29 min
July 14, 2025 Do the Lions call ups prove the tours don’t work any more?
It's the week of the first test between the Wallabies and the British & Irish Lions!

Alfie Reynolds, Will Kelleher, Owen Slot and Stephen Jones are in Brisbane to look ahead to the match. They ask whether the tour matches have adequately prepared the Lions for the series. Plus, what do the latest call-ups tell us about the modern tour? Do they devalue the brand or show the midweek matches between tests need to be a thing of the past?

Plus, Will chats to Justin Harrison and Owen Finegan to look back on 2001 when Australia beat the Lions.
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43 min
July 12, 2025 Cowan-Dickie & Ringrose out, so who plays the first Lions Test?
The British & Irish Lions are heading to Brisbane to prepare for the first test match against the Wallabies.

They defeated a combined Australia and New Zealand XV 48-0 in Adelaide but lost Luke Cowan-Dickie to injury and will be without Garry Ringrose for the first match of the test series. Jamie George has been called up as cover at hooker.

Alfie, Will and Alex look back on the match and also discuss who Andy Farrell could select in his matchday 23 for that game in a weeks time.
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25 min
July 09, 2025 The Lions beat the Brumbies but are there more questions than answers?
The British & Irish Lions defeated the ACT Brumbies 36-24 in Canberra. Another win for Andy Farrell's side but was it another performance which adds more questions for this Lions side?

Will Kelleher and Alex Lowe are alongside Alfie Reynolds in an empty GIO Stadium to reflect on the match. They ask how much the Lions are holding back ahead of the test series against Australia? Is fatigue and the busy travel schedule catching up with the side? And, could Blair Kinghorn be ruled out of the tour?
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28 min
July 07, 2025 Is this the Lions team for the first test?
Andy Farrell has named his side to take on the ACT Brumbies on Wednesday and it is the strongest of the tour so far. So, Alex Lowe and Will Kelleher are alongside Alfie Reynolds to ask whether this is the side who will start the first match of the test series against Australia? They chat about which players are fighting to keep their spots in the team and what it tells us about how the Lions are approaching the series. They also reflect on Australia's unconvincing victory over Fiji and whether the incessant TMO interventions are becoming a major problem.
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48 min
July 05, 2025 The Lions win again but are problems emerging?
The British & Irish Lions defeated the NSW Waratahs 21-10 in Sydney for their third straight victory on Australian soil. But, are problems emerging for head coach Andy Farrell?

Alfie Reynolds, Will Kelleher and Alex Lowe reflect on the performance and question whether the players are executing the gameplan in the way the coaches want. They also discuss who is dropping out of test match contention and what the Lions need to do on Wednesday against the Brumbies.
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26 min
July 04, 2025 The Owen Farrell selection dissected
Owen Farrell has been called up to the 2025 British & Irish Lions squad!

Following the biggest news of the tour so far, Alex Lowe, Stephen Jones and Will Kelleher chat through the reasons for and against Andy bringing Owen onto the tour. Is he too out of form? Or does his vast experience outweigh the risks in his selection?
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32 min
July 02, 2025 Reds vs Lions review as Andy Farrell has another big injury concern
Alfie, Will and Alex are at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane to review the Lions beating Queensland Reds 52-12 to win back to back games on Aussie soil. They chat about Elliot Daly picking up an arm injury which could rule him out of the tour and where that leaves Andy Farrell and his full-back options. They heap praise on Jac Morgan who put in a strong performance in the back row and Alex questions whether the Lions could be playing an ambitious attacking style in these tour games to try and fool the Wallabies.
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32 min
June 30, 2025 Ben White replaces Tomos Williams, plus the Englishman at the Reds
Alfie, Will and Alex react to the news that Tomos Williams' Lions tour is over! The Wales scrum-half suffered a hamstring injury on Saturday so Scotland's Ben White has been called up in his place.

They also discuss all the other big talking points from Andy Farrell's squad to play the Queensland Reds on Wednesday, including the half-back partnership of Jamison Gibson-Park and Finn Russell, the return of Maro Itoje and the back-row balance.

Plus, they speak to Queensland Reds assistant coach, John Fisher. He previously worked at London Irish so chats about the incredible talent they had at the club when it went under, how they can tactically exploit the Lions in a few days and what a great occasion taking on the best of the northern hemisphere will be.
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50 min

About The Ruck

From the publisher's feed

The podcast they play in heaven.

Join Alfie, Alex, Will and Charlie along with the best of The Times and The Sunday Times rugby writers as they ruck over the best games and biggest names…