5 Live’s Rugby Union Weekly

Danny and Chris look ahead to England’s showdown with Italy in Rome as they look to avoid a first defeat to the Azzurri and a third successive Six Nations loss. We hear from Steve Borthwick on where it has gone wrong for England and what they are doing to fix the issues that has derailed their championship. Will they persist with the aerial game? Or will the changes in Rome lead to a new tactical approach? Ollie Chessum talks to us about getting the right mindset and intensity on the field after a big setback. Will we see a host of changes to the England team this week? How important is experience when you have your backs against the wall?

Are England suddenly in crisis? After the heavy defeat to Ireland, Chris, Tom & GRO dissect what’s gone wrong for Steve Borthwick’s side, whether the fallow week has arrived at just the right moment, and if wholesale changes await for Italy. GRO admits he actually enjoyed watching Wales for the first time in a while, but wonders if they could repeat that display against more physical opposition. Tom, meanwhile, refuses to get carried away by Scotland’s back-to-back wins. Plus, Poetry Corner returns as Chris reads out more listeners’ rugby-inspired poems.

Ugo, Sam Warburton & John Barclay discuss the fallout from round three of the Six Nations as England are humbled for the second week in a row, France march on and Scotland backed up their Calcutta Cup win. So what next for England after another damaging defeat? Does their gameplan need to evolve? And how many changes should Steve Borthwick make for Italy? Ireland showed their attack is back to its best. Were Andy Farrell's men written off too soon? Wales are still without a win, but Sam is optimistic Welsh rugby is no longer in freefall after Saturday’s performance and turnout at the Principality. France are now one bonus-point win from the title, but can Scotland reproduce the clinical display they showed against England and blow the championship wide open?

Maro Itoje is set to become England's latest centurion when he captains the team against Ireland this Saturday at Twickenham. Chris and Ashy sit down with Itoje and reflect on a remarkable 10-year stint with England that has seen him win a Grand Slam, Six Nations titles and reach a World Cup final. Was he always destined to reach this milestone? He picks out his most memorable moments over the past decade and tells us about the coaches that have helped him get to this point. How does he stay motivated? What does he still want to achieve in an England shirt? And if he had to pick his favourite second row partner, who would it be?

Henry Pollock gets his first England start. Ollie Lawrence returns. Tommy Freeman is back on the wing. Tom Curry starts. There is plenty for Chris and Ugo to unpick from the England team to face Ireland on Saturday. Why has there been so many changes? Is it a reflection of the performance against Scotland? We are joined by Steve Borthwick who talks through the changes in the midfield and back row and why he felt Henry Arundell deserved another shot after his red card against Scotland. Ollie Lawrence is also on the pod. He chats to us about renewing his partnership with Fraser Dingwall and battling with Freeman for the number 13 shirt. We also go deep into his hair regime and find out why he’s unable to get his haircut until England head to Rome in March.

You’ve heard from Gregor Townsend, Sione Tuipulotu and John Barclay after Scotland’s latest Calcutta Cup triumph. Now it’s the turn of Stirling and Limerick’s finest - Tom English. He talks Chris and GRO through his range of emotions at full-time one week after that chastening defeat in Rome. After another stellar display, is Finn Russell now Scotland’s greatest ever player? Can he guide them to a Triple Crown? And can we persuade GRO it’s a big achievement? Things get even better for Tom when a listener shares a poem all about his favourite player. As for England, how will Steve Borthwick react to that defeat in Edinburgh? Will we see a change in personnel or a change in tactics? What can we expect from Ireland this Saturday? Is there enough x-factor in Andy Farrell’s side? We also touch on Wales as GRO tries to find the positives following another heavy defeat.

Ugo, Ashy and a very happy John Barclay review round two of the Six Nations after Scotland regained the Calcutta Cup. Is a first triple crown since 2010 now on the cards? Did Scotland's gameplan expose England's weaknesses? Should it have been Marcus Smith on the bench at Murrayfield? And is his namesake Fin getting enough Test minutes? France flex their muscles in Cardiff as they put 50 on Wales, can anyone stop the defending champions from winning another title? But why are Wales still struggling defensively under Steve Tandy? Ireland's fly-half debate rumbles on, will it be Sam Prendergast or Jack Crowley lining up at Twickenham? And what is the biggest obstacle preventing Italy from being in the title hunt one day?

Chris has made it to Edinburgh to find Tom English and Andy Burke to analyse the Scotland team for the Calcutta Cup. There is no Edinburgh player in the starting XV since 1998! So, it means there is no place for Duhan van der Merwe again. Is it a gamble to leave out the record try scorer in the Calcutta Cup in the Six Nations era? Can Gregor Townsend survive another defeat, or would it be the final straw for the Scottish rugby public? We also pick through some bold selection calls from Ireland boss Andy Farrell as they welcome Italy to the Aviva on Saturday. Chris heads to the England team hotel to catch up with captain Maro Itoje as he prepares to win his 99th cap after a tough few weeks on a personal level. He shares how his faith has helped him deal with the loss of his mother. He speaks candidly about the huge influence she had on all aspects of his life and how much the reaction of the Twickenham crowd meant to him after coming off the bench last week.

Sara channels her inner Sue Barker to host Rugby Union Weekly’s first ever Calcutta Cup quiz. And we have two worthy contestants going head-to-head with a combined 15 appearances in this famous fixture between them. John Barclay is back on the pod to represent Scotland, and he takes on our very own Danny Care who is looking for another England victory over the Auld Enemy. Who will lead their team to victory and lay down a marker ahead of Saturday’s showdown at Murrayfield? How many try scorers they can name? Who is taller Martin Johnson or Jim Hamilton? Do they even know how many handles are on the trophy?

Ugo and Chris are inside the England camp with in-form fly-half George Ford and history buff Joe Heyes ahead of this weekend's Calcutta Cup showdown at Murrayfield. We hear all about Ford's love of Pilates and how it's helping improve his game. He also breaks down his crossfield kick to Henry Arundell at the weekend and explains how his rugby league education is still paying dividends at Test level. Heyes talks passionately about the art of scrummaging and what he would like to see instead of in-play adverts when he is packing down. Ugo and Chris also dissect some of Borthwick's key selection calls ahead of the trip to Edinburgh with Marcus Smith dropping out of the 23. How does Borthwick plan to cover 15 without the Quins playmaker in his squad?

The Nations Pod is back after a tricky opening round for three of the four home nations. Tom laments Scotland and Ireland’s starts - but will Gregor Townsend’s side again pull something out of the bag for the Calcutta Cup? Gro describes the apathy around Wales after a deflating game in Twickenham, although there is one silver lining. And there is the annual rant about Six Nations bonus points.

Henry Arundell scored a 35-minute hat-trick as England made it 12 wins in a row and heaped more misery on Wales. Was that a statement from England? How good is the depth of Steve Borthwick’s side? Where do Wales go from here after yet another setback on the field? Chris chats to World Cup winners Matt Dawson and Paul Grayson along with Grand Slam winner Alex Cuthbert to discuss all this and more. You will also hear from Ben Earl, who praised England’s relentless display, and Wales head coach Steve Tandy who lamented his team’s poor discipline.

France made the perfect start to the defence of their Six Nations title as they toppled Ireland in Paris. Chris is joined by Irish Grand Slam winner Donncha O’Callaghan and Ashy to reflect on a statement victory on the opening night of the tournament and the growing strength of French rugby. What has happened to Ireland’s attack? Is the jury still out on whether Sam Prendergast should have the keys to the Ireland number 10 shirt? We also look ahead to Saturday’s games as Wales and Scotland name their teams.

To mark the opening day of the tournament, Chris and John Barclay are chatting all of the Six Nations captains. You’ll hear from the great Antoine Dupont as France kick things off in Paris. We hear from his opposite number Caelan Doris on Ireland’s difficult prep ahead of the opener in Paris. England’s vice-captain Jamie George talks about the feel-good factor around England as they look to continue their winning run. Dewi Lake speaks openly about the difficulties facing Wales as they head into the tournament looking to avoid a third successive wooden spoon. Michele Lamaro chats about sailing, the Olympics, and Italy’s hopes for 2026. And finally, there is Sione Tuipulotu who is chomping at the bit to captain Scotland for the first time in the Six Nations and banish any painful memories from the autumn.

