As England's most capped ever player, Sarah Hunter has had her fair share of highs and lows. The Red Roses' captain reflects on some of her most painful moments on the pitch including losing major finals, and why the hurt of her team mates from those moments is something she has to live with every day. From starting out playing rugby league, to making her hobby her job, Hunter also opens up on the injury that she thought might end her career, what being a captain means and how she remains authentic to herself. In this pod you will also hear from Sarah's brother James, her first rugby coach Mick Hogan as well as team mates Detysha Harper and Tatyana Heard. FOLLOW: ·        England Rugby Facebook ·        England Rugby Instagram ·        England Rugby Twitter ·        England Rugby TikTok SUBSCRIBE: ·        Subscribe to the pod here. BUY: ·        Get the latest kits, training and leisure wear from England Rugby Store **Please like, subscribe and leave us a review wherever you listen, it really helps spread the word of the podcast and the stories of our players and coaches** Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As one of the most talked about players of his generation, there are many facets to Manu Tuilagi’s life and career. However the Samoan-born centre has rarely told his story about some of the biggest moments. On this pod, Manu talks candidly about his arrest on a night out in Leicester, to thinking about retiring from the game when his injury problems were at there worst, as well as the close relationship with his family and brothers. From growing up in Samoa to then representing England, Manu has an intriguing story to tell. In this pod you will also hear from Manu's older brother Freddie, his former head coach at Leicester Tigers, Richard Cockerill, as well as England team mates Henry Slade and Maro Itoje. FOLLOW: ·        England Rugby Facebook ·        England Rugby Instagram ·        England Rugby Twitter ·        England Rugby TikTok SUBSCRIBE: ·        Subscribe to the pod here. BUY: ·        Get the latest kits, training and leisure wear from England Rugby Store **Please like, subscribe and leave us a review wherever you listen, it really helps spread the word of the podcast and the stories of our players and coaches** Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Maro Itoje is more than just a rugby player. From discussing racism within modern society, how black history is viewed in the western world and his connection to Africa and African art, the England lock talks candidly about a number of wide ranging topics in this podcast. Although a native of north London, Itoje opens up on his connection to Nigeria and considering it home as well as his thoughts on the song ‘Swing Low, Sweet Chariot.' In this pod you will also hear from Maro's former headmaster, and Saracen's first black captain, Floyd Steadman, his older brother Jeremy Itoje as well as team mate Henry Slade. FOLLOW: ·        England Rugby Facebook ·        England Rugby Instagram ·        England Rugby Twitter ·        England Rugby TikTok SUBSCRIBE: ·        Subscribe to the pod here. BUY: ·        Get the latest kits, training and leisure wear from England Rugby Store **Please like, subscribe and leave us a review wherever you listen, it really helps spread the word of the podcast and the stories of our players and coaches** Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Being diagnosed with diabetes and developing an obsessive personality are two of the barriers that Henry Slade has overcome to play rugby for England. The Exeter Chiefs centre talks in depth about his diagnosis with diabetes and how it affects his life as a player and a person, as well as the steps he took to overcome his small daily obsessions that would be a part of his daily life. Slade opens up about how fatherhood as changed him as a person, what it means to be a 'Janner' and how much representing his country means to him. In this pod you will also hear from Henry's dad John Slade, his childhood best friend Ollie as well as England team mates Manu Tuilagi and Maro Itoje. FOLLOW: ·        England Rugby Facebook ·        England Rugby Instagram ·        England Rugby Twitter ·        England Rugby TikTok SUBSCRIBE: ·        Subscribe to the pod here. BUY: ·        Get the latest kits, training and leisure wear from England Rugby Store **Please like, subscribe and leave us a review wherever you listen, it really helps spread the word of the podcast and the stories of our players and coaches** Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Family and friendship are something incredibly important to Kevin Sinfield. Following the diagnosis of motor neurone disease in his friend and former Leeds Rhinos colleague Rob Burrow, Sinfield opens up on the effect that has had on him as a person, why he decided to run marathons to raise money and how the illness has changed his outlook on life. The England defence coach also speaks about his upbringing in Oldham, his incredibly rugby league career and his move into coaching in rugby union. In this pod you will also hear from former club and international team mate Jamie Peacock as well as England players Maro Itoje and Henry Slade. FOLLOW: ·        England Rugby Facebook ·        England Rugby Instagram ·        England Rugby Twitter ·        England Rugby TikTok SUBSCRIBE: ·        Subscribe to the pod here. BUY: ·        Get the latest kits, training and leisure wear from England Rugby Store **Please like, subscribe and leave us a review wherever you listen, it really helps spread the word of the podcast and the stories of our players and coaches** Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rugby was a passion as well as a coping tool for Billy Vunipola. The Saracens number 8 reveals what it was like growing up in Tonga before moving to Wales, opening up about the culture differences between the two and how he used rugby as a buffer to communicate in a country different to his native tongue. The backrower dives into his on-off professional career and how he works on himself to become a better person. In this pod you will also hear from Castle School PE teacher Lloyd Spacey, Billy's brother Mako and fellow England players Owen Farrell and Marcus Smith. 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 **Please like and subscribe to the podcast on whatever platform you listen on, it really helps spread the stories of England's players** Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Owen Farrell and his dad Andy have a unique relationship. The Saracens back reveals what it was like growing watching him in an all-conquering Wigan Warriors team, to being coached by him and England and now facing him as opposition with his position as head coach of Ireland. Owen opens up about what it was like moving from Wigan to London when his dad switched to rugby union, how he spends his time away from the field and where his competitive streak comes from. In this pod you will also hear from Owen's uncle, former Great Britain and Wigan Warriors captain, Sean O'Loughlin as well as fellow England players Marcus Smith and Billy Vunipola. 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 **Please like and subscribe to the podcast on whatever platform you listen on, it really helps spread the stories of England's players** Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Being gay is not something that defines Hannah Botterman, she just want to be Hannah Botterman. The Red Roses and Saracens prop opens about about her relationship to club and international team mate Holly Aitchison, her unusual route to Test rugby via eating pasties while working as a painter and decorator and her family relationships. She also discusses why she never thought she had to 'come out', how she initially felt unprepared for international rugby and how she embraces being a role model. In this pod, you will also hear from Holly speaking about the long journey to took for them to end up as a couple, as well as from England head coach Simon Middleton, fellow Red Roses' Jess Breach and Sadia Kabeya, and Hannah's old boss when she worked as a painter and decorator. 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 **Please like and subscribe to the podcast on whatever platform you listen on, it really helps spread the stories of England's players** Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Family and close bonds mean everything to Marcus Smith. The England and Harlequins fly half opens up about his upbringing and childhood growing up in the Philippines and Singapore, the pride he takes in being half Filipino and how his parents have influenced in to become who he is today. Smith also discusses how his rejection for trials at Tottenham Hotspur helped his rugby career, the influence of working with Jonny Wilkinson has on him and his thoughts on the role of the spotlight and celebrity that comes with wearing the famous 10 shirt. You will also hear contributions from England team mates Owen Farrell and Billy Vunipola, as well as Tim Lambert was founder of one of Marcus' first clubs Centaurs Rugby Club, and Chris Hartley who played with Marcus' dad Jeremy at club level and with Marcus during his first rugby steps playing touch. 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 **Please like and subscribe to the podcast on whatever platform you listen on, it really helps spread the stories of England's players** Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Having come back from two career-threatening injuries, Rosie Galligan knows more than most about the long road back. The Harlequins and Red Roses second row talks about her hospitalisation with meningitis that required her to be quarantined and how a delay could have threatened the use of her legs, as well as the time she shattered her ankle and had to do her recovery during the COVID-19 pandemic. Rosie also opens up about her recovery living with England team mate Zoe Harrison, her stage school background and why it was important to her to invest in her career away from rugby. You will also hear contributions from fellow Red Roses Jess Breach and Sadia Kabeya, as well as head coach Simon Middleton, along with Zoe Harrison's mum Karen about what it was like to live with Rosie. 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 **Please like and subscribe to the podcast on whatever platform you listen on, as it really helps spread the stories of some of England's best players** Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Growing up in south London, Sadia Kabeya did not come from a rugby background. The Red Roses and Loughborough Lightning flanker opens up about some of the challenges she has faced in her early career including growing up around gang culture, the lack of diversity she found as she progressed to higher levels and how the Black Lives Matter movement affected her view of the sport. Despite being relatively new to Test rugby, she explains how she already sees herself as a role model for the sport and how her special connection with Shaunagh Brown means so much to her with England. You will also hear contributions from Sadia's mum Lisa, her former PE teacher and now England team mate Bryony Cleall, as well as head coach Simon Middleton and players on what she is like as a person and a number seven. 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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The balance between marketing yourself and abuse on social media is not a choice that Jess Breach wants to make. The Red Roses winger opens up on the difficulties of social media and the changes she wants to see, as well as the negative effect it had on her questioning her own body image. Breach also talks about her close friendship with England fly half Zoe Harrison, the challenging time around her mum's cancer diagnosis and the growth of women's rugby since she first picked up a ball playing in mixed teams. You will also hear contributions from Jess' mum Tricia Breach, a childhood friend who played rugby with her as a youngster, as well as head coach Simon Middleton and some of the Red Roses on what she is like on and off the pitch. 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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From working in a glass factory to World Rugby coach of the year, Simon Middleton has an interesting story to tell. The Red Roses head coach opens up about life growing up in Yorkshire, his late arrival into professional rugby league and some of the times in his life that have been most challenging, from dealing with the death of his father to being jobless and having to care for his family. You will also hear contributions from his former head coach at Leeds Tykes, now Leinster and ex-England coach, Stuart Lancaster as well as Red Roses players on their thoughts on Simon as a person and coach. 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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more 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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more 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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more 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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more 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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more 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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more 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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.