Evening Standard Rugby Podcast with Lawrence Dallaglio

With Lawrence away on his Cycle Slam, Steve Cording and Evening Standard rugby correspondent, Nick Purewal, are joined by Harlequins’ tighthead prop, Will Collier, to chat about Quins' momentous victory in Bordeaux and how the team will be preparing for their Investec Champions Cup semi-final against Toulouse. Will also gives his opinion on whether the World Rugby laws around scrums should change, what he thinks of his fellow front row team mates and shares his thoughts on the upcoming Big Summer Kick Off at Twickenham. Plus, Red Roses captain, Marlie Packer returns with the latest news from camp ahead of England’s clash against Ireland in the Women’s Six Nations on Saturday. And in our feature, ‘Grow the Game with QBE Business Insurance’, Marlie tells us some of the barriers she faced around accessing sport as a teenager, as well as some of the mental and emotional health benefits she’s gained from playing rugby.Steve and Nick take a quick preview of the next round of the Gallagher Premiership, and a message from Lawrence in Italy rounds off the episode. To donate to Lawrence’s RugbyWorks Cycle Slam fundraising, visit:https://www.justgiving.com/page/lawrencedallaglio https://www.dallagliorugbyworks.com/For more information on the Big Summer Kick Off go to:https://www.eticketing.co.uk/harlequins In partnership with QBE Business Insurance and Voxpod Studios. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lawrence and Steve are joined by former London Irish player, Henry Arundell, who tells us about his new life with Racing 92, what he’s learnt so far from French rugby and what it’s really like having Siya Kolisi as a team mate.Plus Red Roses captain, Marlie Packer, joins from England's training ground as she delivers the latest news from camp ahead of this weekend’s Women’s Six Nations game against Scotland. And in our feature, 'Grow the Game with QBE Business Insurance’, Marlie talks about the importance of having female mentors supporting women in sport as she shares who have been some of the most influential women in her own journey.Lawrence, Steve and the Evening Standard rugby correspondent, Nick Purewal, get together to preview the Investec Champions Cup quarter-finals, as they look at the strengths and weaknesses of the remaining teams before predicting their winners for this next knock-out round. And with Lawrence about to head off on the last ever RugbyWorks Cycle Slam, you can find out more about his motivation for taking on the challenge or donate to his fundraising here:https://www.justgiving.com/page/lawrencedallagliohttps://www.dallagliorugbyworks.com/In partnership with QBE Business Insurance and Voxpod Studios. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lawrence and Steve review the drama of the Easter weekend Premiership action including the 100 minute game at Kingston Park, the 7 min yellow card at The Stoop and another win for 'under the radar’ Bristol Bears, as Lawrence shares his predictions for the end of season Top 4. Plus Marlie Packer is back to give us the inside scoop on all things Red Roses, including Jamie George’s visit to camp and the single thing she believes would help elevate the women’s games even further in our new feature ‘Grow the Game in association with QBE Business Insurance’.And Evening Standard rugby correspondent, Nick Purewal, is on hand as to preview this weekend’s Investec Champions Cup Round of 16, as Lawrence and Nick assess the chances for the six Premiership clubs who’ll be fighting to make the quarter-finals.In partnership with QBE Business Insurance and Voxpod Studios. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lawrence Dallaglio, Steve Cording and Evening Standard rugby correspondent, Nick Purewal, assess the return of the Premiership as the clubs face 'The Run-In’ to the end of the season. In light of comments from an incident at The Showdown between Saracens and Harlequins, Lawrence explains the relationship between broadcasters and TMOs, and reveals where he’d place Owen Farrell in the list of Saracens greatest ever players. Plus the guys discuss whether Zach Mercer's continued standout performance for Gloucester is enough for Steve Borthwick to come calling and look ahead to the next round of Premiership action, predicting their winners for this weekend. And with the start of the Women’s Six Nations, Red Roses captain Marlie Packer joins the podcast to talk about the tournament, as she shares what’s changed since head coach, John Mitchell, took up the reins and how she celebrated her 100th cap with a post-match musical performance.In partnership with QBE Business Insurance and Voxpod Studios.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lawrence and Steve welcome former Saracens and England lock, George Kruis, to the studio for a chat as they round up the end of the Six Nations and look ahead to the return of the Premiership, with special focus on The Showdown between Saracens and Harlequins.George explains his role as line out consultant to the England team, why he feels the team’s future is so bright, and what drives the culture at his former club, Saracens. He also talks about his business fourfive.com and what he’s learned most in his transition from locker room to boardroom. Check out an exclusive discount code for listeners to the pod (see below.) Plus Lawrence tells us who he thinks are the real winners of this year’s Six Nations, why Warren Gatland should stay in charge at Wales and whether Scotland have peaked with their performance. Lol and Steve are also joined by Evening Standard rugby correspondent, Nick Purewal, who reveals his retirement conversation with Danny Care and which basketball star Steve Borthwick has been quoting in his post match interviews. Nick also looks ahead to the start of the Women’s Six Nations and updates us on the latest news about the possible return of London Irish. In partnership with QBE Business Insurance and Voxpod Studios. For a 25% discount on FourFive products use the code rugby25 at checkout on fourfive.com This code applies to first-time purchasers only. Excludes items already discounted such as sale items, bundles and subscriptions.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lawrence and Steve are joined by former Leinster and Ireland centre Gordon D’Arcy, as they review Saturday’s Six Nations Round 4 contest at Twickenham. Gordon shares his insight into where England most disrupted Ireland’s game plan, which of the men in white had the biggest impact on the field and how the Ireland team will now be preparing against Scotland in a bid to retain the championship title. Steve shares the good and the bad of his match day experience at Twickenham, and asks Lawrence to explain his Instagram antics from the final whistle. Plus the Evening Standard rugby correspondent, Nick Purewal, is on hand to discuss whether England now have to cast off their tag of ‘underdog’ as they face France, who Ben Earl’s post match reaction was aimed at, and why Wales should be feeling positive about their campaign despite facing a wooden spoon play off against Italy. In partnership with QBE Business Insurance and Voxpod Studios. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lawrence and Steve are joined by Ben Kay as they look ahead to Round 4 of the Six Nations, with a specific focus on Saturday's England v Ireland game at Twickenham.Ben offers his assessment on the tournament to date, shares which players he considers have the ‘stardust’ that England need, and reveals his opinion on how England should be approaching the game. Plus Lawrence explains how it works when teams practice their attack and questions whether Steve Borthwick has been trying to change too many aspects of the gameplan at once.The QBE Predictor forecasts the results from Round 4, as Lawrence and Ben also make their predictions. In partnership with QBE Business Insurance and Voxpod Studios.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lawrence and Steve are joined by Harlequins’ winger, Cadan Murley, as they discuss the results from Round 3 of the Six Nations.  Cadan chats about his recent experience with the England A team, his on-going conversations with Steve Borthwick, and what he thinks about the drinking culture at Twickenham Stadium. He also confirms which team mate he clean bowled in a game of cricket last week, and shares his hopes for the upcoming Big Summer Kick Off against Northampton Saints. For tickets visit https://www.eticketing.co.uk/harlequins Plus Lawrence, Steve and the Evening Standard rugby correspondent, Nick Purewal, dissect England’s defeat at Murrayfield, debate what is and isn’t working for the team and what changes might or should happen ahead of their next game against Ireland.  The QBE Predictor is back in action, revealing the forecast for Round 4. Do you agree with the predicted scores? In partnership with QBE Business Insurance and Voxpod Studios.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lawrence Dallaglio and Steve Cording are joined by former Scotland captain, John Barclay, as they look ahead to this weekend’s Six Nations games with a special focus on the Calcutta Cup fixture at Murrayfield on Saturday.  John offers his thoughts on Scotland’s campaign so far, how he believes they’ll handle England’s blitz defence and which players he’d select for their starting back row line up. He also shares his memories of Scotland’s famous win in 2018, including where he was when the pre-match ’scuffle in the tunnel’ broke out, and reveals which surprising guests ended up in the dressing room to celebrate the victory. Lol and Steve also chat about the Premiership Cup semi-finals and what the future might hold for Ealing Trailfinders, plus they’re joined by the Evening Standard rugby correspondent, Nick Purewal, as they discuss the latest team news from the England camp and examine exactly what England need to do to win this weekend.  And the QBE Predictor is back in action - will everyone agree with the forecast? In partnership with QBE Business Insurance and Voxpod Studios. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lawrence is joined by former Wales player, Shane Williams, who holds the record as top try scorer for his country, and Evening Standard rugby correspondent, Nick Purewal. Lol, Shane and Nick analyse Round 2 of the Six Nations and discuss England’s progress, the pros and cons of the blitz defence, what’s making Ireland so unstoppable and whether or not there should be any fallow weeks in the Six Nations championship.Shane also recalls his time being coached by Warren Gatland and Shaun Edwards, shares which player performances from the Wales team have impressed him so far and predicts how he thinks Wales will fare over the next few games. Plus, they share their views on which aspects of the game have become boring for spectators, whether the way TMOs are involved in decisions should change and Nick shares more information on the new mouthguards being worn by players that can alert the need for an HIA.And with a five out of six success rate so far, the QBE Predictor delivers its forecast for the winners of Round 3.In partnership with QBE Business Insurance and Voxpod Studios. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lawrence, Steve and special guest, Jiffy, deliver their analysis of the opening weekend of the Six Nations before looking ahead to Round 2. Jiffy shares his thoughts on key players for Wales as they head to Twickenham and recalls his own feelings about playing at England HQ. He also offers his insights into why Ireland are looking unbeatable and how Andy Farrell’s time playing rugby league has influenced their style of play.  The trio also pay tribute to the Welsh rugby legend, Barry John.  Plus, the QBE Predictor is back in action with one result forecast that surprises the team. And the Evening Standard rugby correspondent, Nick Purewal, joins Lawrence and Steve to discuss the ways England can bring more stability to their set up and how they see the team's chances at the weekend.  In partnership with QBE Business Insurance and Voxpod Studios Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lawrence and Steve are joined by former Leicester, England and British and Irish Lions player, Ben Kay, as they look ahead to the start of the Six Nations.  Ben and Lawrence select their choices for England’s starting XV against Italy and also chat about the strengths of each of the nations, before making their predictions for who will win the championship.  They also discuss the latest from the Premiership and which teams have the most to gain from the upcoming break in fixtures whilst the Six Nations is in action.  Plus, find out what the QBE Predictor is forecasting the weekend scores will be and whether Lawrence and Ben agree.  In partnership with QBE Business Insurance and Voxpod Studios Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lawrence Dallaglio and Steve Cording review the weekend’s rugby action from the Investec Champions Cup and look ahead to the return of the Premiership.And with the new Netflix series, Six Nations: Full Contact, about to launch the pair are joined by Evening Standard rugby correspondent, Nick Purewal, who offers his insight into how the players have reacted to being a part of the documentary and what the exposure might bring to the game. Nick also delivers the latest news on how Jamie George is feeling at being named England captain and what impact his appointment to the role will have on England in the upcoming Six Nations.Plus the team discuss Louis Rees-Zammit’s move to NFL, whether there could be a legal case to challenge the RFU’s ruling not to allow players abroad to be selected for England, and which Smith (Fin or Marcus) has the best skill set for an international fly half. There’s also plenty of chat about Lawrence’s latest antics in Warsaw, his final Dallaglio Cycle Slam charity challenge and whether the proliferation of yellow and red cards in rugby is a cause for concern.In partnership with Voxpod Studios. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lawrence and Steve bring you all the latest rugby news from the Investec Champions Cup, discussing the highlights from the weekend’s games before looking ahead to the match-ups and possible outcomes from Round 4. Plus are the rumours around a move to France for Owen Farrell causing problems for the team’s on field performance? And will current champions, La Rochelle, be able to do enough to earn a place in the Round of 16?The guys are also joined by Evening Standard rugby correspondent, Nick Purewal, as they look at who might be named in Steve Borthwick’s England squad for the Six Nations, including putting forward their choice for captain. And Lawrence gives his opinion on the appointment of Andy Farrell as Head Coach of the British & Irish Lions tour of 2025 and shares which country he’d like to see the Lions tours taking on in the future. In partnership with Voxpod Studios.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the final episode this year, Lawrence and Steve get festive with a chat about Christmases past and present, reminiscing on family traditions, and their best ever presents as children. Lol also tells us what he really thinks about South African clubs being part of the European Champions Cup, as the pair chat through the weekend’s European Champions Cup action.  Plus the Evening Standard’s Nick Purewal joins the chaps to talk about hybrid player contracts, changes in the Home Nations coaching staff and whether Henry Arundell was right to resign with Racing 92.  And Lawrence, Steve and Nick all select their rugby highlight from the year and share their hopes for 2024. In partnership with Voxpod Studios. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With Sarra away and Lawrence on his sick bed, Steve Cording hosts a one-to-one chat with Bath Rugby’s Assistant Coach, Lee Blackett. Lee shares his thoughts on the opening round of the European Champions Cup including why he was frustrated by Bath’s performance despite their win over Ulster. He also chat about the current squad, revealing which special qualities he believes Finn Russell has brought to the squad, and discussing the future of the recently named RPA Under 23 Most Valuable Player of the month for November, Alfie Barbeary. Plus he tells us about a recent phone call with Jack Willis, which didn’t give him the answer he’d hoped to hear, and explains how conversations between Steve Borthwick and Johan van Graan could help forge Bath’s success moving forward. He also sets out his views on the ‘hybrid’ contracts being discussed in the media for players such as Henry Arundell and Maro Itoje. Lee also sets out why Steve might want to become a Bath fan, following the demise of London Irish, and gives us an insight into Bath Rugby’s Christmas party including his Secret Santa gift dilemma.In partnership with Voxpod Studios.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

T/W This episode includes themes of mental health, self-harm and suicide. For support on any of the topics discussed, you can follow the links below to organisations who can help. At a time when high profile players and officials are taking a break from international duties to protect and prioritise their mental health, Lawrence, Sarra and Steve welcome Simon Trower onto the podcast to discuss some of the issues surrounding this topic. Simon is the founder of the charity Brave Mind and shares his own personal mental health journey and why he wanted to focus on the rugby community to open up conversations about mental wellbeing. Lawrence reveals what helped him deal with his emotions as a player and how the tragic death of his sister, Francesca, in 1989 had a major effect on how he viewed the highs and lows of his career. Simon tells the team about how Brave Mind is supporting players across all levels of rugby and what the most pressing mental health challenges are for people from grass roots, right up to international captains and how we can all do our bit to support each other. Later in the episode, Lawrence, Sarra and Steve are joined by the Evening Standard rugby correspondent, Nick Purewal, as the discuss the struggles facing Newcastle and whether rugby’s governing bodies need a new plan to move the game forward. Plus they pick the most mouth-watering fixtures as look ahead to the opening weekend of European Rugby and chat about what makes this competition so special. In partnership with Voxpod Studios.If you or a friend or loved one need help and support with mental health, please contact one of these charities: Brave Mind https://www.bravemind.co.uk/Samaritans https://www.samaritans.org/Mind https://www.mind.org.uk/Shout https://giveusashout.org/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lawrence, Sarra and Steve are joined in the studio by life-long Harlequins’ fan and Michelin star chef, Michel Roux Jr. Michel chats about his experiences at The Stoop, who he supports when it comes to ‘Le Crunch’ and what meal he thinks epitomises the game of rugby.He also reveals how running transformed his mental health and why it’s now time to close the doors on his world famous, family restaurant, Le Gavroche.Plus Lawrence and Michel go head-to-head in a food vs rugby quick fire quiz and hatch a plan for a new TV show. The team are also joined by the Evening Standard’s rugby correspondent, Nick Purewal, as they look ahead to the weekend’s Premiership action and discuss what plans could be put in place to stem the flow of top tier England players heading abroad to play club rugby. In partnership with Voxpod Studios. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lawrence sits down for a one-to-one chat with former England captain, Martin Johnson, as they mark the 20th anniversary of lifting the Webb Ellis Cup in Australia.  Taking the chance to reminisce, Lol and Johnno recall the why the game that made them most nervous was actually in the pool stages of the tournament, how they convinced Sir Clive Woodward to change the training programme mid-way through the campaign and what winning the World Cup has meant to them on a personal level.  And as former Head Coach of England, Johnno also shares his views on what the current team need to do to progress their achievements at the RWC2023, as the pair also examine whether their own historic win should have left a better legacy for the game. Plus, there are stories about Lawrence and Johnno’s first time on tour as room mates, life in the England camp in 2003 and their most treasured memories from their rugby careers.   In partnership with Voxpod Studios.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lawrence Dallaglio, Sarra Elgan and the Evening Standard’s Steve Cording are joined by Red Roses' captain, Marlie Packer, to chat about the exciting changes in women’s rugby. Marlie talks about the newly established Premiership Women’s Rugby and how it will help shape the domestic game, why the new TV broadcast deal will help inspire the next generation and what it is about the women’s game that she believes can be more entertaining than the men’s.Marlie also shares what it was like to return to New Zealand for the inaugural WXV tournament, after last year’s World Cup defeat to the Black Ferns, why she has a new found respect for former Red Roses’ captain, Sarah Hunter, and the music-themed team bonding challenge used by Head Coach-in-waiting, John Mitchell, on his arrival into camp.Lawrence shares his thoughts on what the teams at the bottom of the Premiership table need to do to change their fortunes and Lol, Sarra and Steve look ahead to the derby fixtures this weekend. Plus find out why the team have had to record elsewhere this week.In partnership with Voxpod Studios. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.