Two Cents gets Distracted - A Rugby Podcast

We’re back… and it’s a weird one.After a month off while Tony went and did the whole “get married and eat his bodyweight in Thailand” thing, Two Cents Gets Distracted returns — slightly heavier, slightly rustier, and walking straight into some genuinely grim news.This week, we unpack the potential demise of Moana Pasifika. What does it mean for Pacific rugby — a region that has given the game so much talent, passion, and identity? And more importantly… what now? Is there a real path forward, or are we watching another crack form in the already shaky foundations of Super Rugby?Which leads us to the bigger question — what even is the future of Super Rugby? Is this still a competition built to last, or are we quietly edging toward the slow fade of what was once the pinnacle of provincial rugby?Not all doom and gloom though — because the footy absolutely delivered.We had a proper top-of-the-table belter between the Chiefs and the Hurricanes, the Blues nearly pulled off the all-time choke in a game they had no business losing, and the Force did the unthinkable by knocking over the Crusaders (which, let’s be honest, brings a smile to most faces).All that, plus the usual nonsense, tangents, and questionable takes.We’re back. Grab a beer and enjoy.

Fresh (barely) off Tony’s stag do on Saturday night, the rugby gods showed absolutely zero mercy… delivering one of the most chaotic, dramatic, and all-time great Six Nations finales we’ve ever witnessed.Running on fumes and questionable life choices, Tony and Mark try to make sense of a weekend that had everything.Wales finally get their moment—after weeks of showing promise without reward, they get the chocolates against a dangerous Italy side that just couldn’t quite fire when it mattered.Scotland… well, Scotland did what Scotland do against Ireland. Ireland get the job done with a bonus point win, and for a brief, slightly nauseating moment, found themselves as diehard England fans, praying for one last twist.And then… it happened.A battered, doubted, and heavily criticised Steve Borthwick-led England side almost pulled off the unthinkable—before Thomas Ramos, the ice man himself, stepped up and absolutely ripped their hearts out with a clutch extra-time penalty to seal it for France.Three unreal games. Absolute chaos. Championship on the line. Limbs everywhere.We break it all down—with a healthy dose of nonsense, questionable analysis, and lingering hangovers.Apologies in advance for any audio issues… but grab a beer and enjoy 🍻

No Six Nations. No international drama. Just pure, unfiltered Super Rugby… and chaos.With Europe taking the week off, all eyes turned south — and unfortunately for us (and especially for Mark), Australia decided to wake up and choose violence. The Blues found yet another soul-crushing way to lose, going down in the 81st minute in overtime. Yes, the 81st. Yes, Mark is still processing. No, he is not okay.The Crusaders finally remembered how to win, knocking off the Chiefs after the Waikato boys absolutely flew out of the blocks. The Drua defended the fortress in Lautoka, toppling a fancied Hurricanes side and proving that Fiji remains one of the most terrifying away trips in world rugby.With no major international storylines to anchor us, things got loose. There’s fear. There’s frustration. There’s a generous serving of absolute nonsense. And somehow, we still talk rugby.Strap in. Grab a beer. And enjoy the spiral.

This week on Two Cents Gets Distracted, Scotland did the most Scottish thing imaginable.Lose to Italy… then immediately turn around and snap England’s 12-game winning streak.Yes, the Scots beat the English. The rugby world rejoiced. Bagpipes were heard from space. We are, frankly, delighted.Meanwhile, Wales have somehow discovered new geological layers of rock bottom. France treated them like training cones, playing Harlem Globetrotters rugby with offloads, flair, and the kind of ominous swagger that should concern literally everyone.Italy vs Ireland? Suddenly… tight? Competitive? Slightly terrifying if you’re Irish? Is this an Italian renaissance, or are we witnessing the slow fade of Ireland’s golden generation? We attempt to answer that question with absolutely no qualifications whatsoever.Plus — Super Rugby is back! The Crusaders lost (we celebrate responsibly). The Blues also lost (less fun). Balance has been restored to the universe.All that, plenty of nonsense, and a decent helping of rugby chat.Grab a beer and enjoy

