Ford and Steward return as England load the bench again

Rugby Union Weekly

BBC

Sports, Sports News, News, Rugby

4.6 • 5.2K Ratings

🗓️ 11 November 2025

⏱️ 55 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Are England capable of beating the All Blacks for the first time since 2019? And is this side ready to take a big scalp? Ashy and Chris head to the England team hotel and chat to Steve Borthwick about his selection which sees George Ford return at fly-half and Fin Smith drop out of the 23-man squad. They also catch up with Freddie Steward who gives a fascinating insight into dealing with the high ball under the new laws and he gives us a detailed account of how he dislocated his finger against Australia. Chris has also been to see the New Zealand head coach Scott Robertson who wants to deliver a Grand Slam this autumn.

Transcript

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0:00.0	BBC Sounds, Music, Radio, podcasts.
0:07.0	Hello, Living Legends, I'm Laura Whitmore.
0:09.5	And I'm Ian Sterling. It's officially cozy season, people.
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0:38.4	Five Lives Rugby Union Weekly.
0:43.1	Okay, Robb Union Weekly, England Team Hotel.
0:45.6	Ashy loads to come on the pod after the England team has just dropped for the All Blacks.
0:52.4	Good to see you, Christoph.
0:53.9	Yeah, good to see you as well.
0:55.0	You really don't like it when I go straight into formalities. If I text you and I go and ask you a question, you go, Hey, Christoph, I'm fine, thanks, thanks for asking every single time. It's like I have to go, hi Chris, how are you? Were you not, as a kid, were you not taught manners in any? I think with WhatsApp, we've moved so far beyond that in the WhatsApp game.
1:12.7	Not if there's a WhatsApp after three months.
1:14.4	No, but it'd be WhatsApp. As a kid, were you not taught manners in any... I think with WhatsApp, we've moved so far beyond that in the WhatsApp game.
1:12.6	Not if it's a WhatsApp after three months. No, it'd be WhatsApp after three days, then you'd be, yeah, I'm fine, thanks, Chris. No, three days is fine. I really appreciate your concern. I'm like, so now I've got to go, hi, Ashley, Chris Jones here. We work together on the everyday weekly podcast. okay I really hope you're well. I explained this to you last time. There's a certain
1:28.9	time frame where it's been too long and you do actually on the Raffirited A Weekly podcast. Are you okay? I really hope you're well. I explained this to you
1:27.7	last time. There's a certain time frame where it's been too long and you do actually need to ask how people are. You are never. You're just straight at it. It's like I don't care about this person at all. I'm just going to ask them what I need and I'm going to go away from it. That's it. Right, Rubin Weekly. Chris Ashton, how are you, Chris? Good to see you.
	...

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