Elite Rugby Banter

This is one of our longest episodes, but also one of our most hotly debated shows ever. First, Andy, Ant and Phil wrap up the pool stages of the World Cup, who under-performed and who shone. Then, chaos and uncertainty reign as they turn their attention to what is a tantalising and incredibly equally matched series of four North v South battles in the Rugby World Cup quarter finals. Form vs class, team chemistry vs individual game breaking ability, knockout rugby or sticking to your game plan template. It's almost too close to call, but we try anyway. Music by @monstroid, 80s TV Show

The second last round of pool games is over, leaving some interesting permutations for the knockouts. Who between the tournament underperformers Argentina and Japan will go through with England? Will Italy stun hosts France? And will Scotland beat Ireland by more than 20 with both teams simultaneously scoring four tries to rip a black hole in the space-time continuum to knock the Springboks out of the World Cup? Short answer - probably not. Long answer - listen to the episode.

The boys are back as they run the rule over the third round of Rugby World Cup pool games, with Australia bombing harder than the Bok "Nuke" squad. Otherwise, some largely uninspiring games set the stage for some interesting pool exit permutations. Theme: 80s TV Show by @monstroid

Phil and Ant, our two Rugby World Cup correspondents and travellers, are hosted this week by a very jealous and lonely Andrew back in Joburh. They moan about French beer prices and the underwhelming Pacific Island performances (other than the Flying Fijians), but also delight in a Romanian romp and the general World Cup atmosphere on the ground. Music by @monstroid, 80s TV Show.

Andrew chooses pudding over podding and birds over balls, leaving Phil and Ant to rule the roost and run over the opening weekend of the Rugby World Cup. Tempers are kept in better check than journos being triggered over disco lights, but excitement for the next two months overflows as Phil and Ant prepare to make their ways to France! Music by @monstroid, 80s TV Show.

Andy, Phil and Ant run through each of the pools, putting their predictive prowess on the line, highlighting the key players and the definition of success for each side. Fair warning - there are some hot takes befitting of the European heatwave and some mildly spicy disagreements. Follow us on our socials and join us on the official Rugby World Cup fantasy game (Your unique league code for ERB World Cup Fantasy is: NJFWI40O) and also Superbru. Music by @monstroid, 80s TV Show.

The Springboks won by a world record margin against the All Blacks to end their RWC prep on the perfect note. The team dissect the tactics that produced the victory, grapple with the inconsistent disciplinary applications (like did Farrell shine his shoes?), and deliberate on whether some of the individual performances warrant a World Cup rethink for the Boks best XV, if that's even a thing... Music by @monstroid, 80s TV Show.

The Springboks overran minnows Wales while the English tackle technique is proving contagious. Eddie "Indiana" Jones has bigger fish to French fry and what a ruse from the Wallaroos. The Bulls Daisies are pushing up the women's game locally, while the Cheetahs Force the issue in Bloemfontein. The Boks look for a psychological edge against a Frizellless All Blacks while testing Canaan's Moodie in the middle.

Andrew has a meltdown while Phil and Ant barely manage to contain themselves as the team run the rake over the Owen Farrell non-sanction, the absurd Wallabies World Cup squad, the lack of almost all first-choice international flyhalves, and New Zealand completely forgetting that they have a domestic league on the go. Some sanity is restored with the return of Springbok captain Siya Kolisi for the Wales warm-up game. Music by @monstroid, 80s TV Show.

Hot off the press! Phil, Andrew, and Ant give their immediate reaction to the Springbok squad announcement, with some still in shock. No Pollard, Am, or Lood - but Andrew has been secured as the team kicking coach so there's that. It's not all doom and gloom. Music by @monstroid, 80s TV Show.

With the Rugby Championship out of the way, the gang run the rule over the World Cup warm up fixtures. The Wallabies rediscover their basics, Argentina regress, Manie Libbok loses his kicking boots and then finds them again, Samoa have better ex-All Blacks and Wallabies than Tonga while Fiji's homegrown heroes get it done, Japan see red again, Wales get an unforgettable win over Borthwick's lost boys, and Ireland rejoice in a post-Sexton preview. Check out our Facebook group, IG and Threads account - give us a follow! Music by @monstroid, 80s TV Show.

