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Best friend. Head coach. Husband. Red Roses lock Abbie Ward and Bristol Bears Women head coach Dave Ward have an unique sporting and personal relationship, having to combine their marriage with a working life at the Allianz Premier 15s side. On this England Rugby Podcast: O2 Inside Line, Abbie also talks about the difficult discussion she had with her dad about wanting to become a rugby player, her business plan to go to boarding school and life growing up in Cumbria. This pod will also hear contributions from her husband Dave, Abbie's father Richard Scott as well as team mates Marlie Packer and Shaunagh Brown, along with England forwards coach Louis Deacon. FOLLOW: ·        England Rugby Facebook ·        England Rugby Instagram ·        England Rugby Twitter ·        England Rugby TikTok ·        O2 Sports Instagram ·        O2 Sports Twitter   SUBSCRIBE: ·        Subscribe to the pod here.   BUY: ·        Get the latest kits, training and leisure wear from England Rugby Store AUDIO CREDIT ·      With thanks to BT Sport for permission to use their Premiership commentary See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

As a former England men's international, Louis Deacon never envisaged himself getting involved in the women's game until he got offered the opportunity to become Red Roses' forwards coach in 2021. The ex-Leicester second row opens up on the differences between the men's and women's game, the dark times he faced while dealing with injuries as a player and how the players he is working with got his daughters interested in rugby. You will also hear contributions from his brother, fellow Leicester and Gloucester forward, Brett Deacon as well as England forwards Shaunagh Brown and Abbie Ward. FOLLOW: ·        England Rugby Facebook ·        England Rugby Instagram ·        England Rugby Twitter ·        England Rugby TikTok ·        O2 Sports Instagram ·        O2 Sports Twitter   SUBSCRIBE: ·        Subscribe to the pod here.   BUY: ·        Get the latest kits, training and leisure wear from England Rugby Store AUDIO CREDIT ·      With thanks to BT Sport for permission to use their Premiership commentary See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Making the choice to balance a life in professional sport and becoming a parent is different for men and women, but one Marlie Packer wanted to embrace. The Red Roses flanker opens up on England Rugby Podcast: O2 Inside Line about how her perception on life has changed since becoming a mum, learning from her mistakes following her drink driving charge in 2018 and her desire to reach a century of caps. You will also hear contributions from World Cup winner and former England team mate Maggie Alphonsi, ex-England head coach Gary Street as well her team mates Shaunagh Brown, Abbie Ward and coach Louis Deacon. FOLLOW: ·        England Rugby Facebook ·        England Rugby Instagram ·        England Rugby Twitter ·        England Rugby TikTok ·        O2 Sports Instagram ·        O2 Sports Twitter   SUBSCRIBE: ·        Subscribe to the pod here.   BUY: ·        Get the latest kits, training and leisure wear from England Rugby Store AUDIO CREDIT ·      With thanks to BT Sport for permission to use their Premiership commentary See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Growing up in south east London, where opportunity was seldom and crime was rife, early life for Shaunagh Brown was difficult. From knowing people that either died or went to prison, hear how she helped channel a different energy into sport, her varied career, coming to accept herself as a rugby role model as well as wanting to improve diversity in the sport. You will also hear contributions from his Shaunagh's mum Lesley Rickards, her athletics coach John Hillier as well her team mates Marlie Packer, Abbie Ward and coach Louis Deacon. FOLLOW: ·        England Rugby Facebook ·        England Rugby Instagram ·        England Rugby Twitter ·        England Rugby TikTok ·        O2 Sports Instagram ·        O2 Sports Twitter   SUBSCRIBE: ·        Subscribe to the pod here.   BUY: ·        Get the latest kits, training and leisure wear from England Rugby Store AUDIO CREDIT ·      With thanks to BT Sport for permission to use their Premiership commentary See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Any time representing your country is special, but for Mark Atkinson coming on at Twickenham at the age of 31 felt even more memorable. The Gloucester centre goes in-depth about his change in mindset when playing semi-professional rugby and considering taking a stewarding job at the 2012 Olympics, to focusing on being professional and then representing England. From support from friends and family, to a realisation that he wasn't giving it his all, this is a story about perseverance, determination and not giving up. You will also hear contributions from teammates Raffi Quirke, Ben Youngs and Lewis Ludlam, as well as long term friend Ian Kench. FOLLOW: ·        England Rugby Facebook ·        England Rugby Instagram ·        England Rugby Twitter ·        England Rugby TikTok ·        O2 Sports Instagram ·        O2 Sports Twitter   SUBSCRIBE: ·        Subscribe to the pod here.   