The Ruck

Alfie Reynolds, Will Kelleher and Stuart Barnes reflect on the conclusion of the Champions Cup pool stages and question whether the format of the competition still needs tweaking. They discuss the massive news that Louis Rees-Zammit is putting his rugby career on hold to pursue a career in the NFL and that Joe Schmidt is the new head coach of the Wallabies. Plus, Alfie and Will sit down and chat to James Gay-Rees, the executive producer of the new Netflix series Six Nations: Full Contact which comes out this week.

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Alex Lowe and Will Kelleher join Alfie Reynolds to look back on another weekend in the Champions Cup, which once again provided some great matches and highlighted the current issues with the competitions structure. They also chat about Andy Farrell being named British and Irish lions head coach last week and debate whether a lions tour would be successful for the women. Plus, with Steve Borthwick naming his England Six Nations squad on Wednesday they discuss the big decisions that he faces.

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England, Saracens and British and Irish Lions hooker Jamie George joins Will Kelleher and Alfie Reynolds for today's episode. He chats about the latest round of Premiership action, as the race for the play-offs hots up and Jamie's team mate Owen Farrell has been linked with a move to France. He also explains why England players have opted to start a new agency to look after their contractual and commercial deals with the RFU. Plus, he looks ahead to the 2024 6 Nations as England aim to build-up on their third placed finish at the World Cup.

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Happy new year! What better way to start 2024 than with the first Ruck of the year. Alfie Reynolds, Alex Lowe and Will Kelleher name a men's World XV of 2023, which is dominated by South Africa and New Zealand who reached the World Cup final. Alfie chats with England under-20 and Northampton Saints back-row Henry Pollock to chat about his successful 2023 and look ahead to what the new year might bring. Plus, the boys name their end of year awards and reveal their hopes for 2024.

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Sale Sharks invited us up to Manchester to go behind the scenes at the club. Alfie Reynolds, Alex Lowe and Will Kelleher make the journey to the North-West to get a better understanding of what is making the Sharks tick and the overall development of the club. They chat to co-owner Michelle Orange, Director of Rugby Alex Sanderson, England internationals George Ford and Manu Tuilagi and youngsters Tom Roebuck and Joe Carpenter. They chat about the importance of rugby in the north, the women's team, the Premiership final defeat and how they are a Premiership club that is building something special.

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Alfie Reynolds and Will Kelleher round-up another weekend of the Champions Cup. Including good wins for Northampton, Saracens, Leicester, Exeter and Bath. But with a number of teams deciding to rotate their squads at the weekend they debate if that is a negative thing for the competition. They also chat to Stormers Head Coach John Dobson after they beat La Rochelle with a last-gasp conversation. Plus, they also name their God or Goddess of the week.

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Following English clubs winning 7 of their 8 matches across the opening round of the Champions Cup, Alfie Reynolds, Will Kelleher, Alex Lowe and Stuart Barnes reflect on all the action, including the awkward problems which arise from South African clubs taking part. They also debate Henry Arundell deciding to miss out the 2024 6 Nations by staying in France with Racing 92 and what it means for the RFU. Plus they name their God or Goddess of the week.

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A busy pod this week! Alfie Reynolds, Alex Lowe and Will Kelleher ask if the media are responsible for Owen Farrell having to take time away from international rugby. They also question where Newcastle Falcons go next after an eighth straight defeat in the Gallagher Premiership, plus they round up all the other results including more heartache for Gloucester but big wins for Harlequins and Northampton. Bath second-row Charlie Ewels chats to Will and Alfie about the blue, black and white's strong start to the season and looking ahead to Europe.

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Alfie Reynolds, Stephen Jones and Will Kelleher round up all the latest Premiership action. They discuss England's mounting injury list in the back-row, Gloucester and Bristol's struggles and Saracens and Sale still looking like the two best sides in the league. With last week marking the 20th anniversary of England's World Cup win in 2003, Steve laments on the RFU not capitalising on that success and they question if the URC can ever be a successful competition. Plus, they name their God or Goddess of the week.

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Wayne Barnes joins Alfie Reynolds and Stephen Jones to reflect on his career as a referee after retiring following the World Cup final. He chats about how to stamp down on abuse in rugby, a 20 second shot clock for lineouts and the importance of officials working as a team. Alan Dymock also joins Alfie and Steve to reflect on derby weekend in the Premiership, the opening round of Premiership Women's Rugby, the URC and to name a God or Goddess of the week.

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