Welcome to a brand new podcast for Tier Two international rugby 🌎 Today Charlie and Josh are speaking to Bedford Blues and Hong Kong player Matt Worley 🇭🇰 Formerly of Racing 92 and Northampton Saints, Matt has a great insight into life as a rugby player and has some brilliant stories 🏉 Speaking on his 'publicity stunt' move to France, the hopes of a first Rugby World Cup for his country and so much more, it is not one to be missed 🔥

Shares and follows appreciated massively ❤️ Guest episodes out every Monday

Social Media:

Instagram: @charlieelliottjourno

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TikTok: Coming soon...

Time Stamps:

3:45 First question- Hong Kong rugby and upbringing 

7:47- Life outside of rugby

9:12 Move to Racing 92

14:24- Going to university and life after rugby 

16:45- Championship expansion and league’s communication to players

18:30- Prem Rugby Cup benefits 

20:47- World Cup expansion positives

22:25- Hong Kong tour of South America and upcoming potential European tour

23:58- Hong Kong team in Japanese leagues 

25:20- Potential additions to Hong Kong 15s team

28:10- Asian rugby standard

29:19- Message to Tier 2 eligible players

30:08- Conclusion

We are back with another weekly guest episode, this time with Romanian international Jason Tomane 🇷🇴

From playing at the 2023 Rugby World Cup against the Springboks, to his move to Romania in his early 20s and so much MORE, Jason had some great stories 🏉

Shares and follows are much appreciated ❤️

Check out our socials for an early insight on future guests:

Instagram: @charlieelliottjourno

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Time stamps:

2:14 First memory of rugby 

3:11 Did Jason play both codes? 

4:33 Did Jason play with any NRL lads? 

6:57 Play with anyone at Aussie youth level?

6:50 Jason’s move to Canberra

9:10 Jason’s move to Hong Kong 

11:14 Jason’s move to Romania 

12:19 Decision to go to Romania 

13:30 Initial thoughts of Romania

15:05 Culture shocks of Romania 

16:25 Relationship with Hinckley Vaovasa

17:40 Romanian style of rugby

19:07 Difference between Bucharest and Baia Mare

20:57 Why he prefers Baia Mare

21:33 Dynamics between locals and foreign born Romanian players

22:27 How Jason’s Romanian debut came about

24:37 Samoan and Cook Islander eligibility

26:10 Resurgence under Gerard

27:47 Feelings about RWC 2023 call up 

29:10 What did Jason learn from RWC opposition

29:48 Improvements to Romania playing RWC opposition

30:33 Romanian Wolves experience 

31:00 Thoughts on Rugby Europe Super Cup

32:00 Thoughts on Six Nations expansion

33:00 Romania reaching Georgia’s level 

34:11 Thoughts on Expansion of the RWC

34:50 Message to T2 eligible players 

We’re back again for our weekly guest episode with some of the most interesting people in Tier 2 and 3 rugby 🏉

Today, Sweden head coach Alex Laybourne joins us 🇸🇪

From an unmatched insight about Leicester Tigers prop Ale Loman, to some great stories about the realities of working with limited resources and so much MORE, it is not one to be missed

Shares and follows are much appreciated ❤️ Stay tuned for more episodes from players all around the world 🌍

Socials:

Instagram: @charlieelliottjourno

X: @AllTheRuckusPod

Time stamps:

2:16 - Recent training camp

4:12- The team playing Rugby 25

4:35- Challenges of coaching Sweden while being based in UK

6:05- Prioritising tactics or connection

8:10- Language barriers

10:24- Sweden’s coaching staff

12:37- Sleeping on sofa while in camp and making 40 sandwiches for the players

14:20- Referee in the camp to help with discipline

15:00- Personal life

16:51- Upcoming Rugby Europe Trophy games v Luxembourg and Poland

20:49- 2 year cycle of Rugby Europe Trophy

21:50- The rise of Sweden from Rugby Europe conference to potentially getting into the Championship