BUY: ·        Get the latest kits, training and leisure wear from England Rugby Store AUDIO CREDIT ·      With thanks to BT Sport for permission to use their Premiership commentary See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Raffi Quirke doesn't want rugby to define him as a person. The Sale Sharks scrum half opens up about his passions and interests outside of the game including his love of cooking which inspired his Instagram account Pitch to Plate, and why buying a pair of clippers not only allows him to cut the hair of team mates but bond with them off the field. Quirke also speaks about a junior career as a triathlete growing up in Manchester and talks about being part of a new generation of England players coming through. You will also hear contributions from teammates Ben Youngs, Lewis Ludlam and Mark Atkinson as well as Great Britain cycling coach Tom Hodgkinson, who oversaw Quirke's cycling coaching as a youngster, and his former rugby coach Owen Lucas. FOLLOW: ·        England Rugby Facebook ·        England Rugby Instagram ·        England Rugby Twitter ·        England Rugby TikTok ·        O2 Sports Instagram ·        O2 Sports Twitter   SUBSCRIBE: ·        Subscribe to the pod here.   BUY: ·        Get the latest kits, training and leisure wear from England Rugby Store AUDIO CREDIT ·      With thanks to BT Sport for permission to use their Premiership commentary See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Growing up in Suffolk, there were not many people that looked like Lewis Ludlam. The Northampton Saints captain opens up about growing up mixed race in an undiverse area of Ipswich with a Palestinian-Egyptian father and a Guyanese mother, and how despite feeling different to other children he found acceptance at his local rugby club. Ludlam also opens up about the politics of race, how England's squad is breaking down class barriers in the sport and where he gets his resilience from. You will also hear contributions from teammates Ben Youngs, Raffi Quirke and Mark Atkinson as well as Lewis' dad Aaron and his former rugby coach Mark Patterson. FOLLOW: ·        England Rugby Facebook ·        England Rugby Instagram ·        England Rugby Twitter ·        England Rugby TikTok ·        O2 Sports Instagram ·        O2 Sports Twitter   SUBSCRIBE: ·        Subscribe to the pod here.   BUY: ·        Get the latest kits, training and leisure wear from England Rugby Store AUDIO CREDIT ·      With thanks to BT Sport for permission to use their Premiership commentary See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Growing up with 28 first cousins family was always going to mean a lot to Ben Youngs. As season nine of England Rugby Podcast: O2 Inside Line returns, England's most capped scrum half opens up about the importance of family in his life, in particular his brother Tom who he's played alongside from childhood, to Leicester Tigers and then representing their country together. Youngs also discusses what it was liked being diagnosed with dyslexia aged nine, growing up on a working farm in north Norfolk and how he sees his new role in Eddie Jones' squad. You will also hear contributions from teammates Lewis Ludlam, Raffi Quirke and Mark Atkinson as well as one of Ben's best friends from his childhood, James Knight. FOLLOW: ·        England Rugby Facebook ·        England Rugby Instagram ·        England Rugby Twitter ·        England Rugby TikTok ·        O2 Sports Instagram ·        O2 Sports Twitter   SUBSCRIBE: ·        Subscribe to the pod here.   BUY: ·        Get the latest kits, training and leisure wear from England Rugby Store AUDIO CREDIT ·      With thanks to BT Sport for permission to use their Premiership commentary See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

For Joe Marler, mental health is just as important as his physical health. After being diagnosed with depression and recommended medication and counselling, Joe tells England Rugby Podcast: O2 Inside Line about what he has discovered about himself and how that allows him to enjoy life more. Joe goes into detail about why he wants to start more conversations around mental health and masculinity in rugby, and why he will continue to speak out to make it as normal as possible. This final episode of season eight, which has seen players telling their own stories, in their own words, includes contributions from Ellis Genge and Kyle Sinckler, as well as Joe's former academy coach at Harlequins, Collin Osborne. FOLLOW: ·        England Rugby Facebook ·        England Rugby Instagram ·        England Rugby Twitter ·        England Rugby TikTok ·        O2 Sports Instagram ·        O2 Sports Twitter   SUBSCRIBE: ·        Subscribe to the pod here.   