Podcasts about Cardiff Blues

Ruairi O'Hagan from Off The Ball is joined by Munster legends Alan Quinlan and Fiona Hayes to discuss a disappointing defeat to Cardiff Blues. And this week, the gang are joined by Jane Clohessy to talk about her maiden Irish cap.The first twenty minutes of this week's podcast is unlocked, but to listen to the full podcast, get on over to the Off The Ball app, or become a member at offtheball.com/join.

Not many people will know this; but Tom started his senior rugby career at London Welsh where he played for both the Druids and the 1st XV after a couple of seasons in the Colts. His dad had captained the club in the 70's and amassed over 230 appearances for London Welsh.We start the podcast discussing the state of Welsh rugby and how Tom transitioned from playing rugby to a career as a Media Pundit and Commentator. We chat abut Flats and Shanks, his podcast with David Flatman, plus his new shiny one called Stick to Rugby.Tom had one season of senior rugby at London Welsh before going to play for Saracens for 4 years and then Cardiff Blues where he tasted European success. A fantastic career with Wales, with 20 tries in 70 games for his country and he is also a British & Irish Lion as he went on the 2005 tour to New Zealand.Enjoy

Six Nations special! We're chatting with Josh Navidi, former Lions and Welsh international, Matthew Morgan, former Wales and Cardiff Blues player, and Gareth Owen, former Leicester Tiger, Ospreys, and Newcastle Falcon. They share their insights on the highs and lows of the current Welsh team in the Six Nations, discuss Warren Gatland's resignation, Rob Howley's departure, and how Matt Sherratt is helping to steer Wales forward. Tune in for some great stories and expert analysis!"

In this episode, I sit down with Robin Sowden-Taylor, former Cardiff Blues flanker and current director of ION Strength and Conditioning in Cardiff. Robin shares his journey from professional rugby to becoming a renowned strength and conditioning coach for Wales. We delve into the challenges he faced transitioning careers, the philosophy behind building physical and mental resilience, and the importance of continuous personal growth. Join us as we explore how embracing adversity can lead to unparalleled strength and success.

we have the pleasure of diving into the journey of Shane Lewis-Hughes, who has recently transitioned from Cardiff Blues to the Dragons. Shane's move marks a new chapter in his promising rugby career, and we'll explore how he's gearing up for success with the Dragons. In this episode, we'll also discuss Shane's collaboration with Ollie Olds, the mindset mentor who's been making waves in the world of athlete performance and personal development. Together, Shane and Ollie are working on enhancing Shane's mental toughness, overcoming limiting beliefs, and achieving peak performance on and off the field. Join us as we delve into Shane's experiences, the challenges he's faced, and the strategies he's using to take his game to the next level. Whether you're a rugby fan, an athlete, or someone interested in personal growth, this episode promises valuable insights and inspiration. Let's get started!

Today, we are delighted to welcome rugby union legend Sam Warburton to the show. At 22, Sam was made captain of Wales, becoming the 3rd youngest captain in their history. He oversaw one of the most successful periods in Welsh rugby, winning the 6 Nations twice including a historic Grand Slam in 2012, while also guiding them to a World Cup semi-final in 2011.  He also became the youngest captain of the British and Irish Lions for their 2013 tour of Australia, delivering a first series win since 1997. When named captain for the tour of New Zealand four years later, he became only the second person after Martin Johnson to lead the side on two tours. Sam retired at 29, having been blighted by injuries resulting from a relentless style of play. A career in the media, alongside a number of business ventures has followed, but the values he stood for on the pitch and the mentality adopted to succeed are the epitome of the transferable values athletes bring away from performance. We discuss: The making of leaders: Leadership comes in many forms. What is Sam's experience of captaincy and the importance of a tailored approach? A reluctant leader? There were players with 100 caps and 10 years more experience, but Warren Gatland made a 22 years old flanker his captain. Why? How success can depend on the people you surround yourself with.  What were the tactics Sam used to get the best out of his players. It is not a one size fits all approach; you need to have different strategies for different personalities. The honour of being captain of your country and The Lions and how that influenced how Sam played his game. The value of perspective. Realising what is important and when to contextualise what happens in sport.  Wales & The Lions: Grand Slams, World Cups, two British & Irish Lions tours, Sam was a staple on rugby's biggest stages. What were these occasions like to play in? The success Wales achieved under his leadership is well documented. How was that curated from boardroom to dressing room?  Sam's infamous semi-final red card in the 2011 World Cup and the fear it would be his ‘Beckham moment', but the reality was very different! The Lions was the pinnacle. What did it mean to pull on that number 7 jersey for the first time? How the physical demands of international rugby meant he had to adapt his approach to playing for Cardiff Blues. The wider rugby landscape: The success of international rugby carries the game. We need to find a way to elevate the importance of the club competitions. How? Would promotion and relegation be good for The Six Nations? What are the arguments for and against this initiative? The pressures of playing sport in the era of social media bring a different set of challenges. You need to block out the noise and focus on your game, not what people are saying about you.  Why Owen Farrell moving to France is a good thing for his game. Welsh rugby is the pride of the country, and the system needs to reflect that in the quality of its product. What would Sam do to elevate the game in Wales?  For this episode, we are delighted to partner with SeatUnique, the ultimate destination for elevating live events into unforgettable experiences.  Visit seatunique.com to discover some of the incredible packages they have to offer across some of the biggest sport, media and entertainment events.

