CLASSIC - And I worked out, I'd played for the only gay rugby team in LA! - James Griffiths - #17

'Curtin' and I are Nomad friends, we met at a big floating conference on a cruise ship in the sea. We then spent 3 weeks living on a beach in Brazil with a load of other nomads where we surfed, worked, did Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and even took part in an Improv Comedy night. This interview was recorded in December of 2019 in Dubai and we talked about comparisons between Rugby and traditional American sports, Curtin's extensive experience of playing all around the world, from America to England, Italy, Austria, Uganda, and China! Oh, and you can't miss his story about how he attempted to get a Fijian to play in the NFL! LINKS Greg Curtin Email ([email protected]) Curtin's website (https://americarex.com/) Nomad Cruise (http://nomadcruise.com/) GET STASH England Rugby Store - https://ers.pxf.io/KjV30v British & Irish Lions Store - https://bil.sjv.io/9gNaL4 BUY ME A COFFEE Coffee helps me make more and better episodes. https://www.buymeacoffee.com/amateurrugbypodcast PATREON Join The Amateur Rugby Podcast Patreon community for some extra amateur rugby goodness! (https://patreon.com/amateurrugbypodcast) SUPPORT If you would like to support the podcast in some way there are plenty of options for you on my Support the Podcast (https://www.amateurrugbypodcast.com/support/) page.  

'Taff' and I played together for many years - bound up in the front row for both Old Colfeians and Kent. This interview was recorded November of 2019 in Amsterdam, where he's now living, to discuss a multitude of topics and some favourite stories ranging from why amateur rugby is a hotbed of creative thinking through to the magic of touring and the mysterious legend of the Kakadu Gnat. LINKS Taff can be contacted via email [email protected] or on twitter @stephencorlett (https://twitter.com/stephencorlett) A Beautiful Constraint: https://amzn.to/2TmxFHJ Guardian article about lack of creativity: https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2020/jan/09/the-breakdown-rugby-union-numbers-game GET STASH England Rugby Store - https://ers.pxf.io/KjV30v British & Irish Lions Store - https://bil.sjv.io/9gNaL4 BUY ME A COFFEE Coffee helps me make more and better episodes. https://www.buymeacoffee.com/amateurrugbypodcast PATREON Join The Amateur Rugby Podcast Patreon community for some extra amateur rugby goodness! (https://patreon.com/amateurrugbypodcast) SUPPORT If you would like to support the podcast in some way there are plenty of options for you on my Support the Podcast (https://www.amateurrugbypodcast.com/support/) page.

My guest this week is Hollywood Movie director - James Griffiths. Griff was also my team-mate and captain at Old Colfeians but being a Hollywood Movie director sounds somewhat more impressive. This interview was recorded in September of 2019 and it went in all manner of directions. It really ebbed and flowed, not just through the highs and lows of rugby, but of life in general. Like you parents out there who are not supposed to have a favourite child, I'm not supposed to have a favourite podcast… But, if I did, then it might just be this one. Shhh, don't tell the others…. LINKS You can get Griff on Facebook, Twitter (@jgriffter) or Instagram (@griffter71) Leon Lloyd's social enterprise - Switch the Play (https://switchtheplay.com/) Bollywood rugby movie (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdHPULyEpNc) GET STASH England Rugby Store - https://ers.pxf.io/KjV30v British & Irish Lions Store - https://bil.sjv.io/9gNaL4 BUY ME A COFFEE Coffee helps me make more and better episodes. https://www.buymeacoffee.com/amateurrugbypodcast PATREON Join The Amateur Rugby Podcast Patreon community for some extra amateur rugby goodness! (https://patreon.com/amateurrugbypodcast) SUPPORT If you would like to support the podcast in some way there are plenty of options for you on my Support the Podcast (https://www.amateurrugbypodcast.com/support/) page.  

