5 Live’s Rugby Union Weekly

Sara is joined by World Cup winner Kat Merchant and former Wales captain Siwan Lillicrap to reflect on England's victory over Wales. Despite the Red Roses scoring 62 points, there were still plenty of positives for Wales who earned a try-bonus point as Alisha Joyce returns, Keira Bevan shines at nine and their lineout bamboozled England. Despite shipping four tries, the Red Roses completed a record-extending 36th consecutive Test win. Marlie Packer scored another two tries, Zoe Harrison's sensational form off the tee continued, and captain Meg Jones impressed again - is she now nailed on to be World Player of the Year?

The Women’s Six Nations is pulling in record crowds and viewing figures, but is the tournament itself keeping pace? Ugo, Sara and Philippa Tuttiett discuss whether there needs to be more emphasis on the rugby than the spectacle. Sean Lynn is still searching for a first Six Nations win as Wales boss and with the Red Roses up next, we look at how they should approach the match and what would constitute success. Ireland have revenge on their mind as they head to France this week. It's the first meeting since their controversial World Cup quarter-final. Anna Caplice joins us to debate how the Irish should be approaching a match full of emotion.

There was an astonishing 54 tries across the five Prem matches this weekend, but is it a positive when so many matches were one-sided? Is the Prem in danger of becoming a two-tiered league or are teams just in transition? Ugo, Danny and Chris try to make sense of a crazy weekend which saw Saracens’ Noah Calouri bag another five tries against Sale in a huge win on Sunday. How costly could that defeat be for Sale? Exeter put on a show for their potential new owners despite a late Northampton winner and Finn Russell has been snapped up by Eddie Hearn and joins Henry Pollock at Matchroom. Could more players follow suit and what would success look like?

Sara Orchard is joined by World Cup winner Katy Daley-McLean and former Scotland fly-half Lisa Martin as England beat Scotland 84-7. A record-breaking crowd watched on at Murrayfield as England put 12 tries on Scotland to continue their charge for the grand slam. What do Scotland need to do to gain a greater depth of players? How differently does their model need to be, to compete with England? As for the Red Roses, how well have they adapted to forced changes? Plus, the team consider the next round.    Timecodes: 0'45 Record breaking attendance at Murrayfield 5'30 Scotland's depth issues 9'40 Changing the Scotland model 14'39 England's pace 17'49 Next round of fixtures

Warning: This episode contains discussion of disordered eating which some may find distressing. Sara is joined by World Cup winner Katy Daley-McLean and former Scotland fly-half Lisa Martin to talk all things Women's Six Nations. There is still plenty to discuss from the opening weekend after a big omission in the Wales matchday programme and Meg Jones' joining the post-match celebrations with fans at a Twickenham pub. Over 30,000 fans are expected at Murrayfield this weekend, which will be a record for a women's sporting event in Scotland, but how do the SRU capitalise on this moving forward? England and Scotland's injury lists continues to grow and we get our predictions for round two.There is also a powerful interview with Red Roses star Ellie Kildunne who opens up about her struggle with body dysmorphia. If you or anyone you know have been affected by any of the themes raised in this episode, help and support is available at BBC Action Line. URL - https://www.bbc.co.uk/actionline

Danny and Ashley are here to wrap up the champions cup quarter-finals . They reflect on Friday’s epic clash at The Rec and Henry Pollock’s controversial yellow card. Is Maxime Lucu France’s number one scrum-half right now? Does Bordeaux’s defence get credit it deserves? Leinster are into yet another semi-final, but can Toulon defy the odds again next month in Dublin after dumping Glasgow out of the competition? Where did it go wrong for the URC leaders at Scotstoun? And will we see Courtney Lawes add to his 105 England caps? His move to Sale prompts Ashy to declare he is also coming out of international retirement!

Sara Orchard is joined by 2014 World Cup winner with England, Kat Merchant and former Ireland international, Anna Caplice as England beat Ireland 33-12 in the first round of the women's Six Nations.The team react to the new-look England and a stellar performance from new captain Meg Jones. Hear from wives; Cliodhna Moloney-MacDonald and Claudia Moloney-MacDonald after they play against each other for the first time! Are there signs of Ireland closing the gap on England? And is there any possibility of England being beaten during this campaign?

The Women’s Six Nations starts on Saturday and ahead of the tournament, Sara Orchard and former Wales captain Phillippa Tuttiett get the lowdown on life in camp with the captains from England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland. Sara and Philippa asked the all-important questions, and find out what the fans really want to know; from their ‘girl dinners’, to which celebrity would play them in a film. (To assist with that, Philippa has a little bit of help from AI - and the results are surprising!) The captains come thick and fast – as Sara and Philippa juggle them all during the Six Nations launch. First up is Red Roses skipper Meg Jones. She lets them in on what it’s like being named as captain, new tattoos and the role she will play in the side. Wales captain Kate Williams has a Navy background and tells us her journey from being in New Zealand to playing for Wales. Scotland stalwart Rachel Malcolm is no stranger to these events and tells Sara and Philippa all about the warrior mentality in the group – and Ireland’

The quarter-finals in the Champions and Challenge Cup are set. Ashy, Ugo & Chris look back at the round of 16. There were stunning solo tries and plenty of TMO controversy, but did the weekend deliver? We also preview the blockbuster showdowns in Bordeaux and Bath this weekend as the best teams in France and England go head-to-head. Who is best placed to go all the way? Should seedings from the pool stages last until the semi-finals? Which try-scoring scrum-half is mirroring Ashy’s runs? And after Ugo's boxing presentation debut it sparks a debate around what rugby can learn from boxing when it comes to promoting the sport.

Did taking Prem rugby to bigger stadiums pay off? Danny and Ashy were blown away by the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday, despite getting lost. Is too much being made of Geoff Parling’s outburst at Craig Doyle? Ashy questions whether Saracens are bringing through enough academy players amid their bad run. And what about Robbie Deans’ appointment at Quins? Will it work out if he’s only spending 12 weeks of the year at the club? And with the Champions Cup returning this weekend, Chris asks whether the Prem gets too many spots. Plus, can Eddie Hearn turn Henry Pollock into the next Anthony Joshua?

Can anyone stop Bath? And how worried should Harlequins and Saracens be? The Prem is back as Ugo, Danny and Ashy assess the weekend’s action, with Bath looking a level above the rest. But can Northampton challenge them? There’s also high praise for Geoff Parling as he continues to impress, guiding Leicester into the top three. But it’s a different story for Harlequins, with questions mounting both on and off the pitch, including whether they can keep hold of Marcus Smith if results don’t improve. Saracens, meanwhile, have little to smile about after conceding 62 points. Plus, with the Men’s Six Nations set to name its Player of the Championship, is there any real contender to Louis Bielle-Biarrey?

What was the most impressive win of the 2026 Six Nations? The biggest upset? Who was the best player? Ugo is joined by John Barclay and Sam Warburton to wrap up the tournament as France are crowned champions once again. They discuss THAT winning kick from Thomas Ramos and ask if Louis Bielle-Biarrey is now more important to France than Antoine Dupont. England scored seven tries in Paris but lost for a fourth time, what positives can Steve Borthwick take from their worst championship in the Six Nations era? Sam picks out the four players Wales should build their team around as they sign off with a win in Cardiff. Scotland finished without any silverware and failed to beat Ireland again, so can it still be considered a successful championship? And after the pain of Paris on the opening weekend, do Ireland take home the title of most improved team during the Six Nations?

It’s our big Super Saturday preview as Chris arrives in Paris and we link up with the BBC Scotland pod team of Tom English and Andy Burke who have made it to Dublin. Darcy Graham’s comments about Ireland being ‘there for the taking’ have caused a stir. Is this a sign Scotland believe they can finally end their long wait for victory over Ireland? How will they cope without the talismanic Gregor Brown? Is Finn Russell about to cement his legacy as one of Scotland’s greatest players by delivering a Triple Crown or even a Six Nations title? England fly-half Fin Smith gives an honest assessment of England’s struggles and how the adversity has has impacted. He also addresses the exchange with captain Maro Itoje in Rome and what the mindset needs to be heading into the Stade de France this weekend. We also grab a word with Ashy who explains the difference between a Steve Borthwick gameplan and framework and what you need to beat France in Paris.

