The Telegraph Rugby Podcast

In this episode from the Telegraph Women's Sport Podcast, we're delving into the topic of body image. Hosted by Dame Laura Kenny, we bring together three women to share their stories and insights.

Ellie Boatman, a Great Britain rugby sevens player, opens up about her journey through body image struggles and overcoming an eating disorder to develop a healthier relationship with her body and food. She emphasises the influence of social media on body perceptions and the importance of education around its dangers.

Amy Truesdale, an Paralympic taekwondo champion, speaks about her confidence in competing in a male-dominated sport despite her disability. She highlights the necessity of focusing on performance over aesthetics, celebrating individual differences, and rejecting societal pressures.

Kate Dale, campaign director of "This Girl Can" at Sport England, brings her expertise in promoting women's participation in sports, discussing the need for positive reinforcement and conscious behaviour around diet culture and appearance. She champions the importance of understanding female physiology in training to shift focus from appearance to performance.

If you have been affected by an eating disorder, contact the NHS or Beat for help.

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Ben, Charlie and Charles reflect on the second weekend of Autumn internationals which saw England stunned by a resurgent Australia at Twickenham

Steve Borthwick has now lost his six test matches in 2024 and up next is the visit of World Champions South Africa

Ahead of that game, we discuss if England are lacking in leaders, we also take a closer look at the defensive system and ask why it has struggled so much since the departure of Felix Jones.

Elsewhere it was a disappointing weekend all round for the home nations, with Scotland, Ireland and Wales all suffering defeat as well, Ben was in Murrayfield and tells us the Scots have plenty to be happy about despite defeat to the Springboks.

Plus we tackle all your questions as usual, including the possibility of French based players featuring for England and early Lions shouts too.

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Ben, Charlie and Charles reflect on England's two point defeat to New Zealand at Twickenham, where Steve Borthwick's side played well in spells but ultimately came up short again for the fourth time in five test matches.

Have England just been the victims of bad luck to be on the end of such narrow defeats or is there a deeper issue within the squad that is preventing them from seeing out games?

One team who has no problems in seeing out games is South Africa, ahead of their clash with Scotland this weekend, we hear from Eben Etzebeth and Ox Nché about how the World Champions always manage to be on the right side of narrow wins.

Plus we discuss a huge clash in Dublin on Friday night as Ireland take on the All Blacks and discuss the retirement of England prop Joe Marler.

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The Telegraph Rugby Podcast is back ahead of this year's Autumn Internationals!

Ben, Charlie and Charles get stuck into England's upcoming campaign which kicks off on Saturday with a clash against the All Blacks at Twickenham

We hear from England's new senior assistant coach Richard Wigglesworth on what his new role entails, he also explains why he will always value what he see's with his own eyes over any underlying data provided to him.

The guys also attempt to nail down their selection picks in the back row and at half back, and we discuss the recently awarded Elite Player Contracts and if the right people received them.

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Ben, Charlie and Charles reflect on the final round of the 2024 Six Nations as Ireland retain their title in Dublin and Wales finish bottom, picking up their first wooden spoon in 21 years.

England finished their campaign with a thrilling match in Lyon, losing out to France by just two points. Despite the defeat, there are plenty of reasons for England fans to be optimistic. We discuss how new life was sparked into their attack and how it could develop even further this summer away in New Zealand.

We also talk about the future of Wales boss Warren Gatland, who admitted that his attempt to resign was rejected by the WRU and also ask if Italy finally arrived as legitimate Six Nations challengers after their history-making campaign.

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Ben, Charlie and Charles reflect on the penultimate round of Six Nations action which saw seismic shocks at Twickenham and in Rome.

England defied the odds to produce their best performance since the 2019 World Cup to defeat Ireland and end the visitors hopes of becoming the first Six Nations side to win back-to-back Grand Slams.

Elsewhere, Italy produced a shock of their own by coming from behind to beat Scotland 31-29. Harlequins' Louis Lynagh had a debut to remember and he tells us what it was like to pull on the Italy shirt for the first time.

And, as Wales lose their fourth game on the spin, we speak to their former winger Louis Rees-Zammit who tells us all about his preparations to make it in the NFL after leaving rugby.

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Ben, Charlie and Charles look ahead to the penultimate round of the Six Nations and in particular England's showdown with Ireland at Twickenham.

Former England captain Will Carling joins us to offer us his thoughts on England, arguing a 'data straitjacket' is holding them back while revealing he had to argue with Eddie Jones to get current captain Jamie George into the leadership group back when he was a team mentor.

The big selection question mark this week surrounds fly-half with Marcus Smith back in contention. Should he be fast-tracked into the starting line-up, or is George Ford or Fin Smith the better option? The guys make cases for each of the three starting on Saturday. 

Plus, we ask if Wales can turn their good performances into a win against struggling France this weekend, and whether Italy can replicate their heroics from round three when they host Scotland in Rome. 

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Ben, Charlie and Charles reflect on Scotland's win over England in the Calcutta Cup, their fourth in a row, and where the defeat leaves Steve Borthwick's side heading into the final two rounds of the Six Nations.

We ask if it is time for the England coach to roll the dice with some of the emerging talent, like Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, and if it is time to say goodbye to some of the squad's elder statesmen. Whether changes are needed to England's coaching ticket moving forward to accelerate Borthwick's rebuild is also discussed.

Elsewhere, we hear from Italy defence coach Marius Goosen who tells us that Paolo Garbisi's last-gasp penalty against France should have been retaken after the fly-half was forced to rush the potential match-winning kick.

Ben gives us his verdict from the Aviva as Ireland's unbeaten start continued against Wales.

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Ben, Charlie and Charles build up to the return of the Six Nations this weekend and discuss the crucial Calcutta Cup clash in detail.

Scotland scrum-half Ben White joins the show to discuss his successful memories of the fixture and as well as his transition from England youth player to Scotland international.

We also discuss if Manu Tuilagi and Ollie Lawrence could feature this weekend after the pair were recalled, and who will replace Alex Mitchell at scrum-half for England.

Plus, we cast our eyes over the rest of the weekend and ask if either Wales or Italy can cause a major shock when they face Ireland and France respectively.

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Ben, Charlie and Charles reflect on round two of the 2024 Six Nations where England secured back-to-back wins, coming from behind to see off Wales at Twickenham.

There were yet more questions for England's new look defence and, with harder tests to come, we ask if new defence coach Felix Jones will make any amendments for the remainder of the tournament.

As for Wales, they could have two victories under their belt but their young team remained winless. How can Warren Gatland turn his sides' near misses into wins?

The big talking point of the weekend came from Murrayfield as Scotland were denied a win over France with a last-gasp TMO review not awarding a try that would have won them the game. There is agreement amongst the panel that although a try was probably scored, the right decision was ultimately reached.

And can anyone stop Ireland making it successive Grand Slams after Andy Farrell's side put 36 unanswered points on Italy in Dublin.

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The 2024 Six Nations is underway and it was defending champions Ireland who sent a message to the rest of the competition by recording their biggest win away in France, securing a bonus-point along the way in Marseille.

Ben, Charlie and Charles look back on the opening weekend, including that win for Ireland and a nervy victory for England away in Rome. However, Charlie is feeling optimistic about the work being done behind the scenes by head coach Steve Borthwick and Felix Jones. There's praise also for Ethan Roots, who impressed on debut.

Plus, we discuss a chaotic game in Cardiff as Scotland almost blew a 27-point lead against Wales.

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The 2024 Six Nations is just around the corner and the Telegraph Rugby podcast is back ahead of the tournament's opening fixture on Friday.

Ben, Charlie and Charles get stuck into how the England squad will cope in the absence of Owen Farrell and Courtney Lawes, with Jamie George to skipper the side for the competition.

We also hear from Italy forward Sebastian Negri ahead of Italy's clash with England, and he opens up to us about his starring role in the recent Netflix series.

Former England coach Eddie Jones joins the show for the first time since becoming head coach of Japan. We hear about his new role, the upcoming Six Nations, and his strong views on Owen Farrell's decision to step away from international rugby.

Plus, we cast our eyes over the best of the weekend's action, including a potential classic in Marseille between France and Ireland on Friday night.

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Ben, Charlie and Charles reflect on the final of the 2023 Rugby World Cup which saw South Africa retain the Webb Ellis Cup and register a record fourth win.

The game could have been different had New Zealand not lost their captain Sam Cane to a red card early on. The guys discuss the impact of that decision and also if South Africa skipper Siya Kolisi was lucky not to see red.

We also discuss where this Springboks side rank amongst the best teams in rugby history and if it is possible they make it three in a row in 2027.

England scrum-half Jack van Poortvliet joins the show to discuss his rehab from an ankle injury that ruled him out of the World Cup and also what he has made of their progress under Steve Borthwick.

Plus, we discuss Eddie Jones' resignation from Australia and take a look at the World Rugby Awards too.

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Ben, Charlie and Charles reflect on an agonising weekend for England, who were knocked out of the Rugby World Cup after losing their semi-final by a single point to defending champions South Africa.

The guys look at where the game was lost, and if England could have done more to build a lead when they were on top.

The fallout from the match has been dominated by an allegation made by Tom Curry against Bongi Mbonambi after the England flanker accused the South African hooker of a racial slur. World Rugby are investigating the situation.

We also take a look at New Zealand's comfortable win on Friday night over Argentina and ask if the All Blacks are now favourites to win a fourth World Cup on Saturday.

And ahead of the third-place play-off on Friday night, we ask if the fixture is pointless.

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Ben, Charlie and Charles are joined in Paris by the Telegraph's Chief Sports writer Oliver Brown ahead of England's Rugby World Cup semi-final against South Africa.

They run through the England starting line-up, which features three changes to the side that beat Fiji in the quarter-final and discuss if head coach Steve Borthwick has nailed his selection ahead of the biggest game of his coaching career.

We hear also from the England head coach who is embracing the tag of underdog heading into Saturday's clash.

South Africa named an unchanged side for the first time this tournament. We look at their strengths and ask if they have any weaknesses to exploit.

We also hear from their head coach Jacques Nienabar, who outlines where he thinks England could hurt the defending champions.

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Ben, Charlie and Charles reflect on one of the most thrilling weekends in rugby history as the southern hemisphere sides show they are far from a fading force.

England remain the sole hope for the northern hemisphere after Steve Borthwick's side survived a second half fight back from Fiji to book their spot in the final four. Owen Farrell responded to criticism of his selection at fly-half with a player of the match performance.

In Paris, we were treated to the two best games of the tournament so far with defending champions South Africa just edging hosts France to book a semi-final date with England while New Zealand produced their best performance in years to see off Ireland, who once again exit at the quarter-final stage.

We discuss if it was a case of choking for the Irish, or if they simply came up against a better side on the night, and Charles gives us the mood from Paris as the host nation lick their wounds after their exit.

Plus, we discuss Argentina's win over Wales and pay tribute to two departing number 10s in Johnny Sexton and Dan Biggar.

