Rugby TTL - Series 2 - Episode 22 - 2025 Review!

Rugby TTL Podcast 2025 Year in Review & 2026 Preview

Welcome to the final recording of the Rugby TTL podcast in 2025! Join us as we reflect on an incredible year, review our journey, and share exciting plans for 2026. From growing our team and followers to unforgettable matches and remarkable guests, dive into our biggest milestones and future ambitions. Celebrate with us as we recall amazing moments, such as Spain's Rugby Europe championships, standout grassroots games, and memorable podcast episodes featuring top rugby personalities. Looking ahead, get ready for more exclusive content, live streams, and behind-the-scenes insights in the coming year. Thank you for your continued support, and here's to an even bigger 2026!

00:00 Introduction and Year-End Reflection
00:43 Team Expansion and Collaborations
01:58 Social Media Growth and Strategy
04:11 2025 Highlights and Key Episodes
05:59 Grassroots Rugby and International Coverage
08:59 Special Guests and Memorable Interviews
21:04 Looking Ahead to 2026
23:40 Closing Remarks and Gratitude

Transcript

Rugby TTL: 2025 Year-in-Review Reflections

[00:00:00] hello and welcome to the final recording of the Rugby TTL podcast in 2025. Don't panic, we are not giving up. However, I just wanted to jump on and do a little recording to wrap the year up, and I thought it'd be fitting to just sort of do it by myself. We, uh, we've had one hell of a year and I'm still trying to sort of decipher how this year has gone and how we go and push on to 2026.

'cause it's been absolutely amazing to, to see everyone that's starting to buy into what we're trying to do and to. The diversity of the following that we've sort of gathered and the group that we've grown. And obviously we went into the start of 2025 with just me, Buster, and Adam. Um, obviously it'd been me for most of the year this year.

We've now obviously brought on Poly Kent's come on board. [00:01:00] Obviously Adam's still going strong Busters. Pretty busy with a lot of other stuff, so he's not as available as he as he hoped. Same with Ken, obviously. Come on. Got a little bit busy. Managed to bring Polly on board, which has obviously helped a lot add in a different aspect.

Keith. It has obviously come on for the Irish contingent, which we'll see more of Keith in 2026 again. Um, and then obviously Lucho brought on for the Argentinian side, which has been an amazing, a addition to, to the channel and, and then obviously Nacho in the background helping us with all the graphics and and stuff.

Yeah. And obviously John. Come on board to, to do the editing for most of the podcast. I haven't rope him in to do this one 'cause it's between Christmas and year. Yeah, I'll let him have a bit of time actually. But it's just been, it's just been phenomenal. Just how to watch everything grow and evolve. And just [00:02:00] I, I had a quick look back at the figures, and we've started 2025 with just over a thousand followers on Instagram, and I think we'd barely hit that on other platforms.

And then last check, we're just short three and a half thousand on Instagram, over 7,000 on YouTube. Not nowhere near on TikTok and it, LinkedIn we're doing, got sizable numbers, but I I, I dunno how we, we we're potentially gonna streamline our focus within it. I don't think TikTok works for us as a, as a channel.

I'm not, I'm not young and hip enough, I don't think so, whether we, whether we move away from certain channels and, and sort of dial in on focus. I think Facebook. Has, has put a real big push on us as well, and, and YouTube. So I think they're sort of the longer formats and, uh, and different platforms might be how we [00:03:00] move forward as a, as a channel.

But obviously we're happy to, to listen to what people want. But to carry on with TikTok for a waste of time that it, that it gets response. I think it's probably one of them that, we'll, we'll just let Peter off. It won't probably be, continue with TikTok, but. Just to see where we've been and where we're progressing and the, the views and the figures is, is just crazy.

I think we come into 2025. With roughly 5,000 views a month, and then we are gonna round up December with nearly 400,000 views. It's, it's testament to everyone that dials, uh, dials in and watches what we do, and we're still learning. We're still, we're not even two years as a channel. So it's amazing to know that people were willing to listen to, to our ramblings and.

And the guests we've had on this year has been crazy. So I've [00:04:00] gone back over 2025 and a bit of a breakdown 'cause I didn't, just amazed writing it down the, the names that we've had on board and. Where have we been? So we started January with a double header in Guernsey. I went back, obviously flew back. Me and Adam flew over to Guernsey, did a weekend over there.

What a great double header rugby. That was great fun. Followed up with Adam going to Farmer Against Eastly. So another, another grassroots episode. We managed to get in there. We then got one of our better episodes done for the Six Nations Fantasy episode. I'll put a link above this so that you can go back and watch that.

'cause we are definitely gonna do that again. It's gonna be more involved, hopefully more episodes as well, rather than just the, the one off that we made of it. We're gonna do a little bit of a more of interactive, an interactive way of it, and hopefully weekly episodes and stuff like that of how we're gonna change the teams and stuff like that.

So it's definitely coming back. Don't worry about that. That [00:05:00] we are back invol for the Six Nations fantasy again. That was a good one. A good fun. And then. Managed to get on board with a TR to do the Rugby Europe championships and wow, what a, what an eye opener that was managing to go and watch Spain against the Netherlands in Madrid for the first time press, able to admit interview with Mario and um, obviously Matt Folds managed to catch up with a pair of them and.

Then going back for the Spain against George again when I managed to catch hold of Matt again and managed to get hold of a few, um, obviously managed to get hold of Richard Cockrell, the Netherlands team. I managed to get hold of Tim Young, uh, spike managed to get hold of, um, Nick Raymond as well before he retired.

Like just some of these players have managed to catch up with. Some of them I'm still able to in touch with now is just phenomenal and grassroots days again continued. We had [00:06:00] Andover Twos against Romsey. We had Pitfield Twos against Chichester Twos. We managed to cover the Roslyn Park against Rugby, rugby against Cancer game as well.

But to be there for Spain, qualifying for the World Cup, even after them losing against Georgia in that game, they still qualified and it was. Wow. Just the atmosphere and just being part of what that's gonna be coming in the future for Spain. Obviously now we know, know where the well cup bid gone in and we'll do a, we'll do a bit more around that 'cause I've previously done an article when it, when it sort of first surfaced in April.

But yeah, that's gonna be massive for Spain Rugby and as we go through the, the year it's. It is become a major part of this channel and can't wait for it. We then managed to get in March, managed to get over to Portugal for the Iberian Derby and the Rugby Europe championships, watching Spain win in the semifinal, the Rugby Europe [00:07:00] championships against their, their arch rivals.

And to do it again, managed to catch up again with Mario and with Matt and Thomas Appleton as well. Just the Portuguese, the accommodation as well. For me, being able to go and access the Portuguese side later on in the year was just phenomenal and a great bunch. I know obviously it's across the Iberian border, but two amazing rugby nations.

It's been an absolute honor to be around and talk about and. Stuff. Grassroots days obviously didn't stop. We managed to get Chin against Alton. We also managed to get the Helen Live versus Kroger two's canceled. Game on where Kent just walked around. The car park basically managed to pop back, did a sand down Shanklin versus Gosport for a round day, and then Pompe twos against Southampton as well, was thrown in.

I also managed to get down to Spain. Women's versus Brazil. Women's down in Toca managed to. Interview Bimba, [00:08:00] who's also been a massive help for the channel. And Claudia Pena, who's been named Best Player of the year. There's a reason she's just top class, as we all know. We obviously had the new Stash competition as well with your club Stash and Nvidia, uh, Vidia.

Sorry. Um. Yeah. What a, what A little bit of interaction there. That kit's still available. I'll put a link up. You can still go and buy it. Wanna really try and push that this year and grow our, our sort of stash push in as well. I think there's, there's more that we should be doing with that. Then rolled into April, we managed to get Trojans versus Eastly in, haven't Women's against Hackney ladies where, um.

Adam managed to get interviews with World Cup winners and just players of just wanting to be. At games was just phenomenal. [00:09:00] We restarted the pods, which I managed to get Simon Middleton on as well. What guests will put that in the, in the top corner somewhere, wherever it goes for you to go back and watch that one?

'cause that was a, that was a great episode. To get back into the, into the pod mix, I actually got invited on to do an episode with Hugh Griffin as well about Spanish rugby. One of his highest ever viewed. Uh, videos as well, which is great to to be a part of. That'll be up there as well, so you can go back and watch more ramblings there.

And then on the, on the turn, so between in, into April into May, I managed to go back for London City sevenths with a TR. Uh, obviously Dan managed to pull off an absolute event with the London City Sevens and to be able to be part of that got roped in to help. Actually coordinate bits on the day, but absolutely loved it.

Great bunch. Then managed to, I had to sort of dart back out for my birthday on the, the days after. [00:10:00] So yeah, it was a quick flying visit, but what a day. Managed to catch an interview with Rodrigo Escrow. Managed to interview with Mike Friday. Come on later, later on in the po uh, series. Um, Lennox, who's gone over to Montpelier.

Uh, it's just. Uh, Makita Lewis as well. What, what? Just a great bunch of people managed to chat with a load of the, um, Quin players afterwards when they were on their social. Yeah, it was a great, great event and looking forward to hopefully being able to get back out onto that one this year 'cause that's, looks like it's gonna be even bigger.

And then Maid didn't slow down, so managed to get Sean Ingham from obviously Rugby, Germany fame and. Maiden heads what, uh, what top bloke. Really, really good episode. That one would be up there as well. We had the Chene from a TR episode as well. That was a, that was a great one. I've known how good, good value [00:11:00] is and yeah, I'll take claim to getting him out into the public for, from that episode as well.

'cause that was a banger. Um, that'll be up there in the top corner or wherever it goes. And then Steve Noble again, we had another great one talking about Asia rugby and now a few more things that we discussed on that episode has actually come to light now in the real world. So yeah, it's, uh, it's been good fun.

We then managed to get Costa Blanker Sevens with the Sweden team and what a day out that was. Great Bunch. Managed to get close up with it. Uh, and again, that was sorted by your club stash and, uh, a really good push for, for both, both aspects. The Sweden lads were great, great bunch. Managed to get some great content down there with 'em, and what an event.

Hopefully we'll be able to get down to the cost of blanket sevens again this year as well. I'm sure. Me being able to pop down the road to, to watch a bit of rugby in the [00:12:00] sun is not gonna be a write off, that's for sure. Then we sort of focused back more into the pod in June. We managed to get Ben Herring on what a, what a guest and his podcast is flying.

That episode's gonna be up there as well. Adam McBurney as well. Bang that up there in a minute. We managed to get Hugh Griffin on to talk about the Lions. Then Mario Bacardi, they're, they're a big one for me. I, I remember saying when we first started the channel, many moons back now what it feels like. I wanted to try and get Mario on as a guest and I actually sent him a message and, uh, he left me on red, I think.

But. We finally managed to get him on and to talk to him about Spain and his career, moving to France and. Obviously the progression of the Spanish team has been phenomenal, gutted to hear again. He's injured and looks like he's out of the Rugby Europe championship and out for the rest of the season.

It's a real shame. Really nice lad as well and hopefully we can get him back [00:13:00] fit ready for that. Well cup charge for 2027 and then we finished with another blinder as well. John Clark up there mate. Uh, he's done wonders with me this year and just an absolute honor to be able to text the bloke. As a mate, as well, as a, as a coach, to get me into some sort of shape.

I've managed to lose a good bit of timber, feeling better for it. And yeah, it's, it's an honor to be able to have him on the end of the phone for any advice. Somebody that's been plodding around in many different guises of strong man and stuff like this similar path. Not the running though, it's not for me, not, uh, not interested, but then July.

We flew off to a banger. Again, Thomas, Thomas Appleton, Portuguese, captain on perfectly timed just before the Portugal Island Day game. We prob, they probably don't want me to talk about that, but what a spectacle that was. Managed to meet up with Keith. That's how we managed to now get Keith on board.

Managed to meet up [00:14:00] with with Ethan and Owen as well. Had a good little random boys weekend there in the middle of Lisbon. Managed to. Cover the game as well. It was just crazy to watch. Um, Portugal probably at the lowest point they've been for a very long time, and hopefully the only way is up for them. I think Portugal, Spain, all of these teams, we need a competitive Rugby Europe model to be able to push forward with.

Um, with the focus of making sure that we can actually put it in the bigger, bigger limelight. If you've got teams that are struggling, we're not gonna, really, everyone looks at tier two as, as a generalization rather than individual merits. If we've got multiple teams fighting on multiple fronts, I think it can only be a.

We also managed to get our first Spanish podcast interview done with, uh, Lucho. Managed to get Santiago Guran Donna [00:15:00] on as well. Great guest, only a short form one on our Instagram and stuff, so it was good to get that underway and good, good sort of viewing entry for, for the Argentinian contingent that we've now sort of gathered.

Scott Steele, come on as well. Was great to chat with Scott. Great value, really top bloke as well. Good fun, and um. Stories of, uh, of Finn Russell being the trolley dolly on the private jet plane on the back, on the way back after winning. The cow cutter cup is always good value for anyone. And then Soland Sevens, we had a great day out.

Soland Sevens, I unfortunately wasn't able to make it, but what a day out, what a, what an event. And looking forward to being around that again this year. It would be really good value for. For everyone. It was great fun. A lot of people got down there and yeah, led onto a great August again as well. So August started with a bang.

Managed to get to England, Spain Women's at Wellford Roads. What a day out? Great, great [00:16:00] effort by the Spanish ladies even though the school line didn't show, but pre well cup. Absolutely Bob on. Got invited along to the Spain Women's Press conference that we managed to send Izzy to 'cause she was in Madrid.

So that was good to, to manage to get some more coverage for the women's game ahead of the World Cup. Always good to, to see the game grow in Spain, women's and men's. It's critical for all of us to. To incorporate the game and the women's are doing so well. Um, and obviously would be a lot further up the league model if it wasn't for previous decisions in, uh, with Italy being incorporated, shall we say.

And then grassroots days were back in a preseason format. Got Camberley women's Adam, went down, wasn't roped into training himself. Um, probably 'cause his ankle wouldn't have allowed it. And then Polly and Adam went to land a rugby club for the preseason, double header, [00:17:00] absolute bangers, but it was probably the wettest rugby grassroots day we've possibly had since Adam went to um, o Overton, not Overton.

Uh. I can't, I'll dig it out and I'll put it in the top corner. But he went, he went somewhere and it was probably the wettest one. He was hidden away waiting for, uh, in a, in a shipping container. So, great times. And then I managed to get over to rugby club, Luxembourg Water. What an evening. That was great fun.

Managed to chat with Matt. Um, managed. Chat with most of the boys that are now part of the Luxembourg sides. Managed to tee up on the, uh, James Kent interview later on in the year as well. And yeah, it was an absolute, absolute day out. Weather was glorious for a change apparently that was normally not the best option to go, but phenomenal, [00:18:00] absolutely phenomenal.

And, uh, yeah, it was good fun. Teed up some, hopefully some, uh, trips to Luxembourg later on as well, so it was good fun. September saw the the big Marcos Monnet interview from Lucho as well. That one's still available. Bang that in the top corner as well. That's a good one for any, anyone that wants to know about the fastest man in sevens.

He is lightning, that's for sure. And then we were back rugby season, started September back with the barbarians, back playing again. We sort of reformatted the grassroots days and trialed that at Gosport and then older Shot and Fleet. It was great to to see how that took off, and I think the new format works really well for, for us and for the clubs.

We continued that into October with us. Pompe Trojans, Bournemouth Twos, obviously that was supposed to have been a double header, but that got shit canned because of Player Unavailability. We dabbled into live [00:19:00] streams, which are gonna be back in 2026 as well. So that was always good fun. Rugby Europe, super cup, well underway, Argentinian content in full, full flow.

Lucho was pulling out magic. And then the James Ken, I viewer, was an absolute blinder as well. Top bloke. Really, really nice one. That's up the top corner there. It led perfectly into November. We were just busy with loads of the Spanish content. Now obviously the Spanish leagues is growing and growing and growing.

That's taken up most of the time. That was hard to get podcasts chucked in, but we got Mike Friday in. That was a good, really good interview that's up there as well. Island Day Against Spain with Keith was a great day out Again, what a spectacle of of Rugby Island really went through the gears. And put a proper test on Spain.

Spain managed to test it. Unfortunately, we, uh, weather and illness wipes me out of going to the England a. And then the feed you game two. So [00:20:00] unfortunately we only got to one November International this, this November, but obviously managed to cover them alongside a TR with all the articles and and stuff like that.

So that was really good fun to. Still keep on top of everything that was going. And then Lucho pulled out an absolute banger in December. The Stein P Show interview at the top corner. Absolute revelations and a really massive guest to get onto the channel. We followed it up with Auman National reviews.

There's two of them. They're gonna be up the top corner. Ben Donald was the Boxing Day episode. And then VO was a Spain Pod episode. Great fun. Again, really good December for podcasts and really good fun with a lot of these. And yeah, it's just plenty. I just can't believe. And then we finished the year with the, the Sausage derby, the Ner against Chester.

The coverage has been [00:21:00] phenomenal. And yeah, we then got. 2026. Where do we go? Where do we start? Um, I know we've got a lot lined up. Argentina content with Lucho. Massive live streams will be back. The Spain content leagues are in full flow. We're getting to the business end now. They ain't slowing down.

We've got the Greece championships are now obviously in flow. We've got the Rugby Europe championships coming. In February, we've also got the Rugby Europe Super Cup finishing up. We've got just untold, we've got lots coming up. We've got another couple of grassroots days. We've got, we've got a double header coming out start of January.

So yeah, 2026 is gonna be big and. It's gonna be even bigger. I can't wait to share it all with you. Once it, once it comes, but [00:22:00] drop a comment. Any other bits you want us to do in 2026? Do you wanna know more about what we do behind the scenes? What we do are playing life? I dunno. Is there any other bits you guys, or do you want us just to keep focusing solely on rugby, Spain?

Island grassroots is coming as well. We've got some them sneaking in through Keith. Grassroots rugby in England's gonna carry on. We've got obviously Spain. I'm gonna hopefully get around a few Spain ones. We've gotta get, I've gotta get the season outta the way. I'm still playing, I'll say playing coaching as well.

What about days in the life as a coach? Under sixteens, under fourteens, it's, it's a, it's a long, it's a long battle having to try and help coach kids. And it's so rewarding though. Um, if there's, that's some of the interested people that I can share that with 'em. I would more than happily do, [00:23:00] do that. We're open to ideas.

We want to do more. If you want to be involved as well, just drop us a message. And if you know anyone that wants to be a guest, 'cause we've got some bangers lined up still, but we've our doors wide open. Um, we'll probably try and run the pod through till the end of the season and then have the summer off rather than just trying to shoehorn stuff.

So series two isn't done yet. I think we're gonna run this till probably the end of April. End of March, Mar end, end of April at a push. Depends how we go. We'll probably get all the games covered in, but yeah. Probably go back to fortnightly episodes, but we'll see if we've got guests. We've got guests that we haven't, we haven't.

And I just wanna say massive thank you to everyone for joining. And I know I've rambled on, but I just wanted to recap what we'd done and document it because there's some great episodes to go and have a look at in the top corner if you managed to get through the end of this. But yeah. Just thank you.

Just [00:24:00] thank you to everyone for following, liking, subscribing, doing all the bits that we keep banging on at the end about it. But 2026, I can't wait. I think it's only gonna get better.