It’s the final instalment of our guide series, and this week Chris, Tom and GRO are transporting you to Paris. They discuss their favourite memories of watching rugby in the French capital. Tom recalls Brian O’Driscoll’s hat-trick at the Stade de France and why it’s memorable for all the wrong reasons. GRO tells us about Sir Gareth Edwards’ favourite spot in the city and how he spent an evening with the legendary scrum-half and Jean-Claude Skrela. Where does the atmosphere at the Stade de France rank amongst the other Six Nations venues? And what’s the one you thing you shouldn’t do in Paris according to GRO?

Chris is in Verona to assess the mood in the England camp after three successive defeats. Is the shirt weighing heavy on the players? Will we see a new gameplan in Paris? We hear from Steve Borthwick on all this and the exchange between Maro Itoje and Fin Smith in Rome. Ollie Chessum talks about the ‘hurt’ he felt after losing his starting place, and he explains how the players and coaches are as tight as ever despite recent results. We also catch up with our England centurion to get his take on matters. Danny outlines what he wants to see from Ben Spencer this weekend as England look to avoid losing four matches in the Six Nations for the first time.

Chris, Tom and GRO bring you a bumper preview of what promises to be an epic Super Saturday. Can Scotland win a first Six Nations title? They will have to end their Ireland hoodoo without a host of starters including pod favourite Gregor Brown. Chris dials in from Verona to bring you the latest from the England camp after that chastening defeat to Italy. Will we see a different gameplan from Steve Borthwick’s side in Paris? What did the Maro Itoje clash with Fin Smith say about where this England team is at? Rhys Carre is inspiring the next generation of Wales players after his superb solo try in Dublin. Are Wales ready to end their run of wooden spoons? What characteristics did we see that was reminiscent of Gatland’s golden generation?

Warning – This episode contains very strong language. Chris catches up with Ben Youngs to discuss his new BBC documentary about rugby and player safety. Through honest conversations with former players, medical experts, and teammates, Youngs explores the long-term impact of concussion and repeated head injuries. We hear Ben’s powerful interview with Lewis Moody where he talks openly about living with MND, how it has affected his family and if he has any regrets from his playing days. Does the game still need to do more when it comes to head injuries and player safety? Sam Peters, author of ‘Concussed’, who has spent over a decade investigating the links between rugby and neurodegenerative diseases also joins Chris to look at what more could be done to protect players, particularly in training? And what about the grassroots game? Is enough being done at that level to ensure there are adequate measures in place to protect against concussion? You can watch the full documentary ‘Ben Youngs Investigates: How Safe

Back by popular demand, Chris Tom and GRO bring you another instalment of the Nations Pod guide, and this time we're in Rome. Home to the Azzurri, the Stadio Olympico, the colosseum and the scene of Tom's greatest ever Six Nations meal - just don't ask him to name the restaurant! GRO tells us why you should never confuse a Finn with a Russian. Tom explains why Bologna is the real rugby capital of Italy. We reminisce about the Stadio Flaminio and some of the great matches we've witnessed in the the Eternal City.

Steve Borthwick has made the most changes by an England head coach in the Six Nations era as he looks for a response after the big defeats to Scotland and Ireland. Ashy and Chris dissect his team for the trip to Rome, which sees 12 changes in total with nine players coming in and three positional changes. Seb Atkinson is back on the pod and one half of an all-new centre partnership. He tells us about his relationship with Fin Smith who he first started playing with in the Worcester academy aged 13, and what he hoping to achieve in his first start since the summer tour. Ashy and Chris also chat to the other Gregor at the heart of the Scotland team hoping to derail France's title charge this Saturday. Gregor Brown talks about their resurgence since that upset in Rome on the opening weekend, making Murrayfield a fortress and his journey from singing the anthem in the stands as a fan to a player.

Will France already be treating their game with Scotland as a potential Grand Slam decider? Chris, Tom and GRO ask whether Gregor Townsend’s side has enough to blunt France’s attacking weapons and possibly derail their campaign. Can we expect significant changes from Steve Borthwick, as his England side travel to Rome. Chris makes the case that a win for Italy could mark the greatest moment in their rugby history. And what of Wales? Is there reason for hope? Plus, Tom wonders whether Ireland have turned a corner. And with no poetry this week, GRO sets a quiz from all the data he's gathered from his pre-pod research, and it leaves the other two struggling for answers.