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Ben, Charlie and Charles reflect on the final round of pool action and look ahead to a thrilling line-up of quarter-finals coming up this weekend.

We discuss the side Steve Borthwick is likely to select following England's lacklustre performance against Samoa and if he will stick with captain Owen Farrell at inside centre or if in-form George Ford will be sacrificed against Fiji.

Ireland dominated Scotland to set up a mouthwatering showdown with New Zealand and we check in with former All Black and 2011 World Cup winner Israel Dagg to discuss his former side's chances as well as why the future is not looking so bright for them.

Plus, we take a look at the other games this weekend including a potential return for France captain Antoine Dupont, who is back in training following surgery on a facial fracture and could start against the Springboks on Sunday.

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Ben, Charlie and Charles reflect on a quiet week in the Rugby World Cup for the home nations with only Scotland in action.

Gregor Townsend’s side won well against Romania while New Zealand returned from their week off to thump Italy 96-17 in a statement win. 

All eyes this weekend are on the crunch match between Ireland and Scotland. We discuss the permutations that could see Scotland through to the next round and even see South Africa eliminated!

We catch up with former international referee JP Doyle to get his assessment on the officiating at the tournament so far and whether the ‘bunker’ system is working.

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Ben, Charlie and Charles reflect on a thrilling weekend of Rugby World Cup action including Ireland's victory over defending champions South Africa, which was the game of the tournament so far.

We look at where the game was won and lost, and discuss the likelihood of the two sides meeting again in the final at the end of October.

Connacht head coach Pete Wilkins joins the show to talk about the form of two of his star players, Bundee Aki and Mack Hansen, and his experience of working alongside Andy Farrell during Ireland's successful tour of New Zealand last year.

Plus, the guys discuss under-pressure Eddie Jones, England's backline options following their resounding win over Chile and ask if enough is being done to support 'tier 2' nations.

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England maintained their 100 per cent record in the Rugby World Cup after Steve Borthwick's side saw off Japan with a bonus-point win. But not everyone is happy with the performance.

Ben, Charlie and Charles reflect on the victory and ask why so many fans seem to be disgruntled with England, especially given their poor form prior to the tournament.

Australia face the very real threat of being knocked out in the pool stages for the first time in their history after Eddie Jones’ team lost to Fiji. The Wallabies now have a must-win clash with Wales on Sunday to stand any chance of making it into the final eight. 

We speak to former Australia skipper James Horwill about the current state of the side and the reaction Down Under.

Plus, the guys look ahead to the weekend which includes a mouthwatering clash between Ireland and South Africa.

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Ben, Charlie and Charles reflect on an eventful  opening weekend of the Rugby World Cup!

England produced their best performance under Steve Borthwick when it mattered most, defeating Argentina comfortably despite being down to 14 men just three minutes into the game.

We dissect what went right for England and discuss the performance of George Ford, including where Owen Farrell fits back into this side once his ban is served.

Former Wales winger Shane Williams joins the show to talk about Wales' narrow win over Fiji and how far Warren Gatland can take his side in the tournament.

Plus, we round up the best of the rest of the weekend's action and tackle your questions too!

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The Rugby World Cup is just days away which means we are back with you every week from now until the tournament ends!

Ben, Charlie and Charles get stuck into the big talking points starting with England, who enter the competition in disarray following three defeats in four warm-up games and bans handed out to two of their key players in Owen Farrell and Billy Vunipola. We discuss their opener with Argentina and ask if Steve Borthwick's side are capable of pulling out a big performance when they need it most.

Nick Evans, who was part of Borthwick's coaching team during the Six Nations, joins the show to share his thoughts on England's chances and the role Marcus Smith could play after he featured at full-back during the warm-ups.

We also take a look at the standout games this weekend, including Friday night's opener between France and the All Blacks, and get stuck into your questions too.

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The Telegraph Rugby podcast will be back on Monday 4th September ahead of the Rugby World Cup. Until then, enjoy another episode of our latest sport podcast.

This episode of the Telegraph Women's Sport podcast, we look at one of the hottest topics in women’s sport right now: ACL - three letters that can strike fear into sportspeople. An anterior cruciate ligament injury means a lengthy spell on the sidelines and women are more likely to suffer them than men. But why? How can the risk be reduced? And what is it like to go through rehab for such a serious knee injury?  

Sam is joined by three people who know more about this tricky injury than most.

Fiona Pocock won more than 30 caps for England and played in the 2010 Rugby World Cup, but she also spent long periods on the sidelines with injury. She now runs her own personal training company, specialising in female-specific programmes.

Tess Braunerova is a Premiership rugby player & international for the Czech Republic - she did her ACL the season before last.

And Tom Jacobs is a chartered physiotherapist who has worked in both elite and grass-roots sport. He helped set up the Sporting Knee Injury Prevention Programme (SKIPP) after seeing an increase in ACL ruptures amongst teenagers playing sport.

Follow the Telegraph Women's Sport Podcast now

For more Women's Sport news from the Telegraph: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/womens-sport/

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The Telegraph Rugby podcast will be back on Monday 4th September ahead of the Rugby World Cup. Until then, enjoy another episode of our latest sport podcast.

This episode of the Telegraph Women's Sport podcast takes a look the importance of coaching in sport, from guiding youngsters at the start of their sporting journeys to helping elite athletes as they challenge for trophies and medals.

Sam Quek is joined by three people who know all about the many facets of quality coaching.

Giselle Mather was part of England’s Rugby World Cup-winning squad in 1994, but she's also excelled in the coaching sphere as the first woman to earn the RFU’s Level Four coaching badge. She's has been involved in the set up at London Irish, Wasps and now Ealing Trailfinders.

Willie Kirk was in charge of Hibernian Women when they won trophies in 2010 and 2011, and has worked in the Women’s Super League with Bristol City, Everton and now Leicester. In the season just finished he oversaw a remarkable turnaround as Leicester recovered from having zero points at Christmas to avoid relegation.

And Abbie Johnson, a community cricket coach, who has been coaching since she was 14 at her local club Louth and also works part-time in the county set-up with Lincolnshire. She has continued to coach alongside her studies and caring for her mother while she underwent cancer treatment.

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For more Women's Sport news from the Telegraph: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/womens-sport/

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As a listener of The Telegraph Rugby Podcast, you might be interested in the new show that we've been working on - The Telegraph Women's Sport podcast. 

We’ve all enjoyed seeing the rise of coverage in women’s sport in recent years, but there is undoubtedly still work to do. Join Olympic hockey legend Sam Quek as she chats to women across the sporting world about the big issues – from ACL injuries to activism to motherhood.

This first episode takes a look at success and attempts to get to the bottom of what it takes to become a champion… aside from a lot of hard graft.

Sam is joined by three women who know a lot about the pressure and mentality it takes to succeed in sport: Maggie Alphonsi, Rugby World Cup winner with Red Roses in 2014, Helen Davis, a sport psychologist who has worked with Olympic, Paralympic, World, European and Commonwealth champions in a variety of sports, and, as the FIFA Women's World Cup gets underway, Ellen White, member of that iconic Euros winning Lionesses squad.

Follow the Telegraph Women's Sport Podcast now

For more Women's Sport news from the Telegraph: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/womens-sport/

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Ben, Charlie and Charles reflect on the final round of Six Nations action which saw Ireland crowned Grand Slam champions following their 29-16 win over an improved England side.

The guys pay tribute to the winners and, in particular, their captain Johnny Sexton, who is now the top points scorer in the history of the Six Nations following his final game in the competition.

There is also praise for England, who were much improved from their heavy defeat to France. We grade Steve Borthwick's first tournament in charge and pick out some of the positives from the last eight weeks as attention now turns to the World Cup later this year.

The guys also assess where the other Six Nations teams stand ahead of the World Cup. Despite their Grand Slam, no one believes Ireland should be favourites.

Fiona Tomas checks in ahead of the start of the Women's Six Nations this weekend, and we attempt to pick our player of the tournament too!

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Ben, Charlie and Charles reflect on the penultimate round of Six Nations action where England suffered a record home defeat to France in a major reality check for head coach Steve Borthwick.

We discuss England's problem areas following a difficult afternoon at Twickenham and who should play at fly-half against Ireland next weekend. Owen Farrell was forced to settle for a spot on the bench against France with Marcus Smith preferred while there's also the possibility of a return for George Ford, who is yet to make an appearance this campaign.

The Irish Grand Slam remains on after they picked up their latest win away to Scotland. Despite a string of injuries to their pack in the first half, Andy Farrell's men overcame adversity to deliver what he called 'the best win of his career'. We discuss Ireland's relentless form and what chance, if any, England have against them this coming weekend.

Plus, Wales are praised for picking up a bonus-point win away in Italy and we answer your questions too!

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Ben, Charlie and Charles look ahead to the penultimate round of Six Nations action with three mouth-watering encounters taking place this weekend.

England have welcomed Marcus Smith back into their extended squad after the fly-half was released by Steve Borthwick and told to go and prove himself. In Harlequins' hammering of Exeter, he did just that! We discuss what the performance means for Smith's future and also hear from his club team-mate Danny Care.

Elsewhere, we speak to Italy captain Michele Lamaro ahead of the Azzurri's clash with Wales. He talks about the evolution of the side under Kieran Crowley and the rare prospect of preparing for a Six Nations clash as favourites.

We also get stuck into your questions including 'what is a forward pass in the modern game?' after a number of confusing decisions across the weekend's action.

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Ben, Charlie and Charles look back on round three of the Six Nations and get stuck into a second win for Steve Borthwick after England saw off Wales in Cardiff.

They discuss who impressed and who failed to live up to expectation. There is criticism for England captain Owen Farrell, who did not enjoy his finest afternoon in an England shirt. We ask if Borthwick has backed himself into a corner by naming Farrell as his skipper for the duration of the tournament and if there is scope to change the captain ahead of the World Cup later this year.

Elsewhere, there is praise for Scotland despite defeat away to France, which Gregor Townsend labelled their performance in Paris as their best of the competition so far.

And with Italy continuing to impress after a competitive showing against Ireland, we discuss if their long wait for a Six Nations win on home soil will finally come when they face Wales.

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Ben, Charlie and Charles look ahead to the return of the Six Nations this weekend but, with Wales' game against England in jeopardy due to the threat of a player strike, we dissect the problems within the Welsh game and speak with Cardiff Blues captain Josh Turnbull.

Josh tells us why the players are looking to strike and what the likelihood of Saturday's game going ahead is.

As for England, they look in good shape heading into the weekend with Courtney Lawes and Tom Curry both picked by Steve Borthwick. There is also a recall for George Ford, who made a return to Premiership action at the weekend. We discuss where the Sale Sharks fly-half could fit in the new England era.

We also speak to Springboks star Cheslin Kolbe to get his thoughts on the Six Nations so far and his hopes for the year ahead as he prepares to defend the World Cup.