The Rugby Championship is all wrapped up, with the imperious All Blacks turning the Wallabies into Joeys and the Boks just winning a contentious joust in Jozi. Andrew and Phil run through the last results, reflect on the state of play after the abbreviated tournament, and start to turn a meaningful eye to the Rugby World Cup and the warm up games to come. Who will put their hands up in Buenos Aires and force their way into the RWC mix? If you want our opnions, take a listen. If you don't why are you still reading this? Check out our Facebook group, IG and Threads account - give us a follow! Music by @monstroid, 80s TV Show.

The Boks tinker with their lineup again ahead of the final round of Rugby Championship against Argentina. Will the South Americans dare to kick onto our diminutive back three and risk the electric counter attack? Will Libbok get the ball past the muscly ball hogs in the middle to his wings? Will Frans Malherbe start every Bok test from now until eternity? These are the important questions we ask ourselves. Also Ant goes on yet another rant about foreign player eligibility. Check out our Facebook group, IG and Threads account - give us a follow! Music by @monstroid, 80s TV Show.

Ant gets much needed counselling in a cathartic and pensive dissection of the Springbok loss to the All Blacks in Orcland. Question marks abound as the World Cup draws ever nearer but not all is lost. P.S. we now have an IG and Threads account - give us a follow! Music by @monstroid, 80s TV Show.

We're back to a full front row complement and we're excited as we discuss Rugby World Cup fashion, preview the Bok team for the first round of The Rugby Championship, and get real-time updates on the Baby Boks vs Argentina from Ant (spoiler: we're somehow in the semi finals). Music by @monstroid, 80s TV Show.

Ant and Phil dissect the latest rugby happenings in Andrew's skeptical sickness-enforced absence including a thrilling URC final where Andrew's beloved Stormers couldn't make home advantage count, a nail-biting Champions Cup final where Leinster threw away an early lead and a splattering of other rugby from Super Rugby to the Currie Cup. Music by @monstroid, 80s TV Show.

The cards are put on the Tafel as the team pick their playoff contenders in the URC, Heineken Champions Cup, and Challengers Cup. Will Leinster withstand the Flying Fish in Dublin or will they be distracted by the prospect of La Rochelle? Will the Stormers rediscover their fizz against the flat Bulls in the shadow of Devils Peak? Will Glasgow's Castle withstand the storming of Toulon? Among these important questions, the team also discuss the latest post-Corona Draught results (#AdamsYear, for real this time), the future of the Springbok coaching staff after the Stella Nienaber, what will Razor Robertson's packed backroom do for the All Black Label, ,how will the Boks crack one open side in Kolisi's potential absence, have the great Hunters the Lions been banished to the Savanna and whether the Bulls are none the Budweiser. Also, please could a beverage come on board as a sponsor?

History is made as the pod panel assembles in person for the first time, which is one more than Italy's Six Nations victories, Tuks' Varsity Cup wins, and the number of positive results in the Bulls last seven fixtures put together, all of which is discussed in the Pod's typically haphazard, vaguely informed way. Theme: 80s TV Show by @monstroid

Have a listen to find out how bird jizz is actually really useful, why Irish men can't finish, why Len Ikitau is (not) the world's best 13, if Ollie Lawrence is a great pretender or the English Messiah, how good Huw Jones really is and, hot off the press - a breaking scandal: Andrew reveals a secret love affair! Music by @monstroid, 80s TV Show.

Will the 6 Nations be celebrated with Guinness or champagne? Will the ale be fresh out the tap or will there be a whisky hangover? And what of a pairing with prosciutto, or perhaps a Welsh rarebit? Join the gang for their January broadcast covering the best of European rugby (which, by extension, includes South Africa now), running the rule over the URC ahead of playoffs and making some big claims ahead of the 6 Nations. Music by @monstroid, 80s TV Show