Rugby Rodeo

We’re back for 2026 🎉 Jess and Ellie ease into the New Year with a festive catch-up, January blues chat, and goals for the year ahead. The pair rewind to a huge night at SPOTY, reflect on what second place really meant, and hear from Ellie Kildunne MBE on finding out she made the King’s New Year Honours list. Plus, listener questions, England camp nerves, shout-outs from around the world, and a big thank you to Physique for supporting the show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s the final episode of the year and we’re going out with an absolute cracker. This week, Ellie and Jess are joined in studio by Canada international scrum-half and Saracens star Liv Apps — one of the most exciting players in the women’s game right now. From RWC stardom to making an instant impact in the PWR, Liv opens up like never before. Liv takes us through how her short-term move to Saracens came about and what life has been like settling into a new club and country. We rewind all the way back to her rugby beginnings in Canada, a nation where rugby isn’t always front and centre, and explore the journey that’s shaped her both on and off the pitch. In a powerful and honest conversation, Liv shares her story of being diagnosed with alopecia at just seven years old, how it affected her growing up, learning to embrace her identity, and becoming a role model for young girls watching her perform on the biggest stages in world rugby. She also reflects on the heartbreak of the Rugby World Cup final, how she processes that experience now, and the advice she’d give her younger self. This episode is brought to you by Physique Management. Use code Rodeo10 for 10% off at checkout Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jess is be poorly this week (get well soon cowboy 🤧❤️), but fear not — because Ellie is joined by a VERY special stand-in host… the one and only Boda is back in the saddle! And it’s a HUGE week to return because… ELLIE KILDUNNE HAS BEEN NOMINATED FOR BBC SPORTS PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR!We break down everything: how she found out, why it felt different being in a room full of world-class athletes, whether she knows who’s won (👀) — and how this compares to last year’s World Rugby POTY honour. SPOTY is live on Thursday 18th December — so get it in your diary and make sure you VOTE FOR ELLIE & THE RED ROSES! 🙏🔥 We’ve also got plenty more this week: Ellie & Boda return to winning ways as Harlequins beat Leicester 56–28 — including that celebration… did she wind herself?! Inspired by Chris Ashton? Noah Caluori?? We get the full story.  Saracens’ 33–15 comeback win over Loughborough Lightning, their final home game of 2025. PWR: Played 6, won 5 — tidy. Ellie meets football superstar Alessia Russo 🤩 What was she like? What did they talk about? Did Ellie shoot her shot to get her on the pod? We answer your best questions including: What did the girls Spotify Wrapped look like this year? Most underrated PWR player? Should women’s rugby have a Champions Cup-style competition across England, France & NZ? Death row meals, Christmas food identities, tips for new centres, and our sporting role models growing up. Huge love to the grassroots this week: Dundee Girls – finalists at HIVE Stadium BIGGAR RFC U18s – heading to Murrayfield for the National Cup Final Wigtownshire Ladies – first ever league title! Marr Ladies – first win of the season after losing every game 🙌 Trojans U14s – unbeaten and flying high! See you next week… YEE-HAW! 🤠🌹 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week on Rugby Rodeo, Jess is joined by not one… but TWO Kildunnes! That’s right — Ellie’s little brother Sam Kildunne jumps in the saddle for a family edition of the pod. Sam’s just 22 but already has some CV: BUCS Super Rugby with Loughborough, a GB 7s jersey, and now a contract with Ampthill in the Championship. Jess goes straight for the sibling dirt — what Ellie was really like growing up, who caused the most chaos, the pettiest argument they’ve had this year, and whose fault it was (because it’s always someone’s). And yes, we get the definitive verdict on sibling rivalry in the Kildunne household. Ellie dives into Sam’s rugby journey — BUCS life, moving into the Championship, the physicality jump, how he balances sevens aspirations with 15s, and what advice he has for players at uni or school trying to go pro. Plus Sam reveals his proudest moment watching Ellie — grab tissues. We also cover: 🏉 Aby Dow’s retirement ⏱️ Ellie’s Lateness Chart — has Double Kildunne doubled the delays or fixed them? ✈️ Ellie hearing her own voice on the Heathrow tannoy 🎄 Jess vs Archie’s advent calendar controversy 🏟️ Ealing 5–57 Saracens — London fully belongs to Sarries, with Jess in the mix for a couple of tries YEE-HAW Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ellie Kildunne and Jess Breach are back in the saddle for another week of Rugby Rodeo — and London is looking extremely festive. But have the girls even bought a single present yet? Jess has just landed back from Jersey with stories to tell, while Ellie’s been everywhere: hosting a lunches, dancing and still finding time to watch all the Quilter Autumn Nations games... We chat: Tom Curry's late shot on Juan Cruz Mallia and the fallout that came of it, England's new magician Max Ojomoh and the most one-sided scrum domination we've ever seen! 🎤 Listeners’ Questions:Skills swaps, underrated perks of being Red Roses, hardest hitters, talent shows, crisp flavours(?!), and Jess gives her Top 3 tips for becoming a world-class winger. 💌 SHOUTOUTS GALORE!We go global this week — from Broad Plain U8s to the WBRC Bobcats in the US, the Kyogale Cockies in Australia, Toronto City Amazons, Santa Monica Women’s Rugby in LA… and heaps of love for teams across the UK including Mansfield Ladies, the Lowestoft Dragons U14s, Bromsgrove Calts, Yate Women’s Rugby and a big get-well-soon to Beatrix recovering from concussion ❤️ And that’s us done for this week! Back next Thursday — AND we’ve got some exciting guests coming up. Until then… YEEEEE-HAW! 🤠 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices