The Lekker Rugby Pod!

If South Africa isn't going to out-carry the All Blacks, what exactly is the plan?Harry Jones and MW Welman turn from New Zealand's carrying numbers straight to the Springboks' answer: a deliberate, aggressive, relentless kicking framework built by Tony Brown around contestable ball. We explain why last year's kicking meltdown against Australia wasn't actually Tony Brown's system, and what the real version looks like when it's executed properly.We also unveil the name we are giving this Springbok kicking system, with a cheeky nod to a very different kind of takeaway, and walk through the law change nobody talks about that's quietly reshaped the modern kicking game in South Africa's favour.In this episode:- Tony Brown's philosophy on turning every kick into a genuine weapon- Why the Boks' kicking collapse against Australia gets misunderstood- The law change that's rewarded South Africa more than anyone else- The name Harry and MW are giving South Africa's kicking system

Is Dave Rennie about to gamble the All Blacks' entire identity on one number?Harry Jones built a blunt, simple, unavoidable stat called CPR: carries, passes and rucks combined, to track how hard a team commits to running rugby. Under Rennie, New Zealand's CPR has shot past anything the All Blacks have recorded, and it isn't a fluke or a cherry-picked result.We answer our harshest critics on the methodology, and ask the harder question: what four brutal tests against the world's most physical pack actually costs a team built to carry, pass and ruck at this rate.In this episode:- Why New Zealand's CPR under Dave Rennie has never been higher- Harry and MW answer their critics' methodology line by line- What four tests against the Springboks costs a high-carry side- Why Rennie may be betting his contract on this gamble

Is Dave Rennie asking too much of his All Blacks before a ball's even been kicked in South Africa?
Harry Jones and MW Welman dig into Harry's own CPR index, combined carries, passes and rucks, and what it's showing about Rennie's opening rounds. New Zealand's CPR under Rennie is the highest on record for an All Blacks side, well past Steve Hansen's peak teams and Scott Robertson's numbers under Razor. Harry thinks that pace was built for opponents who aren't the Springboks.
Harry walks through the historical CPR data, from the 2015 semi-final to Twickenham 2019 to last year's World Cup final, and explains why more carries, passes and rucks doesn't automatically mean a better system. MW pushes back with the case for Rennie's game plan.
In this episode:
- What CPR actually measures, and why coaches and analysts have started using it
- Why Rennie's 581 CPR is unprecedented for an All Blacks side
- How much the series hinges on Cam Roigard staying fit
- Why Ardie Savea and the pack face a different kind of physical test in South Africa

How brutal will the Greatest Rivalry Tour with the Springboks and All Blacks series really get?Martin Devlin joins MW Welman and Harry Jones to break down New Zealand's Nations Championship form ahead of the All Blacks' first tour of South Africa in 30 years. This isn't just a form debrief. It's the opening bell for Ellis Park. Devlin explains where Dave Rennie's side has progressed, what still worries him about untested combinations, and why this rivalry now outweighs the British and Irish Lions series. Harry pushes back with his own concerns about Rassie Erasmus's rotation gamble and whether the Springboks have had their strongest team on the field together at all.In this episode:- Devlin's verdict on what kind of team the All Blacks have become- Whether Rassie's rotation policy leaves the Boks undercooked for the first test- The scrum battle, and why it opens the real fight- The new All Blacks combinations Devlin is watching closest before Ellis ParkIf you enjoy the show, the best thing you can do is LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, and hit the BELL so you never miss an episode.

What if the gap between the All Blacks, the Springboks and the rest of world rugby is bigger than anyone realised?Harry Jones has built something new for the pod: CPR, a specific, simple, brutal statistic that tracks how much each team carries, passes and rucks the ball in attack. Run it across the Nations Championship so far and the picture is stark. New Zealand and South Africa sit at opposite ends of the scale, but both are miles ahead of everyone chasing them.In this episode:- Harry unveils the CPR index and walks through how it's calculated- Why the All Blacks build almost double the rucks of the Springboks- How the All Blacks and Springboks each embody a completely different way to attack- What the numbers mean for selection and conditioning heading into 2027MW and Harry dig into what the numbers actually show, and where the theory still needs work.