23:08- The sacrifices his players make to play for their country

24:15-Switzerland getting beaten heavily in Championship, how Sweden might feel about that

27:25- Why they play in Trelleborg

30:48- Weather challenges

31:50- Ale Loman first impressions

34:05- Loman’s position change

36:25- Loman’s move to England

39:25- Player’s Passion for playing for Sweden and challenges for T2 players to play for their country

40:16- Max Green eligibility for Sweden

42:50- Clubs not releasing players for international duty

43:32- English Championship needs more Tier 2 players

45:33- Tier 2 players not being able to play for their nation

Our weekly guest episode is back for episode 4, this time with the former president of Sri Lanka Rugby, Rizly Illyas.

Overseeing their ban from World Rugby and Asia Rugby, Rizly discusses his thoughts on why it happened and the impacts it has had on rugby in the country.

A huge deep dive on a topic lesser known by the majority of fans.

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Instagram- @charlieelliottjourno

Time stamps:

0:50- Background on Rizly

3:25- History of rugby in Sri Lanka

4:23- Rizly's allegations against Qais Al-Dhalai (Asia Rugby president)

7:50- Reasons behind his personal ban

13:00- Relationship between Sri Lanka and World Rugby as a result of previous events before Rizly's tenure

18:30- Impact of Fijian's passport fraud in 2012 on Rizly's tenure as president

22:50- Outro

We are back with episode 5, talking to Technical Director of Brazil Rugby- Josh Reeves.

Born in New Zealand, Reeves has played rugby in 4 different continents and is Brazil's record points scorer (we think!)

Now in a backroom capacity, we talk all about the development of rugby in his country and how it competes with football.

It was really good to speak to someone who has such a wealth of knowledge both as a player and as a coach.

X: AllTheRuckusPod

Instagram: @Charlieelliottjourno

We have an absolute legend of South American rugby talking to us today, former Uruguay and current Chile head coach Pablo Lemoine.

Pablo has been instrumental in revolutionising the game in the region and has been compared to Marcelo Bielsa for his work in improving rugby.

As a player he scored at the 2003 World Cup against England.

Now a head coach, he spoke all about how Chile qualified for their first ever World Cup in 2023.

X: AllTheRuckusPod

Instagram: Charlieelliottjourno

We are back for our weekly episode, this time with Switzerland head coach Olivier Nier, following their Rugby Europe Championship campaign in which they played teams such as Georgia and Spain, as well as beating Germany

A shorter chat than usual due to him being extremely busy, he still managed to give some great information about rugby in the country

Let us know what you think about the shorter format and any other feedback via the channels below:

We will be posting much more on our X account so for an exclusive look into future guests and clips from past episodes, check us out

X: AllTheRuckusPod

Instagram: @charlieelliottjourno

Today we have a great guest, renowned journalist Francisco Isaac.

Francisco writes for RugbyPass as well as plenty of other outlets in his freelance career, with a focus on Tier 2 stories.

Basically the go to guy for any news relating to international rugby outside of the big nations, we spoke about so many different topics, as well as his personal journey into his career.

Any likes, shares and follows are hugely appreciated

Check him out: @francisaac87 on X

His recent piece on Spanish rugby: https://www.rugbypass.com/plus/is-spain-rugbys-next-great-superpower/

Our X: @AllTheRuckusPod

Instagram: @charlieelliottjourno

Welcome back to What's All The Ruckus, we have a slightly different guest for you all today

Josef Webber is very well known on social media for his short form videos that mainly look at the gym, but recently he has started to document a new journey

After finding out that his grandad is from Belgium, he has been trying to play for the national team

With decent success so far, we caught up with Josef to learn a bit more about his personal life as well as his journey

Drop him a follow !

Instagram: @josefwebber__

Our socials

X: @AllTheRuckusPod

Insta: @charlieelliottjourno

We are back with our weekly guest episode, this time with a unique guest from Kosovo rugby, Mark Barrett.

As one of the newest countries in the world, Kosovo have only been playing recognised international rugby since 2022.

