Episode
The Shape of the Game Review, England’s DNA + Super Rugby Roundup
- Podcast
- Rugby Unity
- Published
- Mar 2, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 3485
- Processing state
not_requested
Actions
POST https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/rugby-unity-7315104/episodes/the-shape-of-the-game-review-england-s-dna-super-rugby-roundup/transcription-requests
Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode.GET https://stenobird.com/podcast/rugby-unity-7315104/the-shape-of-the-game-review-england-s-dna-super-rugby-roundup.md
Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource.
Summary
World Rugby’s Shape of the Game summit was billed as a fix-it moment, but David Pembroke, Eddie Jones, and Ewen McKenzie aren’t buying the “no changes to the law” message. From depowered scrums and TMO scope, to red cards and the push for more 15-on-15 time, the crew break down why the sport’s governance keeps kicking the can down the road. There’s heat on the size and power of councils, with comparisons to the RFU’s reforms, plus frustration at the lack of transparency around the global season. On the field, the chat jumps from Ireland vs England and England’s “DNA”, to Super Rugby talking points like Brumbies vs Blues and the Fijian Drua beating the Hurricanes, plus a look at how kicking is shaping results. There’s also a quick snapshot of Germany’s broadcast boost and big Rugby Europe scorelines. Also in this episode: ● World Rugby says no law changes after The Shape of the Game summit ● Eddie Jones: too many people, no decisions made ● Brumbies beat Blues 30-27 after yellow card swing ● England reaction after Ireland loss and George Ford debate ● Ewen McKenzie explains how scrums have been depowered ● Super Rugby kicking stats: Reds, Drua, Crusaders, Chiefs PLUS: A blunt debate on governance, transparency, and whether rugby’s product matches its commercial ambitions. Ask Eddie Jones and Ewen McKenzie anything! Fill out the form below 👇 https://tinyurl.com/rugbyunityquestions 👈👈 👉 Want more from Rugby Unity? Subscribe to our Substack for exclusive content, blogs, behind-the-scenes insights, and full podcast access — all in one place: Rugby Unity | Substack 📧 Get in touch: [email protected] TikTok | Instagram | YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.