{"podcast":{"title":"Rugby Unity","slug":"rugby-unity-7315104","podcast_index_feed_id":7315104,"rss_url":"https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/67b5539aef66dc14d103716d","website_url":"https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/contentrfc","image_url":"https://assets.pippa.io/shows/67b5539aef66dc14d103716d/1745993050152-0538e3c1-8b06-40b3-900a-3b037a8dc484.jpeg","author":"contentRFC","episode_count":144,"summary":"Hosted by Eddie Jones, Ewen McKenzie, and David Pembroke, Rugby Unity is the global rugby podcast that tackles the game’s biggest issues — on and off the field. This is where strong opinions meet smart analysis. Eddie Jones and Ewen McKenzie bring decades of international coaching experience at the very top level, while David Pembroke draws on 35 years as a rugby journalist and strategist. Together, they cut through the noise with insights you won’t hear anywhere else. Rugby Unity is more than a podcast. It’s a community of fans, players, coaches, and leaders committed to securing rugby’s future prosperity worldwide. One sport. Millions of voices. This is Rugby Unity. Get in touch: info@rugbyunity.com.au Have your question answered on the show: Rugby Unity Survey Get FREE exclusive content: Substack Dive into the world of rugby: YouTube | TikTok | Instagram | Facebook Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.","last_synced_at":"2026-07-13T12:18:28.406382+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/rugby-unity-7315104"},"episode":{"title":"World Rugby’s Strategic Plan + ERC Finals & Crunch Creator Sensation!","slug":"world-rugby-s-strategic-plan-erc-finals-crunch-creator-sensation","published_at":"2026-05-25T02:56:25+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/rugby-unity-7315104/world-rugby-s-strategic-plan-erc-finals-crunch-creator-sensation","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/rugby-unity-7315104","url":"https://shows.acast.com/contentrfc/episodes/6a13ba59cb11d38a8b286722","audio_url":"https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/67b5539aef66dc14d103716d/e/6a13ba59cb11d38a8b286722/media.mp3","summary":"World Rugby’s strategic plan has finally landed, and David Pembroke and Ewen McKenzie get stuck into what it says, what it dodges, and what it must deliver by 2031. Before the strategy chat, they react to a huge weekend in Bilbao: Montpellier smashing Ulster 59-26 and Bordeaux beating Leinster 41-19 in front of massive crowds, plus a debate on whether the Top 14 is now setting the pace. Ewen breaks down Bordeaux’s defence, Lucu’s standout influence, and a contentious yellow card for a hair pull on Joe McCarthy. Then it’s into the bigger picture: why rugby needs a clear plan, why “enriching lives” matters, and why accountability needs real numbers, not vague ambition. The episode also hits player welfare, the Nations Championship concept, women’s rugby investment targets, and the risk of relying on World Cup revenue. Eddie Jones is absent this week. Also in this episode: ● Montpellier maul power overwhelms Ulster in Bilbao final. ● Bordeaux out-defend Leinster as Lucu controls the match. ● Debate: Top 14 now the premier domestic competition? ● Player welfare concerns around Nations Championship travel and workload. ● Women’s rugby growth targets and £50 million investment focus. ● Crunch Creator shows new ways to build rugby fandom. PLUS: The episode pushes for real accountability in World Rugby’s strategy, with clear targets for participation, fans, and revenue. RUGBY UNITY LIVE! IN NEWCASTLE 10 JULY 2026: https://tickets.iwannaticket.com.au/event/hunter-rugby-luncheon-japan-v-ireland-61ffdo SIGN UP TO THE BIG 3 HERE: https://tinyurl.com/big3rugbyunity 👈👈 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…","meta_description":"World Rugby’s strategic plan has finally landed, and David Pembroke and Ewen McKenzie get stuck into what it says, what it dodges, and what it must delive…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":4384,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/rugby-unity-7315104/episodes/world-rugby-s-strategic-plan-erc-finals-crunch-creator-sensation/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/rugby-unity-7315104/world-rugby-s-strategic-plan-erc-finals-crunch-creator-sensation.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}