Geoff and I met while playing for Esher RFC, one of 4 Championship clubs he represented. Geoff was a powerful three-quarter and played a lot of 7's also. This interview was recorded in September of 2019, and we chatted through Geoff's career, and he shared his thoughts on player pathways, the National One sweet-spot and some interesting facts about Graham Dawe. He was due to be Episode 17, but I brought him forward to this episode - Number 16 - Make sure to listen to the end to find out why… LINKS @GeoffGriffiths on Twitter (https://twitter.com/GeoffGriffiths) Geoff on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/geoffmgriffiths/) Geoff's Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/geoff.griffiths/) GET STASH England Rugby Store - https://ers.pxf.io/KjV30v British & Irish Lions Store - https://bil.sjv.io/9gNaL4 BUY ME A COFFEE Coffee helps me make more and better episodes. https://www.buymeacoffee.com/amateurrugbypodcast PATREON Join The Amateur Rugby Podcast Patreon community for some extra amateur rugby goodness! (https://patreon.com/amateurrugbypodcast) SUPPORT If you would like to support the podcast in some way there are plenty of options for you on my Support the Podcast (https://www.amateurrugbypodcast.com/support/) page.  

My guest this week is Heath RFC's Chris Moore. We talked about: - Heath RUFC's rampant success in recent seasons. - How the club is run in a sustainable and fun way. - Chris's entry into the game at home-town club, Cobh Pirates, in Ireland. - Transitioning from the back-row into the front row. - What Chris learned when representing Yorkshire. - The huge number of clubs in the Calder Valley. - How Heath is helping kids transition into senior rugby. This is a laugh-a-minute episode, but it's all chock full with real value.  - I hope you enjoy. LINKS Contact Christopher Moore on Instagram - @dougalmooreheath24 - https://www.instagram.com/dougalmooreheath24/ Heath RUFC - http://www.heath-rugby.co.uk/ Cobh Pirates RFC - https://bcrugby.com/clubprofile/8477/ Dolphin RFC - https://dolphinrfc.com/ GET STASH England Rugby Store - https://ers.pxf.io/KjV30v British & Irish Lions Store - https://bil.sjv.io/9gNaL4 BUY ME A COFFEE Coffee helps me make more and better episodes. https://www.buymeacoffee.com/amateurrugbypodcast PATREON https://patreon.com/amateurrugbypodcast SUPPORT https://www.amateurrugbypodcast.com/support/ page

Colm and I are former team-mates at Esher RFC and both fully paid up members of the front-row union. He is one of the most interesting and engaging characters that I have encountered in the game and I was very excited to sit down and chat with him. The interview was recorded in September of 2019 and we shared some stories about playing together, Colm's early rugby days, then really dug deep into the role of business and business people in rugby. LINKS Rugby Business Network (https://therugbybusinessnetwork.com/) Rugby Business Network on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rugby-business-network/) @RugBizNetwork on Twitter (https://twitter.com/rugbiznetwork?lang=en) GET STASH England Rugby Store - https://ers.pxf.io/KjV30v British & Irish Lions Store - https://bil.sjv.io/9gNaL4 BUY ME A COFFEE Coffee helps me make more and better episodes. https://www.buymeacoffee.com/amateurrugbypodcast PATREON Join The Amateur Rugby Podcast Patreon community for some extra amateur rugby goodness! (https://patreon.com/amateurrugbypodcast) SUPPORT If you would like to support the podcast in some way there are plenty of options for you on my Support the Podcast (https://www.amateurrugbypodcast.com/support/) page.  

Now, Ben and I have never actually met, but he came with a very strong recommendation from a former team-mate of both of ours Geoff Griffiths. Ben has experienced all different sides of rugby over a lengthy playing career and his story is one that I really wanted to share with you. This interview was recorded in November of 2019 and we talked about life on the fringes of the professional game and Ben's varied experiences playing in different countries. LINKS Ben's book 'Fringes' can be found on Amazon: https://amzn.to/48AwHh2 Ben's website - https://www.benmercer.me/ Ben on X - https://x.com/bcemercer GET STASH England Rugby Store - https://ers.pxf.io/KjV30v British & Irish Lions Store - https://bil.sjv.io/9gNaL4 BUY ME A COFFEE Coffee helps me make more and better episodes. https://www.buymeacoffee.com/amateurrugbypodcast PATREON Join The Amateur Rugby Podcast Patreon community for some extra amateur rugby goodness! (https://patreon.com/amateurrugbypodcast) SUPPORT If you would like to support the podcast in some way there are plenty of options for you on my Support the Podcast (https://www.amateurrugbypodcast.com/support/) page.

