Aotearoa Rugby Pod

The ARP rates the All Blacks progress and who the top contenders are two years from the 2027 Rugby World Cup. We decide whether the Boks scrum is possibly rugby's greatest weapon, weigh-in on the great Dublin card game and celebrate Malcolm Marx finally getting Player of the Year.

The ARP crew ask what the fallout will be from the All Blacks' loss to England. Will there be coaching changes and is the game plan fit for purpose?Grand Slam winning Welsh midfielder Hadleigh Parkes joins the crew to talk about NZ's last test of the year and they break down the one that got away for Italy against South Africa.

The ARP crew break down how the All Blacks got out of jail against Scotland and how England's young stars pose a big threat this weekend.Former England player Brad Shields spins a yarn about Eddie Jones creating life-size card board cutouts of All Blacks before the 2018 test.We get into whether De Jager deserved a full red card and how the Boks scrum dismantled France on their ball.

The ARP crew dive into Tadgh Beirne’s red card, whether Tupaea and Fainga’anuku could be the future All Blacks midfield pairing band what that would mean for Jordie Barrett.They break down whether Scotland will finally knock over the All Blacks, after a couple of close calls, and how the Springboks continue to innovate before their massive showdown against France.

It’s time for the All Blacks and Ireland to go at it again!The ARP crew breakdown where the game will be won and lost. We catch up with Ireland’s kiwi attack coach Andrew Goodman about the Chicago clash, Andy Farrell, Joe Schmidt and Jamison Gibson-Park.In the wake of Jason Holland’s announced departure from the All Blacks attack job, who should replace him and what do teams actually need from an assistant coach? How does coaching instability affect the players?Plus, we talk Bryn’s old flat mate Tom Christie and how he led Canterbury to its 15th NPC title.

Rugby's most bizarre rules explained! Top ref Ben O'Keeffe joins the ARP crew to give insight into weird and wonderful world of rugby rules, as well as life as a ref.Jip, Ben and Ross also break down the NPC semis and ask whether Otago or Canterbury will win the trophy.

The ARP crew discuss whether the fuss about Dylan Pledger's All Blacks omission is fair.Jippa raises three rules he'd bring in to make rugby even better and we debate who'll make the NPC final.

The ARP review the Rugby Championship and where the All Blacks stack up in comparison to the Springboks.Is Quinn Tupaea the long term answer at 13, considering the All Blacks' game plan and where's the best spot for Leicester Fainga'anuku?Why is the Boks' scrum so dominant and why do they dominate second halves more than the other sides?Also, NPC quarterfinals time! Can Counties upset Canterbury and who is the dark horse for the title?

The ARP crew breaks down whether there's a contender to pass Dan Carter as the greatest 10 if all time. Does rising Boks star Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu have what it takes, after his incredible 37 point haul against Argentina?Bryn, Jip and Ross analyse where the All Blacks improved in Bledisloe 1 and how they need to do better at muscling up in Perth.We look at whether getting 7s players, like Jorja Miller, to commit to Aupiki will give the Black Ferns a better chance in the next World Cup.Plus, who buys the coffees when teams meet the refs before games? And which players get the best seat on the plane?