Rugby Union Weekly

4.6 (38)
RUGBY
UPDATED TWICE WEEKLY

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Ugo Monye, Chris Jones, Danny Care and Chris Ashton bring you special guests and cover the biggest stories in rugby union. We'd love to hear from you on the pod; email rugbyunionweekly@bbc.co.uk or search for 5 Live Sport on social media to send us a message.

5 HRS AGO

Six Nations: The Nations Pod

Chris, Tom, and Gareth return to break down some of the key talking points ahead of round four. Ireland v France has all the makings of a classic, but with three players retiring after the tournament, will sentiment influence Simon Easterby’s selection? Tom disagrees with Gro's claim that this weekend’s game with Wales as the most critical moment of Gregor Townsend’s tenure as Scotland coach. And the guys discuss the ongoing chatter about governance and the legal complexities surrounding disciplinary hearings.

57 min
1 DAY AGO

Six Nations: The Dublin decider

Is this the week Ireland take a huge step towards Six Nations history? The pod is back as we start the build-up to round four with Grand Slam winner Donncha O'Callaghan. What impact will the trio of retiring greats have? One man who will miss the France showdown is centre Garry Ringrose, but we lament the process that means he will only miss the one championship match. Plus, Felix Jones has a new job, there's a big departure at Leicester and we wrap up the PWR semi-finals.

53 min
6 DAYS AGO

Six Nations: The Nations Pod

Round three of the Six Nations provided some score lines that not many expected – and as ever on a Tuesday, correspondent Chris Jones is back with Gareth Rhys Owen and Tom English to delve deep into what happened after a dramatic weekend. Gro smiled at a rugby game for the first time in years after Wales fought hard against Ireland – but even though the Welsh side lost things look less bleak with Matt Sherratt at the helm. With England stopping Scotland from winning an historic fifth Calcutta Cup in a row they look at what's next for this Scottish side and where the game was lost for Gregor Townsend’s men. And Chris debates what’s needed to improve this England side – are growing more options at 12 an answer?

52 min
24 FEB

Six Nations: The weekend review with Barclay and Warburton

England regain the Calcutta Cup and Ireland remain on course for a Grand Slam. Round three of the 2025 Six Nations is in the bag and Ugo is alongside John Barclay and Sam Warburton to wrap it all up. Wales impressed under new interim boss Matt Sherratt despite slipping to another defeat. What would Warren Gatland have made of the performance? England backed up their win over France with another narrow win and a first over Scotland since 2020, but what are the question marks still hanging over Steve Borthwick’s side? What next for Scotland and Gregor Townsend after their title hopes were dashed at Twickenham? Plus, John and Sam update their Lions teams from round one, and we get a masterclass on how to pronounce Louis Bielle-Biarrey.

1 hr
23 FEB

England beat Scotland for Calcutta Cup

We’re in Allianz Stadium Twickenham reacting to England’s win in the Calcutta Cup over Scotland. Chris Jones is alongside Matt Dawson and Fraser Brown after a dramatic finish to the Calcutta Cup which saw England take their first win since 2020. Hear from Ellis Genge on his delight at the result following the dramatic climax to the match. Sara Orchard is joined by Philippa Tuttiett in Cardiff after a resurgent Wales lost out on the Triple Crown to Ireland. They react to Garry Ringrose’s red card, and where the result leaves Wales heading toward the final stages of the Six Nations.

46 min
22 FEB

Six Nations: Could there be a shock on the cards in Cardiff?

Sara meets up with former Lions room-mates, Tommy Bowe and Alex Cuthbert to get the mood in the Welsh capital before Ireland steam-roll into the Principality Stadium. They ask with the new “boss bounce back” could Wales get a confidence boost with Matt Sherratt at the helm - or will Ireland dominate once again with an historic third successive Six Nations title in their sights? Tommy and Alex try to find an Ireland weakness – as Simon Easterby continues to be linked to the Wales job. And focus also goes to the much changed Ireland side, which Tommy points out is still as strong as ever. Also England senior assistant coach Richard Wigglesworth joins the pod to chat to Sara about his Calcutta Cup memories – as the last time he featured as a player, things did not go to plan….

42 min
21 FEB

Six Nations: Sherratt's debut and Russell starts

Wales interim head coach Matt Sherratt is on the pod fresh after naming his team to face Ireland this weekend. He's made eight changes following the defeat to Italy and says the team "picked itself". What can Welsh rugby fans expect from Sherratt's team after less than a week in situ? We also get to the bottom of his nickname 'jockey'. Chris then heads to the Scotland team hotel to catch up with Tom English and Andy Burke from the BBC's Scotland rugby pod. They discuss Finn Russell's selection, the three changes after the defeat to Ireland and look at the battle between the two packs. Will Scotland create more Calcutta Cup history on Saturday or will it finally be England's day?

