Do the Prem's blowouts challenge its franchise future?
The Ruck
Reynolds Alfie
3.4 • 566 Ratings
🗓️ 20 April 2026
⏱️ 60 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
It was a week of contrasts in both the Prem and Women's 6 Nations.
In the Gallagher Prem the league continues to attract new investment but Sale were humiliated at home on Sunday, whilst Gloucester, Newcastle and Harlequins also suffered heavy defeats. Was that down to a lack of jeopardy due to no relegation? Or other factors?
Scotland v England at Murrayfield set a new record attendance for a standalone women's sporting event north of the border. But, on the pitch are the sides further apart than ever after England's thumping win? When will the Red Roses next lose?
Plus, Joe Launchbury chats to Alfie & Will after he announced he would retire from rugby at the end of the season.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Hello, this is the Ruck, the journalist's rugby podcast from The Times and the Sunday Times. |
| 0:20.0 | It was a week of contrasting fortunes in both the Gallagher Prem and the Women's Six Nations. Welcome along. I'm Alfie Reynolds. And to help me dissect it, to review it alongside me in studio on a Monday morning is Charlie Morgan. Morning, Charlie. Hello, pal. How are we? Very well, thank you. Well, we're going to get, we've got lots to get into, but you were actually at the best game of the weekend. One of the best games of the season at Sandy Park. |
| 0:40.9 | We'll come on to that. How are we? Very well, thank you. Well, we're going to get, we've got lots to get into, but you were actually at the best game of the weekend. |
| 0:38.7 | One of the best games of the season at Sandy Park. |
| 0:40.9 | We'll come on to that. Down the line, joining us this week. Back on the Ruck is Will Keleher. How you doing, Will? Hello, I feel a bit isolated here, lads. I'm in our Derbyshire studios. and Alf you've done a nice job decking it out actually |
| 0:53.1 | it's a lovely spot up here |
| 0:54.2 | there's lambs out the window |
| 0:56.0 | sun is shining |
| 0:57.2 | it's all good up north apart from where sail sharks are playing which we might get onto step in there you can't be calling Derbyshire the North Midlands Controversial straight away I don't think you can you're're close but not quite. I think we'd be |
| 1:11.1 | letting down on people. It is. It is. Yorkshire is pretty close to me here Charlie and you |
| 1:17.0 | write about Yorkshire and last week and they would say that they're very north. Like over the |
| 1:21.9 | bridge round the corner is a pub called the Yorkshire Bridge. So that's got to be north, |
| 1:26.3 | isn't it? Okay. Yeah, I think you're getting there, probably. |
| 1:29.2 | Well, not to start on too controversial a footing, |
| 1:32.0 | but the ruck at the times.com.com. |
| 1:33.3 | UK is Derbyshire in the north. |
| 1:35.6 | People can get in touch. |
| 1:36.7 | I bet we'll end up getting more interaction on that one question |
| 1:40.3 | than we do on anything else. |
| 1:41.6 | But welcome along, everyone. |
| 1:44.1 | As I mentioned already, a real |
| 1:46.3 | kind of contrast, I think, in some of the results this week, women's six nations, and in particular |
... |
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