Maul or Nothing

The Six Nations is back — and this is the ultimate pre-show breakdown you need before kickoff.

On this episode of Maul or Nothing, we’re joined by Ireland & British & Irish Lions winger Simon Zebo for elite insight, dressing-room reality, and the stories behind the team sheets as Europe’s biggest championship explodes into life.

From France v Ireland on a rare Thursday night, to England v Wales at Twickenham, plus Scotland’s ceiling and Italy’s growing threat — nothing gets past us.

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🔴 FRANCE v IRELAND – THE OPENING BLOCKBUSTER

•⁠ ⁠Antoine Dupont RETURNS after an 11-month ACL layoff —
•⁠ ⁠Why France scheduled this game on Thursday night (and what it tells us)
•⁠ ⁠Jalibert over Ntamack — obvious call, but not an easy one
•⁠ ⁠Gaël Fickou’s omission — and just how long he’s actually been around
•⁠ ⁠Youth surge: Moefana (25), Depoortere (23), Gourgues (20)
•⁠ ⁠ROG insight: France’s “there’s nothing between them” mentality — except Dupont

Ireland under the radar?

•⁠ ⁠Big selection calls at fly-half
•⁠ ⁠Prendergast vs Byrne vs Crowley — who should start?
•⁠ ⁠Big players missing: Aki, Keenan, Hansen, Porter

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ENGLAND v WALES – PRESSURE EVERYWHERE

England talking points:

•⁠ ⁠Northampton connection: Freeman + Dingwall together
•⁠ ⁠Henry Arundell back on the wing
•⁠ ⁠Maro Itoje on the bench —
•⁠ ⁠Is the modern game now fully 23-man rugby?
•⁠ ⁠Henry Pollock — the ultimate impact player… and how much will he hate not starting?

Wales: fresh start or same problems?

•⁠ ⁠No win since March 2023 — but optimism is back
•⁠ ⁠Injuries hit hard: Jac Morgan, Faletau, Tshiunza, Llewellyn
•⁠ ⁠Bizarre stat: Louis Rees-Zammit has never played at Twickenham for Wales
•⁠ ⁠Max… wing or fullback?
•⁠ ⁠Alex Mann — world-champion agitator… shades of Ryan Wilson?

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🔵 SCOTLAND – EXPECTATION MANAGEMENT

•⁠ ⁠Preferred starting XV debate
•⁠ ⁠What does success actually look like?
•⁠ ⁠Sione’s careful messaging — humility or mind games?
•⁠ ⁠Is this last-chance saloon for Gregor Townsend?

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🇮🇹 ITALY – NOT A GIMME ANYMORE

•⁠ ⁠Why Italy are no longer a free hit
•⁠ ⁠Lessons from beating the Wallabies
•⁠ ⁠Louis Lynagh predicts a big step forward
•⁠ ⁠Big misses: Capuozzo, Negri, Vintcent, Allan

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🥃 PLUS

•⁠ ⁠Zebo stories you won’t hear elsewhere
•⁠ ⁠Scotland humility chat
•⁠ ⁠“10 channel fool’s gold”
•⁠ ⁠Duncie Weir last minute drop goal
•⁠ ⁠WOLFCRAIG shout-out to our fabulous sponsors 👉 https://www.wolfcraig.com

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MON dissects a brutal Premiership weekend and some seismic Six Nations decisions.

Sale v Northampton had everything — needle, niggle, and a scoreline that didn’t tell the full story. Ryan caught up with Henry Pollock and Tommy Freeman after the game and lifts the lid on how Saints actually took it.

Bristol grind out a filthy win in dreadful conditions — not the Bears way, but maybe their most satisfying yet. Flying high in the Prem… so why only one Bear anywhere near the England squad?

Harlequins crash back to earth. Fans leaving early. Should relegation come back into the Premiership?

Leicester quietly motor on. Bath enjoy their annual tradition as Finn Russell shushes The Shed. Gloucester stay competitive despite being depleted — with Charlie Atkinson flashing real promise at 10.

Try celebrations are getting bolder too — torpedo dives, salutes to opposition fans… is anything off-limits now?

URC chaos:
•⁠ ⁠Glasgow squeezed by Zebre
•⁠ ⁠Stormers beaten at home by the Sharks
•⁠ ⁠Bulls win in Edinburgh — and once again prove they do travel

Plus: Welsh rugby ownership chaos, England’s stacked depth, major Six Nations omissions, and why some of the biggest names in Europe are watching from home. Who on earth chooses to leave out Damian Penaud???

All that — and MAX on conditions, violence-fuelled motivation, and a proper Royal Rumble
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🎙 MON is back with a blockbuster Champions Cup episode as Harlequins deliver the most Harlequins result imaginable — stunning La Rochelle just when the pressure was at its highest — while Munster crash out after a brutal, win-or-bust night in France 🇫🇷
We’re joined by Will Collier, Castres Olympique prop and former Quins & England tighthead, for elite insight into scrummaging, knockout rugby, and life at the sharp end of Europe.