37 min
20 FEB

Six Nations: Scotland's Calcutta Cup dominance

Scotland rarely used to win the Calcutta Cup. Now, they can't stop winning it. What is behind this dramatic turnaround? Chris, John Barclay and Danny look at Scotland's resurgence and the impact the it's had on the rivalry. John tells us how importance of the win in 2018 which ended a 10 year wait for the trophy. How much has that turned the tide? Danny was part of the England team that put 60 points on Scotland back in 2017, but has also been on the losing side in 2018 and 2024. He explains what the difference is between the Scotland of 2017 and now. John picks the three players that have inspired Scotland to four successive wins and we also look ahead to this weekend's clash at Twickenham.

37 min

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At 25, Hannah’s life begins falling apart. An anonymous intruder has made her phone her enemy. Aided by the technology we all rely on, this intruder is watching Hannah, threatening her, even pretending to be her. Feeling increasingly unsafe, Hannah goes to the police, but they can’t stop it. Worse, they don’t even recognise it for what it is: stalking. Hannah doesn’t know for sure who is behind it all, but she suspects an older man she met more than two years earlier at London Fashion Week. Initially, he claimed to have been hacked. Even today, he disputes stalking her. To make sense of what’s happening Hannah turns to a woman she’s known since she was seven years-old, and who also happens to be an investigative journalist. Together with her “ex-step mum” Carole Cadwalladr, they set out to piece together something the police couldn’t: the true identity of Hannah’s stalker. Doing so means untangling a web of deception spanning continents. On her suspected stalker’s trail, Hannah realises nothing about them is as she first thought.

5.0 (21)

TRUE CRIME
The day’s top stories from BBC News. Keeping you informed on the important global events, including the latest on US politics and developments in Ukraine and Gaza. Delivered twice a day at weekends, daily at weekends. Follow or subscribe, so you never miss an episode. Also listen to The Happy Pod, every Saturday, for the happiest stories of the week. Get in touch: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk

4.3 (252)

DAILY NEWS
Season 7: World of Secrets presents: The Six Billion Dollar Gold Scam. Also: Al Fayed: Predator at Harrods. Women accuse Mohamed Al Fayed of rape. And: The Abercrombie Guys. Investigating sexual exploitation claims against the former CEO of fashion giant Abercrombie & Fitch. Delve into a World of Secrets: the global investigations podcast from the BBC. Uncovering stories around the world and telling them, episode by episode, with gripping storytelling. Latest season: World of Secrets presents, The Six Billion Dollar Gold Scam. It was the biggest gold discovery in history…until it wasn’t. In 1995, Canadian mining company Bre-X announced to the world it had found a significant amount of gold deep in the jungles of Indonesia. Stock prices soared as investors worldwide fought to stake their claim. But when Bre-X’s chief geologist mysteriously fell from a helicopter over the jungle, the story of the billion dollar discovery began to unravel. Nearly three decades later, no one has ever been held accountable. Now, host Suzanne Wilton takes listeners from the jungles of Indonesia to small town Alberta, Canada, to investigate what really happened and find out more about the man behind the biggest goldmine fraud of all time. Produced for the BBC World Service and CBC by BBC Scotland Productions. The Six Billion Dollar Gold Scam was first published in May 2024. Previous seasons of World of Secrets: Season 6: The Bad Guru. A yoga school in London. A guru running from the police. How did Miranda get sucked in? Journalist Cat McShane investigates the international yoga movement headed by Gregorian Bivolaru, the spiritual guide arrested by French police in November 2023 and charged with human trafficking, organised kidnapping, rape and organised abuse of weakness by members of a sect. Season 5: Finding Mr Fox. Investigating a plot to smuggle around a hundred millions of dollars’ worth of drugs from Brazil to Europe and the miscarriage of justice that followed. But where is the man Brazilian police believe to be at the centre of it all? Season 4: Al Fayed, Predator at Harrods. Egyptian billionaire Mohamed Al Fayed – then owner of Harrods, one of the most famous shops in the world – is accused of rape and attempted rape by women who worked for him. Now they refuse to be silenced any longer. Season 3: The Apartheid Killer. All the victims were black and the youngest was just 12 years old. Some relatives are still searching for the graves. They were killed during a three-year bloodbath in the 1980s, in the South African city of East London – by one person. He killed so many, he lost count. In piecing together this story, we expose the disturbed past and racial injustices of South Africa itself. Season 2: The Disciples. The cult of Nigerian prophet TB Joshua. A story of miracles, faith and manipulation, told by people from around the world, who gave up everything for one of the most powerful religious figures of the century. Lured by TB Joshua’s claimed healing powers, they live as disciples in a guarded Lagos compound, cut off from family and friends. Season 1: The Abercrombie Guys. An investigation into claims of sexual exploitation made against the former CEO of fashion giant Abercrombie & Fitch. He and his British partner were accused by several men, recruited for sex events they hosted around the world.