Plus, we look ahead to the weekend's other two games where Italy host Ireland before what could be the match of the weekend on Sunday with Gregor Townsend's Scotland side taking plenty of momentum to Paris.

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Ben, Charlie and Charles reflect on week two of the Six Nations, which included a thriller in Dublin as Ireland got the better of France in a battle between the two best sides in the world.

We speak to the former Ireland international Alan Quinlan about what makes this Ireland side different to the Grand Slam winning teams under Joe Schmidt and if the Irish can maintain their relentless form to challenge for the World Cup at the end of the year.

We also unpack England's first win under Steve Borthwick which had both positive and negative aspects. We hear from the England head coach who urged fans to be patient after a mixed showing against Italy.

After Scotland backed up their win at Twickenham by beating Wales, we ask if this is finally the year Gregor Townsend's men can compete for the title.

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Ben, Charlie and Charles reflect on the opening round of Six Nations action which saw three away wins for the first time ever!

One of those wins came at Twickenham as Scotland made it three in a row against England in the Six Nations to retain the Calcutta Cup and inflict defeat on Steve Borthwick in his first game in charge.

We hear from the new England head coach, who insists there is a lot of work to be done, and also fly-half Marcus Smith, who's partnership with Owen Farrell remains a question mark for England.

Charles was in Rome to see Italy fall to a narrow defeat to defending champions France and he gives us the low down on the threat they could pose to England next weekend.

We also look ahead to a mouthwatering clash between Ireland and France after Andy Farrell's side made light work of Wales in Warren Gatland's Cardiff homecoming.

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The Telegraph Rugby podcast is back ahead of the Six Nations! Over the next eight weeks, join the Telegraph's Ben Coles, Charlie Morgan and Charles Richardson every Monday as they discuss the main talking points from the tournament.

Ahead of Saturday's clash between England and Scotland, we catch up with Scotland star Finn Russell as he gives us his take on England, who he expects to line up opposite him at fly-half and why Scotland struggle to replicate their Calcutta Cup form across the entire Six Nations.

We also take a closer look at England ahead of Steve Borthwick's first campaign and who will line up in his backline in particular.

The guys also chat through Warren Gatland's first match since his return as Wales coach when they take on Ireland in the tournament opener.

Plus, we discuss the controversial decision made by the RFU to lower the tackling height at amateur level and hear the thoughts of London Irish head coach Les Kiss on the issue everyone is talking about.

Finn Russell spoke to the Telegraph Rugby Podcast in partnership with Puresport 

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Ben, Charlie & Charles are back for a bonus episode discussing not one but two massive stories in the world of international rugby!

England have parted company with Eddie Jones just nine months out from the Rugby World Cup while Wales have also moved on from their head coach Wayne Pivac, acting swiftly to bring back the man who Pivac replaced, Warren Gatland.

Ben, Charlie and Charles take you inside Jones' final 48 hours as England head coach and discuss why the decision was made, why Jones was so reluctant to go and, ultimately, if it was the right decision to make so close to the World Cup.

We also discuss the likely arrival of Steve Borthwick from Leicester Tigers and what his coaching ticket could look like, with the RFU reported to be parting with close to £1 million to bring their former coach back.

And we answer the best of your questions regarding Jones' dismissal.

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Ben, Charlie and Charles analyse England's deflating defeat to South Africa at Twickenham and discuss whether Eddie Jones' role is under threat.

Also under the microscope is Wales' late collapse to Australia and we look ahead to England's potential Six Nations squad.

Our guest on this week's episode is the French National team's defence coach, Shaun Edwards. He discusses his thoughts on Southern Hemisphere teams; reminisces about his stint as Wasps' Head Coach; and unpacks why he has not got the England job... yet.

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Ben, Charlie and Charles dissect England's thrilling draw against the All Blacks and debate if Marcus Smith was right to kick the ball out after his stunning performance in the dying moments helped the hosts back from the dead.

Next up for England is a clash with world champions South Africa. We discuss what changes Eddie Jones could make to his squad after he already hinted at changes to his pack to match the physicality of the Springboks.

The biggest result of the weekend came in Cardiff as Georgia came from behind to see off Wales. One of the men responsible for that win is former Cardiff Blues skipper Paul Tito, who is current assistant coach with Georgia. He joins the guys to discuss the win and the rapid growth of the game in the country ahead of the World Cup next year.

We also round up the rest of the weekend's action including a shock win for Portugal, which sees them into next year's World Cup, a forgettable Saturday night in Dublin and a feisty clash between Scotland and Argentina.

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This week we are talking about officiating and how it is evolving with the increasing presence of technology in the game. Ben, Charles and Charlie are joined by one of the most recognisable officials to have ever stepped onto the field in Nigel Owens.

Nigel expresses his concerns for a growing over-reliance on the TMO and he also explains how a desire to referee a 'perfect' game is making the sport less watchable. We also get his take on Rassie Erasmus after the South Africa director of rugby took to social media yet again to question officiating after his side’s loss to France.

We are once again joined by Fiona Tomas from Auckland after the Red Roses fell agonisingly short in the World Cup final against New Zealand.

The guys recap a comfortable win for England over Japan where Marcus Smith helped himself to a brace of tries, yet not everyone is convinced the Harlequins star should be in the starting XV.

Plus, we cast an eye over the rest of the weekend’s action including a comeback win for the All Blacks over Scotland, a thriller between France and South Africa in Marseille and a first win for Italy over Australia!

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Our topic this week is attack in the modern game and we're joined by former England head coach and current Leinster assistant coach Stuart Lancaster. He sits down with Charlie to discuss how he prepares and coaches his sides to attack.

But before that, Ben, Charlie and Charles look back on an action-packed weekend of international rugby including England's shock defeat to Argentina in their opening game of the autumn. We discuss where it all went wrong for Eddie Jones' side and ask if the experiment of a Smith-Farrell-Tuilagi midfield needs to be scrapped. We also hear from Ellis Genge, who defended England's performance despite the defeat.

Fiona Tomas checks in from Auckland after England made it into a second consecutive World Cup Final after picking up their 30th consecutive win.

We also wrap up the rest of the action including wins for Ireland and Scotland and a thumping defeat for Wales, who came up against a rampant All Blacks side, before looking ahead to next weekend.

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Join the Telegraph's Ben Coles, Charlie Morgan & Charles Richardson as well as special guests every week throughout the Autumn Internationals.

Each episode will hone in on an important aspect of the game and to kick things off we will be hearing from England head coach Eddie Jones on the art of selection. He speaks exclusively to the podcast about his methods and why he pays little attention to what is said in the media. Jones also explains how he came up with the idea of 'finishers' and details the difference between scouting players in person compared to off the TV.

We also preview all of this weekend's games, including England-Argentina, and we hear from the Telegraph's Fiona Tomas who has been covering the Red Roses at the Women's World Cup.

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The 2022 Six Nations is done and dusted! Congratulations to France who picked up their first title since 2010 and they made it a Grand Slam too for good measure.

Joining Brian to recap the final weekend and the tournament as a whole is the former England centre Tom May. They look back on England's defeat on Saturday night and what in general went wrong for them over the course of the competition which left them with three defeats from five games.

The Telegraph's Charlie Morgan was in Paris, he joins the show to recap the tournament and discuss the areas of major concern for England and Jones heading into the Summer.

Italy picked up their first Sic Nations win for seven years in dramatic fashion. They scored one of the tries of the tournament in the final moments of their clash with Wales to ensure they didn't go home empty handed. Their captain Michele Lamaro joins the show and says he is confident of the long term foundations being laid in Italian rugby, and says he hopes it wont be seven years until their next Six Nations win.

Elsewhere we recap disappointing campaigns for Wales and Scotland and a promising one for Ireland who finished a close second to unbeaten France.

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We've just one round to go in the 2022 Six Nations and all eyes will be on the Stade de France in Paris as the hosts bid for their first Grand Slam since 2010. England's slim chances of a Six Nations title ended after their defeat to Ireland in Twickenham.

Joining Brian to recap the penultimate weekend is the former England sevens captain Rob Vickerman. They dissect an incident packed game at Twickenham which saw Charlie Ewels red carded after just 80 seconds, the fastest in the Six Nations history.

Former Ireland prop Mike Ross joins to show to discuss the Irish performance and some of the criticism they have faced despite their bonus point win. He also discusses the struggling Irish scrum, which he felt was poorly refereed.

Elsewhere we recap the rest of the weekends action, Wales falling narrowly short of a big win over France and Scotland beating Italy but conceding 22 points in the process.

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The Six Nations is back after a week off and what a game we have to look forward to on Saturday as England host Ireland at Twickenham.

Joining Brian to look ahead to the weekend's clash is former England 7's captain Rob Vickerman. They discuss how well Eddie Jones new look side are transitioning to a new style of play and if their self imposed 'chaotic' gameplan is working.

Liam Toland from the Irish Times also joins the show to discuss Irelands strong campaign so far and how they have managed to implement their own version of structured chaos under the guidance of former England coach Andy Farrell.

Elsewhere we ask if there is any chance Wales can do England or Ireland a favour by beating Grand Slam hopefuls France on Friday night and should Duhan van der Merwe be banned for Scotlands upcoming game with Italy after he picked up a controversial red card at the weekend.

We also discuss the future of domestic rugby after both Doncaster and Ealing were denied the opportunity to be promoted into the Premiership after they fell short of stadium requirements for the top flight.

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We're down to just two rounds in the 2022 Six Nations and France remain the only side with a 100% record.

Joining Brian to recap the weekend's action is former England and London Irish winger Topsy Ojo. The pair get stuck into the match at Twickenham between England and Wales and why exactly so much time was wasted at the scrum. We also get Brian's perspective of attending as a fan rather than a member of the media! Charlie Morgan was watching for the Telegraph, he joins the guys to unpack what was an uninspiring win for England.

Elsewhere France maintained their 100% record with a comfortable win over Scotland. Gregor Townsend labelled his opponents as the best in the world following the win but for Scotland it's now back to back defeats after a promising start. We speak with the former Scotland centre Scott Hastings about what needs to be done for he Scots to kick onto the next level.

We also get stuck into a farcical match in Dublin between Ireland and Italy which resulted in Ireland having a two man advantage for the majority.

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After a week off from the Six Nations we are back and building up to a big encounter at Twickenham between old rivals England & Wales.

Joining Brian to preview the action is the former England centre Tom May.

They discuss the impact the returning Manu Tuilagi is likely to have on the game this weekend and are joined by former Wales number 8 to discuss some of their returning stars who are also fit for the weekends showdown in Twickenham.

Off the pitch, the big story from the Six Nations over the last week surrounded South Africa and a report suggesting the World Champions were set to join the competition from 2025 at the expense of Italy. The story has since been denied by Six Nations but we speak to former Italy captain and Treviso head coach Marco Bortolami about the impact such a move would have on Italian rugby.

