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The Rugby Run

Sport Nation
Super Rugby
All Blacks
Blues
Crusaders
Chiefs
Hurricanes
New Zealand Rugby
Rugby
Super Rugby Pacific
Moana Pacifica
Wallabies
Highlanders
Rugby Championship
Brumbies
New Zealand
Rugby World Cup
South Africa
France
Scott Robertson
Waratahs

Rugby Run is Sport Nation's action-packed show dedicated to New Zealand's national game, with expert interviews and high-level insights. Listen live every Sunday from 12 pm on Sport Nation.

PublishesDailyEpisodes400Founded4 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
SportsRugby

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Artwork for The Rugby Run

Latest Episodes

The Rugby Run with Mark Watson - Full Show featuring Super Rugby Pacific CEO Jack Mesley on the qualifying finals, as well as the state of the competition heading into next season.

We also hear from Crusaders assistant coach James Marshall following... more

We hear press conference audio from the six Super Rugby Pacific coaches following the three qualifying matches over the weekend, with wins for the Hurricanes, Chiefs, and Crusaders, and the Blues going through as the lucky loser.

Learn more about yo... more

Crusaders assistant coach James Marshall joins Mark Watson on The Rugby Run to look back on the qualifying final win over the Blues, as well as looking ahead to their mouth-watering semifinal clash next week against the Chiefs in Hamilton.

Learn mor... more

Super Rugby CEO Jack Mesley joins Mark Watson on The Rugby Run to look back at the three qualifying finals from the weekend as well as discussing the state of the competition and how the game is growing both here in New Zealand and across the ditch. more

Key Facts

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Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

James Marshall
Crusaders assistant coach
Crusaders
Episode: James Marshall | Crusaders assistant coach reflects on qualifying final win over the Blues (7/6/26)
Jack Mesley
CEO of Pacifica Super Rugby
Pacifica Super Rugby
Episode: Jack Mesley | Super Rugby CEO on qualifying finals and discussing the state of the competition (7/6/26)
Tana Rumanga
Moana Pacifica representative
Moana Pacifica
Episode: The Rugby Run with Mark Watson | Full Show (31/5/26)
John O'Gibbs
Blues/Chiefs coach (appears on Coaches Corner)
Blues/Coaching staff
Episode: The Coaches Corner | Super Rugby coaches clips from final round of the regular season (31/5/26)
Clark Laidlaw
Hurricanes coach (appears on Coaches Corner)
Hurricanes
Episode: The Coaches Corner | Super Rugby coaches clips from final round of the regular season (31/5/26)
Vern Cotter
Moana Pacifica coach
Moana Pacifica
Episode: The Coaches Corner | Super Rugby coaches clips from final round of the regular season (31/5/26)
Rob Penney
Chiefs coach
Chiefs
Episode: The Coaches Corner | Super Rugby coaches clips from final round of the regular season (31/5/26)
Charlie Riechelmann
Former All Black, Blues player
New Zealand Rugby, Blues
Episode: The Rugby Run with Mark Watson | Full Show (26/4/26)
Keith Quinn
Former rugby commentator, New Zealand
Former TVNZ rugby commentator
Episode: Keith Quinn & Gordon Bray | Legendary rugby commentators look back on the 1987 Rugby World Cup (26/4/26)

Hosts

Mark Watson
Host of the long-running rugby discussion show, known for in-depth analysis, fan engagement, and leadership perspectives.
Charlie Riechelmann
Former All Black and Blues player providing historical and contemporary rugby insights.
Kevin Schuler
Former All Black and influential rugby voice offering high-level analysis.
Ant Strachan
Rugby coach/analyst providing Blues performance insights and selection context.

Reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars from 29 ratings
  • Great use if the bench

    Far better combo than last weeks whingers

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    otago111
    Australia2 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Occasional provocative takes that spark debate.
Strong balance of insider perspectives and fan engagement.
Clear rugby analysis with informed guest insights.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#33
United States/Sports/Rugby
Apple Podcasts
#96
Canada/Sports/Rugby
Apple Podcasts
#184
United Kingdom/Sports/Rugby
Apple Podcasts
#73
Germany/Sports/Rugby
Apple Podcasts
#134
Australia/Sports/Rugby
Apple Podcasts
#11
China/Sports/Rugby

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

James Marshall | Crusaders assistant coach reflects on qualifying final win over the Blues (7/6/26)
Q: What were the key tactical adjustments the Crusaders made to target the Blues?
The team focused on getting quick ball from clean breakdowns and maintaining discipline to pressure the Blues at their breakdown, while also balancing the need to rest players with niggles for the upcoming weeks.
Kevin Schuler | Former All Black reviews the last round of Super Rugby Pacific (31/5/26)
Q: This rest debate—do you think resting players is helping prepare for finals or just frustrating the fans?
The discussion centers on whether resting players serves long-term team health or merely dampens fan engagement; opinions vary, with some arguing it protects key players while others see it as a missed opportunity to build momentum.
The Rugby Run with Mark Watson | Full Show (24/5/26)
Q: Where do you sit with Bowdoin Barrett at the moment and how important are experience vs. form?
Shane Howarth discusses the balance between experience and form, noting Bowdoin Barrett's age and the need for fresh players to push test-level readiness, while acknowledging the value of tested All Blacks in key moments.
Shane Howarth | Former All Black & Welsh international on who Dave Rennie will be looking at for first All Blacks squad (24/5/26)
Q: Where do you sit with Bowdoin Barrett at the moment? How important is experience? How important is form?
Shane emphasizes the ongoing debate between experience and current form, suggesting that while experience matters, players with strong recent form and potential to adapt could be favored, and he would like to see fresh players tested at test level to assess true readiness.
Paul Tito | Blues assistant coach on disappointing loss to Hurricanes at Eden Park (17/5/26)
Q: What changes did you notice from the Crusaders game to this one, and what needed to improve?
They highlighted issues with contact work and decision-making in the ruck, emphasizing a stronger emphasis on contact during the week and a need to win those collisions to get quick ball on their side.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
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Age Range
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Rugby Run

What is The Rugby Run about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A chart-topping, opinion-driven rugby show focused on New Zealand's domestic and international scenes, with deep dives into Super Rugby results, All Blacks selections, coaching strategies, and governance issues. Episodes frequently feature insider perspectives from former players, commentators, and coaches, plus live fan input that fuels heated debates on player development, talent pathways, and the sport's commercial pressures. Notable around-the-edges moments include concussion discussions, stadium and branding talk, and cross-border perspectives from Australian rugby pundits, all combining into a lively, opinionated snapshot of the NZ rugby landscape with a strong emphasis on preparation, selection dynamics, and long-term development ver... more

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How many listeners does The Rugby Run get?

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How many subscribers and views does The Rugby Run have?

To see how many followers or subscribers The Rugby Run has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to The Rugby Run?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Rugby Run:

1. Aotearoa Rugby Pod
2. Rugby Direct
3. DSPN - Devlin Sports Podcast Network
4. Millsy & Guy
5. What a Lad

How many episodes of The Rugby Run are there?

The Rugby Run launched 4 years ago and published 400 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact The Rugby Run?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for The Rugby Run?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for The Rugby Run from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

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What guests have appeared on The Rugby Run?

Recent guests on The Rugby Run include:

1. James Marshall
2. Jack Mesley
3. Tana Rumanga
4. John O'Gibbs
5. Clark Laidlaw
6. Vern Cotter
7. Rob Penney
8. Charlie Riechelmann

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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