Half of the usual gang are joined by the ever popular Ant and Phil. Join us as we lay so many cards on the Tafel you'd swear we were playing 52 card pick up, including the latest rounds of Super Rugby AU and Aotearoa, where Warren Gatland is destroying his reputation at home one game at a time (but how good were the Highlanders?!). Music by @monstroid, 80s TV Show,
Adam has emerged from the shadows to be joined by Ben and Matt as they discuss the latest goings on in the rugby world, including a positive COVID test at the Lions, tensions between Australia and New Zealand over the future of Super Rugby, the player survey in New Zealand, where to for Argentina, and Howard Mnisi rolling his car, and getting out without injury, to avoid a guinea fowl. Oh, and the Crusaders just showing how damn good they are plus rugby in Australia. Link to Brenden Nel thread o...
This week it's the rudderless three again, has anyone actually heard from Adam lately? Join Matt, Alex and Ben as we discuss the latest/last week's rugby news. We also get to discussing most of this weekend's rugby. Sorry, our analyst was pressed for time. Music by @monstroid, 80s TV Show
Join Alex, Matt and Ben for another rip roaring look at all things rugby, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere. Don't worry Australia, we'll get to you guys next week. The gang discuss all things Gloucester, the latest round of Super Rugby in New Zealand plus ongoing developments in boardrooms around the rugby world. Music by @monstroid, 80s TV Show.
Apologies again for the late upload! Okes are struggling (or more accurately, the intern responsible for editing [lol] and uploading) It's an all Dad crew on this episode of Elite Rugby Banter, with Alex joined by Ben and Adam as they discuss the cancellation of the latest youth tournament in Spain, Johan Goosen doing a Saracens, MLR, the Newlands sage continuing (with Adam of all people raging against "vested interests") and Super Rugby Aotearoa, where the Blues are looking dangerous, the Chief...
Much like rugby, the boys are back with our usual level of banter. Join us as we discuss all the action of the first round of Super Rugby Aotearoa. Rugby is baaaaaack! Music by @monstroid, 80s TV Show.
It's a full house at ERB HQ this week, with Alex joined by Matt, Ben and Adam (with baby literally attached to him). The gang chat about the upcoming Super Rugby Aoeteroa competition - with Oom Rugby's tweet a coincidence - where Adam true to form butchers the pronunciation (plus several players...again, he recognises that he is a dullard and apologies). Alex raves about the Blues, and the odyssey of Otere Black, Ben learned a bit about shoes and more importantly, speaks about the Canes while Ma...
Another day, another dollar amirite? Matt, holding the fort for Adam (bar the temptation of imperialism) is joined by Ben, Alex and later Ant as the gang await the return of action onto the field. They chat about, well, imperialism, AJ Venter and the future's past of contract shenanigans, the Sunwolves' fate and round out the episode the a Centre XV. In classic ERB style, the episode is a bit disjointed. What more could you ask for?
After the roaring success of the NRC 2020 Draft the boys are back at it again, this time it's the Mitre 10 Cup's turn. Listen as all your favourite New Zealand stars are divided up amongst our six top level managers, and follow along on our YouTube channel to see the games played out in a hyper realistic simulation.
The SA transfer season has just closed in rugby terms, but the landscape keeps changing with SA players still changing teams, while three Australian players say cheers to the Queensland Reds. Adam returns, a newly minted dad and evidently barely keeping it together, with Ben and Matt joining him as they chat about Jake White's Bulls, Warrick Gelant, Wandile Simelane, the situation in Brisbane, and other matters plus rolling out the lock XV! Also, apologies for Adam's poor sound! Music by @monstr...
Today Matt is back at the helm (sorry) and he is joined by Ben and Phil. The three of them briefly discuss several things all of which is in the title, with some bonus headlines. Enjoy. Music by @montroid, 80s TV Show
As a follow up to our hugely successful Currie Cup draft and simulations, the guys are back and it's the Australians turn. Same rules as before with our Currie Cup draft, but now we're tackling a world where the NRC teams get to draft any of the available players that their hearts "desire". As always music is by Monsteroid.