Elsewhere Tom pays tribute to his former Newcastle coach Steve Black who sadly passed away over the weekend aged 64, and we discuss the new streaming platform from Gallagher Premiership

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Brian Moore is joined in the studio by Harlequins and England centre Rachael Burford to recap a thrilling second round of action in the 2022 Six Nations.

England picked up their first win and and expected bonus point away to Italy. Marcus Smith was the star of the show, and head coach Eddie Jones says the sky is the limit for the young fly half. We assess his impact on the current England side and ask what his role could be once skipper Owen Farrell returns to the fold.

France edged out Ireland in the pick of the weekend's games. The match was billed as one between the two tournament favourites and it did not disappoint. We are joined by the former Ireland back row Alan Quinlan to dissect the game and discuss why the Irish have plenty to be happy about despite defeat.

And Scotland followed up their round one win with England with a defeat away to Wales, we speak with former Ospreys head coach about the win and if it was a turning point for the Welsh or a case of Scotland shooting themselves in the foot.

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The 2022 Six Nations is underway and the opening weekend has well and truly delivered! Joining Brian to recap the action is former England captain Chris Robshaw.

They reflect on a tense game in Murrayfield which saw Scotland stage a late comeback to ensure they retained the Calcutta Cup for the first time since 1984. We break down the game in detail with the Telegraph's Charlie Morgan who analyses just how Gregor Townsend masterminded the win for his side.

Elsewhere Ireland made light work of Wales in Dublin. Next up for them is a trip to Paris to take on France who themselves picked up a bonus point by beating Italy. Chris reckons the Irish will be too strong for tournament favourites, France in that one.

Plus we discuss how England should line up against Italy. If Tuilagi is fit, should he play? And we get the lowdown on life in America for Chris since leaving Quins.

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We're edging closer to the big kick off for the 2022 Six Nations!

Joining Brian for the final preview before the opening round of fixtures is the former England centre Tom May.

Tom offers his insight into who should feature in England's backline after it was confirmed Owen Farrell will play no part in the upcoming campaign and with Joe Marchant struck down by Covid, Tom offers his thoughts on who the latest midfield combination should be.

Elsewhere we hear from Leicester captain Ellis Genge, who talks at length about his maturation as a player, his approach to leadership and the loss of Owen Farrell, and how he expects the Six Nations campaign to pan out.

Ireland come into the competition off the back of a very strong Autumn. We get the thoughts of Liam Toland of the Irish Times on what the expectations are for Andy Farrell and his side ahead of their curtain raiser with Wales in Dublin.

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We're one step closer to the start of the 2022 Six Nations and we know the initial squads that will be taking to the field over the next eight weeks.

Joining Brian to discuss the latest ahead of the Six Nations and beyond is the former Scotland scrum half Rory Lawson.

England opted to leave in form George Ford out of their initial squad but he looks to have found a way in due to an injury to skipper Owen Farrell. We are joined by the Telegraph's Ben Coles to discuss the latest from the England camp and ask if it would be a blessing in disguise for Farrell to miss this year's competition, to give the side a chance to learn how to cope without their most influential player.

First up for England is a trip to Murrayfield. Rory tells us why Scotland are once again feeling confident ahead of the clash and that the squad is amongst the strongest Gregor Townsend has picked in charge.

Elsewhere we run through some of the other major squad selections, recap the latest round of European Rugby and discuss the new terrestrial TV deal for the Gallagher Premiership.

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Brian Moore is back ahead of what is set to be one of the most thrilling Six Nations in years!

Eddie Jones is set to name his 36 man squad on Tuesday and Brian is joined in studio to discuss some of the big selection calls the England head coach will be forced to make ahead of this year's competition.

The biggest talking point, as ever, is at outhalf. Marcus Smith has continued his scintillating form and George Ford is playing some of the best rugby of his career but skipper Owen Farrell is likely to take precedence over both despite being sidelined for over three months.

Elsewhere, we discuss the options in the centre, back row and at prop, with 35-year-old Dan Cole tipped for a recall.

Wales have had a good week, they learned their Covid-19 restrictions will be lifted in time for their 6 Nations campaign, meaning full crowds can return to Cardiff. Their women have just made history too by awarding 12 professional contracts for the first time in their history. We speak with former Wales international and current performance director at the WRU Nigel Walker about the historic moment for Welsh rugby.

And we tackle the latest round of European action as well as answering all your questions!

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Brian Moore is joined by former Springbok captain Bob Skinstad to reflect on the year in rugby.

It was a year of two halves for England and Eddie Jones. After a disappointing fifth place finish in the Six Nations, the England head coach made wholesale changes for the Summer and Autumn series and went undefeated in both. The Telegraph's Ben Coles joins the show to review England's year and discuss where they are at ahead of the Six Nations in 2022.

Elsewhere we assess the state of play for the rest of the Northern Hemisphere sides and in particular France who have arguably ended the year as the number one side in the world.

We also look back on the British and Irish Lions Tour to South Africa and it's legacy after widespread criticism of how the tour was managed.

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European Rugby got underway at the weekend and joining Brian Moore in the studio to reflect on the opening round of games is former England 7's captain Rob Vickerman.

The pair discuss an impressive win for Leicester, who toppled French league leaders Bordeaux away from home. George Ford in particular impressed for the Tigers and we discuss if the fly half has any opportunity of forcing his way back into Eddie Jones' thoughts for the Six Nations.

Cardiff faced the daunting task of hosting reigning champions Toulouse at Arms Park. Things weren't made any easier by the fact they had 42 members of their squad isolating. Rowan Jenkins is one of eleven players to have made his debut against the defending champions and he joins the show to discuss the four days of preparation he undertook to have himself ready to play.

Elsewhere Harlequins women laid down a marker on Sunday by beating previously undefeated Saracens in their own backyard, their skipper Rachael Burford joins the show to discuss the win and also the formation of the new women's union, The Women's Rugby Association.

Plus we talk about the impact the reduced salary caps could have on Premiership sides, both good and bad and we pay tribute to Antoine Dupont after he was named as the best player in the world.

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England head coach Eddie Jones joins Brian Moore and the Telegraph's chief rugby correspondent Gavin Mairs to discuss the launch of his new book Leadership.

Jones opens up on the 2019 Rugby World Cup campaign and explains why he is the man to blame for England's defeat to South Africa in Japan. He also takes us back to 2015 and the period when he took over and the task that awaited him upon his arrival.

Elsewhere Jones admits that he can, at times, be to demanding of his coaching staff which has caused many bust ups over the years and he explains the important role that women are playing in the current England setup.

We also hear his thoughts on the recent Autumn Nations Series and in particular fly half Marcus Smith who announced himself at test level with some assured performances against Australia and the Springboks.

Extracts from Leadership: Lessons from my life in rugby by Eddie Jones with Donald McRae (Macmillan, £20.00) © Eddie Jones/Ensemble Rugby Limited 2021. Buy now for £16.99 at books.telegraph.co.uk or call 0844 871 1514

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With the Autumn Nations Series now done and dusted we turn our attention back to the club game and in particular the Gallagher Premiership and the United Rugby Championship.

Joining Brian in studio once again is the former England centre Tom May. They reflect on the shambles at Twickenham on over the weekend which saw the Barbarians game with Samoa called off on 90 minutes' notice! The pair discuss who and what is to blame for the incident and if this second blunder in two years is enough to kill off the idea of the Barbarians moving forward.

Billy Vunipola was named MOTM on his return for Saracens but can he force his way back into the England setup? We discuss his performance and assess England's depth after the Autumn series.

South Africa's United Rugby Championship sides face an uncertain few weeks after the country was placed on a red list by both the EU & UK after the emergence of the Omicron variant of Covid-19. We speak with former Springbok and broadcaster Robbi Kempson about what impact this latest setback is set to have on the URC and South African Rugby.

World Rugby announced a seismic rule change last week, from January players will be allowed to swap international allegiance provided they haven't played for three years. Former Samoa centre Dan Leo has been front and centre of this campaign and he joins the show to break down the impact the new ruling is likely to have both on and off the pitch in the Pacific Islands.

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The 2021 Autumn Nations Series is done and dusted and it was a clean sweep for the Northern Hemisphere in the final round.

Joining Brian in the studio to dissect the final set of results is the former England centre and World Cup winner Rachael Burford.

They reflect on England's last gasp win over World Champions South Africa and pay tribute to head coach Eddie Jones for gaining revenge for the 2019 World Cup final defeat with such a different and fresher looking squad.

The Telegraph's Charlie Morgan joins us to break down exactly where the game was won for England on Saturday and discusses where captain Owen Farrell could fit back into this current setup.

Elsewhere France made a serious statement on Saturday night by thrashing the All Blacks in Paris, we speak with former French international Thomas Castaignède about the French and if they should now be considered favourites for the 2023 World Cup on home soil.

Plus we get Rachael's verdict on England's women who made it 4/4 this Autumn with yet another thrashing, has their professional status elevated them too far ahead of their competition?

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England named an experimental back line for their test against Australia and although they were able to secure the win, the performance felt a little undercooked at times.

Joining Brian to reflect on the weekend's action is the former Springbok captain Bob Skinstad.

They ponder England's win and in particular the role of Manu Tuilagi who was selected as a winger but rarely appeared there, and also Marcus Smith who was facing his toughest test in an England shirt yet.

The Telegraph's Charlie Morgan is on hand to provide a tactical breakdown of England's back line and also to look ahead to England's clash with World Champions South Africa.

Ireland put in their finest performance yet under Andy Farrell by defeating the All Blacks in Dublin, we get the thoughts of the Irish Times Liam Toland about the Irish victory and how exactly the team is evolving under Farrell.

Plus we get Bob's take on the Springboks ahead of their clash with England this weekend and answer your questions too!

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Round two of the Autumn Nations Series is in the books and England got their campaign off to a perfect start with a routine win over Tonga at Twickenham.

Joining Brian to reflect on their performance is the former England, Newcastle and Toulon centre Tom May.

The build up to England's game was dominated by who would wear the #10 shirt and in the end it was neither Owen Farrell or Marcus Smith! George Furbank started the game but Smith was the name on everyone's lips after the Harlequins star lit up Twickenham in his second half cameo.

We discuss what role Smith will have once everyone is fit and firing and if Eddie Jones would be willing to drop captain Owen Farrell to accommodate him.

We also round up the rest of the weekend's action as Scotland make it three wins from three over Australia, Wales have their chances of winning ruined by a pitch invader and Ireland put nine tries past Japan in Dublin.

Plus we hear from England Women's coach Simon Middleton after his side thumped New Zealand for the second week in a row, thus cementing their status as the number one ranked side in the world.

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We're underway for the 2021 Autumn Nations Series and the opening round of fixtures produced no surprises, with a weakened Wales getting roundly beaten by New Zealand and Scotland making light work of Tonga.

Joining Brian to reflect on the opening round of games and to discuss a busy weekend is the former London Irish and England winger Topsy Ojo.

Round two will see the introduction of the rest of the Northern Hemisphere sides, including England who open their campaign against Tonga on Saturday. Ahead of the game, head coach Eddie Jones has had to deny allegations that he has fallen out with a number of his coaching staff during his six years in charge, we discuss what impact the story is likely to have on Jones, his coaching staff and playing squad.

Freddie Steward is one of many candidates to replace injured Elliot Daly at full back this Autumn, we speak with the Leicester giant to discuss his scintillating club form and how he manages to balance the life of an international rugby player with a third year economics student.

Elsewhere we recap a sensational win for England's women who thumped their rivals New Zealand in the first of two tests before next years World Cup.

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International rugby is back and so is Full Contact!

Over the course of the Autumn international series Brian will once again be joined by the biggest and best names in the game as the best of the Southern Hemisphere tours Europe to take on the best of the Northern Hemisphere.

Looking ahead at the busy month alongside Brian is former England Sevens captain Rob Vickerman. The pair dissect Eddie Jones' divisive England squad and ask whether the injection of new faces will also lead to a more expansive and new playing style.

New Zealand arrive in the Northern Hemisphere for the first time since 2018 and kick off their tour with a clash against Wales. We speak with former All Blacks hooker Sean Fitzpatrick about the state of the world's most famous side who are in transition following the departure of Steve Hansen.

Elsewhere England's Women begin their preparation for next year's World Cup with a double header against New Zealand. We hear from former centre Rachael Burford about how Simon Middleton's side are shaping up and whether or not the RFU will succeed in their bid to host the 2025 World Cup

Plus we discuss Wales and Scotland ahead of their return this weekend and the scheduling issues which mean Wales will miss a large portion of their squad against New Zealand.

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The 2021 British and Irish Lions Tour is in the history books and it's congratulations to South Africa who came from behind to clinch the test series 2-1 with a narrow win in Saturday's deciding test.

Joining Brian once again to dissect the test match and the series as a whole is the former Springbok captain Bob Skinstad.

They discuss where Saturday's clash was won and lost including if the Lions left a number of points on the field after opting against penalty kicks in favour of lineout drives, the missed pass from Liam Williams and the impact of Finn Russell.

Elsewhere Lions chairman Jason Leonard has left the door open for head coach Warren Gatland to return in 2025 for a fourth time. We hear from the Telegraph's chief Rugby Correspondent Gavin Mairs, who says the Lions should be looking to move on from Gatland and that a number of minor tweaks need to be made for the tour to Australia in four years time.

We also discuss our players of the series from both sides, and we look ahead to the Springboks upcoming Rugby Championship campaign.

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After two intense and physical test matches, it's all to play for between the British and Irish Lions and South Africa heading into the third and final clash this Saturday.

Joining Brian in studio to dissect Saturday's test and to preview the decider is the former Springbok captain Bob Skinstad.

Both Brian and Bob believe the momentum is now in the favour of the hosts after they completely dominated the Lions in the second half, and Brian calls on Warren Gatland to make some tactical changes because no side in the world can go toe to toe physically with the South Africans.

The match officials once again had a busy afternoon. Two yellow cards were issued but we could have easily seen red, and Lions prop Kyle Sinckler has also been cited for an alleged bite. We discuss what impact Rassie Erasmus incredible mid week press conference had on the referee and if he should be sanctioned for his behaviour.

Plus we discuss the comments of All Blacks head coach Ian Foster who says Saturdays test made him fall asleep and a potential return for the influential Duane Vermeulen.

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It's 1-0 to the British and Irish Lions after the first of their three match test series with South Africa.

Joining Brian in studio to discuss the fallout from the opening test is former Springbok captain Bob Skinstad. The pair look back on all the big moments from Saturdays clash in Cape Town, discussing where the game was won and lost.

One of the main men on Saturday was the TMO Marius Jonker. The South African native was controversially selected to officiate the clash, with many believing he could be bias towards the home side. What transpired was very different because it was the Lions who were the beneficiary of a number of TMO decisions on the day. Former international referee Nigel Owens joins the show to discuss if the decisions were the right ones and if they were crucial in deciding the game.

We also look ahead to the second test and look at whether Warren Gatland will change a winning tide and we discuss the peculiar Twitter activity of South Africa Director of Rugby Rassie Erasmus.

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Ahead of the 2021 British and Irish Lions test series against South Africa, Brian Moore is sitting down with former players and coaches to discuss some of the memories which have made the Lions become the institution it is today.

In our fourth and final instalment, Brian speaks to former England second row Simon Shaw who went on three Lions Tours, including two to South Africa, but had to wait until the age of 35 and his final two appearances in red to make a test match appearance.

Shaw's appearance in the second test has gone down in Lions folklore as one of the finest ever seen in a test shirt, despite ultimately ending up on the losing side.

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We've less than a week to go before the first test between the British and Irish Lions take on South Africa in the first of three test matches.

Alongside Brian to discuss the major talking points from both sides is the former Springbok captain Bob Skinstad.

Lions defence coach Steve Tandy says the majority of the test squad has been picked but Brian and Bob disagree on a few positions. We also get the expert take of former Lions coach Sir Ian McGeechan who joins the show to give us give us his XV for Saturday and talk through what it's like as a Lions coach in test match week.

Elsewhere Bob gives us the lo down on the Springboks who suffered a shock loss to the Bulls over the weekend but he says it's not as big a worry as some are making it out to be. We also get the latest from South Africa after a difficult week for the country politically.

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It's been an eventful week for both the British and Irish Lions and their hosts the Springboks.

Alongside Brian to unpack the ongoing Covid crisis in South Africa is the former Ireland and Lions winger Tommy Bowe.

The Lions have scored 50+ points in their first three games on tour but next up is a much sterner test against South Africa 'A' which is essentially a Springbok test side in disguise after Rassie Erasmus picked a number of World Cup winners for the clash.

Former Springbok Robbi Kempson joins us from South Africa to look ahead to the unofficial '4th test' and to provide an update on the Covid situation in the country.

It's been a month to remember for Marcus Smith, the Quins star was called up to the Lions squad fresh off the back of winning the Gallagher Premiership and making his England debut. We chat to his club coach Nick Evans about his rise and where he will fit in Warren Gatland's squad.

And Alun Wyn Jones could make a sensational comeback according to Gatland, we discuss whether he could feature in the tests and if he will retain the captaincy.

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The British and Irish Lions have touched down in South Africa and got their tour off to a perfect start with a routine win over a disappointing Sigma Lions XV.

Joining Brian in the studio to reflect on the opening tour win is former London Irish winger Topsy Ojo.

Josh Adams was the star of the show, the Wales winger crossed for four tries and has definitely laid down an early marker to be starting in the test series when it rolls around in three weeks time.

Finn Russell also impressed at fly half, the Scotland playmaker was full of his usual tricks but can he be trusted to start at fly half in the test series or is he best used off the bench?

Elsewhere South Africa finally returned to action for the first time since winning the World Cup in 2019. Former Springbok Thinus Delport joins the show to reflect on their win over Georgia and to talk about their latest flying winger Aphelele Fassi who was the star performer on Friday night.

Away from the Lions Tour, Marcus Smith finally made his England debut and impressed the crowd at Twickenham, Topsy was there watching and we discuss if any of the fifteen players on show put their hand up for a late Lions call up.

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The Lions have just touched down in South Africa and their preparations for facing the Springboks are already up in the air.

Joining Brian to unpack a busy weekend surrounding the Lions and more is the former England captain Rob Vickerman.

After only eight minutes of their opening warm up game against Japan tour captain Alun Wyn Jones was forced off with a dislocated shoulder, meaning he will be out for the entirety of the tour. Head coach Warren Gatland has named three time tourist Conor Murray as the new tour captain to the surprise of many, we speak to Murray's former Munster team mate to find out what the Ireland scrum half is like behind the scenes and whether he thinks he has what it takes to lead the Lions.

Elsewhere the entire tour has been thrown into jeopardy after South Africa announced a strict four week lockdown on Sunday night. We discuss the impact the news will have on the squad both on and off the field.

Elsewhere Harlequins followed up their thrilling semi final win over Bristol with an equally sensational victory over Exeter in the Gallagher Premiership. Their scrum coach Adam Jones joins the show to discuss a roller coaster two weeks for the club and where the weekend's win leaves them set heading into next season.

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We're less than a week away from the first British and Irish Lions game of the 2021 Tour.

Joining Brian in the studio to look ahead to the tour is the former South Africa captain and World Cup winner Bob Skinstad.

Bob gives us the lowdown on the current South Africa side who haven't played a test match since the 2019 World Cup final as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

England forwards coach Matt Proudfoot was part of the South African coaching setup for that World Cup win and he joins the show to discuss the upcoming series and where he feels it will be one and lost.

And Harlequins produced a sensational comeback in the Gallagher Premiership, coming from 28-0 down to defeat Bristol. We speak to the Telegraph's Ben Coles, who was at Ashton Gate , about the match and also about next weeks final against defending Champions Exeter.

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Ahead of the 2021 British and Irish Lions tour to South Africa Brian Moore is sitting down with former players and coaches to discuss some of the memories which have made the Lions become the institution it is today.

For the third instalment, Brian speaks to former England prop Alex Corbisiero about what it's like to join a Lions Tour late, and how you have to force your way into a settled squad.

Alex details his experience in 2013 of finding out he had missed out on selection, then being told he had to make the three-day trip from Argentina to Australia before establishing himself as the starting loosehead prop for the test series.

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Ahead of the 2021 British and Irish Lions tour to South Africa Brian Moore will be sitting down with former players and coaches to discuss some of the memories which have made the Lions become the institution it is today.

For the second instalment Brian speaks to former South Africa captain John Smit who discusses what it's like to face the Lions, a privilege only available to Springboks once every twelve years.

He shares his memories of the Lions victory in 1997 where he played a small part in the lead up to the test series and discusses the famous test series win in 2009 where he admits he was more nervous than he had been for the World Cup Final two years previously.

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Ahead of the 2021 British and Irish Lions tour to South Africa Brian Moore will be sitting down with former players and coaches to discuss some of the memories which have made the Lions become the institution it is today.

First up is the man dubbed 'Mr Lions', Sir Ian McGeechan. McGeechan had an illustrious Lions career as a player, but it is his work as a head coach which will see him go down a true Lions legend.

He takes Brian on a journey through his early days as a player in 1974, right the way through to the historic series in 2009 where he came back as a head coach for one last time following a twelve-year absence.

Ahead of this year's tour to South Africa he details what he believes is the secret to a successful tour and more importantly what is required to tame the Springboks.

You'll also hear his thoughts on current Lions head coach Warren Gatland, who was part of the 2009 tour, and whether or not he would have made any different selections were he in charge himself.

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The 2021 Six Nations is all said and done for everyone bar France and Scotland following a Super Saturday that well and truly lived up to its name.