BUY: ·        Get the latest kits, training and leisure wear from England Rugby Store AUDIO CREDIT ·      With thanks to BT Sport for permission to use their Premiership commentary See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Dealing with the loss of a loved one is always difficult, but Red Roses' flanker Vicky Fleetwood had to deal with the passing of her mum while trying to prepare for the Olympics. On this England Rugby Podcast: O2 Inside Line, Vicky opens up on the emotions she had to deal with at the time, how that period has influenced her as a person and how she grieves now. As well as her loss, Vicky explains how she left a life as a personal trainer to become a professional rugby player, becoming a world champion in 2014 and her role in promoting body positivity. Season eight sees the players telling their own stories, in their own words, with this pod including contributions from England's Rachael Burford and Harlequins, and ex-Saracens, hooker Joe Gray, who is a patron at Bowel Cancer UK, as well as team mates Poppy Cleall and Claudia MacDonald. FOLLOW: ·        England Rugby Facebook ·        England Rugby Instagram ·        England Rugby Twitter ·        England Rugby TikTok ·        O2 Sports Instagram ·        O2 Sports Twitter   SUBSCRIBE: ·        Subscribe to the pod here.   BUY: ·        Get the latest kits, training and leisure wear from England Rugby Store See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

From a chance rugby session in south London to playing for his country, Kyle Sinckler explains what life was really like for him growing up on this England Rugby Podcast: O2 Inside Line. Sinckler opens up on his mum bringing him up along, to living around with people who still don't know what rugby is, the potential for sport in the state education system and now creating a foundation to give young athletes the platform to perform. Season eight sees the players telling their own stories, in their own words, with this pod including contributions from England's Ellis Genge and Joe Marler, as well as Kyle's first coach at Battersea Ironsides Graham Beech. FOLLOW: ·        England Rugby Facebook ·        England Rugby Instagram ·        England Rugby Twitter ·        England Rugby TikTok ·        O2 Sports Instagram ·        O2 Sports Twitter   SUBSCRIBE: ·        Subscribe to the pod here.   BUY: ·        Get the latest kits, training and leisure wear from England Rugby Store AUDIO CREDIT ·      With thanks to BT Sport for permission to use their Premiership commentary See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Claudia MacDonald opens up about living her life as sustainably as possible and how she combines that with being a professional rugby player on this week's England Rugby Podcast: O2 Inside Line. From ditching the car to drive to training to tackling team mates usage of one-use products, Claudia explains why this cause means so much to her when it comes to the planet and climate change, and reveals the steps she is taking to change how she lives. With guest contributor Coreen Grant who works for the British Antartic Survey and is a freelance environmental journalist. READ: ·       Have a read of Claudia's blog 'Let's Talk 1%' FOLLOW: ·        England Rugby Facebook ·        England Rugby Instagram ·        England Rugby Twitter ·        England Rugby TikTok ·        O2 Sports Instagram ·        O2 Sports Twitter   SUBSCRIBE: ·        Subscribe to the pod here.   BUY: ·        Get the latest kits, training and leisure wear from England Rugby Store See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Ellis Genge talks candidly about his life growing up. He reveals how rugby potentially saved him from prison, his money struggles during his academy days and conflicts he had to fit into rugby's lifestyle on this England Rugby Podcast: O2 Inside Line. Season eight sees the players telling their own stories, in their own words, with this pod including contributions from England's Joe Marler and Kyle Sinckler, as well as Ellis' former coach at Hartpury, and now Bristol Bears skills coach, Sean Marsden. FOLLOW: ·        England Rugby Facebook ·        England Rugby Instagram ·        England Rugby Twitter ·        England Rugby TikTok ·        O2 Sports Instagram ·        O2 Sports Twitter   SUBSCRIBE: ·        Subscribe to the pod here.   BUY: ·        Get the latest kits, training and leisure wear from England Rugby Store AUDIO CREDIT ·      With thanks to BT Sport for permission to use their Premiership commentary See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Season eight of England Rugby Podcast: O2 Inside Line returns with a new format with players telling their own stories, in their own words. The first episode is with Saracens and Red Roses' forward Poppy Cleall, along with contributions from Judy Murray and The Times rugby journalist Jessica Hayden. Poppy gives an intimate account of how she took to social media to fight inequality with sportswear manufacturers ignoring female athletes, talks about the bullying she suffered at school for being a girl playing rugby, and opens up on her hopes for future generations and aspiring female athletes. FOLLOW: ·        England Rugby Facebook ·        England Rugby Instagram ·        England Rugby Twitter ·        England Rugby TikTok ·        O2 Sports Instagram ·        O2 Sports Twitter   SUBSCRIBE: ·        Subscribe to the pod here   BUY: ·        Get the latest kits, training and leisure wear from England Rugby Store See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

After the Red Roses are crowned 2021 Women's Six Nations champions, we speak to two players who featured in the win over France in the final in Lark Davies and Detysha Harper. Speaking to Dylan Hartley the day after the win against the French, Lark and Detsyha take us into the changing room after the final whistle and talk about the celebrations after securing their third straight title in the competition. The pair reflect on the shortened format of the tournament, as well as a new tournament window, and reveal the relief of winning after the work that has gone in behind the scenes. You will also hear some of their rugby stories including how Detysha bugged her mum to play rugby because her brothers were going to play, and how she would switch from playing union and league growing up in Manchester. Lark goes into detail about her commitment to the game from an early age, playing with World Cup winners when she broke into the team at Worcester and how she is the star baker in the squad, taking requests when it comes to going into camp.   That is it for season seven of England Rugby Podcast: O2 Inside Line! Thanks for following us across both the Guinness Six Nations and Women's Six Nations and we hope you've enjoyed listening as much as we've enjoyed making them - make sure you're subscribed for when we return for season eight.   FOLLOW: ·        England Rugby Facebook ·        England Rugby Instagram ·        England Rugby Twitter ·        England Rugby TikTok ·        O2 Sports Instagram ·        O2 Sports Twitter   SUBSCRIBE: ·        Subscribe to the pod here   BUY: ·        Get the latest kits, training and leisure wear from England Rugby Store See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Ahead of the 2021 Women’s Six Nations final, England Rugby Podcast: O2 Inside Line, and Dylan Hartley, catch up with Wasps FC Ladies team mates Ellie Kildunne and Harriet Millar-Mills.   The pair talk about growing up playing rugby in Leeds and Manchester respectively, about playing rugby league, being on the same team as boys and how they were seen as a rugby player over being a girl. Harriet explains the story about how she ended up playing for England but her sister played for Scotland, and reveals what team their parents were supporting on the day. Ellie goes into detail about some awkward situations after her debut including not realising people wanted a selfie with her, making up her autograph and being handed some Biology homework. You also hear about who is the introvert or extrovert, bean confusion while on tour and discover what pendulum defence is.   With the end of the Women's Six Nations in sight, make sure you’re in with a chance of winning a signed England shirt from the men's squad simply by leaving a review on Apple podcasts! Make sure you’re subscribed for all the latest episodes.    FOLLOW: ·        England Rugby Facebook ·        England Rugby Instagram ·        England Rugby Twitter ·        England Rugby TikTok ·        O2 Sports Instagram ·        O2 Sports Twitter   SUBSCRIBE: ·        Subscribe to the pod here   BUY: ·        Get the latest kits, training and leisure wear from England Rugby Store See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

After the Red Roses book their place in the 2021 Women’s Six Nations final, this week’s England Rugby Podcast: O2 Inside Line catches up with scrum halves Claudia MacDonald and Leanne Riley right after their win in Italy.   Dylan chats to the pair about their routes into rugby and how they had very different routes, with Leanne making a 10-year plan at the age of 15 to represent her country and win the sport's biggest competition, while Claudia took it up after chance session while at university. The two also discuss the challenges of playing scrum half having not started playing there, while also describing their competitiveness when it comes to starting in the number nine shirt. You will also learn about the challenges of training with your partner in lockdown, with Claudia doing one-on-ones with her Wasps team mate and partner, and the story of Leanne having to end a session with her fiancé! And Dylan also learns more about some of the other Red Roses in our getting to know you feature. With the end of the Women's Six Nations in sight, make sure you’re in with a chance of winning a signed England shirt from the men's squad simply by leaving a review on Apple podcasts! And while you're there make sure you subscribe to get the latest pods every Tuesday.   FOLLOW: ·        England Rugby Facebook ·        England Rugby Instagram ·        England Rugby Twitter ·        England Rugby TikTok ·        O2 Sports Instagram ·        O2 Sports Twitter   SUBSCRIBE: ·        Subscribe to the pod here   BUY: ·        Get the latest kits, training and leisure wear from England Rugby Store See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This week on England Rugby Podcast: O2 Inside Line, Dylan is back with the Red Roses as he chats to Vicky Fleetwood and Sarah McKenna. Fresh from the win over Scotland in the 2021 Women's Six Nations, the pair talk about life in camp and some of the activities they have been doing in their down time including arts and crafts. Vicky explains about the importance of 'look good, feel good' in her preparation for a game including her fake tan regime, and Sarah explains the requirement of hair braiding on a matchday and why a woman in Doncaster came to help the squad in Exeter. The pair, who first played together and England Under 20 level, also talk about their first impressions of each other, their favourite tour memories including New Zealand and Dubai, while Vicky is incredibly open on the reason for choosing family over rugby when her mother became terminally ill ahead of the 2016 Olympics. As the Women's Six Nations continues throughout April, we'll be chatting to Red Roses and hearing more tales from camp and more about their personalities. Keep help spreading the word by leaving a review on Apple podcasts, which also puts you in with a chance of winning a signed England shirt from the men's squad. FOLLOW: England Rugby Facebook England Rugby Instagram England Rugby Twitter England Rugby TikTok O2 Sports Instagram O2 Sports Twitter SUBSCRIBE: Subscribe to the pod here BUY: Get the latest kits, training and leisure wear from England Rugby Store See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

As the 2021 Women's Six Nations is set to begin, we move our attention to the Red Roses as Hannah Botterman and Poppy Cleall join Dylan Hartley on England Rugby Podcast: O2 Inside Line. The pair talk about where their friendship began in camp and how that has flourished into creating their own Instagram show, complete with challenges during lockdown, as well as bonding over food. The pair also recall their first England starts, ranging from stories about unexpected late call-ups and then initially struggling with Test rugby, to what it's like when you're dropped so early on in your England career. We also hear their jobs working as a prison officer and a painter and decorator before they became full-time professionals. You will also learn about previous rugby internationals that Hannah is related to and find out which England player Poppy has the autograph of and later ended up playing alongside. Throughout the Women's Six Nations the pod will continue so make sure you're subscribed for the latest episodes. Don't forget that leaving a review on Apple podcasts gives you the chance of winning a signed England shirt from the men's squad. FOLLOW: England Rugby Facebook England Rugby Instagram England Rugby Twitter England Rugby TikTok O2 Sports Instagram O2 Sports Twitter SUBSCRIBE: Subscribe to the pod here BUY: Get the latest kits, training and leisure wear from England Rugby Store See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

It is a head coach special on England Rugby Podcast: O2 Inside Line as men's head coach Eddie Jones and women's head coach Simon Middleton chat to Dylan Hartley. The day after England's final Guinness Six Nations match of 2021 Eddie chats to Dylan about his thoughts on England's performance over the tournament and areas which he wants to see improvement. He also discusses on how he personally deals with defeats, what he looks for when appointing a captain and reveals some of the players he is considering for his next England squad. Red Roses head coach Simon opens up on some of the things they have been doing in training with PPP in a bid to retain their Six Nations title, his thoughts on the retirement of legendary fly half Katy Daley-Mclean and why his job is harder when it comes to selection now than when he took on the job in 2017. The pod will be continuing throughout the Women's Six Nations so make sure you're subscribed to wherever you listen, and don't forget that leaving a review on Apple podcasts gives you the chance of winning a signed England shirt from the men's squad. FOLLOW: England Rugby Facebook England Rugby Instagram England Rugby Twitter England Rugby TikTok O2 Sports Instagram O2 Sports Twitter SUBSCRIBE: Subscribe to the pod here BUY: Get the latest kits, training and leisure wear from England Rugby Store See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.