It's a five man pod this week, with Ant joining Ben, Matt, Alex and Adam as they chat about the return of Super Rugby (Adam botches the name even though he prepared for it), SA player movements to and from South Africa, Australia getting us all hot and sweaty with talk of a combine, World Rugby's official match guidelines (with Ben triggered by the administrators) plus the long-awaited 8th man XV. Music by @monstroid, 80s TV Show.
The gang are in the house and Bll Beaumont has maintained his grip on the World Rugby hot seat. This, plus Mannie Libbok being given the old heave ho by Jake White, the Lions tour being possible delayed, Super Rugby saying that their tournaments will see everyone participate by themselves, Pieter Steph du Toit's desire to be a tractor and Adam inadvertently killing Coenie Oosthuizen in the gang's SA team draft. So, just another Monday in the Elite Banter Universe. Music by @monstroid, 80s TV Sho...
It's been such a big week of news in the rugby world that we didn't even make it to the novelty XV this time. The gang discuss the World Rugby election, Raelene Castle's ouster as Rugby Australia boss, SA Rugby's plans to get the game through 2020 and oil barrels becoming spectators at Loftus, plus quite a bit more. Music by @monstroid, 80s TV Show.
Another week has passed in the rugby world with no footy insight, but thankfully, we have the World Rugby elections coming up, which gives Ben, Matt and Adam reason to rage, scoff, argue and mull over the choice facing the haves and the have nots. Further pay cuts are underway in New Zealand, while the Australias post-pod strike a deal. Economics also come up for discussion, while Matt's neighbour's bike can be heard. To round it all out, Ben takes the gang (with Alex contributing remotely) thro...
As we await rugby to return to the field, anywhere really, the gang discuss the upcoming World Rugby election, rugby's inability to have a high class game in a moment when people are stuck at home, Australian shenanigans, with Adam dropping the P-word (parochial) and the thoughts of former Springbok no living in Costa Rica. Ben also tells us about Mauritius, his best friend Krishna, Big Dan is heard giving Alex pod advice while Matt can't see the mountain. Alex also takes us through his Scrumhal...
It's another two man pod, with Adam engaged in a work activity (on a Monday!) and Alex doing the dad thing. With Matt and Ben left to themselves, they talk about the Crusaders busting curfew, and the USA going bankrupt (the rugby union that is) and the ultimate novelty XV, the Prop XV! We hope everyone is staying in doors and keeping safe in these difficult times. Music by @monstroid, 80s TV Show.
It's lockdown time in the Elite Rugby Banter universe as Ben, Matt and Adam really start to feel rugby withdrawal. Thankfully, there is a fair amount of news to discuss (most of it COVID-19 related), to do with pay cuts, fist bumps and much derision thrown at those arm chair experts who claim to know something, but actually, not much. We also check up on Alex on Twitter as he ventures forth into an empty mall. Music by @monstroid, 80s TV Show.
It's a full house at ERB headquarters (Alex does arrive a little bit late), as the gang talk about the very crazy world we live in right now, Jamie Robert's winning the corona game, what it must be like for a WWE superstar wrestling in front of non-existent crowd, Australia trying to do a new competition, pay cuts, English season closures and to top it all off, a novelty XV focused on adult cartoons. To paraphrase Steve Rogers, "We can do this all day"
COVID-19 is all the rage, but thankfully, Elite Rugby Banter has been preparing for a world of social distancing, self isolation and toilet roll shortages since day one (bar that one time). With Adam away, Matt (on his SA return!), Ben and Alex will play. They chat about the likely last weekend of Super Rugby, the virus' impact on the game, a Sitcom XV, Marler Watch and a mystery Lions player, plus different bits and bobs. The rugby is gone but we aren't going anywhere! Music by @monstroid, 80s ...
