The Good, The Bad & The Rugby: Australia & New Zealand

Justin Marshall joins us live from Pretoria, three tour games deep, one week out from Ellis Park and the mood in South Africa is exactly as cocky as you'd fear. Andy, Kieran Read and Marshy get into the arrogance ("if the All Blacks draw the series, that's a result for THEM"), why South African rugby is booming from schoolboy level up, and the recruitment problem that's got them worried about 13-year-olds on retainers.

Then the serious business: how the All Blacks are actually tracking after three from three, the injury watch on Will Jordan, Cam Roigard and Damian McKenzie, the loose forward puzzle, whether lineout height should be driving selection, why Argentina handed us the blueprint for beating the Boks and why a Springbok side that's short of minutes might be more vulnerable at altitude than anyone's saying.

Plus the Gallagher Fearless Player of the Week

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📑CHAPTERS
00:00 Intro — Marshall live from Pretoria
01:28 "Can the All Blacks beat the Springboks?" — the arrogance question
03:09 Cape Town to the Highveld: what the crowds are like
03:45 The Crusader who reckoned altitude was no problem
04:59 Why South African rugby is absolutely fizzing
06:58 What NZ can learn — NPC crowds and grassroots passion
08:41 The lost art of the tour
09:22 Is South Africa now ahead of us on depth?
11:33 13-year-olds on retainers: South Africa's recruitment worry
13:11 Three from three — how are the All Blacks tracking?
13:26 Injury watch: Will Jordan, Cam Roigard, Damian McKenzie
14:40 Managing a 44-man squad, and Rennie's "not satisfied" message
16:56 Finding the width: the attacking blueprint
18:24 Beating the blitz — why unpredictability is everything
20:35 The loose forward puzzle: Segner, Lakai, Tupou Vaa'i at 6
22:06 6-2 bench, and three wingers for two spots
24:13 Should lineout height decide selection?
25:52 Gallagher Fearless Player of the Week: Ruben Love
29:58 Kolisi out — who jackals for the Boks now?
30:40 Segner's answer to the Kirifi debate
33:01 Are the Springboks undercooked?
35:25 The prep gap — and why Read isn't buying it
36:25 Argentina handed us the blueprint
37:48 Altitude, fatigue and the hurt locker
40:28 The mental side of altitude: "your body says you can't go on"
42:39 Slowing the game down, and what a captain can do about it
44:17 Final word: "This All Blacks team can beat the world champions"
46:17 Outro

─────────────────────────────

📩 GOT A QUESTION FOR THE LADS?
Email the team at: info@goodbadrugby.com

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30 years ago the All Blacks won their first test series on South African soil.

Andy Rowe sits down with two men who were there: Frank Bunce and Justin Marshall. They relive the 1992 return tour after apartheid, the intimidation of Ellis Park, Jonah Lomu's 1995 World Cup, and the week in Pretoria where Sean Fitzpatrick told the team: "There's no way we're going to Ellis Park with the series on the line."

Plus: the Michael Brial fight, the famous "too old, too slow, two tries" headline, Bunce's legendary partnership with Walter Little, why the All Blacks haven't settled a midfield since Ma'a Nonu and Conrad Smith, and whether this All Blacks side can win the series again.

Subscribe for weekly rugby chat from Justin Marshall, Kieran Read, Jeremy Paul and Andy Rowe.

00:00 Intro: two members of the '96 All Blacks in studio

00:28 1992: the first tour back after apartheid

02:19 Danie Gerber: greatest centre ever?

03:56 Ellis Park: walking into the lion's den

07:31 1995: Jonah Lomu changes rugby forever

11:58 Running out for the '95 World Cup final and Mandela

14:25 Turning the page to the 1996 tour

15:13 The midweekers: why a squad of 36 won the series

17:03 Tri Nations battles and Bunce's winner in Brisbane

19:28 "We win it in Pretoria" — Fitzpatrick's message

22:16 Facing that Springbok side

24:07 John Preston, Zinzan's drop goal and the pivotal moments

26:23 The goal-line stand

28:40 The toughest Springboks Bunce ever faced

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The All Blacks squad to tour South Africa is out and the boys have questions. Seven wingers but no out-and-out fullback, only three halfbacks, five injury-prone locks, and Damian McKenzie named at first five but destined for the back field. Justin Marshall and Kieran Read drop into what it's actually like touring the Republic: altitude, boot parties, beer cans at the bus, and why four Tests in a row is like playing four finals.

Plus: Ethan Blackadder back from the wilderness, how to build the loose trio around Ardie Savea, the unlucky ones (Du'Plessis Kirifi, Noah Hotham), what happens if Richie Mo'unga gets the call, and how you even prep a squad for games every three days.