Joining Brian to recap the final weekend and to look back on the tournament in general is the former England Sevens captain, Rob Vickerman.

England failed to back up their impressive performance at home to France, they were on the receiving end of a thrashing by an Ireland side who produced arguably their best performance so far under head coach Andy Farrell.

The result has piled more pressure on head coach Eddie Jones who has come in for criticism throughout the Six Nations. Both Brian and Rob agree the England squad is in need of an overhaul but think it would be a mistake to replace Jones right now.

The highlight of the weekend, and tournament, came in Paris on Saturday night where Wales' march to an unlikely Grand Slam was halted with the final play of the game. Former Ospreys head coach Sean Holley says the nation is heartbroken but ultimately proud of how the team has turned itself around from a dismal 2020.

And we hear from former England captain Katy Daley-McLean about the new WXV tournament set to revolutionise the women's game.

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Ireland vs England is so often the definitive game of the Six Nations but as we head into the final round of fixtures for this years tournament both sides find themselves playing for pride rather than titles after indifferent campaigns so far.

England got themselves firmly back on track with a dogged win over tournament favourites France at Twickenham, meanwhile Ireland picked up a big win away to Scotland despite a late onslaught from Gregor Townsend's side.

Joining Brian to discuss the weekend's game and all things Six Nations is the former Ireland captain and British and Irish Lion, Rory Best.

The pair reflect on wins for both England and Ireland respectively and discuss the role that under fire captains Jonny Sexton and Owen Farrell could have this weekend.

We also hear from former Ospreys head coach Sean Holley who discusses Wales chances against the French as they look to secure the unlikeliest Grand Slam in history!

And there's questions on memorable Ireland/England fixtures, tractors, and what to do with Italy following another trouncing.

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The Six Nations return this weekend and all eyes will be on Twickenham for the clash between England and Grand Slam chasing France.

Joining Brian to look ahead to that game and more is the former England back row and World Rugby Hall of Famer Maggie Alphonsi.

They discuss the impressive performances of some of the players outside the England squad in the Gallagher Premiership and ask once again, if it is time for Eddie Jones to look to bring in new faces.

Owen Farrell's performance as captain has also been brought into question and both Brian and Maggie agree that England would benefit from having a forward as a captain instead of the under pressure Farrell.

As for France, they are playing their first Six Nations game for over a month after being cleared of any wrongdoing for breaching Covid protocols. Former international Thomas Castaignède joins the show to discuss their chances heading into the weekends clash.

Plus, there's the latest on the Lions tour after it was confirmed that the option to play in Australia is off the table and Maggie tells us about her female idols on International Women's Day.

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We've just two rounds left to go in the 2021 Six Nations and Wales are in pole position to win a shock Grand Slam after beating England in an eventful game in Cardiff.

Joining Brian to reflect on Englands defeat and more is the former London Irish and England wing Topsy Ojo.

They start in Cardiff where England suffered their second defeat of the competition in controversial circumstances as the hosts were awarded two very dubious tries.

Despite the misfortune both Brian and Topsy feel Wales deserved to win and that the lack of discipline in particular was the main reason for Englands downfall. There's also a debate surrounding the lack of variety and new faces in the squad.

As for the two tries, former international referee (and Wales fan) Nigel Owens joins the show to describe why both of them should have been disallowed.

France could have joined Wales on three wins from three games but their game against Scotland was called off after a Covid outbreak. It has since transpired that the French squad left their bubble in Rome to get Waffles and it's led to calls for Scotland to be awarded a 28-0 win.

And Topsy becomes the latest former pro to call on a play off between Georgia and Italy after the Italians were thumped by Ireland, their 30th defeat in a row in the competiton.

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We're heading into midway of the Six Nations and it's favourites France and unfancied Wales who remain the only unbeaten sides in the competition.

Joining Brian to preview the upcoming round of fixtures is former England centre Tom May. They begin by analysing England's underwhelming campaign so far and Tom expresses his concern over England's Saracens contingent which he says are suffering due to a lack of club rugby.

Ahead of the crunch game with Wales on Saturday, Brian says England must test young winger Louis Rees Zammit under the high ball whereas Tom says if they can manage to get the ball to their outside backs they will hand the Welsh their first defeat of the tournament.

France have set the standard so far but head into their match with Scotland with a depleted squad due to Covid. Can the Scots replicate their form of round one where they beat England in Twickenham?

As for Ireland they take on Italy in a game they should win comfortably. Head coach Andy Farrell has faced criticism after a poor start to the Six Nations but after watching them up close against France, Tom says there is more to come from them.

After fresh reports the Lions could in fact be staged in Australia we speak with Telegraph's chief rugby correspondent Gavin Mairs about what is going on with the tour.

And to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the world's first gay rugby club, we speak with Eamonn Ashton-Atkinson, the man behind the documentary 'Steelers' which celebrates the LGBT community within the game

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We're two rounds into the 2021 Six Nations and it's just France and Wales who are left undefeated and on course for a Grand Slam

Joining Brian to review the weekend's action is the former Fiji sevens coach and Olympic gold medalist Ben Ryan.

They start at Twickenham where England picked up the required bonus point win but both Brian and Ben felt a sense of dissatisfaction at the performance as Eddie Jones' side seemed unable to completely shake the hangover from the opening weekend defeat to Scotland.

One particular highlight was Jonny May's incredible try before half time, but was it legal? The rugby world seems split on whether it should have been awarded and both Brian and Ben have arguments for and against it being given. Elsewhere Ben has some strong words for rugby's lawmakers after Jack Willis was forced off after being on the wrong end of a 'crocodile roll' from Sebastian Negri.

Elsewhere Wales picked up their second consecutive win with a surprise win away to Scotland. The Welsh once again found themselves facing fourteen men for the second game in a row and took advantage courtesy of two tries from the competition's rising star, Louis Rees-Zammit. Can the Welsh upset the odds and win the Six Nations? We get the thoughts of former Wales international James Hook who joins the show.

Favourites France picked up their first win in Dublin since 2011 with a narrow win over Ireland. The defeat was a second consecutive one for the Irish which is the first time they've suffered that ever in the competition. We discuss both sides form.

And as always we answer your questions including the standard of refereeing in international rugby and the latest on the Lions tour.

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We're just one week into the Six Nations and we already have one major upset in the books after Scotland beat England at Twickenham for the first time in 38 years.

Joining Brian this week to reflect on the opening round of games is the former England sevens captain Rob Vickerman.

They begin at Twickenham, where Scotland outplayed England in all departments and were actually unlucky not to have left the capital with more points. We discuss whether the performance was a one off for Gregor Townsend's side or if it can be the catalyst for them to mount a challenge for the title.

As for England, much was made of the performance of their Saracens contingent who largely flattered to deceive. Brian says their inclusion is not the reason for the lacklustre performance but thinks it's time for head coach Eddie Jones to bring in some younger players, specifically at halfback, to freshen up the squad.

Ireland opened up their campaign with a defeat away to Wales. Their task was made difficult after a red card early on but they still had chances to win. Former Ireland international Alan Quinlan joins the show to offer up his thoughts on how things are looking under Andy Farrell.

Plus we discuss what to do about Italy after suggestions a promotion/relegation system needs to be introduced and also the pros and cons of the new format for the Women's Six Nations.

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The 2021 Six Nations has been given the green light to go ahead and we're less than a week away!

England and Scotland square off for the 150th time this weekend and joining Brian this week to look ahead to the fixture is the former Scotland scrum half Rory Lawson.

The pair discuss England's status as favourites heading into the competition and what, if anything, Scotland can do to upset the odds.

Finn Russell says he is a changed man after making amends with the Scotland coaching staff last time out. The Racing 92 star will be key to Scotland's chances and Rory tells us just what has changed for the mercurial fly half since his spat with Gregor Townsend.

Elsewhere Wales will be hoping to put a dismal 2020 behind them, they host Ireland first and we get the take of former Wales number 8 Scott Quinnell who's backing Pivac to turn things round for the Welsh.

England's Women face uncertainty over their Six Nations campaign just months out from the World Cup in New Zealand. Their side of the competition has been postponed but is expected to go ahead later in the Spring. Their head coach Simon Middleton joins the show to discuss the disruption and the idea that it should be permanently played in a separate window to the Mens tournament.

And just what should be done with the British and Irish Lions? After conflicting reports the tour could be held in the UK and Australia we discuss what the best course of action should be.

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2020 has been a difficult year for most and the sport of rugby union has been no exception.

Joining Brian to look back on the year is former England and London Irish winger Topsy Ojo.

Despite difficult circumstances off the pitch, England's men and women both enjoyed huge success on it. Eddie Jones led his side to Six Nations glory and also lifted the inaugural Autumn Nations Cup, we reflect on how the team performed and look ahead to their chances in the upcoming Six Nations.

As for the Women's side, they went a full year undefeated and end 2020 as the number one ranked side in the World. Head coach Simon Middleton will now turn his full attention to the World Cup in New Zealand and he joins the show to discuss how he plans on going all the way next Summer.

The British and Irish Lions return in 2021, but how is the tour going to look? Hosts South Africa are without a game of competitive rugby since lifting the World Cup in 2019, and with the Covid-19 vaccine yet to be rolled out, the prospect of fans in stadiums for the tour is a very strong possibility. We speak to Sports Editor of the Daily Maverick, Craig Ray about the Springboks preparations for the tour and the newly announced 'Rainbow Cup' which will see South Africa's Super Rugby franchises square off with the teams in the Pro 14.

Plus we discuss the latest from the Gallagher Premiership, what the delay in the start of the Championship could mean for Saracens England stars and we look at some of the amazing work done by volunteers at grassroots level in what's been a turbulent year on and off the pitch.

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We're into week two of the European season but it's stories off the pitch which dominate the headlines rather than the action on it.

Joining Brian in studio to discuss the weekend's action is former England centre Tom May.

The pair review the European Champions Cup games that were able to go ahead but they discuss whether or not the competition could be in jeopardy after four games were forfeited due to Covid 19.

Domestically, the big news has been that BT Sport and Premiership Rugby have agreed a three year renewal of their existing deal. The broadcaster had been close to withdrawing their bid but eventually agreed to renew a contract which is worth less than the current one, the Telegraph's Chief Rugby Correspondent Gavin Mairs has been covering the story for us and fills us in on the details and what the trickle down effect will be for Premiership clubs.

England's women will be without one of their most decorated players for next years World Cup in New Zealand. Katy Daley McLean, who lifted the trophy as captain in 2014, has announced her surprise retirement just nine months out from the tournament and joins the show to explain why and what is next for her both personally and professionally.

Plus we discuss the ongoing dementia issue with former pros, assess Danny Cipriani's legacy in England after he left Gloucester, and we look at some of the amazing work done by volunteers at grassroots level in what's been a turbulent year on and off the pitch.

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Less than two weeks after lifting their second trophy of 2020, England know who their opponents will be for the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France.

