In today’s episode, we’re heading to the Middle East to chat with Bahrain’s Adam Wallace — a man who’s worn just about every hat possible within Bahrain Rugby Club and the national setup.

From Director of Rugby to head coach and captain, Adam has been at the heart of the club’s growth and the country’s emerging rugby scene.

While Bahrain Rugby Club has long been a cornerstone of Gulf rugby, 2025 marked a historic milestone with the Bahrain national team’s first-ever international fixture, a dominant win over Jordan — a game in which Adam proudly pulled on the national jersey.

We dive into the incredible story behind that debut, the challenges of developing rugby in a non-traditional market, and what the future looks like for Bahrain on both the domestic and international stage.

Adam also reflects on the unique culture of rugby in the region, the community around the club, and his hopes for the next generation of players coming through.

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On today’s podcast, we’re joined by James Faktor — a stalwart of the Czechia national rugby team and a mainstay in their recent Rugby Europe Trophy campaigns.

With the new Trophy cycle kicking off this weekend, this episode started out as a timely preview of what lies ahead for Czechia and the competition as a whole. But what we didn’t expect was for James to drop some big news during the chat — after years of representing his country, he’s officially retired from international rugby, despite there being no public announcement until now.

That revelation shifts the focus of the episode from a look ahead to a celebration of James’ stellar career — from his debut in red and white to becoming one of the team’s most reliable and respected figures. The timing couldn’t have been better, and we were grateful to catch him for a wide-ranging conversation that reflects on both past glories and what’s next for Czechia rugby.

Quick heads-up: the intro runs a little longer than usual thanks to some exciting news on our end — but if you want to jump straight into the chat with James, skip ahead to around the 3-minute mark.

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On today's podcast we’re joined by Josh Sutcliffe, the head coach and former player of the Philippines men’s 15s side — better known as the Volcanoes.

Rugby in the Philippines was inactive for a number of years until Josh helped to bring it back late last year.

The national team is enjoying a strong spell right now, with a growing pool of diaspora players from rugby heartlands like Australia, New Zealand, and the UK, all proudly pulling on the jersey. At the same time, there’s an exciting domestic movement building back home, which adds real depth to the program.

Josh, who is based in the USA, led the Volcanoes to the Unions Cup title earlier this year, and we thought it was the perfect time to get his take on what’s working, what’s building, and how they’re balancing international talent with homegrown ambition.

We talk about his coaching journey, the unique challenges of managing a team from afar, and what lies ahead for one of Asia’s most intriguing rugby nations.

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On today's podcast we have two brothers who will be playing together in the Rugby Europe Trophy this season, for newly promoted Denmark.

We have previously spoken to head coach Andreas Robertson but thought it would interesting to get a player perspective on their chances ahead of what will likely be a challenging campaign.

On a positive note, we speak about their journey to qualifying for the second tier of European rugby, what it is like for both of them playing alongside such a close relative, and their eligibility for Denmark given that they are originally from the UK.

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On today’s pod, we’re joined by Alejandro “Bola” Pradillo — prop, trailblazer, and the first Mexican player to break into Major League Rugby.

After signing with the San Diego Legion in 2024, Bola made history at the top level of North American rugby. But a whirlwind summer — which saw the Legion merge with LA Rugby Club and three other MLR teams fold — left him without a contract and the league in uncertain waters.

We talk about what that experience has been like, the broader instability in the MLR, and what it all means for players chasing their dream in emerging rugby nations.

Bola also opens up about his international career with Mexico, his playing stints in South Africa and New Zealand, and the frustrating structural issues that prevent countries like Mexico — and others in Central America and the Caribbean — from even having a pathway to the World Cup.

It’s one of our most honest conversations yet and a must-listen for anyone who cares about rugby’s global future.

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Being of South African, Irish and Swiss descent is certainly the hallmark of a culturally unique fella.

However, add domiciling in England to that and you have a man who is the epitome of a globalised world!

This week we are joined by the fascinating Donovan O’Grady who combines his day job of working for the Rugby Players Association with being a Switzerland international rugby player.

In the pod, Donovan provides his insights into Swiss rugby and the interaction of his day job with Tier 1 players.

This is certainly not one to miss for Tier 2 lovers!

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On today’s pod, we’re joined by Eldar Karimov, President of the Azerbaijan Rugby Federation. Unlike many unions chasing quick results, Eldar is taking a different path — putting 100% of his focus into growing the game at youth level. 

Right now, there’s no senior national team in Azerbaijan, and that’s by design. Eldar’s committed to building a strong grassroots system first, with the long-term goal of one day competing with regional powerhouses like Georgia. 

It’s a refreshingly honest and ambitious chat about what it really takes to grow rugby in a country starting almost from scratch.

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Contact the Azerbaijan Rugby Federation

Instagram: @rugbyazerbaijan

This week we step away from the international game to discuss German domestic rugby with President of the Bundesliga, Niko Colic. Niko discusses the state of German rugby, the restructuring of the Bundesliga as well as his short and long term ambitions for rugby in Germany. 

Check out www.AIMS.co.uk for all of your accounting, financial and business needs. 

Huge thank you to Rugby in Germany for setting this up.

Find them at: @rugby.in.germany on Instagram and @rugbyingermany on X

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Instagram: @charlieelliottjourno

The chat with Niko starts at 2:27

This week we swap cold Scandinavia for the warm Caribbean to discuss Grenadian rugby with Head Coach Rob Edison.

In the podcast, we discuss Rob’s plans for Grenada, as well as his unique coaching trajectory and how this benefits him in his current role.

For those who don’t know, Grenada is certainly a fledging rugby nation considering that they only played their first XV game this July.

However, this is not to say there is not an interest in the sport on the island, with this being something Rob discusses wanting to harness. 

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Grenada Rugby's Instagram: @grenadarugby

On today’s pod we are joined by Finnish rugby royalty Thomas Finell.

With a staggering 70 caps to his name, Finell is certainly a Tier 3 stalwart who has experienced all the highs and lows of playing international rugby for Finland.

As part of our Scandinavian double header with Andreas Robertson, this is once again another podcast ideal for those wanting to learn more about rugby in the Nordic nations.

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