About this episode
England v New Zealand at Twickenham headlines a massive weekend of international rugby — and Eddie Jones believes this could be England’s breakthrough game . David Pembroke, Eddie Jones, and Ewen McKenzie unpack every major storyline, from selection surprises to tactical battles and referee influence. They break down why England may now be 12 months ahead of the All Blacks in their development, what Scott Robertson’s side must fix, and how both benches could decide the final 20 minutes. The episode then shifts to Australia v Ireland, as James O’Connor returns at 10 and Sam Prendergast takes over Ireland’s attack. Plus: South Africa rotate 11 players, Italy push for another major scalp, and Japan eye their own breakthrough moment against Wales. Also in this episode England v All Blacks — selection calls, matchups, and the psychological barrier • Wallabies v Ireland — O’Connor’s return, breakdown warfare, and key referee factors • South Africa v Italy — Rassie’s rotation gamble + Italy’s improvement • Scotland v Argentina — consistency v creativity • Japan v Wales — can Japan breakthrough in Cardiff? • France v Fiji — redemption after a frustrating week PLUS: The state of refereeing, yellow-card impact, global development, and why illegal streaming could threaten rugby’s financial future. Want more from Rugby Unity? Subscribe to our Substack for exclusive content, blogs, behind-the-scenes insights and full podcast access — all in one place: Rugby Unity | Substack One sport. Millions of voices. This is Rugby Unity. 📧 Get in touch: info@rugbyunity.com.au Thanks to Eleven labs for providing a grant to Rugby Unity so that we can use their world leading software. TikTok | Instagram | YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.