This means that Barrett (who does a whole host of roles in the federation) has a unique opportunity to effectively create a rugby culture from scratch.

It was a great chat with someone involved in one of the true minnows in European rugby.

Socials:

X: @AllTheRuckusPod

Instagram: @charlieelliottjourno

We are back with our weekly guest episode and we are staying in the Balkans to speak to Croatia head coach Anthony Posa.

Of Croatian heritage, Posa played himself at a high level in his native New Zealand and played for Croatia, before becoming involved in the national team in a coaching capacity in 2014.

Head coach since 2021, he spoke all about rugby in the country as well as the other jobs that he balances it with.

Croatia are currently in the Rugby Europe Trophy, which is the secondary competition in the Rugby Europe system.

A great chat with someone from a nation that is really on the rise in rugby terms.

X: @AllTheRuckusPod

Insta: @charlieelliottjourno

This week we have Türkiye's captain and all-time leading try scorer, Mert Zabci.

An absolutely brilliant guest who had plenty of stories about his own career and what it is like playing for a country that many won't have heard about in a rugby sense before.

Born and raised in London, he also experienced not being allowed to play for his country in 2017, when his federation banned non-domestic players based from playing.

Also, find out which Wallabies player watched him put on a MOTM performance in Norway.

X: @AllTheRuckusPod

Instagram: @Charlieelliottjourno

We have former Jamaica 7's player Rhodri Adamson on this week to talk about his career and what rugby is like in the Caribbean nation (apologies for the late upload).

Given that 7's has recently been in a bit of turmoil following the announcement that Ireland are scrapping their programme, we wanted to get someone on who could speak about how important it is for tier 2 nations like Jamaica.

Rhodri has played at 2x Commonwealth Games, 2x 7's World Cups and was part of the golden generation of Jamaican rugby.

A great chat with someone who has had a really interesting career and has a lot of first hand experience with 7's.

We have our first ever repeat guest on this week, with Sweden head coach and friend of the pod Alex Laybourne joining us.

Hugely appreciate him coming on at late notice, we originally had another guest but he had to pull out last minute (for good reason).

A great catch up regarding what the Sweden national team and Alex have been up to in the three months since he last came on.

Also, our X has been hacked for the last few days but we now have access back, still be wary if you get a message and don't give any personal details, but we will be back and positing on there.

Launched a TikTok too which we will start posting on more going forward.

Socials:

x: @alltheruckuspod

TikTok: @alltheruckuspod

We have one of our all-time favourite episodes, talking to the founder of the Federation of Lesotho Rugby, Dan Aylward-Mills.

When he arrived in the country, only six people were throwing a rugby ball around on a tennis court.

Now they are recognised by World Rugby, have a functioning domestic league and are close to having their first professional club.

Find out how the story unfolded, with Dan admitting that a lot of it happened by accident.

Socials:

X: @AllTheRuckusPod

TikTok: @alltheruckuspod

This week we have rugby sevens royalty, Mike Friday.

A former played and head coach for England, he is widely regarded as one of the greatest ever head coaches in sevens due to his work with the USA, who he took from being relatively average to consistently competing at the top of the game.

Also with experience coaching Kenya, Mike is extremely passionate about the global development of the game and using sevens as a vehicle to do so.

Plenty of chat about where sevens is at right now, what has gone wrong, how Tier 2 can develop and so much more.

Socials:

X:@AllTheRuckusPod

Instagram: @charlieelliottjourno

This week we have some Tier 2 royalty in former Tonga international and now assistant head coach, Nili Latu.

Latu was once the record appearance holder for his nation (but has since been surpassed) and some of you may remember him for his time in the Premiership with Newcastle Falcons.

He was always known for playing with passion and has now taken that into his coaching career.

We spoke all about the issues regarding Tongan rugby and how the compete for players with so many being eligible for the All Blacks and Wallabies especially.

A really good episode with a high profile guest.

Socials:

X: AllTheRuckusPod

We have got a slightly different episode this week, which is not necessarily tier 2 but is an interesting rugby story from outside of what is usually reported.

