Maul or Nothing

The Champions Cup last 16 delivered absolute carnage — huge scorelines, big momentum swings and one of the clearest examples you’ll see of how a game can completely flip.

This week on Maul or Nothing, we break down the defining moments of the weekend — from Bath’s front-row impact to Bordeaux running riot — plus everything else across a stacked knockout round.

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🧠 INSIDE THE EPISODE:
•🏉 Bath 31–22 Saracens — how the front-row switches flipped the entire game
•💥 Thomas du Toit masterclass (MOTM performance)
•🔁 Can a referee change shift momentum mid-game?
•⚔️ Barbeary vs Willis — elite No.8 battle
•🔴 Bordeaux 64–14 Leicester — try-of-the-season madness (LBB, Penaud, Rayasi)
•🌍 Toulon vs Stormers thriller + Sale edge Quins
•🐻 Bristol Bears — where it slipped, and why it was already gone
👉 “14–14 while Lahiff was on… damage done before that.”
•🇫🇷 Max’s French food jaunt 🍷
•💼 Courtney Lawes to Sale & England implications
•💰 Henry Pollock the millionaire?!

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🎙️ ALSO:
•Ryan LIVE at Saints vs Castres — including that interview moment
•Plus Glasgow vs Bulls & Leinster vs Edinburgh
•Listener reaction to the now infamous “prostate episode”…

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03:05 Bears tough trip to Toulouse - but it wasn't Max's fault!
12:57 Bears season prospects from here
19:08 NORD VPN
21:31 Northampton Saints v Castre
24:21 Henry Pollock signing for Eddie Hearn's Matchroom Agency
28:57 Saints v Castres cont. - thoughts from the pitch side pundit
32:57 The Ryan Wilson comeback!
35:13 Bath v Saris
39:32 Alfie Barbeary
43:00 Return of the Lawmaker - Courtney Lawes to Sale (and England?)
45:02 Geoff Parling v Craig Doyle
46:55 Glasgow Warriors v Bulls
50:59 Toulon v Stormers
53:36 Bordeaux v Leicester
58:11 Quins v Sale
59:32 Jibulu's biting citing
01:02:12 Leinster v Edinburgh
01:03:13 Reiko Ioane; Smell My Finger
01:04:22 Champions Cup QF Predictions

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George Furbank & Stephen Varney join Maul or Nothing to break down BIG hits, England selection debates, and Exeter’s Italian revolution 🇮🇹

This week on Maul or Nothing, we’re joined by Northampton Saints + England full back, George Furbank as well as Italy & Exeter scrum-half Stephen Varney for one of our most chaotic and insightful episodes yet.

We dive straight into that huge collision moment — how’s the face?! 🤕 and ask the all-important question:
👉 Would you rather have Sammy Arnold’s injury… or yours?

Plus Max gives us an in-depth update on his omission from the Bears line up at Leicester.
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🏉 INSIDE NORTHAMPTON SAINTS (FURBANK)
•Tough battle at Franklin’s Gardens — what actually happened?
•Saints flying high — but is it Premiership or Champions Cup priority?
•Post-Six Nations return — banter, tension, or total chaos in camp?
•The rise of Henry Pollock — what’s he REALLY like behind the scenes?
•England debate heating up — is Furbank being overlooked for the 15 jersey?

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🔥 BATH STATEMENT WIN vs SARACENS
•Huge result — are Bath now title favourites?
•Impact of Dyson’s investment — is this the turning point?

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🇮🇹 STEPHEN VARNEY — EXETER & ITALY
•Exeter building serious momentum?
•The Italian core at Exeter:
•Ross Vintcent
•Andrea Zambonin
•Why Exeter’s trajectory is suddenly VERY interesting
•Italy’s rise — what’s changed inside that squad?
•And the big one… 👀
👉 Born in Wales, speaks Welsh — was it ever close to playing for Wales?

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😳 ALSO IN THIS EPISODE
•The Hastings yellow card — best standing ovation ever?
•Medical madness: prostate exams in pro rugby?!
•More face rearranging carnage 💥

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🎙️ France Win Six Nations With the Last Kick | England Baffling & Stuart McCloskey Exclusive

The final round of the 2026 Six Nations delivered extraordinary drama as France beat England to win the championship with the last kick, and Ireland centre Stuart McCloskey joins Maul or Nothing to take us inside the Ireland camp.

We break down France vs England, Ireland vs Scotland and Wales vs Italy from the decisive final weekend of the Six Nations 2026, as the championship came down to the final moments.

🇫🇷 France vs England — Championship Decider

France held their nerve when the pressure was highest.

⭐ Louis Bielle-Biarrey continues his incredible try-scoring run
🎯 Thomas Ramos lands the kick that wins the entire Six Nations

But England delivered a performance that perfectly summed up their tournament:

Brilliant… and utterly baffling.

Despite losing four matches in the championship — something England hadn’t done since 1976 — they pushed France all the way.

Big talking points:

•⁠ ⁠🟨 Was the yellow card and penalty try correct?
•⁠ ⁠🏃 Ollie Chessum’s intercept — should he have gone closer to the posts?
•⁠ ⁠🎬 Henry Pollock’s Hollywood offload moment
•⁠ ⁠🦶 England kicking possession away with 90 seconds left while leading

Is this England side actually building toward something… or stuck in a strange paradox?

🇮🇪 Ireland vs Scotland — Stuart McCloskey Joins Us

Ireland centre Stuart McCloskey joins the show after a huge championship.

Across the tournament he led Andy Farrell’s Ireland in:

🏉 Carries
🔥 Offloads
💥 Defenders beaten
📈 Post-contact metres

He takes us inside the Ireland camp:

•⁠ ⁠Ireland’s performance in the final round
•⁠ ⁠How the squad felt during those tense closing minutes watching and supporting England!
•⁠ ⁠Chasing down Marcus Smith earlier in the championship
•⁠ ⁠Life around the Ireland squad
•⁠ ⁠And a very entertaining day out in London…

Plus: are Ulster finally back?

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 Wales vs Italy — Wales Finally Stop the Run

Wales ended a long wait for a Six Nations win.

✅ First championship victory since 2023
🏟 First home Six Nations win in four years

The game was effectively decided early as Wales raced into a 31-0 lead.

Standouts:

🔥 Aaron Wainwright immense
🎯 Dan Edwards running the game with perfect kicking, a try and a drop goal

Talking point:

👉 Have Wales finally found their long-term No.10?

🏉 Also on the show

•⁠ ⁠⭐ Maul or Nothing Team of the Tournament
•⁠ ⁠🏆 Player of the Championship debate
•⁠ ⁠🎬 Max’s Moment of the Tournament
•⁠ ⁠🎮 Fantasy Rugby results

And Ryan nearly missing the show entirely after a night out in Dublin with an A-list Hollywood celebrity before scrambling home for Mother’s Day.

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Topics: Six Nations 2026, France vs England, Ireland vs Scotland, Wales vs Italy, Stuart McCloskey interview, rugby podcast, Six Nations final round analysis.
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Round 4 of the Six Nations 2026 delivered absolute chaos — and on this week’s Maul or Nothing, we break down one of the most extraordinary weekends of Test rugby in years.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿Scotland 50 – France
Gregor Townsend’s side ran riot — putting 50 points on France in a statement win that has completely blown open the championship race.

We dive into:

•⁠ ⁠Ben White vs Antoine Dupont — the scrum-half duel
•⁠ ⁠Darcy Graham vs Louis Bielle-Biarrey in a brilliant wing battle
•⁠ ⁠Scotland’s attacking blueprint that dismantled France
•⁠ ⁠Dupont’s forward pass that summed up the French afternoon
•⁠ ⁠the Scottish cohesion but France unusually subdued

Plus the controversy…

👀 Oscar Jégou’s alleged eye gouge
A disciplinary hearing looms. We ask:

•⁠ ⁠Is it worse than Eben Etzebeth’s recent incident?
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🏉 England vs Italy – what on earth is the plan?

England had the ball.
England… kicked it away.

Italy magnificent

We break down:

•⁠ ⁠England leading the tournament in kicks in play & kick metres
•⁠ ⁠Ben Earl saying England were “unbelievable for 60 minutes” — are fans being gaslit?
•⁠ ⁠Maro Itoje’s yellow card — careless or costly?
•⁠ ⁠⁠Menoncello the best centre in world rugby right now

And the big question:

❓ Should Steve Borthwick still be England coach for the 2027 Rugby World Cup?

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🇮🇪 Ireland vs Wales

Ireland got the job done in Dublin — but this may have been the most encouraging Welsh performance of the championship.

We discuss:

•⁠ ⁠Jack Crowley as Farrells World Cup 10
•⁠ ⁠Signs of life in Steve Tandy’s Wales rebuild
•⁠ ⁠The huge shift in Welsh physicality
•⁠ ⁠Rhys Carre magic

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🔥 Championship permutations heading into the final round

The title race is wide open.

•⁠ ⁠France win the title with a bonus-point victory
•⁠ ⁠Scotland could win their first championship since 1999
•⁠ ⁠Ireland still alive if results fall their way

We break down every scenario heading into Super Saturday.

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🔐 This episode is sponsored by NordVPN

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🎙️ Maul or Nothing
Honest rugby analysis. Big laughs. No safe takes.

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00:27 What a weekend to be aRyan!
06:19 Nord VPN
08:29 Scotland hit 50 vs France!
19:08 Oscar Jegou gouging incident
20:11 DuPont and teammates were rattled
22:26 England's Struggles Continue: Huge win for Italy
37:52 It’s a Warhammer Seg
31:02 The Warhammer Seg has ended! - Italy's Rising Stars
50:59 Ireland vs Wales - A New Welsh Identity
56:52 Predictions and Feelings Ahead of the Matches
58:19 Predictions and Feelings
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The Maul or Nothing Round 4 Preview Show is here — and the 2026 Six Nations title race is reaching boiling point.

After England’s heavy defeat to Ireland at Twickenham, Steve Borthwick has torn up his backline and made 12 changes ahead of the trip to Rome.
Is this a necessary reset… or full panic stations inside England camp?

We break down all the major team selections, tactical questions and storylines heading into one of the biggest weekends of the championship.

🏉 In this episode

•⁠ ⁠England’s selection revolution after Twickenham
•⁠ ⁠Fin Smith starting, Freddie Steward dropped and the entire backline reshuffled
•⁠ ⁠Are England building toward the 2027 Rugby World Cup or still searching for an identity?
•⁠ ⁠Italy’s rise — the Cannone brothers, Ferrari and Capuozzo back
•⁠ ⁠Have Italy officially crossed the line from “free win” to genuine threat?
•⁠ ⁠Can Scotland shock France at Murrayfield?
•⁠ ⁠Is Ryan’s bold prediction actually possible… or delusional?
•⁠ ⁠Ireland v Wales — Andy Farrell leaning heavily on Ulster talent
•⁠ ⁠Are Wales finally beginning a proper rebuild?

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🎉 Big news on the pod

Max Lahiff has signed a new contract — and the boys have plenty to say about it.

AND… breaking rugby news means Maul or Nothing now technically has inside access to the All Blacks 👀

With Dave Rennie becoming the new New Zealand head coach, MON suddenly has a direct line to the top of world rugby — given he used to coach Ryan.

So naturally we’ll be expecting exclusive All Blacks insights any day now…

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🥃 Sponsor — Wolfcraig Whisky

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Check out the 14 Year Old Deluxe Blend – Second Edition (Triple Sherry Cask).

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💬 Join the conversation

England have lost 2 from 2 since Max Lahiff stopped being involved in the squad…

Should Steve Borthwick:

A) Bring Max back immediately
B) Bring Max back immediately but after a long speech about statistics
C) Bring Max back AND force the entire squad to wear a string vest

Let us know in the comments 👇

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📲 Subscribe for weekly Six Nations analysis, player interviews and proper rugby chat

🎙️ Maul or Nothing — the rugby podcast where insight meets chaos.
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