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📑CHAPTERS

00:00 Intro
00:31 First reactions to the squad
02:31 Seven wingers — so who plays fullback?
04:12 Only three halfbacks: Ratima on the bench all tour?
05:02 George Bell and the fourth hooker call
06:31 The lock stocks: injury concerns
08:04 Bench impact — matching the Bomb Squad
10:20 6-2 split or backline flexibility?
15:18 Ethan Blackadder back from the wilderness
17:44 We need our best ball carriers carrying
20:13 Harvey Norman Next Gen Moment: Timoci Tavatavanawai
22:07 The unlucky ones: Kirifi & Hotham
25:44 What the selectors want from their loose forwards
30:54 Building the game plan around Ardie Savea
34:05 The Josh Jacomb surprise
36:48 What if Richie Mo'unga gets the call?
37:58 Playing in South Africa: altitude & atmosphere
41:46 Touring the Republic: boot parties & hospitality
44:52 Games every three days — how do you prep?
46:48 Where should the Test team play? Tour strategy
49:11 First Test excitement & why the timing is perfect
50:26 Wrap-up
─────────────────────────────

📩 GOT A QUESTION FOR THE LADS?
Email the team at: info@goodbadrugby.com

─────────────────────────────

📲 FOLLOW THE GOOD, THE BAD & THE RUGBY AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND
YouTube: ⁨@GoodBadRugby⁩ANZ
IG: https://www.instagram.com/goodbadrugbyanz
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@goodbadrugby
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/goodbadrugbyanz
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/goodbadrugbyanz

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#GBR #TheGoodTheBad&TheRugbyANZ #RugbyUnion
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The All Blacks put Ireland to the sword at Eden Park and Justin Marshall and Jeremy Paul aren't holding back, calling out the Irish for blaming the ref instead of themselves. Marshy and JP break down the Tupou Vaa'i blindside masterstroke, the bench that's finally delivering "championship minutes", the Luke Jacobson TMO call that got common sense right, and whether Quinn Tupaea at 13 is the answer heading into South Africa.

Then James O'Connor joins the show, fresh off the Mad Monday that saw him sleep through last week's episode, to reveal he's told Les Kiss he's available for the Wallabies, why the spine is costing Australia games, and where Joseph Aukuso Sua'ali'i really should be playing.

CHAPTERS

00:00 Intro — JOC's no-show & Mad Monday stories

05:00 All Blacks dismantle Ireland at Eden Park

06:13 The Tupou Vaa'i blindside call

09:14 Bench impact & championship minutes

12:20 Set piece stepping up a level

13:35 Were Ireland tired — or just beaten?

17:58 "A pack of whingers" — Ireland's excuses

21:05 The Jacobson yellow card & a TMO masterclass

25:16 Hooker debate — who starts in South Africa?

31:26 Quinn Tupaea at 13: the answer at centre?

36:54 Harvey Norman Moment of the Week

39:12 Wallabies set piece & Josh Canham's lineout learnings

42:34 Tizzano, Harry Wilson & the captaincy question

48:02 James O'Connor joins the show

50:33 Back to club footy with Brothers

53:06 JOC on the Wallabies' spine & game management

56:41 Joe Schmidt's legacy & the Les Kiss era

59:28 Where Sua'ali'i should really play

1:02:20 Wrap-up

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Damian McKenzie joins us live from All Blacks camp and Marshy puts him on the spot over the fullback debate, arguing Will Jordan should be wearing the 15 jersey. D-Mac opens up on his role at fullback, the halftime messages from Razor and Barrett, Will Jordan's record-breaking hat trick, Ardie as captain, and what the All Blacks are expecting from Ireland at Eden Park.
Kieran Read and Justin Marshall also review a patchy win over Italy, vent about the TMO shambles in Wellington, dissect the Wallabies' second-half collapse against France, and lock in their picks for the weekend.
Brought to you by Harvey Norman home of Next Gen AI PCs from Microsoft, HP, Lenovo, Acer and Asus, powered by Intel Core Ultra processors.
Chapters

00:00 Intro – Where's Rabs?
00:57 Will Jordan's record strike rate
02:40 The fullback debate: Jordan or D-Mac at 15?
05:46 Who's the next All Blacks winger?
08:45 Italy review: patchy start & discipline
12:30 What's wrong with our starts?
14:40 Harvey Norman Next Gen Moment: Fraser McReight
16:28 The TMO shambles in Wellington
20:04 Damian McKenzie joins from All Blacks camp
22:54 D-Mac on the back three & his fullback role
26:13 Ardie as captain & Will Jordan's record
26:52 D-Mac on the Ireland threat & Eden Park
28:52 Debrief: what we learned from D-Mac
29:34 Ireland preview: Eden Park test
35:19 Wallabies' second-half collapse vs France
41:17 Italy v Wallabies preview
43:24 Predictions
45:50 Wrap – thanks to Harvey Norman

─────────────────────────────

📩 GOT A QUESTION FOR THE LADS?
Email the team at: info@goodbadrugby.com

─────────────────────────────

📲 FOLLOW THE GOOD, THE BAD & THE RUGBY AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND
YouTube: ⁨@GoodBadRugby⁩ANZ
IG: https://www.instagram.com/goodbadrugbyanz
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@goodbadrugby
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/goodbadrugbyanz
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/goodbadrugbyanz

─────────────────────────────
#GBR #TheGoodTheBad&TheRugbyANZ #RugbyUnion
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