S3 E46 - Schalk Brits joins as Ireland strike back and England fall short again

Happy new year one and all and welcome back to the Rugby Paper Podcast! We hope you had a restful holiday season and are as excited as we are about the year of rugby ahead. Kicking off a Lions year in style with the Six Nations just a month away, the guys are joined by former Australia, Northampton Saints, Waratahs and now Narbonne winger Taqele Naiyaravoro. The gang discuss his time in England, how Cheslin Kolbe transformed the modern-day winger as well as learning about his distant relationship to Josua Tuisova.  Also tune in as the guys discuss England's injury-hit back three as well as that Northampton v Bath thriller.

In our last episode of 2024, the gang is back together in full force. Host Ollie Little and columnists Nick Cain, Chris Hewett and Brendan Gallagher come together to review the Champions Cup weekend gone by and debate the tournament's changed format.  Don't miss the Rugby Paper Podcast's awards for 2024, as the guys pick their Player of the Year, Team of the Year, Match of the Year and very finally, Podcast episode of the Year! The podcast also pay tribute to former England outside back Tom Voyce, who tragically lost his life in the floods caused by Storm Darragh at the start of the month.  

Join us for this week's episode of the Rugby Paper Podcast as Harlequins flanker Jack Kenningham joins host Ollie Little and columnists Chris Hewett and Nick Cain following his side's narrow defeat by Racing 92 in the opening round of the Champions Cup.  The guys discuss the tournament's format, Jack's return from injury and England dream as well as the impact of Joe Marler's retirement around camp! Our thoughts and prayers go out to former England international Tom Voyce's family following his disappearance in the Storm Darragh floods over the weekend. 

A jam-packed Autumn Series has come to an end, with Australia pushing hosts Ireland right to the limit in Dublin on Saturday, with the Irish ultimately holding on. Australia have now played all four of the home nations in back to back weeks and will return home with two wins, and what could have been a third. Today, the guys look at how next summer's British & Irish Lions tour down under is shaping up, as well as picking their match, player and surprise of the Autumn.  To do so, Ollie Little, Nick Cain and Brendan Gallagher are joined by Test Rugby and Super Rugby commentator Sean Maloney!  

England got back to winning ways with a routing of Japan at Twickenham on Sunday. However after five consecutive defeats prior questions burn even stronger than they did before the Autumn.  Do England keep faith in the blitz defence? Who are the back row/midfield combinations to take the team forward? Is Steve Borthwick the right head coach? Joining the guys today to assess where England stand is former England and London Irish winger and ITV and Premiership Rugby broadcaster Topsy Ojo.

Three weeks into the Autumn internationals and England and Wales both remain winless. Question marks hang over Steve Borthwick and Warren Gatland's futures going into the final full weekend of November action. With more tantalising fixtures coming up this weekend including Fiji's trip to Ireland, the guys are joined by fearsome Fijian winger Nemani Nadolo to discuss what Steve Borthwick is like as a coach, Fiji's awesome backline and Josua Tuisova's calves! In a cracking episode, Nemani also picks the best four wingers he has ever shared a rugby field with.

It was a great weekend to be south of the equator as New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, Fiji and Argentina handed out defeats to Ireland, England, Scotland, Wales and Italy. England fell short from a winnable position for the fifth time in six matches against a rejuvenated Wallabies side, while Wales slipped to new lows with a record-equalling tenth consecutive defeat.  Today the guys are joined by former Australia international Joe Tomane. Revelling in his side's win and the arrival on the world stage of Joseph Sua'ali'i, the guys also give their predictions for the upcoming blockbuster weekend of Autumn action. 

With an eight point lead England seemed in control at Twickenham, only for a New Zealand fight back and some questionable substitutions to once again deny the men in white for the third time in as many months.  Did England's tactics blow it? How good is Wallace Sititi? Should New Zealand receive a fine for advancing their haka? The guys are joined by British and Irish Lions and Wales wing Alex Cuthbert to review all, as well as looking ahead to England v Australia and Wales's Autumn international campaign as a whole. 

We loved this one! Following last week's 20-minute red card debate amongst the guys, we thought it best to call upon someone entrusted with enacting its introduction to northern hemisphere test rugby this Autumn. Ollie Little, Nick Cain, Brendan Gallagher and Chris Hewett are joined by RFU international referee and one of the best in the world Luke Pearce to discuss the logic and implications of World Rugby's decision, as well as the guys previewing the Autumn Internationals as a whole.

With the rugby world divided over the trial of the 20-minute red card during the November internationals, it's only right that the Rugby Paper Podcast weighs in. Join host Ollie Little and columnists Brendan Gallagher and Nick Cain for an intense debate around its introduction to northern hemisphere test rugby.  The guys also discuss Newcastle's first victory in 581 days, ending a 25-match losing streak!