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Super Rugby is officially back, and we’re straight into it at the launch with players, journos, coffee, and plenty of opinions flying around. We chat to a stack of familiar faces about what’s changed, what’s working, and why less TMO might be one of the best things to happen to the competition. There’s talk around rule interpretations, fatigue, ball-in-play time, and why the fan-first mindset has brought Super Rugby back to where it belongs. And of course, we can’t ignore the big question hanging over the season. Who should be the next All Blacks coach? We put it to players and pundits, get a few names thrown around, and unpack why that job is one of the toughest seats in world rugby. Add in team predictions, old rivalries, and a bit of nostalgia for 30 years of Super Rugby, and you’ve got a proper scene-setter for the season ahead. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We got along to the Super Rugby 2026 launch and ended up with a proper sit-down yarn with Jeff Wilson. And as you’d expect, it didn’t take long before the conversation went well beyond just fixtures and formats. Jeff talks honestly about where Super Rugby sits in the wider rugby ecosystem, why entertainment still matters, and how the competition can reconnect fans with the game. There’s plenty on how the modern game is being played, what’s changed since his era, and why instinct and belief still sit at the heart of great rugby. We also get into the All Blacks, the weight of the black jersey, and why standards can never slip, especially with a new coach on the horizon and a massive South African tour coming up. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Six Nations is back, and we’re not easing into it. With a Thursday night (Friday morning New Zealand time) opener in Paris and pressure everywhere you look, this year’s championship already feels uncomfortably tight. We’re joined by former Ireland coach Eddie O’Sullivan, who gives a brutally honest read on where Ireland actually sit right now, why France are more dangerous than their autumn form suggests, and how England have quietly rebuilt into a seriously hard team to beat. There’s plenty on injuries, ageing squads, momentum, and just how fine the line really is between a Grand Slam and a forgettable campaign. We also look beyond the Six Nations to South Africa’s growing dominance, what the new Nations Championship really means, and why knockout rugby still changes everything. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Rugby Roundtable is back and there’s no easing into this one. We kick off with a genuinely jaw-dropping sporting moment as 16-year-old Sam Ruthe breaks Sir John Walker’s New Zealand mile record, a mark that’s stood since 1982. Just how rare is what he’s done, and why does it matter so much for New Zealand sport? From there, the conversation turns sharp. Sir Steve Hansen and Ian Foster being approached by New Zealand Rugby raises serious questions about planning, coaching depth, and whether the organisation is quietly panicking. Is this breaking glass in case of emergency, or just good optics masking a deeper issue? We also dig into Super Rugby’s faster approach to officiating, why limiting the TMO actually improves the product, and whether it will ever translate to the international game. Finally, we look north to the Six Nations, with France vs Ireland shaping as a blockbuster way to start the tournament. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

People are getting way too far ahead of themselves and we reckon it’s time to steady on. On the DSPN today, we dig into Super Rugby Pacific’s recommitment to limiting TMO interference and why trusting referees might actually be the best thing for the game. Martin delivers a full sermon on flow versus flawlessness, the price of perfection, and why rugby was never meant to be officiated frame by frame. We talk Six Nations, England hype, and why genuine hatred still matters in international rugby. The Tight Five is back as well, with Sam Ruthe’s stunning mile, T20 World Cup build-up, Arsenal’s title push, NRL pre-season chatter, and a Super Bowl preview to wrap it all up. Plenty of opinions, plenty of disagreement, and absolutely no sitting on the fence. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Super Rugby is nearly here and we’re back where rugby feels closest to the people. DSPN heads on tour to Sacred Heart College in Auckland for a stinking hot preseason clash between the Blues and the Hurricanes. We soak up the atmosphere on a school field, chat to fans, parents, and rugby tragics, and get a real sense of what this competition still means when the sun’s out and the season’s just around the corner. There’s excitement, optimism, and plenty of opinions on where Super Rugby and the All Blacks are heading. We also hear from coaches post-match on what preseason actually tells you, what matters and what doesn’t, and why games like this still matter in a professional era. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mailbag time on DSPN, and as always, the gloves are well and truly off. We dive into your comments, questions and hot takes from across YouTube and social, and there’s no shortage of strong opinions this week. From where Max has gone, to player interviews that challenge lazy narratives, to claims we’re “too negative” about the All Blacks, we respond to it all. We unpack the current coaching situation, the state of New Zealand rugby, and why being honest isn’t the same as being negative. There’s debate around governance, selection processes, overseas players, potential coaching combinations and whether the All Blacks job is still the most prized role in world rugby. Plus, a few lighter moments, some unexpected gifts, and the usual DSPN chaos that keeps the mailbag a must-listen every week. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What does real belief actually look like when it’s earned, not gifted? Brad Thorn joins Martin Devlin for one of the most open and powerful conversations we’ve had on the DSPN. From anxiety and self-doubt to faith, discipline and mental resilience, Brad reflects on the moments that shaped him long before the trophies arrived. They talk through Brad’s new book Champions Do Extra, the lessons passed down from his father, the pressure of World Cup finals, State of Origin, and why belief only comes after the work is done. Brad also opens up about anxiety, leadership, coaching at the Reds, and why you’re never truly defeated if you’re willing to stand and fight. It’s honest, grounded, and full of perspective from a man who’s been to the very top and knows exactly what it costs to stay there. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This season comes with expectations, and Glen Jackson isn’t shying away from them. The Fijian Drua head coach joins Martin Devlin ahead of Super Rugby Pacific to talk pressure, progress, and why making the playoffs is non negotiable. From paying their own way to New Zealand, to learning how to win away from Fiji, Glen gives an honest look at what the Drua are trying to fix this year. They also cover the emotional week in Mount Maunganui, training alongside the Chiefs, the challenge of travelling as a young squad, and why staying grounded matters just as much as winning. Glen reflects on leadership, experience, and the balance between Fijian flair and shutting games down when it counts. It’s a candid, thoughtful chat about growth, responsibility, and what success really looks like for one of Super Rugby’s most watchable teams. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What happens when the game gets taken away from you for the first time? Today on the DSPN, Martin sits down with All Blacks and Chiefs forward Tupou Vaa’i as he opens up about his knee injury, a long road back to fitness, and what being sidelined taught him about rugby and life. From lonely mornings watching the boys on tour to finding clarity through family time, Tupou reflects on a season that changed him. We also get into confidence, imposter syndrome, and the moments that helped lift his game to another level back in 2024. Tupou talks honestly about working alongside Scott Barrett, the impact of mental skills coaching, and how becoming a father shifted his entire perspective. It’s a grounded, thoughtful conversation with one of the All Blacks’ most quietly important players. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's Rugby Roundtable, we’re covering two very different sporting flashpoints that somehow end up in the same place. Pressure, performance, and who really controls the narrative. We kick things off with the Coco Gauff racket smash at the Australian Open, and whether elite athletes should expect privacy anywhere off the court. Is it fair game, or are we crossing a line when emotion spills over away from the spotlight? Then it’s full noise on the All Blacks coaching situation. From Scott Robertson’s exit to the narrow pool of available replacements, we dig into whether New Zealand Rugby actually had a plan. We talk Jamie Joseph, Dave Rennie, coaching depth, culture breakdowns, player management, and why Super Rugby fans keep getting short-changed. It’s passionate, frustrated, and very Kiwi. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is the All Blacks coaching process really as simple as we’re being told? We’re told to trust it, respect it, and be patient. But when you strip it back, there are some uncomfortable questions that refuse to go away. In this sermon, we dig into how New Zealand Rugby has arrived at this point, why timing matters more than people want to admit, and what the current criteria actually means for who can and cannot be considered. We look at the names fans keep raising, the ones who are unavailable, unwilling, or already committed elsewhere, and why that narrows the field far more than most realise. This isn’t about negativity or hindsight. It’s about realism. The All Blacks are meant to be the best team in the world. So doesn’t that job deserve the best possible coach in the world, not just the best option available right now? Because history tells us that process alone won’t win anything unless everything around it is right too. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The All Blacks coaching conversation just shifted again, and we finally have some clarity. With New Zealand Rugby publicly outlining the criteria for the next head coach, the speculation is narrowing fast, and a few big names are already out of the race. Marty and TJ unpack Vern Cotter’s surprise decision to leave the Blues, what it means for the All Blacks shortlist, and why international coaching experience is now non-negotiable. They dig into the five-person selection panel, the mystery retired All Black still to be named, and which candidates are realistically left standing. There’s also a deep dive into Super Rugby Pacific preseason as the competition fires back up. From disciplinary debates to high-ball tactics and what these warm-up games really tell us, it’s a wide-ranging, honest look at where the game is heading as another massive year begins. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This one’s a proper rugby pub yarn. Tony Johnson joins us to tackle one of the biggest debates in New Zealand sport. Who are the greatest All Blacks captains of all time? No stats spreadsheets, no definitive rankings. Just leadership, mana, and the moments that define greatness. TJ and Marty work through names that shaped generations. From pioneers like David Gallaher, through statesmen such as Wilson Whineray and Graham Mourie, to modern-era icons including Sean Fitzpatrick and Richie McCaw. It’s about courage under fire, thinking the game differently, and the calm heads who carried the jersey when it mattered most. We also give credit where it’s due to leaders like Wayne Shelford, whose impact went far beyond the win-loss column. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The inbox exploded and honestly, we’re not surprised. This week’s DSPN Mailbag takes on the All Blacks coaching fallout, the Razor decision, and the sheer volume of opinions flying around New Zealand rugby right now. Martin and Lachlan dig into everything from Wayne Smith’s reaction to Razor's departure, to the ongoing debate around player power, accountability, and whether this All Blacks group is really as weak as some fans claim. There’s also a deep dive into the England comparison, why Baltimore is hosting a Test against South Africa, and what that actually means for travelling fans. Along the way, we read the good, the bad, and the downright unhinged comments. Some fair. Some funny. Some that probably should’ve stayed in drafts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices