5 Live Rugby League

The return of the Super League is almost upon us and after a winter of waiting, Mark Chapman, Dave Woods and Iestyn Harris look ahead to this big year for the sport. We discuss the new French sides in the League with Matty Russell of newcomers Toulouse.Leeds Rhinos Women head coach Lois Forsell joins us to chat about the upcoming Challenge Cup and Super League.And England men’s head coach Shaun Wane shares his excitement of the Rugby League World Cup and England’s hopes in this year's tournament.

In the final episode of the season, in what should have been the final days leading up to the start of the 2021 Rugby League World Cup, we turn our attention to international rugby league, as England’s men and women prepare to take on France in a double-header in Perpignan on Saturday. Correspondent Dave Woods is joined by St Helens and England stars Alex Walmsley and Amy Hardcastle to discuss their club side’s heroics this season and their pride of pulling on the England jersey again. Wales head coach, and former England and France head coach, John Kear also joins the pod to discuss the growth of the international game and his thoughts for 2022.

In the penultimate episode of the season, correspondent Dave Woods is joined by the Bradford and Wales head coach John Kear, the former Great Britain halfback Iestyn Harris, and BBC rugby league commentator Matt Newsum to dissect Saturday’s Super League Grand Final, in which St Helens beat Catalans Dragons 12-10 to secure their third consecutive Grand Final triumph to make them the most successful club of the Super League era with a ninth title. The panel discuss where this Saints side ranks on the list of great title-winning teams and how Catalans can build on their historic maiden Grand Final appearance, as well discussing their best moments of the 2021 season.

On this week's episode, correspondent Dave Woods is joined by Perpignan-based Rugby League journalist Steve Brady and Toulouse Olympique star Johnathon Ford to look ahead to potentially a historic weekend for French Rugby League, with Catalans Dragons just 80 minutes away from their maiden Super League Grand Final appearance and Toulouse Olympique just 80 minutes away from the ‘Million Pound Game’, which could see them promoted to Super League in 2022. The team discuss the growth of the sport in the South of France ahead of the country hosting the Rugby League World Cup in 2025.

On this week's episode, correspondent Dave Woods is joined by Kevin Rye, Director of Think Fan Engagement, whose organisation has surveyed over 1,000 fans from across Rugby League’s top three divisions to get their views on the current state of the sport in the UK. The survey shows the vast majority of fans of Rugby League feel cut off from decisions at both their club and the governing bodies - Super League and the RFL. The survey also indicates that, although a few fans felt their clubs listened to them, the vast majority report a negative view of the way clubs engage and communicate with them. Many were scathing at how ignored they are in major decisions, including rebranding, changes of identity and name and stadium relocations. Other major issues included the RFL’s poor engagement with fans, and broadcaster Sky Sports changing kick-off times - something fans of football have themselves regularly complained about for years. England wheelchair star and World Cup ambassador James Simpson also joins the podc

On this week's episode, correspondent Dave Woods is joined by two of the rugby league’s most high profile administrators – RFL CEO Ralph Rimmer and RFL Chair Simon Johnson – to discuss the current state of the sport and their plans moving forward, including answering listeners questions on the future of rugby league in the UK. We’re also joined by Salford halfback Kevin Brown ahead of his final ever game of rugby league on Friday before retirement, and Kav Ellison, ambassador for Team Colostomy UK, the rugby league side looking to end the stigma surrounding stomas and provide inspiration for others in their situation.

On this week's episode, correspondent Dave Woods is joined by Salford halfback Kevin Brown, Wigan Today sports editor Phil Wilkinson, and Daily Mirror rugby league correspondent Gareth Walker to discuss what's going on at Wigan following their heavy defeat to local rivals St Helens and the uncertainty over the future of head coach Adrian Lam. We also discuss which six clubs will make the end of season playoffs with just five weeks of the regular season remaining and ask whether Leigh can make a late survival push after winning their first game of the season at the 17th attempt.

On this week's episode, Correspondent Dave Woods is joined by Hull FC chairman and owner Adam Pearson and the St Helens and Ireland prop forward Kyle Amor to discuss the current plight of Super League. Pearson says the sport will be "dead" in 12 months if it doesn't make itself more appealing to the younger generation and bring in private investment. We also look ahead to this week's Super League Rivals Round, which, in most cases, pits clubs against their local rivals, including Pearson's Hull FC up against Hull KR and Amor's Saints up against Wigan.

On this week's episode, correspondent Dave Woods is joined by Salford halfback Kevin Brown and Leeds Rhinos assistant coach Jamie Jones Buchanan to discuss next season’s Challenge Cup Final moving across North London from Wembley to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and whether a new Champions League-style format could revitalise the competition. We also reflect on Chris Chester’s surprise sacking as Wakefield head coach and ask whether the Super League season should be extended following the postponement of the 2021 Rugby League World Cup.

On this week's episode, correspondent Dave Woods is joined by England player and RLWC2021 tournament ambassador Jodie Cunningham, Wales head coach John Kear and Brad Walter, senior journalist for NRL.com in Sydney, to discuss the immediate fallout to the decision, and whether the tournament can be a success in 2022.

On this week's episode, Correspondent Dave Woods is joined by the Hull KR head coach, and former England head coach, Tony Smith, whose Rovers side are undertaking five days of quarantine after returning to the UK after being asked to play Catalans Dragons at short notice due to Covid cancellations. Previous to that, they hadn’t had a game since June 19. Salford Red Devils halfback Kevin Brown also joins the podcast from isolation following a breakout of Covid in the Salford squad, meaning their next two games have been postponed. The panel discuss whether the season will be completed and how rugby league develops as a sport post pandemic. We also ask whether the 2021 Rugby League World Cup can survive without Australia and New Zealand.

On this week's bonus episode, correspondent Dave Woods is joined by England forward Alex Walmsley, Wales head coach John Kear and Brad Walter, senior journalist for NRL.com in Sydney, to discuss the immediate fallout to Australia and New Zealand's decision to withdraw from the 2021 Rugby League World Cup, and whether the tournament can go ahead without them.

On this week's episode, Matt Newsum speaks to four-time Challenge Cup winner Martin Offiah about his role fronting the Government-backed 2021 Net Zero Week. The two-time Lance Todd Trophy winner is joined by St Helens' Women's Challenge Cup-winning captain Jodie Cunningham and multiple Challenge Cup finalist Kevin Brown to discuss how rugby league can become more sustainable as a sport. The panel also reflect on Saturday's Challenge Cup Final and ask where Saints rank among the great teams of the modern era.

On this week's bumper episode, correspondent Dave Woods is joined by Jon Dutton, Chief Executive Officer of RLWC2021, and Wales head coach John Kear to discuss the World Cup officially being given the green light with just 100 days to go until the start of the tournament. We also hear from St Helens prop forward Kyle Amor and Castleford Tigers loose forward Adam Milner to look ahead to Saturday's Challenge Cup Final at Wembley.

Dave Woods is joined by the Speaker of the House of Commons, Sir Lindsay Hoyle as well as Leeds legend and current Assistant-Coach Jamie Jones-Buchanan.They discuss alignment of the governance of Rugby League. As well as the World Cup, the north-south divide, sponsorship and the future of the game.

On this week's episode, correspondent Dave Woods is joined by Brad Walter, Senior Journalist for nrl.com; Bradford Bulls and Wales head coach John Kear; and St Helens and Ireland prop forward Kyle Amor to discuss whether the 2021 Rugby League World Cup will go ahead as planned or whether it will be postponed. We also ask how Super League can stem the tide of Covid postponements.

After 18 months with Canberra Raiders in the Australian National Rugby League, England half-back George Williams has returned to England to be closer to his family, particularly as he and partner Charlotte are expecting a baby later this year. In this bonus episode, Williams talks about the factors behind the return and what the future holds for him in rugby league and life in general.

On this week's episode, correspondent Dave Woods is joined by the England head coach Shaun Wane, as he prepares to take charge of England for the first time against the Combined Nations All Stars. He tells why he hasn't selected star half back George Williams and what it means to coach his country for the first time. England Women star Jodie Cunningham joins the pod to look ahead to Friday's women's international against Wales, and after a 20-month layoff, England Wheelchair star James Simpson looks ahead to their game against Wales on Saturday and the squad's new supersonic wheelchairs.

On this week's episode, correspondent Dave Woods is joined by the St Helens and Ireland prop Kyle Amor and the former Super League head coach Steve McCormack, current Head of Welfare at rugby league charity Rugby League Cares, to take a deep dive into the brutality of rugby league following this week's news that Australia's 2017 World Cup-winning captain Boyd Cordner has been forced to retire aged just 29 following persistent head injuries. We also hear at length from Amor's St Helens team-mate, and England half back Jonny Lomax about the life-threatening head injury he suffered playing the sport as a child. Lomax was rushed to hospital to have emergency brain surgery when he was just 14 after suffering an extradural haemorrhage, which is when bleeding occurs between the tough outer membrane covering the brain and the skull, after fracturing his skull in a junior game. He also opens up about questioning whether he wanted to continue in the sport after rupturing his ACL three times during his career. And the t

On this week's episode, correspondent Dave Woods is joined by the England captain and St Helens forward Emily Rudge and the Castleford Tigers three-quarter Jordan Turner to discuss their player-of-the-match performances in the Challenge Cup on Saturday, as Emily's St Helens won the Women's Challenge Cup for the first time, and Jordan reached his first Challenge Cup Final with Castleford. Leeds Rhinos assistant coach Jamie Jones-Buchanan also joins us to debate whether Saints' Theo Fages should have picked up the ball to score a try when Hull's Josh Griffin was stricken with injury, and Jordan tells us why he'll be proud to represent Jamaica for his family at the World Cup.