RUGBY: Connacht Lineout & Maul coach John Muldoon is joined by Galway Bay FM's William Davies to preview their URC trip to Cardiff Blues

My guest is current Current Ealing Trailfinders Rugby player, Brad Thyer, Previously playing for Cardiff Blues before moving over the bridge to London, this episode is nothing but spectacular --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/oliver-olds/message

Our guest this week is former Wales International, Cardiff Blues and current Ealing Trailfinders player, Lloyd Williams. We discuss his Rugby World Cup memories, plus ask for this thoughts on the current campaign as we look forward to the Portugal match at the weekend. We catch up on his career and his pathway to Cardiff Blues and why he left to join Ealing Trailfinders. He also speaks about helping the London Welsh squad at training and chats about London life. Enjoy

In episode 164 Chris Tombs, Performance Coach, joins us. Specifically Chris will be looking at: What VBT is & types available Why athletes should use it How to implement it for performance optimisation About Chris: "Chris Tombs is a performance coach and VBT educator. Having coached for 28 years, 21 of them in professional sport, Chris has a wealth of knowledge and experience across strength and conditioning, as well as coach education. He predominantly worked in collision sport (rugby union) and is perhaps best known for his role at Cardiff Blues, developing players who then went on to represent the British and Irish Lions. One such player being Sam Warburton. Chris now leads SW7 Academy, as head of performance and spends his time consulting and educating in the application of VBT." Twitter & Instagram: @christombs71 Nominate future podcast guests here! If you want to hear from a particular person on a particular topic, let us know! Hit the link below and we'll see what we can whip up for you. https://www.scienceforsport.com/nominate/ FREE 7d COACH ACADEMY TRIAL SIGN UP NOW: https://bit.ly/sfsepisode164 JOIN THE SCIENCE FOR SPORT TEAM: https://www.scienceforsport.com/join-our-team/ ​ Learn Quicker & More Effectively, Freeing Up Time To Spend With Friends And Family ​ Optimise Your Athletes' Recovery ​ Position Yourself As An Expert To Your Athletes And Naturally Improve Buy-In ​ Reduce Your Athletes' Injury Ratese ​ Save 100's Of Dollars A Year That Would Otherwise Be Spent On Books, Courses And More ​ Improve Your Athletes' Performance ​ Advance Forward In Your Career, Allowing You To Earn More Money And Work With Elite-Level Athletes ​ Save Yourself The Stress & Worry Of Constantly Trying To Stay Up-To-Date With Sports Science Research

Sam Warburton + Chris Tombs. Leader + Performance coach. Friend + Business partner.Sam Warburton captained Wales 49 times, guiding them to a Six Nations grand slam in 2012. He's probably best known though for leading the British & Irish Lions on two undefeated tours, before being forced to retire at 28. As well as rugby punditry, Sam now has a podcast series of his own, ‘Captains'.Alongside Sam is his longtime strength and conditioning coach and now business partner, Chris Tombs. Chris worked with Sam at Cardiff Blues from the age of 15 and together they now run the SW7 Academy, which provides elite training programmes to its clients.Together, they talk about the brutal reality of life as an elite rugby player, the steps Sam takes to mitigate the risk of suffering with dementia, his obsessive approach to nutrition and how overnight success actually takes 15 years to actualise.This four way conversation was recorded on 9th January 2023. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ben, Charlie and Charles look ahead to the return of the Six Nations this weekend but, with Wales' game against England in jeopardy due to the threat of a player strike, we dissect the problems within the Welsh game and speak with Cardiff Blues captain Josh Turnbull.Josh tells us why the players are looking to strike and what the likelihood of Saturday's game going ahead is.As for England, they look in good shape heading into the weekend with Courtney Lawes and Tom Curry both picked by Steve Borthwick. There is also a recall for George Ford, who made a return to Premiership action at the weekend. We discuss where the Sale Sharks fly-half could fit in the new England era.We also speak to Springboks star Cheslin Kolbe to get his thoughts on the Six Nations so far and his hopes for the year ahead as he prepares to defend the World Cup.Plus, we look ahead to the weekend's other two games where Italy host Ireland before what could be the match of the weekend on Sunday with Gregor Townsend's Scotland side taking plenty of momentum to Paris.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ben, Charlie and Charles dissect England's thrilling draw against the All Blacks and debate if Marcus Smith was right to kick the ball out after his stunning performance in the dying moments helped the hosts back from the dead.Next up for England is a clash with world champions South Africa. We discuss what changes Eddie Jones could make to his squad after he already hinted at changes to his pack to match the physicality of the Springboks.The biggest result of the weekend came in Cardiff as Georgia came from behind to see off Wales. One of the men responsible for that win is former Cardiff Blues skipper Paul Tito, who is current assistant coach with Georgia. He joins the guys to discuss the win and the rapid growth of the game in the country ahead of the World Cup next year.We also round up the rest of the weekend's action including a shock win for Portugal, which sees them into next year's World Cup, a forgettable Saturday night in Dublin and a feisty clash between Scotland and Argentina.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Our Great Coach on this episode is Gareth Baber. Gareth is a Welsh, former rugby player, and now a rugby coach. As a player he represented Oxford University and Pontypriff in their European Shield victory in 2001. He transitioned into coaching in 2008, becoming an Assistant for the Wales Under 20 side, before eventually becoming the Head Coach of Cardiff Blues. In 2013 he became head of Hong Kong men's rugby sevens and also directed the senior men's, women's and youth programs. In 2016 he became the coach of the Fiji Men 7's, ultimately leading them to 11 tournament victories, including the 2019 World championship and the gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, the 2nd Olympic medal in the nation's history. Gareth is a coach who takes great pride and satisfaction in seeing people release their potential. And to achieve this, he focuses on challenging his players and staff to think differently about themselves and the process they are involved in. His is also organized, thoughtful and empowering, and sees himself as being more than just a rugby coach, but rather someone who is also responsible for building the culture that surrounds people both on and off the field. Some of the other key highlights of the interview were Gareth's thoughts on The importance of mental skills coaches in helping you maintain consistency and focus your attention. And how as a leader he used this to ensure the team embraced accountability. The importance of being able to have self-leadership and put yourself in a position where you are able to fulfil your potential. And how it is the people who are chasing a better version of themselves, who normally go on to place themselves in the best position possible to realise their potential. This was a great conversation, my first with a Welsh coach. And just before we go to the interview, If you're a first time listener, you can check out our archive with of interviews with other great coaches at our website; the greatcoachespodcast.com And while you are there, if you would like to help our podcast, which is fully independent and free from ads, you can follow the link to our Patreon page where we offer exclusive content to our supporters. If you would like to send us any feedback or if you know a great coach, who has a unique story to share, then we would love to hear from you, please contact us at thegreatcoachespodcast@gmail.com or contact us through our website thegreatcoachespodcast.com

Another chance to hear our interview with British & Irish Lions legend, Wales captain and Cardiff Blues flanker, the one and only Sam Warburton. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

It's 20 years since the Canaries were beaten in the play-off final in Wales.

This weeks guest on the podcast is Scottish Rugby Royalty Dan Parks. During Dans professional career he won 67 caps for Scotland as well as representing the Glasgow Warriors, Cardiff Blues and Connacht. Dan is the Glasgow Warriors record appearance holder as well as holding the record for the most appearances for the club. Until recently Dan was also the all time leading point scorer for the Pro 12 (now The United Rugby Championship). Dan also represented Scotland in 2 Rugby World Cups winning Scotland player player at the 2007 tournament. As well as doing commentary and media work, Dan has recently taken up the role as the Sydney University Director of Colts in Sydneys Premier Grade Colts competition.

For over 10-years Blaine Scully donned the red, white, and blue for Team USA and led the team to 3 World Cup appearances. Blaine says his foray into the sport was almost accidental "Rugby found me. When you find what you want to do, everything just clicks" so we discuss what that feeling was like and how the sport took him down the road less traveled playing for teams in the UK including the Cardiff Blues and Leicester Tigers. We also discussed Blaine's great podcast and video show "Captains Code" where we spoke to leaders across sport about some of the hardest decisions they have had to make and the lessons they impart on building high-performing cultures. This was a really fun and candid conversation with a leader on the international stage about having the perseverance to make it to the highest level... then having the courage and humility to start over. About The Game Plan The Game Plan is a weekly podcast hosted by venture capitalists Jay Kapoor and Tim Katt. The show highlights professional athletes' stories that will help our listeners raise their game both in business and in life Did you know you can watch, as well as listen to The Game Plan? Check out our YouTube Page for full-length episodes and fun video clips You can follow us on Twitter (@thegameplanshow) and Instagram (@gameplanshow) for show news and updates, to recommend guests, and for bonus content! Follow co-hosts Jay Kapoor (@JayKapoorNYC) and Tim Katt (@Tim_Katt) for all things sports, media, tech, and venture capital. Question? Comment? Story idea? Let us know at hello@thegameplan.show

This week we chat with Pieter Muller, the South African rugby legend who thrilled Springbok fans with his direct style of play. Pieter wasn't just a Springbok fan favourite, he also thrilled crowds in Europe playing for the Cardiff Blues and French side, Toulouse. Pieter talks us through his career highlights and what it was like playing abroad in the 90's. Join us as we get the inside story of pro rugby and the brilliant work being done by The Rugby Legends NPO that has become something of a developmental talent factory right from grassroots level. The work is paying off with an amazing 40 000 kids now playing rugby, kids who have never played rugby before. If you want to get behind this incredible organisation, you can reach them via the SA Rugby Legends website.This episode is brought to you by BDP Attorneys

It's the most wonderful time of the year! Yep, the Heineken Champions Cup is back! Stuart McAvoy is joined by former Leinster, Scotland & Ulster head coach Matt Williams and Munster legend Alan Quinlan to preview Round 1 of the competition.Cardiff Blues vs Toulouse is our first live game of the campaign this Saturday on Virgin Media Two. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

SPORTSFIX update featuring part 1 with Valley Rugby 1st XV captain, Sion Bennett! Sion previously played professional rugby in Wales for Cardiff Blues and in England for Northampton Saints.

In a nation of rugby heroes, Jamie Roberts has become a legend. Jamie Roberts is your quintessential hard man: a six-foot-four, 17-stone slab of rippling muscle, conditioned to run hard into other huge men in an arena where physical dominance is the prime currency. Yet away from rugby, he's a mild-mannered and thoughtful man - a qualified doctor with a thirst for knowledge and a curiosity about the world around him. It's an intriguing contradiction. In his first full season with the Cardiff Blues he was picked by new Wales coach Warren Gatland in the Grand Slam-winning side of 2008. He was still establishing his position in the national team when he toured with the 2009 Lions, emerging as Player of the Series. He went on to win 97 Test caps and play for clubs in Paris, London and Cape Town, yet his career has seldom been straightforward. A fractured skull was one of many injuries he had to overcome, and from the start he had to juggle the competing demands of university life and professional rugby. The joy of Six Nations success with Wales was balanced by heartbreak in the World Cup and disappointment against southern-hemisphere teams, while major trophies at club level proved frustratingly elusive. In this colourful and frank account of a sterling career, Jamie Roberts reveals all about life on tour, in boot camps and in dressing rooms filled with once-in-a-generation characters such as Mike Phillips, Andy Powell, Shaun Edwards, Martyn Williams, Brian O'Driscoll and Johnny Sexton. He also shares his views on concussion in rugby, the failings of the professional structure in Wales and the vital role of old-school team-bonding.

Re-uploading this "classic" episode due to demand ahead of the Supporters Open Meeting at Rodney Parade upcoming November 25th, 7PM.- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -After a brief Twitter altercation regarding the state of the Rodney Parade pitch, Dragons Rugby CEO and former Just Eat founder David Buttress joins the podcast for a chat on all manner of things;- What are the challenges with Rodney Parade and why were Cardiff Blues invited?- What does his proposed takeover of Dragons Rugby mean for Newport County- He talks of previous "bad leadership" and the challenges to overcome in the relationship between football and rugby in Newport. Going so far as to provide detail with some of his frustrations on his first few years as chairman of the rugby side.- Has his father, a longtime Newport County supporter ever asked him to get involved with NCAFC and would he be open to the hybrid model of ownership in future?- We discuss sporting tribalism and its place in NewportThere is much, much more discussed in this extensive talk and is not to be missed, David pulls no punches across many subjects, some quite sensitive to some!As always, drop us a line via Twitter or Facebook with any feedback. Please also recommend us to your mates, leave glowing reviews and just generally share the love.Music: Virgo by Sean T.Support the show (http://www.ko-fi.com/1912exiles)

SPORTSFIX update featuring part 1 with Valley Rugby 1st XV captain, Sion Bennett! Sion previously played professional rugby in Wales for Cardiff Blues and in England for Northampton Saints.

Our guest this week is Nathan Trevett.  In this episode we get to understand Nathan's journey from Youth rugby to Senior pro player in South Wales.  He played senior rugby at 18 years and 4 days for Cardiff RFC and played for them and Glamorgan Wanderers, before getting his chance at Cardiff Blues as injury cover whilst some of the players were at the World Cup.  Cardiff kept Nathan on for another season, so he got some game time in the Pro 12, before Justin Burnell signed him for London Welsh, were he stayed for 3.5 years.  When London Welsh were expelled from the Championship, clubs in the Welsh Premiership were after Nathan and he ended his career playing for Merthyr RFC.  We get to understand what life after rugby is like, plus an update on what his son is achieving in rugby.

The Cardiff Blues secured a 23-17 win over the CC Sharks in the United Rugby Championship. That means the Durban outfit will return home with just one win from their four games on tour up North. Sean Everitt admits it was a disappointing end to their tour but took some positives after a taxing tour.

The Stormers broke their duck in the United Rugby Championship as they beat the Gwent Dragons 24-10. Leolin Zas scored a brace of tries and Manie Libbol kicked the rest of their points - with 4 penalties to his tally. The Lions couldn't grab a second win on tour - they went down to Ulster 26-10 - Stean Pienaar scoring the Lions only try. The Cell C Sharks and Vodacom Bulls go in search of a second win before they return to SA for a break in the URC. The Sharks face the Cardiff Blues with the prospect of b2b wins in the competition - and coach Sean Everitt believes that would be a good outcome.

The Cell C Sharks will be looking for back to back wins this weekend when they face the Cardiff Blues in the URC.

The Cell C Sharks have made three changes for their upcoming United Rugby Championship clash with the Cardiff Blues this weekend.

Carwyn Harris, Aled Davies and Lucy Jones discuss their all time (since 2003) Cardiff Blues team.

Two former USA Rugby captains come on to the podcast to discuss how they have prepared for life after rugby. The pair touch on the development of USA Rugby and their wish to see a home Rugby World Cup. Former Saracens legend, Wyles, delves in to the story of how he co-founded the well established brewery business, Wolfpack Lager, whilst talking about the importance of not having 'fear' of making mistakes in career transition. Ex Leicester Tigers and Cardiff Blues, Scully, meanwhile tells of how, and why, he set up the United States Rugby Players Association, whilst also talking about his wish to find a new purpose after his rugby playing days. 

Hear from Forwards Coach Graham Rowntree and Tommy O'Donnell ahead of Friday's Guinness PRO14 Rainbow Cup clash against Cardiff Blues (7.35pm).

Gareth and Lauren talk to Cardiff Blues head coach Dai Young and discuss the Rainbow Cup.

After a week of wallowing in self pity it's time to address the heartbreak of Cardiff Blues' European Challenge Cup round of 16 defeat to London Irish 10 days ago. There are positives, as the attack and set piece match up well with the English side, but poor defence, some head loss in the final quarter and a complete lack of game management skills see us go down to 14-men. Elsewhere it could be a big two weeks for Cardiff Blues with coaches contracts, player contracts, new signings, the Arms Park lease and senior management engagement with supporters to address.

What a guy. A real journey of discovery through rugby. Growing up on potentially the wrong side of society in Auckland, to bringing up 4 awesome girls with his wife in Cardiff. I respect the honesty, and the sacrifice Willis has gone through to make a better life for himself and his family. A champion with The Hurricanes, Cardiff Rugby and Wales, there's still more to come!  Thanks to our partners Rume Barbershop, LT Scaffold, Ron Skinner & Sons, Links Recruitment, JBG Group Electrical, and Tiny Rebel Brewery 

It's all about the on-field action this week after a successful weekend in Italy as Wales stay on course for the Grand Slam and, crucially, Cardiff Blues secure a bonus point win over Benetton. Now it's all on this weekend as Wales face France in Paris on Saturday night, looking for what would be one of the greatest wins in Welsh rugby history, before Cardiff welcome Edinburgh on Monday night for a shootout for fourth place in the Guinness Pro14's Conference B.

Tom Smith is the current forwards coach at Cardiff Blues. Formally a player, Tom had a distinguished career with the Ospreys, culminating in 91 total appearances and honours such as 3 U21 Wales caps and the Pro12 league championship. Tom has played alongside some of the Britain's best players including James Hook, Tommy Bowe and Alun Wyn Jones. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Back from injury and clocking up Player of the Match awards, Cardiff Blues' flanker Ellis Jenkins joins Under The Sticks, who add three Grand Slams to this pod with former Wales captain Ryan Jones lining up with Andy McGeady and Sean Holley. Ellis Jenkins on injury return, Cardiff's ambition and Dai Young's early impact at the team Guinness PRO14 review of Round 15 where Carbery shone, Edinburgh and Glasgow Warriors showed some grit, Leinster did Leinster things, Blues beat Benetton and the camera men in Italy did some lovely, lovely work Six Nations recap with Ryan Jones with Wales on course for a Grand Slam but can they do it? Are referees getting too much grief, good performances singled out from Round 4 England win a thriller against France, but are they really talking about the 2023 World Cup already? Ireland played Scotland and there's some chat about that Ryan takes listener questions See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A shortened preview pod for this weekend's action from Southern Europe as Wales travel to Italy to keep an unlikely Grand Slam alive, before the main event as Cardiff Blues face Benetton in the penultimate game of the season. There's also some news from Cardiff Rugby as Dai Young talks Dwayne Peel, Shane Lewis-Hughes gets injured, Owen Lane signs a new contract and plans for a permanent training base at Pentwyn are revealed.

Plenty to discuss on this week's Cardiff Rugby Life Podcast as Cardiff Blues fall to Munster to put the top three of the Guinness Pro14's Conference B realistically out of reach, and Wales win the Triple Crown with a fortunate but deserved win against England. There's also some movements for young players at the Arms Park, and some shoddy behaviour from the Scarlets and Dwayne Peel over the latter's move to the Welsh capital. Oh, and there's the small matter of an un-rebrand.

Another busy week in Welsh rugby. Ged is joined by The Mighty Murph discuss the Cardiff renaming, although Murph doesn't want to talk about it. Elsewhere, the Dragons beat the Ospreys and Ged really wants to talk about it. Alun Wyn Jones is linked with a move to Japan. Plus we preview the Italy v Wales Six Nations clash next week.Gareth Davies from Cardiff Blues Visually Impaired Rugby side also chatted to Ged about the growth of this form of the game. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Wales beat England to win the Triple Crown, hooker Elliot Dee on missing out on a big bash, Cardiff Blues or Cardiff Rugby, and the post-match interview debrief. There’s lots to talk about on this week’s Scrum V podcast with Gareth Rhys Owen, Lauren Jenkins and Nicky Robinson.

Could there be more Welsh news on St David's Day? We've got Andy McGeady and Sean Holley welcome Paul Eddison and Simon Thomas of the WalesOnline to discuss the Guinness Six Nations, Cardiff's name change and a packed weekend of action from the Guinness PRO14 and much, much further away in Super Rugby land. Name changer: Cardiff Blues will be no more from August, with Cardiff Rugby the new name for the Welsh region going forward. Sean and Simon talk us through what is a major move by the team Slam surprise? Wales are now triple crown winners and needs wins against Italy and France to capture a Grand Slam in the Six Nations that nobody would have thought possible back in November. But…how did the officiating impact Saturday's win over England and what about World Rugby referee chief Joel Jutge's admission of the errors? Will France be ready to face Wales in Round 5? Les Bleus have been downed by Covid, but they must prove their bubble won't burst again. Paul Eddison explains what's happened so far Ireland cruise in Italy, but will this young Azzurri team be better in the long-term despite their results so far? Leinster's BP win over Glasgow (we'll touch on the Adam Hastings' red card) means they could make it impossible for Ulster to beat them to top spot in Conference A if they win this weekend Zebre are up to the heady position of 4th but Benetton are denied a first win of the season after a resilient Connacht strike late Edinburgh and Scarlets play out a cracker, but Sean can't fathom how Richard Cockerill's team didn't win! Staying in Conference B, Munster can seal their place in the Guinness PRO14 final with a win over Connacht this weekend Oh, and Ospreys have a new CEO. Over to you Sean! Super Rugby is in full swing in Australia and New Zealand Loch Lomond Coach of the Month contenders See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After such a positive week last week it's back down to earth in this podcast as incompetent Guinness Pro14 refereeing rears it's head yet again. Cardiff Blues go down to Connacht in an encouraging but ultimately frustrating performance in Galway, before facing a massive physical battle against Munster at the Arms Park. Meanwhile Wales face England with a negative team selection that will require a big performance to avoid being dragged into an arm wrestle. The battle of the sides lacking confidence.

William Davies spoke to second row Oisin Dowling and defense coach Pete Wilkins at this weeks press conference prior to the trip to north Italy to take on Benetton.William is joined by Danny Deegan and host Alan Deegan to review the excellent bonus point win over Cardiff Blues last weekend before picking their team for the potential banana skin of a trip to Treviso.There is also some 6 Nations, Lions and Rainbow cup chat. Get bonus content on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

RUGBY Reaction - Connacht vs Cardiff Blues - Andy Friend & Alex Wootton with Rob Murphy

RUGBY Commentary - Connacht 32-17 Cardiff Blues - Guinness PRO14 - with Rob Murphy and William Davies

Connacht got back to winning ways in the Sportsground win a bonus point win over Conference B rivals Cardiff that sees them narrow the gap to leaders Munster to 9 points with 4 matches left in the regular season. William Davies and Rob Murphy take you through the match and give their immediate post match thoughts before we hear from Andy Friend and 2-try hero Alex Wootton.We finish off with Dave Finn and Linley Mackenzie chatting to Alan Deegan in a very cold and windy Sportsground. Get bonus content on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Connacht face Cardiff Blues this evening in the Guinness Pro14 in a game that could define the season (Kick Off - 7.35pm). Connacht are currently second in the conference but are only six points ahead of Cardiff Blues who are also looking to secure their Champions Cup place for next season. William Davies spoke to Connacht forwards coach Jimmy Duffy but before he did, he also announced the Connacht team for tonight's game.

There's plenty of on-field action to talk about in this week's pod as Cardiff Blues face Ospreys in a 'friendly', Wales go 2 from 2 in the Six Nations, and Dai Young's men are back to the Guinness Pro14 in Connacht this weekend. Also, Willis Halaholo has accomplished the 'Welsh Dream', Rhys Priestland is finally announced as a new signing and why it's better to conceded a turnover than receive a red card.