Are France really clear favourites? And how real is Ireland’s decline? Chris, Gareth and Tom are back as this year’s Six Nations gets underway on Thursday. Tom argues this is a huge opportunity for Scotland and asks why they shouldn’t aspire to be outstanding. Gareth is less optimistic about Wales, though he believes they still have a couple of genuine match-winners. The guys run the rule over all six sides and ask what success looks like for each. And Chris has been left a little frustrated folowing the release of the World Cup schedule this week.

Chris heads to England's training camp in Girona after Steve Borthwick named his team to face Wales in their Six Nations opener. He sits down with England's centres, Northampton's Tommy Freeman and Fraser Dingwall. They talk golf, how to deal with Henry Pollock's energy in camp and why they click on and off the pitch. Maro Itoje is on the bench, and we speak to the Saints duo and Ellis Genge about how the squad has rallied round the England skipper since losing his mother. Genge also chats about bonding with Fin Smith over UFC and how impressed he’s been with the young props who have come into the setup. With Genge soon to have 76 caps to his name, is he starting to think about joining the centurion club? And how are England approaching a wounded Wales this weekend?

Chris is joined by John Barclay at the Six Nations launch in Edinburgh to quiz the men hoping to lead their nation to glory in 2026. Are England and France the clear favourites for the title? They chat to Steve Borthwick about the added expectation this year after they racked up 11 wins in a row in 2025. Andy Farrell says Ireland are the hunters not the hunted this year, but how will their lengthy injury list impact their chances of regaining their title? Steve Tandy makes his pod debut as he talks openly about the off-field issues that are looming over another campaign Wales. What does success look like for them this year? Gregor Townsend tells us this is the best Scotland squad he’s had, but can they put their disappointing autumn to one side and finally mount a serious title challenge? They start in Rome and our favourite multilingual coach Gonzalo Quesada is back to talk fashion and what it would mean to finally beat England in the Six Nations.

The fourth and final stop on the Nations Pod Guide is Ireland’s Fair City. From Croke Park to the Aviva, from Temple Bar to Ballsbridge - Chris, Tom and GRO discuss what makes Dublin special and so much more than a rugby city. Tom teaches us about Ross O’Carroll-Kelly, we get the lowdown on his favourite Dublin pubs and playwrights, and he even recites some poetry! But it’s not all highbrow conversation, we get stuck into Temple Bar, the Guinness and what’s it like on Paddy’s Day during a Six Nations weekend. How does the Aviva’s atmosphere compare to the other home nations’ stadiums? And what is the greatest achievement in Irish rugby history? Plus, we revisit England’s visit to Lansdowne Road in 2003 and the cultural and historical significance of their match at Croke Park in 2007.

As the Premiership heads into its mid-season break, Ugo and Ashy look back on a packed weekend of action. They start with one of the games of the season as Bath edged Gloucester at Kingsholm, with Charlie Atkinson outstanding. Are Bath still the force they were last year, or are teams starting to work them out? Harlequins are back under the spotlight, with Ashy asking whether, in another sport, Jason Gilmore would already be gone. Is an injury-hit squad finally catching up with Sale, or is their attack the bigger concern? They also reflect on Mark McCall’s pending departure at Saracens, and why Brendan Venter may be the perfect person to step in. And, is retiring from international rugby still a thing?

Ashy and Chris are in the player’s gym at Twickenham to dissect England’s Six Nations squad and chat to head coach Steve Borthwick. He talks through his picks at tighthead and calling up Exeter number eight Greg Fisilau. We ask how close Northampton’s George Hendy was to making the cut and how many of those named on the rehab list will play in the early part of the tournament. Borthwick also speaks about their opener against Wales and being quizzed about selection by fans in the street. Away from the Six Nations, there is also some big news from Saracens to discuss as Mark McCall announces he will be leaving the club at the end of the season.