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Rivals

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Rating
★★★★★
5
from
2 reviews
Categories
Country
United States
This podcast has
59 episodes
Language
English
Explicit
No
Date created
2025/05/29
Latest episode
2026/10/19
Average duration
32 min.
Release period
7 days

Description

All Black Legend Sir John Kirwan and Springbok Legend Victor Matfield go head to head on all things rugby just as you'd expect an All Black Winger and a South African Forward to do battle.Bringing in their friends and rivals from all over the Rugby world for a truly Global perspective.Refereeing in the middle is NZ media legend Ric Salizzo .And as all of them are well in the second half of their lives,  Sir JK has some well meaning wellness advice to help them extend their lives and therefore the life of this podcast

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Are the All Blacks Back on Top? Victor & JK Debate
2026/10/19
The All Blacks have swept the Bledisloe Cup, but are they the best team in the world again? Sir John Kirwan and Springbok great Victor Matfield break down the All Blacks’ 43-21 win over the Wallabies in Sydney. A near-perfect first half had New Zealand 36-7 up at the break, with seven tries on the day including doubles to Josh Moorby and Beauden Barrett, plus Barrett’s 70-metre intercept on halftime. Then came the chaos: a depleted bench, a Chay Fihaki yellow card, and the All Blacks finishing the Test with 13 men. Just weeks after losing 3-1 in South Africa, have the All Blacks closed the gap on the Springboks? JK and Victor go head to head on the 2-0 Bledisloe sweep, the Wallabies under Les Kiss, and what it all means heading into the Northern Tour. 🏉 Rugby Rivals is brought to you by RAM Hand-to-Hand Couriers. 🥃 Proudly supported by Klipdrift.
Has Rennie Fixed the All Blacks? JK & Victor React to Bledisloe Blowout!
2026/10/13
Sir John Kirwan and Victor Matfield break down the All Blacks' first Test since the Springbok series, and it was a statement. New Zealand scored seven tries to three to beat the Wallabies 50–19 at Eden Park. That keeps the Bledisloe Cup in New Zealand for a 24th straight year and extends an Eden Park unbeaten run that goes back to 1994. But it was only 17–14 at the break. Was this as dominant as the scoreboard says? JK and Victor dig into Damian McKenzie's first start at 10 this year, Scott Barrett's return to the second row, what it means for the return leg in Sydney, and whether the Boks should be paying attention. Brought to you by RAM Hand-to-Hand Couriers and Klipdrift Premium.
Sean Fitzpatrick & Daley Thompson on Winning Without Sacrifice
2026/10/07
All Blacks legend Sean Fitzpatrick sits down with the world's greatest athlete, two-time Olympic decathlon champion Daley Thompson, in this episode of Winning Matters, brought to you by ALTRAD. Daley won decathlon gold at Moscow 1980 and Los Angeles 1984, broke the world record four times, went nine years unbeaten, and became the first athlete to win Olympic, World, Commonwealth and European titles and hold the world record. Together, he and Sean break down what really separates winners: practising how to compete, not just how to train; planning years ahead; learning from the habits of the best; and why the fear of wasting your talent matters more than the fear of failure. CHAPTERS Chapters 00:00:00 Intro 00:01:12 Welcome Daley Thompson 00:02:10 Training twice on Christmas Day 00:03:49 Why it was never a sacrifice 00:05:49 Finishing 18th at his first Olympics 00:08:04 Where the drive came from 00:12:58 From football to athletics 00:18:34 Turning losses into positives 00:19:37 Ten events, one thing 00:21:21 Finding the decathlon by accident 00:22:27 Practising how to win 00:24:58 What winning really means 00:27:54 Learning from Caitlyn Jenner 00:32:36 Fear of failure vs wasted talent 00:37:40 Using the crowd as fuel 00:38:20 Seoul 1988 and dealing with defeat 00:40:14 The training diary prediction 00:44:11 Why the Olympic village breaks athletes 00:45:51 Rivalry with Jürgen Hingsen 00:46:47 Nine years unbeaten 00:47:39 How he'd train athletes today 00:49:36 Life after retirement 00:50:23 Daley Thompson's Decathlon 00:52:56 Growing up robust 00:54:31 Are today's athletes as tough? 00:56:36 Winning in a team 00:57:24 Thanks & ALTRAD Winning Matters is proudly brought to you by ALTRAD, global leaders in industrial services, equipment and engineered products. Subscribe for more conversations with serial winners. #WinningMatters #DaleyThompson #SeanFitzpatrick #AllBlacks
The All Blacks Players Under Pressure For the Bledisloe Cup
2026/10/05
Bledisloe week is here, and John Kirwan and Victor Matfield are naming the All Blacks who need to stand up against the Wallabies this weekend. With the Cup on the line, JK and Victor ask whether this All Blacks side is good enough to keep Australia at bay, where the Wallabies could hurt them, and which players are under the most pressure to perform. Brought to you by RAM Hand-to-Hand Couriers: who needs to deliver for the All Blacks? Plus, for Klipdrift, JK and Victor share their favourite moments from the break, from Victor's holiday to JK's road trip.
South Africa Shocked By 11-Man Wallabies... What Went Wrong?
2026/09/28
Australia led the world champions 42–17 with 15 minutes to go. Then four yellow cards, a penalty try and a Springbok scrum onslaught turned Perth into chaos - and the Wallabies held on with 11 men. Springbok great Victor Matfield and All Blacks legend Sir John Kirwan break down one of the wildest finishes in Test rugby: how the Wallabies built a 25-point lead, how the Boks clawed back through the scrum, and whether the result says more about Les Kiss's Wallabies or a Springbok side that got caught out. Thank you RAM Hand-to-Hand Couriers and Klipdrift Premium for supporting the show.
Springboks Celebrate Series Victory in the USA — the Game Victor said was just an Exhibition
2026/09/13
Victor and JK dissect the Baltimore finale with very different emotions. JK isn’t happy with the referee, while Victor is happy with just about everything! They name the player who delivered across the entire series, break down the moments that decided the final game, and assess how the series has shaped both teams’ futures—with the Rugby World Cup firmly in mind. Plus, Victor asks: will the All Blacks come under severe pressure if they lose another game this year?
Victor Claims South Africa’s Series Victory Before the USA Finale
2026/09/06
JK is back in green and gold as South Africa take a 2–1 series lead following their victory in Soweto. Victor declares the series won now that the South African leg is over—but he’s quickly reminded there’s still one game to play in the USA before the trophy can be handed out.
Boks Strike Back: How South Africa Saved the Series vs. All Blacks
2026/08/31
The Springboks hit back. South Africa beat the All Blacks 33-26 at DHL Stadium in Cape Town to level Rugby's Greatest Rivalry at 1-1. Sir John Kirwan and Victor Matfield unpack how South Africa saved it, with Ric Salizzo refereeing in the middle. The Boks led 24-14 at the break through tries to Jesse Kriel, Damian de Allende and a returning Siya Kolisi, with Cheslin Kolbe flawless off the tee. New Zealand came late through Leroy Carter and Ardie Savea, but South Africa survived Lood de Jager's 79th-minute yellow card to hold on - the first defeat of Dave Rennie's tenure in his ninth Test in charge. Rugby RIvals is proudly supported by RAM Hand-to-Hand Couriers and Klipdrift. For bonus content in our Team Room, please visit www.rugbyrivals.com
Springbok & All Black Fans Collide Before Second Test!
2026/08/28
JK and Victor are off the leash, so we've handed the mics to the fans. A special edition of Rugby Rivals pits two rugby podcasts against each other ahead of the second test in Cape Town - Rawiri and Gareth from Our Super Smack flying the flag for New Zealand, and Dane from Kick On Rugby holding the line for the Springboks.
Will South Africa Bounce Back? JK & Victor Matfield on Ellis Park "Hiding!"
2026/08/24
The All Blacks have taken first blood in Rugby's Greatest Rivalry - five tries to one, the biggest All Blacks win ever at the ground, the end of a 12-Test Springbok winning streak, and the world No.1 ranking gone. Sir John Kirwan and Victor Matfield break down how it happened. Why the Boks were 13-12 up at halftime and then nowhere. The scrum dominance that counted for nothing. The All Blacks' tackle-area tactics that Rassie admitted his side didn't see coming. And the big one: with three Tests still to play, can South Africa turn this series around in Cape Town? Rugby Rivals is proudly brought to you by RAM Hand-to-Hand Couriers and Klipdrift Premium Brandy.
Where Are The Crowds? Why so many empty seats?
2026/08/17
The All Blacks are three from three in South Africa. 142 points scored, 40 conceded - but what have we actually learned? With the first Test at Ellis Park just days away, Sir John Kirwan and Victor Matfield ask whether this tour has told us anything at all about where the All Blacks are at yet. Plus: the elephant in the half-empty stadium. 14,759 turned up in Durban. Cape Town fell short of a sellout. Loftus still had tickets on the morning of the game, with the good seats at R1,350. For a tour billed as Rugby's Greatest Rivalry - the first full All Blacks tour of South Africa in 30 years - where are the crowds? Thank you to Ram Hand-to-Hand Couriers and Klipdrift for supporting the show.
All Blacks Survive Stormers Scare, Boks Edge Argentina Thriller!
2026/08/10
The All Blacks kicked off their South Africa tour with a scrappy, ill-disciplined 38-21 win over the Stormers in Cape Town —\- surviving three yellow cards and needing four late tries to pull away from what should've been a comfortable night. Meanwhile, the Springboks ground out a nervy 17-10 win over Argentina in Buenos Aires, with the bench "bomb squad" bailing them out late as the Pumas threatened a serious upset. On this episode, Sir John Kirwan and Victor Matfield break down where Dave Rennie's men went wrong in the Cape Town heat, why the discipline issues are a worry heading deeper into the tour, and how close Rassie Erasmus's Boks came to a shock loss in Argentina. Plenty to unpack from both matches. 🚚 Brought to you by RAM Hand-to-Hand Couriers 🥃 And Klipdrift Premium Subscribe so you never miss an episode!
Rivals S02 Ep20b (Team Room 2)
2026/08/10
Victor outlines the tactics he'd use to beat the All Blacks and JK counters with his cunning plan to beat South Africa.
Rugby's Greatest Rivalry Is Here! Boks vs. All Blacks Predictions
2026/08/04
Rugby's Greatest Rivalry is here - and Sir John Kirwan and Victor Matfield are making their calls. Thirty years on from the Incomparables, the All Blacks are back in South Africa for a full tour. Eight matches, four Tests, and the most anticipated series between these two nations in a generation. It starts Friday in Cape Town. But first - the story that's dominated the build-up. Thousands of South Africans turned out at DHL Stadium to welcome the All Blacks, a genuine sea of black in the heart of Cape Town. The Cape Crusaders are back, and the reaction online has been fierce. JK and Victor go there. Thank you to RAM Couriers and Klipdrift for supporting the show!
All Blacks & Springboks Squads REVEALED: The Shock Selections
2026/07/27
Sir John Kirwan and Victor Matfield react to Dave Rennie's 44-man All Blacks squad for the Greatest Rivalry Tour of South Africa and Rassie Erasmus' 43-man Springbok group, as the two greatest rivals in world rugby prepare to collide in a four-Test series. In this episode: - The uncapped trio - Siale Lauaki, Josh Jacomb and Semisi Tupou Ta'eiloa - injecting young talent into the touring squad - Rieko Ioane and Fabian Holland recalled - Rassie's big guns return: Eben Etzebeth, Siya Kolisi, Handré Pollard and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu all back from injury - The men who won't be there - Kwagga Smith and RG Snyman ruled out for the season - The first full All Blacks tour of South Africa since 1996 - eight matches, four Tests, one unforgettable series Rugby Rivals is proudly brought to you by Klipdrift

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