England's Visually Impaired (VI) team have been playing matches since 2019 and are celebrating their 10-year anniversary since being founded.

Scrum-half Aaron Fowler has played every England game so far, with his side still being unbeaten.

He spoke about everything VI rugby related and how the sport is developing.

A really interesting episode about something not really spoken about.

If you enjoyed this type of episode, let us know and we can do it more often.

Contact them:

Instagram: @virugby , @thechangefoundation

Our socials

X: @AllTheRuckusPod

We have our first ever World Cup winner on the podcast today, Graham Smith.

Graham was part of the coaching staff that led England women's to the 2014 World Cup alongside head coach Gary Street.

Now he is working with Estonia Rugby to grow the sport in a country that is a huge minnow within the Rugby Europe system.

We speak all about his career to date, his work in Estonia and so much more.

x: @AllTheRuckusPod

This week, we have someone involved in both one of the biggest names in rugby as well as one of the smallest.

Gert Mulder is with the Blue Bulls organisation in South Africa, which includes URC side Vodacom Bulls, whilst also being the head coach of Pakistan.

Rugby in Pakistan is extremely small despite the massive population, due in large part to the popularity of cricket.

We speak all about his role and career and how Pakistan can develop the sport's popularity.

Thank you for listening.

X: @AllTheRuckusPod

Apologies for a late upload, we had some technical issues when exporting the audio file, but they're all sorted now.

This episode is definitely one that is worth the wait. We have a coach that has worked in Australia, USA, Germany and now Sweden in Karl Savimaki.

Currently Sweden's assistant, we hear all about some of the best stories that he has had along the way. For a properly international outlook on rugby, take a listen to this.

X: @AllTheRuckusPod

Today we have one of our most topical episodes of all time, because we have Zimbabwe player Matthew McNab on the pod to talk about their recent World Cup qualification.

Matthew came back after two years away from Sables duty to help them get over the line against Namibia, which happened just over a week ago.

We talk all about his personal career and how Zimbabwean rugby has progressed over the past few years.

Plenty of insight from someone who has just helped his country to a first World Cup in 36 years.

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We have Algeria head coach Adrien Buononato on the pod this week, to talk about their meteoric rise over the past year.

They have risen up 10 places in the World Rankings and now sit in 43rd, and with a recent third place finish at the Rugby Africa Cup, things are looking positive for the nation.

However, almost all of their international success has came from France-based players of Algerian descent, so we speak all about the problems that domestic rugby has over there and how Adrien is helping with it.

Find out which former France international is potentially going to be playing for them soon as well.

Thank you for listening !

X: @AllTheRuckusPod

We are back with a very exciting guest this week, with Hong Kong China hooker Alex Post on to talk all about their recent qualification to the 2027 World Cup (their first ever).

Having played for his national team for over a decade, Post had plenty of insight on the progression of his nation and how they've reached this point.

Lots on his own personal career and his club side Richmond as well after their promotion to the Champ.

Check out www.AIMS.co.uk for all of your accounting, financial and business needs.

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This week we welcome Canadian Head Coach Steve Meehan onto the podcast.

With over 20 years of coaching experience which has taken Steve from his native Australia to Bath in the English Premiership, Canadian fans will be eager to see how Steve can revolutionise the men’s team following their failed qualification for the 2023 World Cup.

We discuss Steve’s ambitions with Canada for their upcoming Pacific Nations Cup campaign, the importance of qualifying for the 2027 World Cup and general developments happening within Canadian rugby. 

Check out www.AIMS.co.uk for all of your accounting, financial and business needs. 

X: @AllTheRuckusPod

This week we are joined by former Danish sevens player and current Denmark XV Head Coach Andreas Robertson.

Currently ranked 60th in the world, Andreas discusses Denmark’s recent promotion from the Rugby Europe Conference, as well as how Denmark will attempt to bridge the gap to teams in the division above. This is an exciting listen for those interested in both Nordic rugby and the development of rugby in a European Tier 3 nation. 

Check out www.AIMS.co.uk for all of your accounting, financial and business needs. 

X: @AllTheRuckusPod

On today’s pod we are joined by Finnish rugby royalty Thomas Finell.

With a staggering 70 caps to his name, Finell is certainly a Tier 3 stalwart who has experienced all the highs and lows of playing international rugby for Finland.

As part of our Scandinavian double header with Andreas Robertson, this is once again another podcast ideal for those wanting to learn more about rugby in the Nordic nations.

Check out www.AIMS.co.uk for all of your accounting, financial and business needs. 

X: @AllTheRuckusPod

This week we swap cold Scandinavia for the warm Caribbean to discuss Grenadian rugby with Head Coach Rob Edison.

In the podcast, we discuss Rob’s plans for Grenada, as well as his unique coaching trajectory and how this benefits him in his current role.

For those who don’t know, Grenada is certainly a fledging rugby nation considering that they only played their first XV game this July.

However, this is not to say there is not an interest in the sport on the island, with this being something Rob discusses wanting to harness. 

Check out www.AIMS.co.uk for all of your accounting, financial and business needs. 

X: @AllTheRuckusPod 

Grenada Rugby's Instagram: @grenadarugby

This week we step away from the international game to discuss German domestic rugby with President of the Bundesliga, Niko Colic. Niko discusses the state of German rugby, the restructuring of the Bundesliga as well as his short and long term ambitions for rugby in Germany. 

Check out www.AIMS.co.uk for all of your accounting, financial and business needs. 

Huge thank you to Rugby in Germany for setting this up.

Find them at: @rugby.in.germany on Instagram and @rugbyingermany on X

Our socials:

X: @AllTheRuckusPod

Instagram: @charlieelliottjourno

The chat with Niko starts at 2:27

On today’s pod, we’re joined by Eldar Karimov, President of the Azerbaijan Rugby Federation. Unlike many unions chasing quick results, Eldar is taking a different path — putting 100% of his focus into growing the game at youth level. 

Right now, there’s no senior national team in Azerbaijan, and that’s by design. Eldar’s committed to building a strong grassroots system first, with the long-term goal of one day competing with regional powerhouses like Georgia. 

It’s a refreshingly honest and ambitious chat about what it really takes to grow rugby in a country starting almost from scratch.

Check out www.AIMS.co.uk for all of your accounting, financial and business needs.

X: @AllTheRuckusPod

Contact the Azerbaijan Rugby Federation

Instagram: @rugbyazerbaijan

Being of South African, Irish and Swiss descent is certainly the hallmark of a culturally unique fella.

However, add domiciling in England to that and you have a man who is the epitome of a globalised world!

This week we are joined by the fascinating Donovan O’Grady who combines his day job of working for the Rugby Players Association with being a Switzerland international rugby player.

In the pod, Donovan provides his insights into Swiss rugby and the interaction of his day job with Tier 1 players.

This is certainly not one to miss for Tier 2 lovers!

Check out www.AIMS.co.uk for all of your accounting, financial and business needs. 

X: @AllTheRuckusPod

On today’s pod, we’re joined by Alejandro “Bola” Pradillo — prop, trailblazer, and the first Mexican player to break into Major League Rugby.

After signing with the San Diego Legion in 2024, Bola made history at the top level of North American rugby. But a whirlwind summer — which saw the Legion merge with LA Rugby Club and three other MLR teams fold — left him without a contract and the league in uncertain waters.

We talk about what that experience has been like, the broader instability in the MLR, and what it all means for players chasing their dream in emerging rugby nations.

Bola also opens up about his international career with Mexico, his playing stints in South Africa and New Zealand, and the frustrating structural issues that prevent countries like Mexico — and others in Central America and the Caribbean — from even having a pathway to the World Cup.

It’s one of our most honest conversations yet and a must-listen for anyone who cares about rugby’s global future.

Check out www.AIMS.co.uk for all of your accounting, financial and business needs.

X: @AllTheRuckusPod

On today's podcast we have two brothers who will be playing together in the Rugby Europe Trophy this season, for newly promoted Denmark.

We have previously spoken to head coach Andreas Robertson but thought it would interesting to get a player perspective on their chances ahead of what will likely be a challenging campaign.

On a positive note, we speak about their journey to qualifying for the second tier of European rugby, what it is like for both of them playing alongside such a close relative, and their eligibility for Denmark given that they are originally from the UK.

Check out www.AIMS.co.uk for all of your accounting, financial and business needs.

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On today's podcast we’re joined by Josh Sutcliffe, the head coach and former player of the Philippines men’s 15s side — better known as the Volcanoes.

Rugby in the Philippines was inactive for a number of years until Josh helped to bring it back late last year.

The national team is enjoying a strong spell right now, with a growing pool of diaspora players from rugby heartlands like Australia, New Zealand, and the UK, all proudly pulling on the jersey. At the same time, there’s an exciting domestic movement building back home, which adds real depth to the program.

Josh, who is based in the USA, led the Volcanoes to the Unions Cup title earlier this year, and we thought it was the perfect time to get his take on what’s working, what’s building, and how they’re balancing international talent with homegrown ambition.

We talk about his coaching journey, the unique challenges of managing a team from afar, and what lies ahead for one of Asia’s most intriguing rugby nations.

Check out www.AIMS.co.uk for all of your accounting, financial and business needs.

X: @AllTheRuckusPod.

On today’s podcast, we’re joined by James Faktor — a stalwart of the Czechia national rugby team and a mainstay in their recent Rugby Europe Trophy campaigns.

With the new Trophy cycle kicking off this weekend, this episode started out as a timely preview of what lies ahead for Czechia and the competition as a whole. But what we didn’t expect was for James to drop some big news during the chat — after years of representing his country, he’s officially retired from international rugby, despite there being no public announcement until now.

That revelation shifts the focus of the episode from a look ahead to a celebration of James’ stellar career — from his debut in red and white to becoming one of the team’s most reliable and respected figures. The timing couldn’t have been better, and we were grateful to catch him for a wide-ranging conversation that reflects on both past glories and what’s next for Czechia rugby.

Quick heads-up: the intro runs a little longer than usual thanks to some exciting news on our end — but if you want to jump straight into the chat with James, skip ahead to around the 3-minute mark.

Check out www.AIMS.co.uk for all of your accounting, financial and business needs.

X: @AllTheRuckusPod.

In today’s episode, we’re heading to the Middle East to chat with Bahrain’s Adam Wallace — a man who’s worn just about every hat possible within Bahrain Rugby Club and the national setup.

From Director of Rugby to head coach and captain, Adam has been at the heart of the club’s growth and the country’s emerging rugby scene.

While Bahrain Rugby Club has long been a cornerstone of Gulf rugby, 2025 marked a historic milestone with the Bahrain national team’s first-ever international fixture, a dominant win over Jordan — a game in which Adam proudly pulled on the national jersey.

We dive into the incredible story behind that debut, the challenges of developing rugby in a non-traditional market, and what the future looks like for Bahrain on both the domestic and international stage.

Adam also reflects on the unique culture of rugby in the region, the community around the club, and his hopes for the next generation of players coming through.

Check out ⁠www.Ruck.co.uk for everything rugby related.

X: ⁠@AllTheRuckusPod⁠

This week, we dive into the inspiring story of Tony Gillings, the man credited with founding rugby in Belize. After first visiting the country in the 1980s with the UK military, Tony couldn’t shake his connection to the place.

Decades later, he made a life-changing decision — quitting his job, packing up everything, and moving to Belize to introduce the sport he loved to a whole new community.

Join us as we explore Tony’s journey, the challenges of building a sport from the ground up, and how one man’s passion helped kickstart a movement that continues to grow today.

X: @AllTheRuckusPod

Instagram: @charlieelliottjourno

Check out Ruck.co.uk

Tony’s LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tony-gillings-07430420?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app

In this episode, we’re joined by Frank Sackey — Ghana international, rugby all-rounder, and all-round great guy. Frank plays both 7s and 15s, and although he’s based in the UK, his heart has always been closely tied to Ghana.

He talks openly about what it feels like to pull on the Ghana jersey, not just as an athlete, but as someone honouring his family, his roots, and the place that shaped him.

Frank also gives us a warm, honest look at rugby culture in Ghana — the energy, the community, the challenges, and the huge pride that exists around the sport in West Africa. It’s a side of rugby many people rarely get to hear about.
Beyond the pitch, we dive into the story behind the Black Rugby Community, the charity Frank helped create to support Black people in rugby who often face barriers that go unseen. He shares why he felt compelled to help build a space where people can feel understood, represented, and backed.

Check out Blackrugby.co.uk to find out more about the Black Rugby Community.

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In this episode, we’re joined by Ale Loman, the Swedish prop making history as the first Swedish male player to feature in the Premiership, following his debut for Leicester Tigers against Northampton Saints.

Ale takes us through his remarkable journey — from growing up in Lund, discovering rugby as a teenager, to studying in the UK and earning his spot at Nottingham before his loan move to the Tigers.

We talk about what drives him, his passion for representing Sweden, and what his story means for players from Tier 2 and 3 nations dreaming of making it to the top. Inspiring, grounded, and trailblazing — Ale’s journey is one you won’t want to miss.

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In this episode, we’re joined by Chris Davies, the newly appointed Head of 7s in Poland—a role that sees him overseeing both the Men’s and Women’s national sevens programmes.

Although only a couple of months into leading the full programme, Chris is no stranger to Polish 7s, having previously served as the head coach of the men’s side.

Chris brings a wealth of international experience to the conversation. Before moving to Poland, he worked as Skills Coach with the legendary Fiji 7s, and was part of Fiji’s XVs setup for their memorable victory over the Barbarians at Twickenham—their first ever win against the BaaBaas.

From world-class high-performance environments to the realities of developing nations, Chris has seen every side of the sport.

We dive into his coaching journey, his transition to leading both Polish national teams, and his insider’s view on the state of sevens rugby today—a sport battling funding challenges from the elite level right down to the grassroots. Chris brings plenty of stories, insight, and honesty about what it takes to grow the game in tough circumstances.

A huge thank you to Alex Laybourne for connecting us with Chris.

If you know someone who you think would make a great guest, we’d love to hear from you!

X: @AllTheRuckusPod

Check out Ruck.co.uk

This week, we sit down with Stuart Porro, a proud Gibraltarian and key figure in Gibraltar Rugby, ahead of Rugby Europe’s pivotal vote on December 6th.

With both Gibraltar and Greece awaiting decisions that could reshape their rugby futures, Porro opens up about the emotion, history and decades of dedication behind Gibraltar’s bid for membership.

From the Rock’s deep-rooted rugby culture and the unique Europa Point Stadium to the sacrifices made by volunteers and players alike, Stuart shares why this moment “would mean everything” to a community determined to take its place within the wider European rugby family.

RUCK article on the upcoming vote: https://www.ruck.co.uk/rugby-europe-prepares-to-vote-on-two-emerging-forces/

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In this episode, we sit down with Paul Altier, Hong Kong China international and future 2027 Rugby World Cup representative.

Recorded before the tournament draw, we now know Hong Kong China will be facing New Zealand, hosts Australia, and Chile—a monumental stage for Paul and his teammates.

Paul becomes our third guest from Hong Kong, joining Alex Post and Matt Worley, and it was fascinating to hear yet another unique perspective on their remarkable qualification journey.We dive into what rugby life in Hong Kong is really like, the team’s growth, and how they’re preparing for the world’s biggest stage.

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In this episode, we sit down with Orion Jucja, co-founder of the Albania Rugby Federation and the Tirana Lions Rugby Club, alongside his close collaborator Arnaldo Telo, to hear the remarkable story of how rugby found a home in Albania.

Orion takes us back to the early days — the curiosity, the obstacles, and the moments of belief it took to introduce a largely unknown sport to a new country. From playing on improvised pitches to building a national federation, this conversation is as much about people and persistence as it is about rugby.

We explore what rugby culture looks like in Albania today, how the sport is steadily growing, and why its values of community, respect, and resilience resonate so deeply with players and supporters alike. Along the way, Orion shares personal reflections on leadership, friendship, and what it means to build something meaningful from the ground up.

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In this episode, we’re joined by Kevin Brou — former Ivory Coast prop with one of the most unique journeys in rugby.

Born and raised in the United States, Kevin carved out a professional career that took him from the MLR to France, before an unexpected and remarkable path led him to represent Ivory Coast on the international stage.

Kevin shares the incredible story of how he became eligible and ultimately pulled on the Elephants jersey, along with honest insights into the realities of international rugby outside the traditional powerhouses.

We dive deep into the challenges and opportunities of growing the game in Ivory Coast, the evolution of rugby in America, and what rugby needs globally to continue expanding in new markets.
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In this episode, we sit down with Ali Taha Brown — a Jordan international whose journey in sport is as unique as it is inspiring. Beyond representing Jordan on the rugby field, Ali also serves as a board advisor at English football club Southend United, giving him a rare perspective on the game both on and off the pitch.

We talk about his lifelong love of sport, how he first discovered rugby, and the path that led him to wearing the Jordanian jersey on the international stage. Ali also opens up about the realities of playing and developing rugby in Jordan and across Asia, sharing insights into the challenges, growth, and untapped potential of the game in the region.

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Ali's podcast: Taha Talks

Bonus Episode: We’re joined by Sebastian Taylor of Costa Rica Rugby to discuss the programmes currently being rolled out across the country and the overall state of the game. With a packed schedule of recorded episodes, we thought we’d bring you this extra conversation—while our regular episode still drops on Tuesday as usual.

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We’re joined by Saudi Arabia international Jimmy Wheeler for a deep dive into what rugby really looks like on the ground in the Kingdom, the ambitions driving the game forward, and the wider Middle East scene. Jimmy also chats about R360, his recent run at the Dubai 7s alongside some household names, and his unique journey from the Bath Academy to building a life in Saudi.

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In this episode, we sit down with Mariano Garcete, captain of the Paraguay national team, for a candid and hard-hitting conversation following one of the most turbulent moments in Paraguayan rugby history.

After Paraguay’s historic two-legged victory over Brazil in World Cup qualifying, the team was disqualified from the Repechage for fielding an ineligible player, a decision that sent shockwaves through South American rugby. Mariano speaks openly about the emotional toll the ruling took on the squad, the country, and himself as captain, and doesn’t hold back in a scathing critique of World Rugby and what he sees as damaging recent changes in the global game.

The conversation also turns to his decision to step away from Yacaré XV and Super Rugby Americas, reflecting on his personal journey, the pressures of professional rugby in the region, and why the competition remains vital to the growth and credibility of South American rugby.

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In this episode, we sit down with Georgia star Davit Niniashvili to tackle some of the biggest and most contentious topics in Georgian rugby. From the ongoing debate around Georgia’s inclusion in the Six Nations, to the appointment of new head coach Pierre-Henry Broncan, and plenty more besides.

A huge thank you to everyone who sent in questions — if yours wasn’t answered, my apologies, but they were all very much appreciated.

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We’re joined by Ahmed Kane, Switzerland’s dynamic second row and one of the brightest talents in the country at just 24. Currently plying his trade with Chambéry in France’s third division, Kane talks about his rapid rise, life in the French system, and the challenge ahead for Switzerland in year two of the Rugby Europe Championship cycle.

With clashes against the likes of Georgia on the horizon, it’s a brutal test as Switzerland fight to stay up and avoid relegation back to the Trophy. A fascinating insight into a player — and a nation — on the rise.

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