Episode 19 - The Big 6 Nations Preview! Coaching Shake-ups, TV Deals and Predictions

The Rugby Pod is back for 2026 and the lads kick off the new year by rounding up a huge festive period of rugby before looking ahead to what promises to be a blockbuster year. Jim, Goodey and Bigs dig into the Premiership at the halfway mark, picking their biggest surprises so far, before a deep dive on England’s wing options as Immanuel Feyi-Waboso steals the show and selection debates rage ahead of the Six Nations. There’s statement wins for Northampton, Leicester and Newcastle, big questions for Harlequins and Gloucester. Over in the URC, the table is turned on its head as the Dragons surge, Leinster and Ulster flex their muscle, and the South African derbies deliver some chaos . The lads also preview a massive weekend of Champions Cup action on Premier Sports, fire through some predictions for 2026, and hand out the first Good, Bad & Ugly of the season. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s a Christmas special as Jim, Goodey and Bigs wrap up a huge weekend of Champions Cup action, look back on a cracking 2025, and welcome England full-back Freddie Steward for a very open chat. There’s reaction to Glasgow’s historic comeback win over Toulouse, Leinster grinding it out away at Leicester, big calls on Saracens, the Stormers and the state of the Champions Cup. Freddie talks England momentum, life under the high ball, controversial tackles, TikTok dances, before the lads reflect on the moments that defined the year in rugby. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week’s bonus episode is a special Rugby Pod × Fozcast crossover as Ben Foster and Tom Ochoa join Jim, Biggs and Goodey for a brilliant conversation that digs into what really separates, and connects, elite football and rugby. The lads compare the financial realities of both sports, how contracts work, the demands of training and match preparation, and the very different ways each game handles injuries, stars, player welfare and fandom. They open up on their journeys growing up in academies, the pressure to perform, and the star players who shaped the sports. It’s an open, honest and funny chat, with the lads learning about each other’s world. A fantastic listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The lads are buzzing after being named in the top 1% of podcasts globally on Spotify Wrapped. It ain't about us though, as The Rugby World Cup 2027 pools are out, the format’s changing, conspiracy theories are flying, and the lads are already calling their final. We get stuck into all the permutations and who’s got the cleanest run to the big dance and who's going home early. Then it’s over to the opening round of Champions Cup rugby, with Leinster too sharp for Quins, Bath batter Munster, Edinburgh topple Toulon, Glasgow come roaring back, and Sarries run riot. Add in Etzebeth’s ban, Rassie signed up for the long haul, transfers, coaching shake-ups, plus a few spicy hot takes… it’s a big one. Strap in. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this week’s Rugby Pod, the lads wrap up the Quilter Nations Series before diving head-first into the return of domestic rugby, with big Premiership and URC results to get stuck into. We're also welcoming Springbok legend Gurthrö Steenkamp for an unbelievable deep-dive into scrum culture, Rassie’s revolution, and life in France. We check in on Bath’s statement win at the StoneX to Exeter’s comeback in Sale, plus a massive round in the URC as the Stormers storm Thomond and Scarlets stun Glasgow. The Rugby F.C. documentary has blown up on YouTube, fans are asking how to help Rugby Lions FC, and we’re back on the road with a London live show this Wednesday ahead of the Champions Cup kicking off exclusively on Premier Sports. Add in some transfer news, a few reds in France, and all the Good, Bad & Ugly, and some shoutouts, and it’s another stacked episode of the world’s most listened-to rugby podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices