Amateur Rugby Podcast

My guest this week is Jack Vass, a young English rugby player who grew up in Kent, came through the Saracens Academy and is now playing with the Espoirs at Toulouse. Jack has previously appeared on the Amateur Rugby Podcast as a French rugby analyst, but this time we're talking about his own journey through the game. Jack's route has been anything but straightforward. He moved away from home as a teenager to attend Trinity School, dealt with significant periods of injury, continued his studies and eventually made his way to France, where he has experienced a very different approach to developing and playing rugby. We talked about: Growing up in Kent and the influence of Jack's dad The kicking sessions that became a foundation of his game How playing football helped develop his rugby Moving away from home at 15/16 to attend Trinity Why France was always part of Jack's plan The differences between English and French rugby Keeping the ball alive and playing through contact Why French rugby has helped develop his offloading game Dealing with injuries and setbacks Balancing university with rugby in France His plans for his final year at Toulouse I particularly enjoyed the discussion about the differences between the two rugby cultures. Jack isn't simply saying that one is better than the other. He's describing what he has learned from being exposed to both, and how that has changed the way he plays. LINKS Jack Vas on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jackvas_ GET STASH England Rugby Store - https://ers.pxf.io/KjV30v British & Irish Lions Store - https://bil.sjv.io/9gNaL4 BUY ME A COFFEE Coffee helps me make more and better episodes. https://www.buymeacoffee.com/amateurrugbypodcast PATREON Join The Amateur Rugby Podcast Patreon community for some extra amateur rugby goodness! ( https://patreon.com/amateurrugbypodcast ) SUPPORT If you would like to support the podcast in some way there are plenty of options for you on my Support the Podcast ( https://www.amateurrugbypodcast.com/support/ ) page

Dave Phillips - 'Mr Dartfordians' has been a member of the Dartfordians club since leaving school and has held almost every role within the club over 50 years. This interview was recorded in December of 2019 and Dave told me the secrets of keeping a club flourishing in this modern age - Darts regularly put out 5 sides plus thriving Minis, Juniors, Girls and Women's teams. I also uncovered some wonderful coaching tips and Dave's thoughts about what is important for kids in rugby. Oh, there are some touring stories too. It's a wonderful chat and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. LINKS Dartfordians website ( https://www.dartfordiansrfc.co.uk/ ) GET STASH England Rugby Store - https://ers.pxf.io/KjV30v British & Irish Lions Store - https://bil.sjv.io/9gNaL4 BUY ME A COFFEE Coffee helps me make more and better episodes. https://www.buymeacoffee.com/amateurrugbypodcast PATREON Join The Amateur Rugby Podcast Patreon community for some extra amateur rugby goodness! ( https://patreon.com/amateurrugbypodcast ) SUPPORT If you would like to support the podcast in some way there are plenty of options for you on my Support the Podcast ( https://www.amateurrugbypodcast.com/support/ ) page.

My guest this week is Alan Zondagh, a veteran coach and rugby educator whose career has taken him from South Africa to England, France and beyond. Alan has worked with players and teams at every level, including Western Province, London Scottish and Saracens, and his new book, Attack, Attack, Attack , brings together the coaching philosophy he has developed throughout his career. At the heart of it is a fascinating idea: rugby coaches can provide structure, but they also need to prepare players for what happens when the structure disappears. We talked about: • Creating chaos in the opposition defence • Why Alan starts his coaching with the individual ball carrier • Teaching supporting players to recognise what the ballman sees • The X and Y axes of attacking rugby • Why positioning can ask questions of a defence before the attack begins • Alan's 48% box-kick statistic and his concerns about the modern game • Why he believes coaching is an art rather than a fixed programme • His experiences learning from Pierre Villepreux and French rugby • His time with London Scottish and Saracens • The evolution of rugby conditioning and weight training • The rugby laws he would like to see changed • Why the scrum should be used more as an attacking platform One thing I particularly enjoyed about this conversation is that Alan doesn't simply offer another set of rugby coaching drills. He keeps coming back to the idea of developing players who can actually see the game and respond to it. That sounds simple. It probably isn't. But when it works, as Alan says, you get the goosebumps. LINKS Contact Alan at https://www.az-rugby.com/ GET STASH England Rugby Store - https://ers.pxf.io/KjV30v British & Irish Lions Store - https://bil.sjv.io/9gNaL4 BUY ME A COFFEE Coffee helps me make more and better episodes. https://www.buymeacoffee.com/amateurrugbypodcast PATREON Join The Amateur Rugby Podcast Patreon community for some extra amateur rugby goodness! ( https://patreon.com/amateurrugbypodcast ) SUPPORT If you would like to support the podcast in some way there are plenty of options for you on my Support the Podcast ( https://www.amateurrugbypodcast.com/support/ ) page.

