{"podcast":{"title":"US Rugby Happy Hour","slug":"us-rugby-happy-hour-5908060","podcast_index_feed_id":5908060,"rss_url":"https://feeds.megaphone.fm/COMG3470110308","website_url":"https://americanrugbyrising.com/","image_url":"https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/f3eec480-f25e-11ee-9426-af54d548641e/image/d46025ae63b05c34dd2fcd43c7c1f94e.jpg?ixlib=rails-4.3.1&max-w=3000&max-h=3000&fit=crop&auto=format,compress","author":"Bill Baker","episode_count":201,"summary":"US Rugby Happy Hour, hosted by the dynamic duo of Bill Baker of American Rugby Rising and John Fitzpatrick of Rugby Morning, is a captivating blend of insightful rugby discussions, entertaining banter, and a celebration of the sport’s spirit. With their wealth of knowledge and infectious enthusiasm, Bill and Fitzy create an engaging space for rugby enthusiasts to connect and revel in the game’s glory. Whether delving into the latest matches or sharing anecdotes with special guests, this live show is a must-attend for anyone passionate about rugby, offering a delightful intersection of camaraderie and sports analysis. Guests have included head coaches Gary Gold, Rob Cain and Mike Friday. USA Eagles Joe Taufete’e, Greg Peterson, Kate Zackary, Hope Rogers, Christian Dyer, and Hall of Famers, Dan Lyle and Todd Clever. Major League Rugby stars Mitch Wilson, Nick Civetta, Connor Mooneyham and former MLR Commissioner, George Killebrew. Those covering the news too, including Brian Ray of Americas Rugby News and Wendy Young of YSC Rugby. Join us live on Facebook and Youtube (show days and times vary), or catch the Podcast replays right here! Follow @AmerRugbyRising on Twitter and @American…","last_synced_at":"2026-07-17T10:22:16.169424+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/us-rugby-happy-hour-5908060"},"episode":{"title":"The Windy City’s Steel Boot: Chris Hilsenbeck on the Hounds’ Undefeated Run","slug":"the-windy-city-s-steel-boot-chris-hilsenbeck-on-the-hounds-undefeated-run","published_at":"2026-05-14T00:00:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/us-rugby-happy-hour-5908060/the-windy-city-s-steel-boot-chris-hilsenbeck-on-the-hounds-undefeated-run","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/us-rugby-happy-hour-5908060","url":"https://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/pscrb.fm/rss/p/traffic.megaphone.fm/COMG7242033472.mp3?updated=1778707473","audio_url":"https://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/pscrb.fm/rss/p/traffic.megaphone.fm/COMG7242033472.mp3?updated=1778707473","summary":"Get ready for a high-octane interview with USA Eagle #590 and Chicago Hounds fly-half Chris Hilsenbeck. We kick things off with a custom intro song—featuring a \"boot made of steel\"—that gets the man himself pumped for the pitch. Bill and Fitzy dive into Chris’s unique journey from being born in California to growing up in the rugby hotbed of Heidelberg, Germany, and eventually finding his way back to the U.S. to lead the Windy City’s charge in Major League Rugby. The Chicago Hounds are currently the talk of the league, sitting undefeated and 12 points clear of the competition. Chris discusses the \"target on their backs,\" the importance of defensive growth, and the organization's laser-focus on reaching the MLR Finals—which just happen to be hosted at their home field this year. Will this be the year the New England Free Jacks' reign finally comes to an end? Tune in to find out how the Hounds plan to secure the shield. —————————————— Connect with US Rugby Happy Hour: Twitter: https://x.com/AmerRugbyRising Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/americanrugbyrising/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AmericanRugbyRising/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@americanrugbyrising Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@americanrugbyrising BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/americanrugbyrisin.bsky.social LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3OjEHf8 🎧 Listen to this and previous episodes of US Rugby Happy Hour on Youtube and your favorite podcast player today! iHeart: bit.ly/3A43Tff Apple: bit.ly/3Uuj9u7 Spotify: bit.ly/3ZxjAa0 Youtube: https://bit.ly/3ZUs7oV Like, follow, and subscribe and please leave a comment!! Check out americanrugbyrising.com for the latest on your USA Eagles, schedules, news and more, and visit rugbymorning.com for the latest on ALL rugby! Hosts, Bill Baker and John Fitzpatrick…","meta_description":"Get ready for a high-octane interview with USA Eagle #590 and Chicago Hounds fly-half Chris Hilsenbeck. We kick things off with a custom intro song—featur…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":2261,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/us-rugby-happy-hour-5908060/episodes/the-windy-city-s-steel-boot-chris-hilsenbeck-on-the-hounds-undefeated-run/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/us-rugby-happy-hour-5908060/the-windy-city-s-steel-boot-chris-hilsenbeck-on-the-hounds-undefeated-run.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}