RugbyBits

50 Best Players In The World

Thala and Shaun take the reigns while Kooks is globe trotting trying to find Jared for a pint in the UK.We take down the polarizing task of picking the best players in the world right now with some hilarious moments.
 
Both Thala and Shaun struggle through some of the forwards and are in fine form when it is time for the backs with four wild cards being selected to round off the 50.

Springbok RWC Squad ‘copium’, Evil Genius Rassie and Arguing with John Smit

The full squad is here to react to one of the most shocking Springbok Rugby World Cup squad announcements in a while.
We react to the panic we all experienced seeing Lukhanyo Am, Handré Pollard and Lood de Jager omitted from the squad. We talk about whether Manie Libbok and Jesse Kriel can step up in their place. Shaun discusses the risks of playing Deon Fourie as our 3rd choice hooker. Jared looks at whether Canan Moodie can deputize at 13.
We then break down some of the crazy things happening in the squad announcements - from what do you do with 4 scrumhalves, to making 2m tall giants kneel to be capped, from the reaction to Makazole Mapimpi to the Rassie Erasmus conspiracy theories and John Smit arguing with our boy Kooks.
We try to deliver some copium to Bok fans as we discuss reasons why we can still win the World Cup, but mix in some realism about how the task is now tougher.

Bok review after Argentina, Kooks in RWC Pre-season & Finn Cooking on Gas

We take a deep dive into the test rugby from the weekend along with a look at the Springboks and their win in Argentina.
 
How Bongi Mbonambi did as captain, Manie Libbok and his desire and drive to always get better and fix his wrongs, Lukhanyo Am injury and Jesse Kriel continues to perform despite many being blind to it.
 

rugbyBITS & PIECES: Why Every Single RWC Team Will or Will Not Win RWC2023

Thala, Kooks and Shaun tackle episode three in our new RugbyBits & Pieces segment where we look at each and every RWC2023 team and highlight why they will or will not win the tournament.
 
There are plenty of serious and funny reasons why as we look at strength and weaknesses along with pool opponents.
 
Enjoy

Sister Bokkina, Never trust Eddie Jones, Around the World with Steven Kitshoff

Kooks, Shaun and Thala come together to review round 3 of the Rugby Championships.
We start with deep analysis on the new addition to the Springboks - the song Sister Bokkina and we talk about other rugby songs in First Phase.
We then move to an underwhelming Springbok victory over Argentina 22-21. We discuss if there’s reason to panic, which Springboks stocks have risen and fallen, including how important Handré Pollard has become and whether he can integrate into the new attacking approach. We also discuss what poor Aimee Kitshoff has to do to see his husband at home again, as he goes to his 4th continent in 3 months to play rugby.
We then move to the Bledisloe Cup victory for the All Blacks at the MCG. We marvel at the form of Scott Barrett and the miracle job Jason Ryan has done.
The podcast then descends into chaos with rants about the afternoon kickoff time for Bledisloe II in Dunedin, slander for Eddie Jones, slander for Will Skelton, slander for Marika Koroibete, slander for tweets from rugby journos, slander for Munster, even Thala catches a bullet from Kooks in a matter involving spaghetti bolognese.
Like Sister Bokkina, the podcast starts well enough and then descends into chaos!

rugbyBITS & PIECES: RWC Coaching Hot Seats

In episode two of the RugbyBits and Pieces segment we turn our attention to the RWC2023 coaches and who is in the hot seat when it comes to results from France later this year. 
We have a look into possibly replacements for the Springboks and decide which coaches could literally bomb out of the tournament winless as still have a job come November

OnlyBoks, Grant Williams, Kriel or no Kriel and MCG Cricket Scores

Shaun and Thala preview week 3 of the Rugby Championship where South Africa host Argentina and Australia play New Zealand in Bledisloe I.
We discuss the big opportunity  for Grant Williams and how he has to make an impression. Which locks and loosies get left home if Marco van Staden fights his way in. The never ending Jesse Kriel debate also starts off a rant from Shaun. On the Pumas side, we see the return of Chocobares, an impending milestone for Augustin Creevy and whether Juan Martin Gonzalez will haunt Willie le Roux (and his ankles) again.
Attention then shifts to the Bledisloe Cup game and hopes aren’t high for Eddie Jones and his Wallabies, even after selecting Carter Gordon for a debut start. We marvel at the surprisingly stable All Blacks, returns for Sam Whitelock and Anton Lienert-Brown and whether the All Blacks can put up a cricket score at the MCG.
We round up with some of the news around the rugby world, including upcoming matches involving Fiji, Japan and Uruguay, what Fiji will do with Peceil Yato withdrawing from the squad and even wade into the topic of which Boks will make money from opening an OnlyFans account.

rugbyBITS & PIECES: The Legacy of Rassie Erasmus

We launch a new podcast episode series called “RugbyBits and Pieces” which are shorter mini episodes we will release over the next few months in the build up to the Rugby World Cup.
In our first RugbyBits and Pieces episode, Kooks, Shaun and Thala discuss the legacy of Rassie Erasmus as Director of Rugby of the Springboks. We talk about the restoration job from 2017, why the Springboks won the Rugby World Cup earlier than scheduled, why a 60%+ record is somewhat a disappointment and the place this puts the Springboks with succession planning.

Proper Mapimpi, Mythbusters and Springbok Post-Mortem

All Blacks v Springboks preview and some apologies

Kooks, Shaun and Thala are joined by Angus (@AnalystGus on Twitter) to preview Saturday’s Rugby Championship clash between New Zealand and South Africa.
We discuss questions such as which selections surprised you the most, which players have the most to gain for their World Cup selection hopes with a good game, what the All Blacks have changed since their victory at Ellis Park last season, what things we are watching for from the Springboks and finally some predictions.
Listen as we discuss Thomas du Toit as a swing prop, Lukhanyo Am’s form, Aaron Smith’s passing and the Jordie-Rieko midfield axis. Listen out for our hot takes involving the many Springbok kickers and the importance of the game for the All Blacks and some apologies Thala and Kooks need to make to people.