Peter Short, the former Leicester Tigers, Narbonne and Bath lock forward is my guest this week. Shorty and I caught up in December of 2019 in Dorset, where he now works and lives to talk about the early days of professionalism, what it was like to be involved at Leicester Tigers during the halcyon days, his experience in French rugby at Narbonne and lastly a successful period at Bath. It's a fascinating chat which also delves into his development as coach and some very interesting insights into some more scientific aspects of the game. GET STASH England Rugby Store - https://ers.pxf.io/KjV30v British & Irish Lions Store - https://bil.sjv.io/9gNaL4 BUY ME A COFFEE Coffee helps me make more and better episodes. https://www.buymeacoffee.com/amateurrugbypodcast PATREON Join The Amateur Rugby Podcast Patreon community for some extra amateur rugby goodness! ( https://patreon.com/amateurrugbypodcast ) SUPPORT If you would like to support the podcast in some way there are plenty of options for you on my Support the Podcast ( https://www.amateurrugbypodcast.com/support/ ) page.

My guest this week is a former Bath, Cheetahs and Zimbabwe fly-half who has gone on to become a coach at The Bulls in the URC. Kennedy Tsimba has had a fascinating journey through rugby, from growing up in Zimbabwe and learning the game by watching VHS tapes of the Five Nations, to playing alongside and learning from some of the greatest minds in the sport. We talked about: The unique rugby culture Kennedy grew up with in Zimbabwe How skills learned from VHS videos and practised in the backyard eventually made their way into professional training and matches How Kennedy was discovered and signed by Bath in the late 1990s, and the lessons he learned from some of English rugby's greatest minds Playing for his "perfect" team, the Free State Cheetahs, where his captain was Rassie Erasmus How Kennedy developed his thinking around unstructured play, including several key tips for both players and coaches The study Kennedy conducted, how it informed his "SHIFT" framework, and his plans to contribute it to the wider rugby world How VR is now helping to train the Springboks! This is a sensational episode with a wonderful thinker about the game. Kennedy has a unique perspective on rugby, shaped by his experiences as a player, coach and researcher. I hope you enjoy it. GET STASH England Rugby Store - https://ers.pxf.io/KjV30v British & Irish Lions Store - https://bil.sjv.io/9gNaL4 BUY ME A COFFEE Coffee helps me make more and better episodes. https://www.buymeacoffee.com/amateurrugbypodcast PATREON Join The Amateur Rugby Podcast Patreon community for some extra amateur rugby goodness! ( https://patreon.com/amateurrugbypodcast ) SUPPORT If you would like to support the podcast in some way there are plenty of options for you on my Support the Podcast ( https://www.amateurrugbypodcast.com/support/ ) page

My guest this week is former pro rugby player and now a Major in the British Army - Will Simpson. We talked about: Will's dream to become a pro player The steps and opportunities he took to achieve that goal Playing for Ampleforth, Loughborough Uni, Leicester Tigers A team and Doncaster Knights in The Champ His following career with the British Army, and the incredible playing opportunities that provided The genesis of Real Meal - his meal replacement bar, and why it's cornered the market. This is a fascinating insight into the world of rugby just below the elite - I hope you enjoy. LINKS Use code TARP at checkout and subscribe for more savings! - https://realmeal.co.uk/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/will-simpson-54657b67/ https://www.menshealth.com/uk/fitness/a70865848/army-dad-real-world-training-approach GET STASH England Rugby Store - https://ers.pxf.io/KjV30v British & Irish Lions Store - https://bil.sjv.io/9gNaL4 BUY ME A COFFEE Coffee helps me make more and better episodes. https://www.buymeacoffee.com/amateurrugbypodcast PATREON Join The Amateur Rugby Podcast Patreon community for some extra amateur rugby goodness! ( https://patreon.com/amateurrugbypodcast ) SUPPORT If you would like to support the podcast in some way there are plenty of options for you on my Support the Podcast ( https://www.amateurrugbypodcast.com/support/ ) page.

My guest this week is former Scotland International and now wild swimmer, Suzy Rook. We talked about: The highs of her international career How far the Women's game has progressed Being diagnosed with cancer Wild swimming and the Polar plunge! This is a remarkable, feel-good, riot of an episode. - I hope you enjoy. LINKS Suzy's Just Giving page - https://www.justgiving.com/page/suzanne-rook-8 Suzy Rook on facebook - https://www.facebook.com/SwimQueenSuzy Suzy Rook on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/swimqueensuzy/ Suzy Rook on x - https://x.com/suzyhex Suzy Rook on tiktok - https://www.tiktok.com/@swimqueen Stewartry Rugby Club - https://www.stewartryrugby.co.uk/ GET STASH England Rugby Store - https://ers.pxf.io/KjV30v British & Irish Lions Store - https://bil.sjv.io/9gNaL4 BUY ME A COFFEE Coffee helps me make more and better episodes. https://www.buymeacoffee.com/amateurrugbypodcast PATREON Join The Amateur Rugby Podcast Patreon community for some extra amateur rugby goodness! ( https://patreon.com/amateurrugbypodcast ) SUPPORT If you would like to support the podcast in some way there are plenty of options for you on my Support the Podcast ( https://www.amateurrugbypodcast.com/support/ ) page.

'Curtin' and I are Nomad friends, we met at a big floating conference on a cruise ship in the sea. We then spent 3 weeks living on a beach in Brazil with a load of other nomads where we surfed, worked, did Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and even took part in an Improv Comedy night. This interview was recorded in December of 2019 in Dubai and we talked about comparisons between Rugby and traditional American sports, Curtin's extensive experience of playing all around the world, from America to England, Italy, Austria, Uganda, and China! Oh, and you can't miss his story about how he attempted to get a Fijian to play in the NFL! LINKS Greg Curtin Email ( gregcurtin@yahoo.com ) Curtin's website ( https://americarex.com/) Nomad Cruise ( http://nomadcruise.com/) GET STASH England Rugby Store - https://ers.pxf.io/KjV30v British & Irish Lions Store - https://bil.sjv.io/9gNaL4 BUY ME A COFFEE Coffee helps me make more and better episodes. https://www.buymeacoffee.com/amateurrugbypodcast PATREON Join The Amateur Rugby Podcast Patreon community for some extra amateur rugby goodness! (https://patreon.com/amateurrugbypodcast) SUPPORT If you would like to support the podcast in some way there are plenty of options for you on my Support the Podcast (https://www.amateurrugbypodcast.com/support/) page.

'Taff' and I played together for many years - bound up in the front row for both Old Colfeians and Kent. This interview was recorded November of 2019 in Amsterdam, where he's now living, to discuss a multitude of topics and some favourite stories ranging from why amateur rugby is a hotbed of creative thinking through to the magic of touring and the mysterious legend of the Kakadu Gnat. LINKS Taff can be contacted via email stephenabroad@gmail.com or on twitter @stephencorlett ( https://twitter.com/stephencorlett) A Beautiful Constraint: https://amzn.to/2TmxFHJ Guardian article about lack of creativity: https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2020/jan/09/the-breakdown-rugby-union-numbers-game GET STASH England Rugby Store - https://ers.pxf.io/KjV30v British & Irish Lions Store - https://bil.sjv.io/9gNaL4 BUY ME A COFFEE Coffee helps me make more and better episodes. https://www.buymeacoffee.com/amateurrugbypodcast PATREON Join The Amateur Rugby Podcast Patreon community for some extra amateur rugby goodness! (https://patreon.com/amateurrugbypodcast) SUPPORT If you would like to support the podcast in some way there are plenty of options for you on my Support the Podcast (https://www.amateurrugbypodcast.com/support/) page.

My guest this week is Hollywood Movie director - James Griffiths. Griff was also my team-mate and captain at Old Colfeians but being a Hollywood Movie director sounds somewhat more impressive. This interview was recorded in September of 2019 and it went in all manner of directions. It really ebbed and flowed, not just through the highs and lows of rugby, but of life in general. Like you parents out there who are not supposed to have a favourite child, I'm not supposed to have a favourite podcast… But, if I did, then it might just be this one. Shhh, don't tell the others…. LINKS You can get Griff on Facebook, Twitter (@jgriffter) or Instagram (@griffter71) Leon Lloyd's social enterprise - Switch the Play ( https://switchtheplay.com/) Bollywood rugby movie ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdHPULyEpNc) GET STASH England Rugby Store - https://ers.pxf.io/KjV30v British & Irish Lions Store - https://bil.sjv.io/9gNaL4 BUY ME A COFFEE Coffee helps me make more and better episodes. https://www.buymeacoffee.com/amateurrugbypodcast PATREON Join The Amateur Rugby Podcast Patreon community for some extra amateur rugby goodness! ( https://patreon.com/amateurrugbypodcast ) SUPPORT If you would like to support the podcast in some way there are plenty of options for you on my Support the Podcast ( https://www.amateurrugbypodcast.com/support/ ) page.

Geoff and I met while playing for Esher RFC, one of 4 Championship clubs he represented. Geoff was a powerful three-quarter and played a lot of 7's also. This interview was recorded in September of 2019, and we chatted through Geoff's career, and he shared his thoughts on player pathways, the National One sweet-spot and some interesting facts about Graham Dawe. He was due to be Episode 17, but I brought him forward to this episode - Number 16 - Make sure to listen to the end to find out why… LINKS @GeoffGriffiths on Twitter ( https://twitter.com/GeoffGriffiths) Geoff on LinkedIn ( https://www.linkedin.com/in/geoffmgriffiths/) Geoff's Instagram ( https://www.instagram.com/geoff.griffiths/) GET STASH England Rugby Store - https://ers.pxf.io/KjV30v British & Irish Lions Store - https://bil.sjv.io/9gNaL4 BUY ME A COFFEE Coffee helps me make more and better episodes. https://www.buymeacoffee.com/amateurrugbypodcast PATREON Join The Amateur Rugby Podcast Patreon community for some extra amateur rugby goodness! ( https://patreon.com/amateurrugbypodcast ) SUPPORT If you would like to support the podcast in some way there are plenty of options for you on my Support the Podcast ( https://www.amateurrugbypodcast.com/support/ ) page.

My guest this week is Heath RFC's Chris Moore. We talked about: - Heath RUFC's rampant success in recent seasons. - How the club is run in a sustainable and fun way. - Chris's entry into the game at home-town club, Cobh Pirates, in Ireland. - Transitioning from the back-row into the front row. - What Chris learned when representing Yorkshire. - The huge number of clubs in the Calder Valley. - How Heath is helping kids transition into senior rugby. This is a laugh-a-minute episode, but it's all chock full with real value. - I hope you enjoy. LINKS Contact Christopher Moore on Instagram - @dougalmooreheath24 - https://www.instagram.com/dougalmooreheath24/ Heath RUFC - http://www.heath-rugby.co.uk/ Cobh Pirates RFC - https://bcrugby.com/clubprofile/8477/ Dolphin RFC - https://dolphinrfc.com/ GET STASH England Rugby Store - https://ers.pxf.io/KjV30v British & Irish Lions Store - https://bil.sjv.io/9gNaL4 BUY ME A COFFEE Coffee helps me make more and better episodes. https://www.buymeacoffee.com/amateurrugbypodcast PATREON https://patreon.com/amateurrugbypodcast SUPPORT https://www.amateurrugbypodcast.com/support/ page

Colm and I are former team-mates at Esher RFC and both fully paid up members of the front-row union. He is one of the most interesting and engaging characters that I have encountered in the game and I was very excited to sit down and chat with him. The interview was recorded in September of 2019 and we shared some stories about playing together, Colm's early rugby days, then really dug deep into the role of business and business people in rugby. LINKS Rugby Business Network ( https://therugbybusinessnetwork.com/) Rugby Business Network on LinkedIn ( https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rugby-business-network/ ) @RugBizNetwork on Twitter ( https://twitter.com/rugbiznetwork?lang=en ) GET STASH England Rugby Store - https://ers.pxf.io/KjV30v British & Irish Lions Store - https://bil.sjv.io/9gNaL4 BUY ME A COFFEE Coffee helps me make more and better episodes. https://www.buymeacoffee.com/amateurrugbypodcast PATREON Join The Amateur Rugby Podcast Patreon community for some extra amateur rugby goodness! ( https://patreon.com/amateurrugbypodcast ) SUPPORT If you would like to support the podcast in some way there are plenty of options for you on my Support the Podcast ( https://www.amateurrugbypodcast.com/support/ ) page.

Now, Ben and I have never actually met, but he came with a very strong recommendation from a former team-mate of both of ours Geoff Griffiths. Ben has experienced all different sides of rugby over a lengthy playing career and his story is one that I really wanted to share with you. This interview was recorded in November of 2019 and we talked about life on the fringes of the professional game and Ben's varied experiences playing in different countries. LINKS Ben's book 'Fringes' can be found on Amazon: https://amzn.to/48AwHh2 Ben's website - https://www.benmercer.me/ Ben on X - https://x.com/bcemercer GET STASH England Rugby Store - https://ers.pxf.io/KjV30v British & Irish Lions Store - https://bil.sjv.io/9gNaL4 BUY ME A COFFEE Coffee helps me make more and better episodes. https://www.buymeacoffee.com/amateurrugbypodcast PATREON Join The Amateur Rugby Podcast Patreon community for some extra amateur rugby goodness! ( https://patreon.com/amateurrugbypodcast ) SUPPORT If you would like to support the podcast in some way there are plenty of options for you on my Support the Podcast ( https://www.amateurrugbypodcast.com/support/ ) page.

My guest this week is Orkney RFC's Glen McLellan. We talked about: The travel challenges of playing rugby on a remote island Long away trips every other weekend! The Come Ashore Cup The joy of being involved in Penguins RFC, including plenty of tour stories Coaching kids in Mexico This is a proper rugby episode - I hope you enjoy. LINKS Orkney Rugby Football Club: http://www.orkneyrfc.co.uk/ & https://www.facebook.com/OrkneyRFC Come Ashore Cup: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1167758211686710/ & https://www.instagram.com/comeashorecup Farmstrong Podcast: https://www.farmstrongscotland.org.uk/wellbeing-hub/come-ashore-come-ashore Penguins: https://www.penguinrugby.com/ Orkney LIVE streams: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbK-mhWiL4VH57fataSe9ng Viking Barbarians - https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1347429110725635&set=pcb.1347430074058872 Iain "Sinky" Sinclair - https://sea2sea.co.uk/ Happiness is EggShaped - https://www.facebook.com/happinessiseggshaped.org GET STASH England Rugby Store - https://ers.pxf.io/KjV30v British & Irish Lions Store - https://bil.sjv.io/9gNaL4 BUY ME A COFFEE Coffee helps me make more and better episodes. https://www.buymeacoffee.com/amateurrugbypodcast PATREON Join The Amateur Rugby Podcast Patreon community for some extra amateur rugby goodness! ( https://patreon.com/amateurrugbypodcast ) SUPPORT If you would like to support the podcast in some way there are plenty of options for you on my Support the Podcast ( https://www.amateurrugbypodcast.com/support/ ) page.

Former Cheltenham RFC President - Dave 'Towner' Townsend was my coach for Cheltenham Colts back in 1995/96 and is also the father of Matt Townsend from Episode No.2. Sadly, Towner is no longer with us, but it was lovely to hear his voice once more and to listen to all the nuggets of wisdom gathered over a lifetime in the game! This interview was recorded in August 2019 at Cheltenham RFC, where we appropriately sat in Colts Corner and chatted about the goals of the club, the trials and tribulations of being on the brink of the semi-professional game and some of the highly niche scrummaging techniques that Towner used to employ. So, listen in for some genuine old-school west-country wisdom! LINKS Cheltenham Tigers website ( https://cheltenhamtigers.co.uk/) GET STASH England Rugby Store - https://ers.pxf.io/KjV30v British & Irish Lions Store - https://bil.sjv.io/9gNaL4 BUY ME A COFFEE Coffee helps me make more and better episodes. https://www.buymeacoffee.com/amateurrugbypodcast PATREON Join The Amateur Rugby Podcast Patreon community for some extra amateur rugby goodness! ( https://patreon.com/amateurrugbypodcast ) SUPPORT If you would like to support the podcast in some way there are plenty of options for you on my Support the Podcast ( https://www.amateurrugbypodcast.com/support/ ) page.

The 2025 Autumn Internationals are in full swing, and the fourth weekend of fixtures did not disappoint. Join me as I discuss Ireland vs South Africa and England vs Argentina. GET STASH England Rugby Store - https://ers.pxf.io/KjV30v British & Irish Lions Store - https://bil.sjv.io/9gNaL4 BUY ME A COFFEE Coffee helps me make more and better episodes. https://www.buymeacoffee.com/amateurrugbypodcast PATREON Join The Amateur Rugby Podcast Patreon community for some extra amateur rugby goodness! ( https://patreon.com/amateurrugbypodcast ) SUPPORT If you would like to support the podcast in some way there are plenty of options for you on my Support the Podcast ( https://www.amateurrugbypodcast.com/support/ ) page.

The 2025 Autumn Internationals are in full swing, and the second weekend of fixtures did not disappoint. Join me as I discuss Scotland vs New Zealand, England vs Fiji and France vs South Africa. GET STASH England Rugby Store - https://ers.pxf.io/KjV30v British & Irish Lions Store - https://bil.sjv.io/9gNaL4 BUY ME A COFFEE Coffee helps me make more and better episodes. https://www.buymeacoffee.com/amateurrugbypodcast PATREON Join The Amateur Rugby Podcast Patreon community for some extra amateur rugby goodness! ( https://patreon.com/amateurrugbypodcast ) SUPPORT If you would like to support the podcast in some way there are plenty of options for you on my Support the Podcast ( https://www.amateurrugbypodcast.com/support/ ) page.

The 2025 Autumn Internationals have started and it was a decent first weekend of fixtures. And as usual, I got a load of special guests to add some wonderful insight for England vs Australia and Ireland vs New Zealand. GET STASH England Rugby Store - https://ers.pxf.io/KjV30v British & Irish Lions Store - https://bil.sjv.io/9gNaL4 BUY ME A COFFEE Coffee helps me make more and better episodes. https://www.buymeacoffee.com/amateurrugbypodcast PATREON Join The Amateur Rugby Podcast Patreon community for some extra amateur rugby goodness! ( https://patreon.com/amateurrugbypodcast ) SUPPORT If you would like to support the podcast in some way there are plenty of options for you on my Support the Podcast ( https://www.amateurrugbypodcast.com/support/ ) page.

Hello Amateurs! We're back with another Classic episode and this one is with my former Cheltenham RFC team-mate and Prem Rugby Assistant Referee - Phil Watters. This interview was recorded in August of 2019 and we talked about playing and coaching the England Police and Phil's transition into refereeing including some incredible insights into the role of the modern day official. LINKS You can get hold of Phil on Instagram @daddles2243 ( https://www.instagram.com/daddles2243/) England Police RUFC ( https://www.pitchero.com/clubs/englandpolicerufc/) GET STASH England Rugby Store - https://ers.pxf.io/KjV30v British & Irish Lions Store - https://bil.sjv.io/9gNaL4 BUY ME A COFFEE Coffee helps me make more and better episodes. https://www.buymeacoffee.com/amateurrugbypodcast PATREON Join The Amateur Rugby Podcast Patreon community for some extra amateur rugby goodness! ( https://patreon.com/amateurrugbypodcast ) SUPPORT If you would like to support the podcast in some way there are plenty of options for you on my Support the Podcast ( https://www.amateurrugbypodcast.com/support/ ) page.