Eddie Jones' side have been drawn alongside Argentina and Japan as well as a side from Oceania and the Americas.

Joining Brian Moore and co host Rob Vickerman to react to the draw is none other than the England head coach Eddie Jones, who speaks to the show to discuss how he plans on improving the side to ensure they can go one step further from their World Cup Final defeat back in 2019, and also to reflect on what's been a positive year for his side on the pitch amongst difficult circumstances off it.

Elsewhere, the major story in the game over the last week has been the revelation that a number of former professional players have been diagnosed with early onset dementia and are pursuing legal action against the games authorities. We get Rob's take on what impact the potential legal action could have on the sport and also get his own personal account of his recent assessment.

Podcast regular Nigel Owens also makes a long awaited return after confirming his official retirement from international rugby. He tells Brian and Rob why he felt it was right to retire now and how he plans to remain in the game in a different capacity.

And as ever, as part of the Mitsubishi volunteer programme, we speak to the volunteers who have been working tirelessly during the last year to keep grassroots rugby alive during the Covid-19 pandemic.

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The inaugural Autumn Nations Cup is done and dusted and it's congratulations to England who saw off France in the final after extra time.

Joining Brian in the studio to reflect on Sunday's win and England's year overall is the World Rugby Hall of Fame member, Maggie Alphonshi. They discuss more criticism aimed at England over their style of play and try to find the line between entertaining fans and ensuring you win your games.

Ireland finished in third place after an impressive win over Scotland in Dublin, former scrum half Eoin Reddan joins the show to discuss how their first year under new head coach Andy Farrell has been perceived from the Irish public and whether there is an over reliance on 35 year old skipper Johnny Sexton.

We also assess what impact both Wales and Scotland could have on next years Six Nations, in particular the Welsh, who had a year to forget.

Plus we tackle all your questions and look at some of the amazing work done by volunteers at grassroots level during the turbulent last 6 months.

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England have made their way into the final of the inaugural Autumn Nations Cup where they will take on Six Nations runners up France at Twickenham.

Joining Brian in studio to reflect on the weekend's action is former London Irish and England winger Topsy Ojo.

The pair reflect on yet another forward dominated win by England, this time over Wales, in the Autumn Nations Cup. Eddie Jones once again relied on his pack to grind down the Welsh and whilst both Brian and Topsy agree they were in complete control, both want to see England throw the ball around a little more against France in their final match before the Six Nations this Sunday.

France qualified for Sunday's final with a routine win over Italy but their preparations for the clash with England have been hampered by having a number of their squad re called to their club sides. We speak with former French international Thomas Castaignède about the battle between French Rugby and their club sides and also about the tragic passing of his former international teammate Christophe Dominici who died suddenly last week aged just 48.

In the Gallagher Premiership, London Irish made a winning return in their first game in the capital for 20 years, Topsy was there to experience their new stadium and says it has provided a massive lift for everyone at the club, we also cha to Newcastle Falcons head coach Dave Walder after the promoted side made it two wins from two with a last gasp win over Sale.

And as ever, as part of the Mitsubishi volunteer programme, we speak to the volunteers who have been working tirelessly during the last year to keep grassroots rugby alive during the Covid-19 pandemic.

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England made it two wins from two with a comfortable win over Ireland in the Autumn Nations Cup in a game which Eddie Jones had billed as his sides most important of 2020.

Joining Brian in the studio to reflect on wins for both England's men and women is Harlequins captain Rachael Burford.

Johnny May stole the headlines at Twickenham with a sensational try but it could have been avoided if Ireland were more accurate in the lineout. Former skipper Paul O'Connell joins the show to dissect what's gone wrong with the Irish set piece and expresses concern over the developing gap between the two sides since Ireland's Grand Slam win at Twickenham in 2018.

Elsewhere Wales finally stopped a run of defeats by beating Georgia 18-0. Wayne Pivac made 13 changes to his team and we speak with former Osprey's head coach Sean Holley about whether any of the new faces will feature this weekend against England and if anyone in Wales is giving them a chance against their great rivals.

England's women secured a 2-0 series win over France just days after being drawn in the same pool for the 2021 World Cup, we get Rachael's take on England's chances in New Zealand next year and also some of the stigma female rugby players face on social media.

And in a week where rugby was given £135 million by the government as part of a Covid bailout we speak to Steve Grainger, rugby development director at the RFU, about how the money will help the sport and how his role has changed in 2020 as a result of the pandemic.

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Round one of the inaugural Autumn Nations Cup is done and dusted, and joining Brian in studio to review the weekend's action is former England centre Tom May.

England ran out 40-0 winners over Georgia in their first Twickenham appearance since March and one of their try scorers from the weekend, Elliot Daly joins the show to look back on the win and discuss how this current crop of players have evolved since reaching the World Cup Final a year ago.

Next up for England and Daly is a match against Ireland who dispatched Wales with ease in Dublin. We discuss where the Irish could cause England problems and how they will cope in the absence of captain Jonny Sexton and centre Robbie Henshaw. As for Wales it's now six defeats in a row and Brian and Tom discuss the ongoing crisis in Welsh rugby after some supporters called for head coach Wayne Pivac to go following the defeat.

Scotland made it five wins in a row with a win away to Italy in Florence. Despite missing the game with an injury fly half Adam Hastings has played a major role for Scotland and he joins the show to discuss his own form, his relationship with Finn Russell and whether he is now the most famous Hastings in his family, overtaking his father Gavin and uncle Scott.

We also speak with Harlequins centre Rachael Burford after England's Women's moved to number one in the World in the same week of the 2021 World Cup draw, and we also answer your questions as ever and take a look at some of the work being done at grassroots level around the country in association with the Mitsubishi Volunteer programme.

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With the 2020 Six Nations finally put to bed, our attention now turns to the upcoming Autumn Nations Cup, a five week tournament featuring the teams from the Six Nations alongside Georgia and Fiji.

Alongside Brian this week to discuss the upcoming series as well as his stellar career for Ireland, Leinster and the British and Irish Lions is London Irish back row Sean O'Brien.

Sean talks Brian through his career and unfamiliar route into rugby, his relationship with the likes of Michael Cheika and Joe Schmidt and the horrible impact injuries have had on his career including a hip operation which forced him to miss ten months of action, including the Rugby World Cup in 2019.

We also get Sean's memories of two Lions tours in 2013 and 2017 where he scored one of the most memorable tries in test match history and how he thinks next year's tour in South Africa is shaping up.

We also answer your questions as ever and take a look at some of the work being done at grassroots level around the country in association with the Mitsubishi Volunteer programme.

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Seven months after it was due to conclude, the longest Six Nations in history is finally over.

Joining Brian in studio to look back on the tournament is former Fiji Sevens coach and Olympic Gold Medalist Ben Ryan.

Congratulations to England who have lifted the trophy for a third time in five years after getting their required bonus point over Italy on the final day. A 'proud' Eddie Jones says attention will now turn onto the upcoming autumn international series as he looks to develop his young squad even further.

Elsewhere it was a tournament to forget for Wales who finished fifth and registered their fifth defeat in a row when losing to Scotland on the final day. We chat with former Wales and Lions fly half James Hook to discuss the feeling from Welsh supporters surrounding new head coach Wayne Pivac who has struggled since taking charge.

We also assess the campaigns of both France and Ireland who played out an entertaining finale in Paris on Saturday night, many think that the French were the most deserved winners of the tournament this year but Brian believes there are still holes in their game.

And we hear from the British and Irish Lions head coach Warren Gatland who's been speaking for the first time in the build up to the 2021 tour of South Africa.

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Seven months after the 2020 Six Nations was ground to a halt we are back for the final round of fixtures this weekend!

Joining Brian in studio this week is former England and Newcastle centre Tom May.

England need to guarantee a bonus point win at the bare minimum when they take on Italy in Rome but their preparations have been dealt a blow after their warm up game with the Barbarians was called off due to a breach in protocol from a collection of Ba Baa's players.

Ireland and France are the other two sides in with a chance of winning the competition, both picked up convincing wins at the weekend ahead of their own showdown in Paris on Saturday night.

Elsewhere England's Women were crowned Six Nations Champions for the second year running. We speak with Red Roses captain Sarah Hunter about her experience of winning the title whilst watching from home and how she plans to make it back to back Grand Slams this weekend.

The Domestic season has also reached its conclusion and it's a big congratulations to Exeter Chiefs who overcame Wasps in the Gallagher Premiership Final. It's a second trophy in a week for Exeter who lifted the Champions Cup earlier in the month. Director of Rugby Rob Baxter has been linked with the England role but he tells us there is still work to do at Sandy Park.

Plus we tackle all your questions and look at some of the amazing work done by volunteers at grassroots level during the turbulent last 6 months.

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After the final round of the 2020 Six Nations was cancelled due to Coronavirus, Brian Moore is joined in studio by former England sevens captain Rob Vickerman to discuss the effects the pandemic is likely to have on the resumption of the tournament as well as the domestic and international calendar.

The Gallagher Premiership look set to announce an initial four week suspension following the spread of the virus and the Telegraph's Chief Rugby Correspondent Gavin Mairs joins the show to discuss the plans in place to try and finish the domestic season and also the likely effects the pandemic is likely to have on the Premiership and the tiers beneath which are already struggling to cope financially.

Crossing codes into Rugby League, and Super League defied the global health warnings by fulfilling a full round of fixtures over the weekend, it remains to be seen whether the league will continue to play through the pandemic and we get the views of rugby league hall of famer Garry Schofield about whether they should be playing at all and if the sport is capable of surviving a postponement.

Away from the Coronavirus England prop Joe Marler learnt his fate for his 'grab' on Wales captain Alun Wyn Jones last weekend. He's been given a ten week ban for his actions, whilst centre Manu Tuilagi has been given a four week ban four his high tackle on George North. England's behaviour this year has been met with criticism from opposing nations and whilst both Brian and Rob find it hard to disagree with the criticism they wonder if the players and head coach Eddie Jones really care too much what others think about them.

Plus we'll round up the Six Nations from where it's been left and answer all your questions as usual.

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There's just one round left in the 2020 Six Nations and as fears over Coronavirus spread across the continent we will be denied the traditional "Super Saturday" after both England and Ireland have their games postponed.

On the pitch there was plenty to talk about in a thrilling encounter between England and Wales at Twickenham. Former England back row and World Cup winner Maggie Alphonsi is alongside Brian this week to pick the bones out of yet another win for Eddie Jones.

Despite a thrilling game on the pitch, it will forever be remembered for a bizarre incident between England prop Joe Marler and Wales captain Alun Wyn Jones. Brian says Marler's behaviour is idiotic in the current climate and that he should accept whatever ban is thrown at him in the wake of the incident.

As for Wales it's now three defeats on the spin for them for the first time since 2007. Former centre Mark Taylor joins the show and says there's no need t panic just yet after a valiant effort at Twickenham.

