The Nations Pod: Stick to Egg-Chasing

Ashy and Chris go inside the England camp ahead of the must-win Test against Fiji. After the defeat at Ellis Park, Ashy quizzes skipper Jamie George on the England gameplan against the Boks and why they keep repeating the same mistakes. Centre Henry Slade is also on the pod to discuss his return to the starting XV and England’s state of flux in midfield. Can Slade replicate the influence he's had at Exeter for his country? Finn Russell is back for Scotland. Ashy and Chris look ahead to their clash in Pretoria and react to Louis Rees-Zammit dropping to the Wales bench. Why hasn’t the Welsh winger managed to replicate the form eh showed before his NFL stint?

Fresh from his jaunt following Scotland in the World Cup, Tom joins Gareth and Chris to unpick the big talking points from the weekend and look ahead to the second round of the Nations Championship. They assess Scotland's Finn Russell dilemma, ask if South Africa has an advantage with its teams playing in Europe, and discuss whether England's clash with Fiji could define Steve Borthwick's future.

What did we learn from the opening weekend of the Nations Championship? Ashy, Ugo and Danny look back on a dramatic first round of fixtures and ahead to what next weekend has in store. They ask why England appear to have made little progress since the Six Nations, whether Wales can build on their win over Fiji against Argentina, and how impressive Scotland were without their talisman, Finn Russell. Plus, there was also time to compare weekends, with Ashy enduring the great outdoors on a camping trip he absolutely hated, while Danny somehow found himself living the high life in the Royal Box at Wimbledon.

Chris and Grays are at Ellis Park to react to England’s comprehensive defeat by world champions South Africa. After an early Boks blitz, England fought back to make it close at half-time, so what was behind the Springboks’ dominant second-half display? Why were England bossed in key areas? And after five defeats in a row, how important is a win next weekend against Fiji? We hear from 50-cap man Cheslin Kolbe as well as England captain Jamie George and coach Steve Borthwick.

Chris and Paul Grayson take you through the opening round of the Nations Championship as the north v south battles begin. Chris heads to Ellis Park and catches up with England’s vice-captain Ollie Chessum ahead of England’s big test against the Boks. We speak to a confident Jo’burg local before catching up with George Furbank, who reflects on a hectic couple of weeks as he prepares for his first England start since 2024. We also discuss the other home nations fixtures this weekend. Can Scotland win in Argentina without Finn Russell? Is Australia v Ireland too close to call? And are Wales deservedly big underdogs against Fiji?

Chris and Paul Grayson react to the England team to face South Africa. George Furbank gets a first start for nearly two years while Henry Pollock is on the bench. We head inside the England team hotel to catch up with Jamie George. He gives us a great insight into their preparations and reprising his role as captain. Springbok fly-half Manie Libbok is also on the pod, and we are joined by the voice of South African rugby commentator Matt Pearce to discuss whether this is the greatest Boks side of all time.

Chris and Paul Grayson are in Johannesburg ahead of England’s huge Nations Championship opener against South Africa. They are joined by the sport’s newest knight, Sir Kevin Sinfield, to talk about being awarded the knighthood and his determination to continue raising awareness for MND. Sinfield discusses England’s approach this weekend at Ellis Park and how they are dealing with the unique challenges of playing in the spiritual home of Springbok rugby.

The inaugural Nation's Championship is here, but are fans actually excited about it? Do they even understand the format? Chris, Danny and Ashy dig into the new competition, the logistical nightmare facing travelling supporters and the huge challenge for players playing back-to-back matches in different continents. Rassie Erasmus has already named his team to face England this weekend, does this help with Steve Borthwick's selection dilemmas? Will Henry Pollock be unleashed in Johannesburg? Is it Ben Spencer or Alex Mitchell at nine? Plus, we discuss the three things England need to do if they are to beat the Boks. Ashy shares his memories of playing South Africa at Ellis Park and Danny explains what it’s like to play at altitude and how it effects players. And after Jack Willis captained Toulouse to a record-extending 25th Top 14 title, we debate whether he could ever be lured back to England and what the RFU could do to make it happen.

Did the new Prem champions, Northampton, make a mistake by letting George Furbank leave? And has Steve Borthwick got the balance right in his Nations Championship squad? Ugo, Chris and DC take a more considered look back at Saturday's Prem final, asking whether Exeter could have done more to trouble Saints. As England's squad for the Nations Championship is named, Ugo asks whether the team should start to be built around Henry Pollock. They also discuss the merits of neutral venues for semi-finals, consider who might succeed Leo Cullen at Leinster, and make their predictions for the Top 14 and PWR finals.

Chris Jones is joined by Matt Dawson and Chris Ashton as Northampton Saints beat Exeter Chiefs at Twickenham to claim their second Prem title in three years. They break down where Northampton edged the final, and discuss whether they're already building the foundations of a dynasty. We hear from man of the match Henry Pollock and Exeter captain Dafydd Jenkins. Plus, do the RFU need to a plan to ensure there's a pathway for the Prem's best coaches, including Saints' director of rugby Phil Dowson, to lead England?