🔴 MAX FOR ENGLAND?
A big push from the MON audience as comments roll in calling for Max to be capped 🏉
•⁠ ⁠What would it actually take to play for England?
•⁠ ⁠How realistic is it right now for an England tighthead?
•⁠ ⁠Contracts, timing, and the ruthless realities of international selection

🔵 BRISTOL BEARS v BORDEAUX BÈGLES
So close, yet so far for Bristol Bears against Bordeaux Bègles.
Plenty of frustration — but plenty of positives as Bristol stayed right in it until the end.
🧠 Round of 16 draw quirks unpacked:
•⁠ ⁠Bristol head to six-time champions Stade Toulousain
•⁠ ⁠Sale Sharks travel to Quins
•⁠ ⁠Northampton Saints host Castres
And yes… Bristol have beaten all three of those English sides this season 👀

🟣 GLASGOW WARRIORS – RYAN GOES FULL POET
Ryan waxes lyrical about Glasgow Warriors, who continue to look like genuine contenders as the Champions Cup sharpens 🔥

🔥 CASTRES v MUNSTER
A true knockout night as Castres silence Thomond Park.
Will Collier takes us inside:
•⁠ ⁠What it’s like to shut down one of Europe’s great fortresses
•⁠ ⁠The tension of a one-score game
•⁠ ⁠The sheer relief when Christian Ambadiang seals it late ⏱️
🔜 Looking ahead: a massive test away at Northampton Saints

🎭 THE BIG RESULT
Harlequins.
La Rochelle.
Knockout rugby.
Cue absolute chaos 🎢
Will Collier revisits Bristanbul, the final, and what it really takes to win when everything is on the line.

🔮 WHAT’S NEXT?
The boys also preview the Round of 16 and pick out the tastiest ties still to come 🍿

🥃 SPONSORED BY WOLFCRAIG
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Elite insight. Proper rugby chat.
This is MON.

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Bordeaux Bègles brutalise Northampton Saints in a Champions Cup statement — and this episode features Bordeaux winger Salesi Rayasi, the flying Fijian who lit up the contest with pace, power and presence.
Rayasi joins us as we break down a wild night where Bordeaux overwhelmed Saints, Cameron Woki crossed for a hat-trick from the back row, and the atmosphere turned full pantomime. Despite the heavy loss, Henry Pollock somehow drags Saints to a priceless bonus point, producing a WWE worthy performance… first they booed then they chanted his name
Elsewhere, Bristol Bears blitz the Bulls at altitude with breathtaking, ball-in-hand rugby (including a try for our very own Max Lahiff)— piling on 75 points by half-time, scoring 16 tries, and handing the Bulls the second-most points ever conceded at Loftus Versfeld in the professional era. Ten Springboks on the teamsheet. Still not enough. Flowing rugby, ruthless tempo, total breakdown.
We also cover:
•Toulouse losing their aura on the road
•Saracens with no European wobble
•Harlequins delivering a result nobody called
•Stormers’ unbeaten run ending in humiliation (John Dobson: “humiliating”)
•A thriller at the Aviva as Harry Byrne holds his nerve in front of nearly 40,000
•Edinburgh all but securing knockout rugby — including a brutal front-row moment
•Glasgow Warriors stacking maximum points away at Clermont
Hat-tricks. Heat. Altitude. Villains. Flying Fijians.
This is Champions Cup rugby at full throttle.

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💣 What really happens in team meetings when a club is spiralling
🔥 Bristol on a roll — but Ellis Genge vs Tom Curry argy-bargy explained
⏱️ Bath win a bonkers match at the death
🚨 Saracens under pressure as Leicester win
🌍 URC: Stormers unbeaten, Bulls wobble, Sharks crashing
🇮🇪 Leinster back on track
Duncan Weir scores in his final game… then tears a muscle 😬
🏆 Champions Cup preview ahead of next week

🎙️ Unfiltered dressing-room insight
🏉 Proper rugby breakdown
🔥 No PR nonsense

👉 Follow, rate & share Maul or Nothing

00:00 The boys are back and catching up with each other
22:15 Bath vs Exeter - Game of the weekend
24:38 Greg Fisilau
25:58 Quins in Crisis
32:53 Are Sarries also in crisis?
33:53 Billy Searle impressing
35:26 Scuffles amongst friends
39:19 URC Roundup - Starting with Dunkie Weir's send off
42:15 Jamie Dobie - Born again winger
44:18 Stormers keep Storming on & Ulster still flying high
47:42 Europe Preview - Bristol's big week away to the Bulls
50:04 Saints travel to Bordeaux for replay of last year's final
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