My guest this week is Orkney RFC's Glen McLellan. We talked about: The travel challenges of playing rugby on a remote island Long away trips every other weekend! The Come Ashore Cup The joy of being involved in Penguins RFC, including plenty of tour stories Coaching kids in Mexico This is a proper rugby episode - I hope you enjoy. LINKS Orkney Rugby Football Club: http://www.orkneyrfc.co.uk/ & https://www.facebook.com/OrkneyRFC Come Ashore Cup: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1167758211686710/ & https://www.instagram.com/comeashorecup Farmstrong Podcast: https://www.farmstrongscotland.org.uk/wellbeing-hub/come-ashore-come-ashore Penguins: https://www.penguinrugby.com/ Orkney LIVE streams: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbK-mhWiL4VH57fataSe9ng Viking Barbarians - https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1347429110725635&set=pcb.1347430074058872 Iain "Sinky" Sinclair - https://sea2sea.co.uk/ Happiness is EggShaped - https://www.facebook.com/happinessiseggshaped.org GET STASH England Rugby Store - https://ers.pxf.io/KjV30v  British & Irish Lions Store - https://bil.sjv.io/9gNaL4 BUY ME A COFFEE Coffee helps me make more and better episodes. https://www.buymeacoffee.com/amateurrugbypodcast PATREON Join The Amateur Rugby Podcast Patreon community for some extra amateur rugby goodness! (https://patreon.com/amateurrugbypodcast) SUPPORT If you would like to support the podcast in some way there are plenty of options for you on my Support the Podcast (https://www.amateurrugbypodcast.com/support/) page.  

Former Cheltenham RFC President - Dave 'Towner' Townsend was my coach for Cheltenham Colts back in 1995/96 and is also the father of Matt Townsend from Episode No.2. Sadly, Towner is no longer with us, but it was lovely to hear his voice once more and to listen to all the nuggets of wisdom gathered over a lifetime in the game! This interview was recorded in August 2019 at Cheltenham RFC, where we appropriately sat in Colts Corner and chatted about the goals of the club, the trials and tribulations of being on the brink of the semi-professional game and some of the highly niche scrummaging techniques that Towner used to employ. So, listen in for some genuine old-school west-country wisdom! LINKS Cheltenham Tigers website (https://cheltenhamtigers.co.uk/) GET STASH England Rugby Store - https://ers.pxf.io/KjV30v British & Irish Lions Store - https://bil.sjv.io/9gNaL4 BUY ME A COFFEE Coffee helps me make more and better episodes. https://www.buymeacoffee.com/amateurrugbypodcast PATREON Join The Amateur Rugby Podcast Patreon community for some extra amateur rugby goodness! (https://patreon.com/amateurrugbypodcast) SUPPORT If you would like to support the podcast in some way there are plenty of options for you on my Support the Podcast (https://www.amateurrugbypodcast.com/support/) page.  

The 2025 Autumn Internationals are in full swing, and the fourth weekend of fixtures did not disappoint. Join me as I discuss Ireland vs South Africa and England vs Argentina. GET STASH England Rugby Store - https://ers.pxf.io/KjV30v British & Irish Lions Store - https://bil.sjv.io/9gNaL4 BUY ME A COFFEE Coffee helps me make more and better episodes. https://www.buymeacoffee.com/amateurrugbypodcast PATREON  Join The Amateur Rugby Podcast Patreon community for some extra amateur rugby goodness! (https://patreon.com/amateurrugbypodcast) SUPPORT If you would like to support the podcast in some way there are plenty of options for you on my Support the Podcast (https://www.amateurrugbypodcast.com/support/) page.