Elite Rugby Banter

The lads unpack a massive rugby weekend featuring Super Rugby chaos, Blitzboks success, and one of the most entertaining Six Nations rounds in years. We start down south with a Super Rugby check-in after four rounds: the Chiefs quietly looking strong, the Brumbies stumbling late against the Reds, the Crusaders flirting with panic mode, and the Force discovering that scoring points is easy… defending them is not. We also touch on Rugby Australia’s latest league convert and what the looming World Cup might mean for player movement. A quick pit stop through Sevens (with the Blitzboks topping the standings) leads into the big news from New Zealand: Dave Rennie vs Jamie Joseph for the All Blacks job and what each candidate could bring to a slightly messy Kiwi setup. A special word for the Lions - 25/26 South African Shield Champions! What an achievement. Then it’s time for the main course: Six Nations madness. • Italy shock England for the first time as selection roulette, brain-dead penalties, and general chaos sink Borthwick’s men. • Scotland produce one of their best performances in years to hammer France before a late French fightback. • Ireland grind past Wales while Wales continue their slow rebuild. Along the way we discuss the brilliance of Menoncello, the resurgence of Kyle Steyn, whether Ireland have quietly regressed to “occasionally good” territory, and why England’s selection decisions might have cost them the tournament. Finally, we preview a wild final weekend where France, Ireland, and Scotland can all still win the Six Nations—and we ask the real question: is there still a way England could somehow end up with the wooden spoon? Music by @monstroid, 80s TV Show.

Ant is back from faraway lands with a scouting report from Georgia (spoiler: they don’t know much about SA rugby… except that we’re good), and the boys dive into a proper Six Nations mid-tournament temperature check. We unpack three weeks of Six Nations chaos: France looking like the only adults in the room, Ireland nearly getting Italy'd in Dublin, Scotland doing Scotland things (again), and England discovering that a 12-game streak doesn’t stop you getting put to the sword. Along the way we argue about drifting passes, TMOs who simply can’t help themselves, and whether gold boots are basically a cursed captaincy announcement. Then it’s a quick whip around the globe: SA’s new U20/U23 Currie Cup bridge (and the return of curtain-raiser nostalgia), early Super Rugby weirdness (Brumbies statement win, Crusaders in the mud, and the usual “it’s early” cop-outs), URC’s return, and Varsity Cup’s latest mad-scientist scoring rule. Also the Lions did the double over the Sharks! Music by @monstroid, 80s TV Show.

After a quick detour to the URC, Ant, Phil and Andy preview the upcoming Six Nations. Will England and Italy's rises supersede Ireland and Scotland's golden (yet greying) generations? Will Dupont carry France or will he be lost to the Winter Olympics? And will Wales...nah, they won't. That and more in this week's episode. Music by @monstroid, 80s TV Show.

Phil, Ant, and Andy are back after a festive break to review the state of play in the URC and European Cup rugby. Also, what's going on in New Zealand and when is Razor going to swap Christchurch for Durban?? They also play adjudicators for the SA Rugby Awards after the shortlists were released this week. Who is the ERB SA Player of the Year? Moment of the Year? Coach? Have a listen and find out. Music by @monstroid, 80s TV Show.

It's the festive season, which is when we find out who has been naughty or nice, or in ERB's world which teams had good years, average years, and a season to forget. Ant, Phil, and a returning Andy have a look at standout players and moments for each of the top 12 sides. Oh, yes, we also address the extremely disappointing Eben incident and the needless Wales rout, while also touching on a tremendous Stormers result and a surprising Jukskei derby. Music by @monstroid, 80s TV Show.

Strap in for a bumper episode of Elite Rugby Banter as Ant and Phil break down a truly bizarre and brutal Test match in Dublin. The Springboks were undeniably dominant against Ireland, so why did it feel so close? We dive into the FIVE Irish cards, the scrum carnage, the bizarre refereeing decisions, and the James Ryan incident that left us speechless. Then, we shift gears to crown the best of the best. With the international season wrapped up, we unveil our official Elite Rugby Banter World XV of the Year. Who made the cut in our entirely objective and completely undisputed dream team? There are shock inclusions, controversial snubs, and a healthy dose of banter as we debate the standout players from 1 to 15. It’s all here: analysis of the Boks' tour, the state of the All Blacks, England's rise, and our prestigious end-of-year awards. You won't want to miss it! Music by @monstroid, 80s TV Show.

This week on Elite Rugby Banter, we unpack a weekend of rugby that felt like it was scripted by a mischievous referee with a flair for theatre. The Boks beat Italy, but the real drama was in the card deck — with Eddie Jones still talking about “intent” like it’s a legal thriller. KLA ghosted again, Moodie’s defence was more interpretive dance than tackle technique, but Dwilly was electric and Manie continued to Manie with reckless charm. Pollard? Somewhere between solid and spectral. If you’re not betting on Bok 9s to score, you hate free money. And Rassie’s bench moves? Chef’s kiss. Across the channel, England stunned the All Blacks and now we’re all asking: are they actually good? Is this real? Who’s in the top five now — and does anyone agree? BBBB caught some heat, but the real fire was in the discourse. Ireland beat Australia, but only the wrong Aussies shone. Ireland looked better, but was that just because Australia are now a rugby ghost town? Scotland lost to Argentina, and surely Tooney’s seat is now lava. Meanwhile, Argentina continue to “prove” they’re a top team — despite having done so for five years, three World Cup semis, and wins over basically everyone. Can we retire the “on their day” trope? And yes, Japan played Wales. It’s a week of hot takes, cold facts, and rugby chaos — and we’re here to stir it all with a crooked referee’s whistle and a wink. Music by @monstroid, 80s TV Show.

If French rugby is fine wine, the Boks uncorked it, chugged it straight from the bottle, and smashed the glass on the way out. The Springboks have once again marched into Paris like uninvited houseguests, stomping mud across the carpets, smashing the crockery, and pocketing a few heirlooms for good measure. France looked overrated, outmuscled, and utterly unable to dent the Bok defence, while the refereeing circus gave us scrums that made no sense, a red card that raised eyebrows, and yellows that felt more like lottery tickets. Rassie’s substitutions were bold, Siya’s leadership was immense, and Esterhuizen looked every bit the golden key to unlock this side. Sasha or Manie — who’s really the man (hint, it's still Pollard)? Meanwhile, the 9s are bringing the heat, but KLA might not be it. Beyond Paris, the Northern Hemisphere chorus of “we’re undercooked” rang out again, conveniently forgetting that the shoe is on the other foot every June. Italy toppled Australia, leaving us wondering if Joe Schmidt’s fire has fizzled. Scotland spooked themselves against New Zealand in what quickly became the DMac show. England scraped past Fiji, though the islanders could easily have stolen it, with refereeing once again in the spotlight. Wales, poor Wales, were left licking wounds after Argentina gave them another bruising reminder of reality. And in the background, World Cup qualification permutations rumble on: Namibia struggling, Belgium proving they’re more than just chips. It was a weekend of broken narratives, hot takes, and Southern Hemisphere swagger, and we’re here to stir the pot with all the banter you can handle. Music by @monstroid, 80s TV Show

Tadgh Beirne’s red card lit the fuse this weekend, and while most of us were still debating intent versus accident, BBBB was already pledging his undying defence of the man. We ask whether a Barrett‑less All Blacks might actually be the better version. Meanwhile, SaFM continues to smoulder — is it still flames or just smoke and mirrors? Two aerial 50/50s had everyone split down the middle, Kolbe’s solidity was put under the microscope, and the big questions loom: Is Quan Horn already a better bet than Andries Coetzee, should Pat Lambie still be the Boks’ first‑choice 10 (yes, Ant went there), and was Faz completely mad to back Doris? Music by @monstroid, 80s TV Show

We are 5 weeks into the URC and have 5 weeks of Springboks rugby ahead - it's the perfect time for a stock take. Do the Boks have what it takes to go 5 from 5? Are the Stormers as good as they seem? Did the Citing Commissioner set an extremely dangerous precedent? The answer to at least one of those questions is a yes. Listen in to find out what the guys think.

After a brief review of the URC second round and the last of the Rugby Champs (Bokke back to back!), each of our four regulars delivers the end-of-term report on their allotted team. Listen in to find out more about James O'Connor's haircut, why Jordie Barrett may have resurrected Camille Chat's international career, Ant's Nic White impression, and Kolbe's sudden senile onset. Music by @monstroid, 80s TV Show.

Strap in for a chaotic episode as Phil, Ant, and Rich attempt to analyse the un-analysable. The Springboks' win over Argentina had everything: 97 points, 12 tries, a hattrick, a bizarre drop-goal attempt from your own in-goal, and a coming-of-age masterclass from Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu. We break down the madness, the genius, and the sheer lunacy of it all. Plus, we cover the Bledisloe Cup, the URC kick-off (Stormers good, Lions bad!), the Women's World Cup final and why a certain Welsh analyst has got it all wrong about the Boks. Pure, unadulterated rugby banter. Music by @monstroid, 80s TV Show.

This week, Dick blows the whistle on the TRC’s scheduling shenanigans, accusing them of high tackle interference with the Women’s RWC and AFL finals. It’s a calendar clash of titanic proportions, and someone’s getting yellow-carded. We scrum down on the age-old debate: Six Nations or TRC—which competition reigns supreme? Spoiler: it’s less “crown jewel” and more “jewel heist,” depending on your hemisphere. The Lions did a thing—celebrated like Currie Cup champions at 80 minutes, then promptly remembered they’re allergic to silverware. We unpack the collapse, the curse, and the cruel optimism. Meanwhile, New Zealand rugby might be going full haka-flameout, and Australia’s eyeing the unthinkable double— breaking both the Eden Park and Bledisloe hoodoes. Is it a golden age or just fool’s gold? Plus: the URC kicks off and our draft preview goes off the rails faster than a Bulls fan at altitude. Expect botched picks, bruised egos, and a few players who were drafted purely for their haircuts. Music by @monstroid, 80s TV Show.

What a weekend of rugby... The Wallabies and Argentina got our morning's off to a great start with a highly entertaining clash, followed up by what was one of the all-time great halves of rugby from the Springboks and a record defeat for the All Blacks. The Springbok Women then closed out the double up with an inspired debut in the World Cup knockouts, ultimately falling to the superior Black Ferns. Oh, and the Lions used their URC players to cheat their way to yet another Currie Cup final. Music by @monstroid, 80s TV Show.

Rain and the ref seem to be common excuses going around the South African water coolers this week, but in all honesty the Boks had only themselves to blame for gifting Ardie Savea a victory in his 100th Test. While the Springbok men failed to create history, the women will write a new chapter as they appear in their first ever RWC quarter final against New Zealand this week, lining up a tasty Kiwi doubleheader for Bok fans. Andy is optimistic this week about Rassie's brow-raising, youthful selections for the second Test, while Phil and Ant are more pragmatic. Perhaps even more gruelling than dissecting a Springbok loss is having to say nice things about the Wallabies for the third episode in a row. Yuck. Music by @monstroid, 80s TV Show.

Aseza Hele, Libbie Janse van Rensburg, Nadine Roos, Nolusindiso Booi... A special generation of Springbok women have made history with a first ever appearance in the RWC knockouts. Ant and Andy revel in the green glow and recount this historic moment. The Springbok men also feature, with a recap of the Wallabies win and a nervous note on the upcoming game-of-the-year against the All Blacks in fortress Eden Park. Music by @monstroid, 80s TV Show.

Well, nobody saw that coming. The Springboks spontaneously combusted as the Wallabies ran in wonder try after wonder try at Ellis Park to take a famous victory. But, the pod believes a victory next week is still the most likely outcome as some mitigating factors emerge. Perhaps some hard but necessary lessons learned in this shock defeat? Music by @monstroid, 80s TV Show.

Short answer, no. The consensus is that even Ireland is better than the B&I Lions. The real question is Argentina better than the Lions? They beat them. But England B beat Argentina. So are England B better than the Lions? And are England B better than England A? Is Maro Itoje the problem? If you asked Andre Piardi, he'd probably say "si". But then, after this week's controversy, do we trust anything he says? This week's episode isn't sponsored, but Panados might have helped with the headaches. For Tizzano also. Although he wasn't hit in the head. Or was he? Also, Currie Cup! Go Golden Lions! Music by @monstroid, 80s TV Show.

The Boks have wrapped up their on-field preparations for the Rugby Championship with a testing but worthy win over the physical Georgians. All that remains is to sit back and watch the dull, light beer clashes Down Under while Rassie fine tunes his first choices. On the domestic front, the Currie Cup gets going with some of our u20 World Champions in the mix, and the Imbokodo prep for the Black Ferns. Music by @monstroid, 80s TV Show.

OG Adam is back for a guest appearance this week and drops a few hot takes for good measure. Is Henco van Wyk the Marco van Staden of centres? We're not convinced, but we're here for it anyway. Jasper sees red as the Boks run over the top of Italy, NZ get their groove back, and the Lions loom large for the Wallabies as the first Test draws nearer. Music by @monstroid, 80s TV Show.