Scotland turned in a fantastic performance against tournament favourites France at Murrayfield. Their win blows open the race for title (what's left of it) and we speak with former Scotland scrum half Rory Lawson about whether Gregor Townsend can make it three wins from three in the final game of the tournament.

Elsewhere we get Maggie's thoughts on another crushing victory for England's women and ask what more can be done to help the game grow and we get to you questions too.

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After a week off , the Six Nations is back for round four and there are three teams still in with a chance of lifting the trophy come two weeks time.

Alongside Brian this week to look ahead to the weekends action, is former England hooker George Chuter.

After navigating their way past Ireland, England's attention now turns to a home match against old rivals Wales who are hoping to avoid three successive defeats for the first time since 2007. James Hook knows what it's like to win and lose against England and he says it's too early to cast judgement on Wayne Pivac after his Wales squad was hit with even more injuries.

There's only two games on this weekend after the Irish government ruled their match with Italy should not go ahead due to concerns over Coronavirus. The Irish Times Liam Toland explains what effect the postponement will have on the IRFU financially and moving forward with a re arranged fixture.

Scotland's fixture with France has been given the green light and it's an opportunity for Gregor Townsend to win some fans over after an indifferent tournament. Ahead of the game there have been some green shoots of recovery in the relationship between Townsend and exiled fly half Finn Russell, and former Scotland international David Denton says it's best for everyone that they bury the hatchet.

Off the pitch the big story surrounding the Six Nations is a potential deal to take the competition off free to air tv. Both Brian and George agree that the powers that be need to think long and hard about the damage that could be done by putting the tournament behind a paywall.

And as ever we answer your questions including where Chris Ashton is likely to end up and how Premiership sides should manager the salary cap.

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We're past the halfway point of this years Six Nations and France remain the only side with a 100% record following their win over Wales in Cardiff.

Joining Brian in studio this week is former England centre Tom May. The pair dissect England's win over Ireland and whether it was a case of English brilliance or Irish sloppiness. Key to England's win was the performance of Manu Tuilagi who maintained his 100% win record over the Irish. Tom has first hand experience of playing against Tuilagi and he believes the centre has become much more than just a ball carrier.

Ireland's defeat means France are the only side left with a 100% record after they saw off Wales in Cardiff. Both Brian and Tom think the French could have the bones of a future World Cup winning squad. As for Wales it's now back to back defeats for new boss Wayne Pivac, next up for him is a trip to Twickenham and former Ospreys coach Sean Holley joins the show to look ahead to that one.

Plus we answer your questions surrounding the future of Italy after yet another defeat for the Azzuri, refereeing around the breakdown and the relationships between players and referee's.

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After a week off we're back for round three of the 2020 Six Nations.

Alongside Brian this week for the first time is the former France flanker Serge Betsen who casts his eye over the resurgent French ahead of their trip to Cardiff this weekend.

The standout tie of the round comes from Twickenham on Sunday as unbeaten Ireland take on England in Eddie Jones first home game of the tournament. Former Ireland and Lions captain Paul O'Connell knows a thing or two about winning in Twickenham but he's expecting his former side to fall just short of England after their momentum building win over Scotland in round two.

As for Wales, they face the prospect of France in front of their home crowd on Saturday evening. Serge gives us the lo down on the impact Shaun Edwards has had on the French side since deferring from Wales after the World Cup, meanwhile former Wales scrum half Rupert Moon is on hand to explain how Wayne Pivac will manage his way around an injury crisis.

Away from the Six Nations there's been some big domestic news. The RFU have announced they will be slashing the funding to the Greene King Championship by a staggering 50%. We'll get the thoughts of the Telegraph's chief rugby correspondent Gavin Mairs who explains what impact the news is likely to have on the future of the competition.

Plus we'll be answering your questions as always and we'll ask Serge about his favourite Six Nations memories including a memorable game against England in 2002.

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Storm Ciara may have affected England's dour victory over Scotland but it has not prevented Brian Moore from returning for this weeks Full Contact!

After making it back safely from Edinburgh, Brian is joined in studio by former England Sevens captain Rob Vickerman to reflect on Saturdays match in Murrayfield as well as the other headlines from around the Six Nations.

The pair discuss what (if anything) can Eddie Jones learn from Saturdays win, and former Scotland winger Tim Visser joins the show to offer his take on what needs to change in order for Gregor Townsend to keep his job, one solution offered up by Brian and Rob is to bring back exiled fly half Finn Russell and make him captain of the side!

Elsewhere Andy Farrell won the battle of the new coaches as Ireland and Wales squared off in Dublin. Up next for Farrell is a return to Twickenham where he spent time as England assistant coach, where he will come up against a familiar face in his son Owen Farrell. Former Ireland second row Mike McCarthy was in Dublin on Saturday and explains what is different under the new coaching regime.

Plus we get Robs take on what has turned France's fortunes around, the prospect of South Africa joining the Six Nations and what the most effective game plan is for wet weather rugby.

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The first week of the 2020 Six Nations is in the history books and it was not one to remember for England and their head coach Eddie Jones.

This week, Brian Moore is joined in studio by former Scotland fly half Craig Chalmers to reflect on the opening weekend, including that loss for England in Paris.

Former England centre Mike Tindall joins the show and expresses his concerns for England's ageing squad after they were outplayed by a young and daring French side. There's also concerns over England's options at scrum half and number eight after Tom Curry failed to have the desired impact on the game after being moved there from openside flanker.

Next up for England is a trip to Murrayfield to take on Scotland who were one major Stuart Hogg error away from picking up a result away to Ireland. Finn Russell will once again miss out on the game as his spat with head coach Gregor Townsend continues, but Craig is confident that the Scots can upset the odds against their old rivals without Russell in the team.

It was a case of new coach, same result for Ireland who had 34 year old captain Johnny Sexton to thank for all 19 of their points against Scotland. Despite a pragmatic performance from the Irish, former Munster and Leinster back row Liam Toland is satisfied from what he saw in Andy Farrell's first game in charge. He joins the show to look ahead to Ireland's clash with Wales.

And finally Wales picked up a routine bonus point win at home to Italy, the former Ospreys head coach Sean Holley gives us his verdict on the game and what we can expect to see from Wayne Pivac's side in Dublin on Saturday.

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Brian Moore is back for another series of Full Contact ahead of the 2020 Six Nations Championship.

This week former England centre Tom May is alongside Brian to look ahead to the opening round of fixtures in this years tournament. The pair discuss the effect the Saracens salary cap scandal is likely to have on Eddie Jones squad and also who should line up in the back row in the absence of Billy Vunipola who has been ruled out for the entire competition.

Scotland face a scandal of their own after star fly half Finn Russell was sent home for breaching team protocol. Former Scotland scrum half Rory Lawson joins the show to weigh in on the debate surrounding Russell and explains what the public perception is of head coach Gregor Townsend who retained his role despite a difficult 2019.

Ireland have picked a team with a nice blend of youth and experience for their curtain raiser against Scotland. It's the first Six Nations in charge for new head coach Andy Farrell and we get the opinion of former Ireland back row Alan Quinlan about how the Irish are shaping up under a new regime.

Wales are also starting this campaign under new management. Wayne Pivac has replaced Warren Gatland in charge and has promised an exciting brand of rugby. The defending champions are third favourites with the bookies heading into the competition and former Wales and Lions number 8 Scott Quinnell explains why the Welsh should not be taken lightly.

We're joined also by England Women's captain Sarah Hunter as her side begin the defence of their Grand Slam away to France, and we answer your questions surrounding the likes of Kyle Sinckler, Israel Folau and the new substitution rules.

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After 7 weeks of action in Japan the Rugby World Cup 2019 is now in the history books and it was not meant to be for England who fell short at the final hurdle against a powerful and combative South Africa side.

Alongside Brian in studio is 203 World Cup winner and former England scrum half Kyran Bracken. Eddie Jones says he cannot put his finger on what went wrong for England but luckily Brian and Kyran have a few theories of their own which they believe contributed to England’s defeat.

As for South Africa they became the first side to lose a game in the World Cup and go on to win the tournament, former Springbok skipper and World Cup winner Bob Skinstad joins the show to describe why the victory means so much more than just a sporting triumph back in a country which is still divided on so many levels.

Referee Jerome Garces was the brunt of a lot English fans criticism on Saturday morning but former international referee Jonathan Kaplan explains why he actually had quite a good final, and that the standard of refereeing overall in the tournament increased as it went on.

And we debate whether or not Eddie Jones is the right man to lead England into the next World Cup in four years time, he refused to answer questions regarding his future but has agreed a contract with the RFU up until 2021.

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After six weeks of upsets, hammerings and cancellations we are down to just two teams in the 2019 Rugby World Cup final, England and South Africa.

Alongside Brian Moore this week is the former England sevens captain and broadcaster Rob Vickerman to reflect on the two semi finals and to look ahead to Saturday's showdown.

England produced the finest display of the Eddie Jones era to dismiss pre tournament favourites New Zealand on Saturday morning and both Brian and Rob think it’s hard to look past them for the William Webb Ellis Trophy.

As for New Zealand, it's not the three in a row that departing head coach Steve Hansen had his sights set on, former All Black Scott Hamilton joins the show to speak about how the Kiwi’s have reacted to the defeat and who’s likely to replace Hansen after the tournament.

Wales campaign ended on Sunday morning with a narrow defeat to a very physical South African side. Former Osprey’s head coach Sean Holley tells us the right side won on the day but Wales can hold their heads up high, in particular Warren Gatland and Alun Wyn Jones, who Sean thinks has plenty of years left in the tank.

And looking ahead to Saturday’s final we speak with former Springbok Thinus Delport about where the game could be won and lost and if the South African’s are going to rely on their brute power to win the trophy.

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We're down to just four in the 2019 Rugby World Cup after this weekend's quarter finals in Japan. And joining Brian in studio to react to the all four games is former England hooker George Chuter.

England were first to impress with a comfortable win over Australia on Saturday morning. Next up it was the All Black's who handed out a ruthless thrashing to Ireland later that very same day.

The pre tournament favourites look like they could be peaking at just the right time but was it a case of Kiwi brilliance or did Ireland just simply fail to turn up? The Irish now go into a transitional phase as head coach Joe Schmidt departs his role after six years in charge. Former Ireland hooker Shane Byrne offers us his thoughts on whether the last year in charge for Schmidt has tainted his otherwise excellent legacy as head coach.

Wales became the third team into the semi's on Sunday morning. They defeated France by a solitary point and not without any controversy. Referee Jaco Peyper made headlines on and off the pitch following his decision to rightfully red card Sebastien Vahaamahina in the first half.

Lastly hosts Japan were knocked out by an efficient display from South Africa. The Springboks now face Wales in the semi final and for a chance to potentially meet New Zealand in the final and right the wrong of their defeat in the opening weekend of the competition.

And the Gallagher Premiership is back, we discuss how likely the World Cup is to affect the destination of the trophy come the end of the season.

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