With Matt still getting used to life back in SA, and Alex in a pit of despair over his Draft performance, Ben and Adam steer this week's pod, with Joe Marler looming large in this week's discussions. Thankfully, lots of rugby also took place over the weekend, with Ben and Adam chatting about the Highlanders' awful form (and player recruitment), the Bulls and Lions looking down the barrel, plus other smatterings about the game played in heaven. Alex does send in his thoughts, and in the style we'...
Ben is away on a golf tour while Matt is preparing to leave Korea, leaving Alex and Adam to steer the ship. In it, they discuss the coronavirus making a mockery of the Sunwolves' fixture schedule, the greed of the Northern Hemisphere (an old hobby horse of Adam's), the Stormers playing very badly (Alex rages), the resurgence of the Blues, the Sharks being arguably SA's best side, the resurgence of Australia (albeit for now) plus a few other bits and pieces. Naturally, there is much sadness over ...
It's a two man pod this week, and Ben and Adam shoot the breeze and chat about Ardie Savea's sudden desire to play the kak version of rugby, the RFU sneakily agreeing to cut their cut, mental health, weight class club rugby comps, Makozole Mapimpi being a swell guy over the tryline, rotation policies, how the Wallabies are shaping up in 2020 and some disappointing players. Also, much Draft bants (Sorry...we can't help ourselves). Thanks for listening as always! Music by @monstroid, 80s TV Show.
It's a full house at ERB HQ, with Matt, Ben, Alex and Adam discussing the looming demise of England's second tier, the (folly?) of the All Blacks rest weeks, Mako Vunipola having no regrets about taking the money, Wilco Louw heading overseas, Pacific eligibility and a summation of where the different conferences are. Also, Matt will soon be home! Music by @monstroid, 80s TV Show.
Matt and Alex, in surmising-considering-discursive-yet-intrigued mood chat about what has been a busy week in the rugby world (...in the Southern Hemisphere anyway). They speak about the notion of doing a draw for the World Cup in 2023 in 2020, the rumours that South Africa are going to up sticks and throw in their lot with the north (unlikely for now!), how Australia find themselves in a TV rights pickle of their own creation, and naturally, action taking place on the field for Round 2 of Super...
Edit: Apologies for Alex being so soft. Adam pawned it. He has one job of recording the recording and were it not for Alex not trusting Adam, there wouldn't have been a recording #detailsfortheloss Super Rugby is here and not a moment too soon. Adam, Matt, and Alex chat about penalties to start a game, the rise of America, Israel Folau being a unifier of people (against him), plus some talking points from the weekend. How far can the Stormers go? Will the Hurricanes be so shit ever again? Who wi...
It's the beginning a new era, with Ben, Alex and Adam chatting about what to do about substitutions in rugby, referees firing captains, Jaco Kriel (maybe??) returning to the Lions and lamenting on their choices following the ERB draft on Saturday. Also, Ben puts it on the record that he's willing to fight Ben Stokes at a place of Pod Ben's choosing in Mauritius. So, just a normal Monday in ERB Land. Music by @monstroid, 80s TV Show Matt is returning to SA at the end of February so their might be...
In probably the most professional thing the pod has ever recorded, we elaborate, briefly, on what the future shape of the pod is going to look like. We aren't going anywhere, but, as they say, a change is as good as holiday. Thank you for your continued support! Catch you at our next episode. Music by @monstroid, 80s TV Show
It's a two man pod with Ben and Adam chatting about Saracens being relegated from the English Premiership, Lions 2021 tickets, Alex's baby's name and finishing up their Super Rugby previews for the coming season. Matt and Alex, while not present, send in their previews for the Sunwolves and Stormers repsectively. Matt is too the point and Alex's represents a Magnum Opus (which Adam pronounced wrong...sigh)such is his passion for the Stormers. Music by @monstroid, 80s TV Show
