The Good, The Bad & The Rugby

Alex, James, Mike and Ellis look back on a fascinating weekend of Guinness Six Nations action. Ellis pulls no punches with his reaction to Matt Dawson's opinion on Owen Farrell, the boys get deep into the meat of the breakdown rules following the injury to Jack Willis and the sending off of Zander Fagerson, and we ask whether free-flowing-France are the most beautiful thing in the game.

Alex and Mike are joined by a new member of the GB&R team: Mr Ben Kayser. Together they get stuck into the French renaissance (rugby instead of art), look at what makes Antoine Dupont tick, ask whether the French public are falling back in love with the game, and assess how the influx of foreign number ten's into the Top 14 influenced the talent at the position for Les Bleus. All that plus a tribute to Dan Carter, and a look ahead to Round 3 of the Six Nations.

In a very special edition of GBR, Alex, James and Mike are joined by one of the greatest to ever play the game: Dan Carter. Together they look back on his astonishing career, deep dive into how the All Blacks turned it around after defeat to England in '03, reflect on World Cups good and bad, and look back to an incredible night against the Lions in 2005. Plus: hanging out with Tom Brady, admiring Jonny Wilkinson and friendships with Hask and Tinds. It's Dan Carter.

Alex, James and Ben are joined by the newest addition to the GBR team: World Cup winner and former World Player of the Year Emily Scarratt. Together they discuss Emily's new show, the postponement of the Women's World Cup, and the introduction of a Women's Lions team. And they look ahead to this weekend's Six Nations with Le Crunch at the forefront, and James tells us exactly what Eddie Jones and England have been doing since defeat to Wales.

Alex is joined by a happy Englishman, a sad Frenchman and a relieved Irishman as Mike, Ben and the Premiership's most decorated player, Geordan Murphy look back at a fascinating penultimate round of the Six Nations. They also assess where the competition will be won and lost this weekend, and drill down into what really went wrong at Leicester for the former Tigers Director of Rugby.

Alex, James and Mike welcome Ellis back from England duty as they go on a deep dive into what went wrong for Eddie Jones's team during the Six Nations. Ellis reveals the levels of racism and the death threats that he received during the competition, James asks if it's really all worth it, and Mike looks back on a fantastic game in Paris, ahead to a tournament denouement on Friday, and reveals something very, very special that happened on Sunday night.

Alex, James and Mike are joined by Wayne Pivac to talk about Wales's Six Nations victory, dealing with pressure, and THOSE curtains. Together they dig into the heart of the Welsh sporting psyche, go behind the scenes on a remarkable turnaround, and shine the light on a couple of key men. And there's reflections on a life lived in the New Zealand police, roaming the streets looking for bad guys with Steve Hansen, and the transferable skills from detective to international rugby coach.

Alex and Mike cross codes with one of the greatest players to ever play rugby league - the legendary Kevin Sinfield - in one of the most powerful episodes yet. Together they talk marathons, Rob Burrow, Doddie Weir and the power of friendship. Plus, signing a contract aged 13, making your debut three years later, and almost giving it all up to come to Union.

Alex and Ben are joined by one of the greatest players in European rugby history as Ireland legend Ronan O'Gara drops in from idyllic Ile de Re to talk La Rochelle, nerves, the cult of the modern player, and how affected he was by some of the lows in his career. Plus he discusses who he'd pick at 10 for the Lions and what he'll do if Stade Rochelais win the Heineken Cup.

This week Alex, James and Mike take on a simple task: pick their 36-man squad for the Lions tour that includes a starting 15, a captain and a player of the series. Together they ruminate, cogitate and contemplate a myriad of names, line-ups and variations on a theme to try and select a group of men capable of taking down the Springboks on their home turf. This is the definitive GB&R Lions team for 2021 full of well reasoned debate and one or two surprises.

Alex, Mike and James welcome arguably the most popular man in rugby to GB&R this week: the physical performance manager for Wales, he’s been on the last three Lions tours - and will be on his fourth this summer - and he’s known simply by a pair of alter egos: Bobby Boucher and The Rope. He is the legendary Paul Stridgeon and together they talk wrestling Graham Rowntree, paragliding, the upcoming Lions tour, healing powers, and why he's beloved by players around the world.

Alex is finally allowed to pick the subject matter for GB&R and so he sets James and Mike the simple task of picking the greatest British and Irish Lions 15 of the professional era. Together the three of them stumble their way through what they believe is the best team - made up of great Lions performers - to win a one-off test match. Who makes it......who are the big omissions.....and who will never speak to Tinds and Hask again after this?

Alex, James and Mike are joined by the Northampton and England star Courtney Lawes to chat about his surprise - his words, not ours - call up to the Lions. Together they discuss 2017 in New Zealand, injuries and South Africa 2021, obviously. Less obviously they delve into the world of social justice.

It's all aboard the good ship Leicester this week as Alex, Tinds, Ellis and Ben look ahead to their European Challenge Cup Final against Montpellier. Ellis discusses how the team has improved under Steve Borthwick and reveals his unusual route to the club. Tinds reminisces about the legendary Tigers side of the 00s, and why just walking out at Welford Road was fraught with danger. And Ben muses on why things eventually fell apart. Plus, Ellis looks back on his omission from the Lions. And if that wasn't enough, you can find out how to win a pair of tickets to the Heineken Champions Cup Final, and maybe get to watch the match with the GB&R team.

Ben Kayser and Toulouse great Yannick Nyanga join Alex and Tinds for this bonus episode previewing tomorrow's Heineken Cup Final. They examine the roots of Toulouse's famous brand of rugby and look at where Ronan O'Gara's La Rochelle side might find an edge on the biggest day in the club's history. Might it be in O'Gara himself? This episode is brought to you by Heineken.

Alex, Hask and Tinds pick a more-than-respectable England XV for the summer and wonder what life would be like with either Kyle Sinckler or Ellis Genge (or both) as England captain(s). They also put their own spin on the newly-branded England A-side, now known as England Binjuice, or England ‘P’, as will become clear.

Alex, James and Ellis are joined by the Exeter Chiefs’ Number 8 Sam Simmonds for a rib tickler of an episode. They talk about his call up to the Lions and living his best life in the south-west, while Ellis and Hask reveal the most serious dressing downs they have ever received from coaches.

Alex and James play host to the 2021 Rugby Professionals Association Awards - presented by Pickstar - rewarding the very best of English rugby from the previous season. We have all the winners and losers from the big night, and every gong, from the Sanlam Young Player of the Year prize, to the recipient of the RPA's Blyth Spirit Award (who just happens to be one of our favourite guests from the annals of GBR). And if that wasn't enough, we also induct two more players into the RPA's Hall of Fame. Get your gladrags on and enjoy one of the game's biggest nights with us.

Pens and notepads at the ready for Alex, Hask and Tinds this week because class in session with the Sale Sharks Director of Rugby, Alex Sanderson. He talks about their upcoming Premiership play-off semi-final against Exeter, how the use of psychology gives his side an advantage, and he reveals what he learned from Eddie Jones, Mark McCall and Brendan Venter. Meanwhile Hask tells of a messy trip with his dog to an exclusive getaway and did Tinds put in a word with his grandmother-in-law for Emily Scarratt's birthday honours gong.

The one and only Joe Marler is back with bang as he joins Alex, Hask and Mike to reflect on an amazing few days on and off the pitch. The Harlequins and England prop became a father for the fourth time last week before flying into Bristol to star in his side's epic Premiership semi-final win. This is not an episode to miss, as Marler reveals, in his own unique way, how Quins turned things around at Ashton Gate from 28-0 down.

Alex, Hask and Tinds are back together in studio for the first time in ages as The Good, The Bad and The Rugby's Lions coverage steps up a notch. They're joined by the former Lions and Wales captain Sam Warburton who reveals a side to his character that many might not have seen during his playing days. He reveals what drove him on as a player and talks openly about the agony and ecstasy of life at the elite end of professional sport. He also sheds light on his developing (and promising) career in front of the camera, while providing unrivalled insight into what the Lions will face in South Africa. Plus, after one of the most memorable matches in Premiership history, the boys break down Quins' unforgettable win in THAT final against Exeter.

Alex and Mike are joined by Bath legend, Jeremy Guscott, to talk all things Lions; the '97 series clinching drop goal, South Africa's prospects in this year's tests and the intel he happily gave to the Lions that he wouldn't give to England.

The great Brian O’Driscoll is on the show this week, joining Alex, Hask and Tinds to give his take on the Lions in South Africa. He also reflects on the key moments that shaped his reputation as a world class operator on and off the pitch - from hat-tricks in Paris to hangovers in Queenstown. We also find out what it’s like to share a room with Mike Phillips, a boxing ring with Austin Healey and a fairway with Tiger Woods.

No Alex this week which means Hask and Tinds are steering the good ship GBR. They’re ably assisted by Simon Shaw to look back on his glittering career with club, country and The Lions. He reflects on the magnitude of the '97, '05 and '09 tours, the glory years at Wasps alongside a young and hungry Hask and playing alongside the world’s greatest players at Toulon.

Alex and Hask are joined in the studio by South African legend, World Cup winner and comeback king, Bob Skinstad. They dissect the game and get into the minds of the players and the coaches; but not before Skinstad treats the boys to some biltong and relives the highs and the lows of life as the first ever professional rugby player in South Africa.

Ellis Genge is back in the studio with Alex and Hask this week to look ahead to the final Test. The boys are joined by Premiership winning Harlequins line-out coach, Jerry Flannery, who has a unique insight into the Springboks camp and the mindset of the coaches; having worked alongside Rassie Erasmus and Jacques Nienaber at Munster. England camp is also on the menu, as Ellis reflects on his summer as captain and the joy of Marcus Smith’s call up.

Alex and Mike are in the studio for an end of season review this week. The final Lions Test, the future of the infamous tour and the legend of Morné Steyn are all on the menu. The boys also reflect on the greatest moments on the pitch this season, the things they really want to see next season, and their favourite podcast episodes and guests so far.