4.8 (36)

DOCUMENTARY
Peak Danger is Season 2 of Extreme, the BBC podcast about those who chase the impossible... who strive for superhuman status and refuse to accept that life has any limits. Every season tells an unforgettable, action-packed story about people who’ve pushed their minds and bodies to the very edge – but at what cost? A mountain of trouble... In August 2008, around 30 climbers took on K2. Over 2 disastrous days, 11 of those people would lose their lives. This is the story of what really happened. Sitting on the border between China and Pakistan, K2 is a perfect pyramid that pierces through the clouds. It looks like a kid’s drawing of a mountain…but this terrifying peak is anything but child’s play. Newlyweds Cecilie Skog and her husband Rolf Bae loved climbing mountains almost as much as they loved one another. In the summer of 2008, they embarked on a honeymoon like no other, when they decided to climb K2. What happened next would change their lives and the lives of everyone around them…forever. A devastating avalanche scatters high altitude climbers across K2’s steep slopes. Life and death rescue missions quickly get underway. Who can be saved… before time runs out? Historian and podcaster Natalia Mehlman Petrzela returns with a sky-high story of human vs nature, and of survival against all the odds. What does it really take to push yourself to the brink of human possibility? How does it feel to stand with the whole world at your feet? And is it ever worth risking death… in order to feel alive?

4.0 (3)

PERSONAL JOURNALS
Professor Brian Cox and Robin Ince host a witty, irreverent look at the world through scientists’ eyes. Joined by a panel of scientists, experts and celebrity science enthusiasts they investigate life, the universe and everything in between on The Infinite Monkey Cage from the BBC. From the smallest building blocks of life to the furthest stars, the curious monkeys pull apart the latest science to reveal fascinating and often bizarre insights into the world around us and what lies beyond. Can trees talk to each other? Can science help you commit the perfect murder? What might aliens look like and the burning question of our time, are strawberries alive or dead? Join them as each episode they put a different scientific topic under the microscope, from aliens, black holes and hedgehogs, to bacteria, poison and the Big Bang. With past guests including actors Dame Judi Dench and Sir Patrick Stewart, comedians Steve Martin and Conan O’Brien, astronaut Tim Peake, primatologist Jane Goodall and mathematician Hannah Fry, The Infinite Monkey Cage promises to make you laugh, enrich your knowledge and leave you with a deeper appreciation for the universe that we call home. Whether you’re a seasoned scientist or someone who nodded off in physics class, listen in to learn all about funny, fascinating and sometimes ridiculous topics – with the occasional monkey business.

4.8 (340)

SCIENCE
'Jaw dropping', 'gripping', 'bingeable,' 'thrilling' - dramatic true stories and investigations that reveal how the world really works. Word of God: A billionaire family's mission to amass ancient biblical treasures leads to them getting caught up in an international web of looted artefacts, forgeries and criminal networks. Art sleuth Ben Lewis uncovers how the Green family - owners of America's Hobby Lobby craft stores - spent millions racing to gather biblical manuscripts and artefacts. Their unprecedented collecting spree - 40,000 items in just three years - triggers a government investigation and alarms biblical scholars worldwide. When papyrologist Roberta Mazza begins questioning the collection's origins, she finds herself drawn into an investigation stretching from the Vatican City through Istanbul to Oxford University's hallowed halls. Through exclusive access to key players, Lewis reveals how thousands of allegedly looted treasures were smuggled into America labelled as "ceramic tiles", whilst priceless items like ancient Babylonian tablets and early Christian manuscripts were acquired through suspicious means. As investigators close in and scholars expose forgeries, the story expands beyond looted antiquities to raise profound questions about faith, power and cultural heritage. A respected Oxford professor stands accused of betrayal, federal agents demand the return of prized possessions, and the museum's ambitious mission becomes entangled in the dark world of international antiquities trafficking. From Washington D.C. to the Vatican City, this is a story about what happens when religious certainty meets the dangerous world of ancient treasures.

4.7 (19)

TRUE CRIME

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4.6

out of 5

38 Ratings

Great podcast

23/09/2019

HLWMV

Love listening to Chris, Ugo & Danny from here in NZ.
Unintentionally Hilarious

19/07/2022

orcapoise

If you want a laugh then you have to listen to this. Ardie Savea, as usual, was the standout loose forward across all six nations in the just completed winter series - without question. He confirmed his status as the worlds best player. Yet, these clowns didn’t even mention his name when selecting their 15 from across the June internationals. They mentioned a couple of very average northern hemisphere players but nothing on Savea. So, listen if you want a good laugh but don’t take it too seriously.
Great way to get a northern perspective

29/12/2018

C Minto

As a kiwi you have to look for overseas sources to get good insights about northern hemisphere rugby, this podcast is one of the best and I love the way they respect the women in rugby as well. I highly recommend “The Pod” as they call it and only wish they would do some cross-overs with Sumo Stevenson on the Rugby Pass Podcast.
Downunder treat

28/06/2018

eqyptianpt

Love the pod. Great vibe and top sports journalism. Love listening in NZ and knowing my dad listens too back in the UK. Big shout to the old man Tony Roberts ex Lightwater RFC and massive England fan, and my little Welsh sister also a listener in Wellington NZ. Keep up the top work! Tom Roberts in Rotovegas