Fresh off our summer break, this first episode of the year drops us straight back into the deep end as we’re still reeling from the bombshell that Razor has been fired. The coaching carousel is already spinning: is Jamie Joseph next in line? ? Or are we about to be introduced to a whole new cast of weird and wonderful rugby powerbrokers?We also turn our attention north, with the Six Nations kicking off — the “greatest rugby championship in the world” As ever, expect a healthy mix of hot takes, half-baked theories, international rugby hype, and a solid helping of nonsense.Welcome back to Two Cents Gets Distracted — where we talk a lot of rubbish and just enough rugby to justify it. Grab a beer and enjoyBig thanks to sports4cast for the beers! - https://sports4cast.com/

It’s the final episode of the year, and you know we’re not signing off without our annual dose of chaos. Welcome to the most prestigious, least credible, and proudly unhinged rugby awards show in existence: The 2CGDS. Tony and Mark return to hand out a fresh selection of awards nobody asked for, celebrate the best and worst moments of the rugby year. But this year’s finale also carries a weight as Gazza, hung up his boots last week. We take a moment to pay tribute to Gazza, Mark’s dad, a regular on his channel and a genuinely good bloke. A true character: warm, funny, honest, and utterly himself in every moment. Gazza brought joy to so many who watched him, and his presence became a much-loved part of the wider Two Cents community. He will be sorely missed.So grab a beer, raise a glass for Gazza, and enjoy.

This week on Two Cents Gets Distracted, the All Blacks served up a bowl of crap to their fans as England handed us a brutal loss, crushing our hopes, rattling the fanbase, and putting Razor and his coaching staff squarely under the blowtorch. And yes, we rant about it. At length. With feeling. Meanwhile, the Boks battled past a fired-up Italian outfit despite copping a red card that may go down as one of the worst decisions of the entire rugby year. Ireland absolutely pumped the Aussies, Wales finally remembered what a win feels like, and Argentina pulled off an outrageous comeback because of course they did — they’re Argentina. All that plus a whole lot of BS chat, whinging, therapy, and emotional processing about the state of the All Blacks. Buckle in. It’s a spicy one. Grab a beer and enjoy Massive thanks to todays sponsor Sorcerot! Sorcerot is a fantasy themed metal band from Northern Kentucky/Cincinnati. There is a full album stream that is free on youtube. You can purchase CD/Vinyl/Tape through our bandcamp Links: Bandcamp for physical copies: https://sorcerot.bandcamp.com/album/rotten-magick Full album stream on Youtube:https://youtu.be/LiWye7-B2es?si=DwP6fXT7sWzPI_M3&t=1

At Soldier Field, the All Blacks and Ireland combined for what could generously be described as a slow-motion car crash — a stop–start slog dominated by a pedantic referee, an eye-rolling red card, and enough resets to make you question your life choices. It was as attractive as… well, something deeply unattractive. Somehow, the All Blacks eventually clawed their way out of the mud and Ireland’s grasp to win, but by then, most viewers were emotionally bruised and spiritually broken. Over in Twickenham, England pummelled the Wallabies with typical English enthusiasm for suffering — helped along by a peroxide-blonde prodigy who has everyone from pundits to your nan saying “this kid is special” with alarming confidence. And at Wembley, the Springboks reduced Japan to rugby confetti in front of about twelve people and a seagull. Grab a beer and enjoy

The Springboks have done it again — back-to-back Rugby Championship titles and another reminder that their game plan is as brutal as it is effective. Argentina gave it everything, but South Africa were just too sharp, too dominant at scrum time. Meanwhile, in a very wet Perth, the All Blacks splished, splashed, and scrapped their way past the Wallabies. It wasn’t pretty, but it was enough — a muddy finish to a messy season that still somehow ends on a high? Grab a beer and enjoy. Massive thankyou to this week's sponsor Raleigh Rugby. https://raleighrugby.org/ GO THE VIPERS!!

This week: Bledisloe at the Fortress (Eden Park, not your uncle’s shed), the Rugby Championship tighter than your old boots, and the Black Ferns’ heartbreak as Canada crash the party. Can the Canucks actually steal the chocolates from England? We’ve got thoughts… and distractions. Grab a beer and Enjoy Massive thanks to Rugby Debuts. Go Check out their awesome YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/ ⁨@RugbyDebuts⁩

An immediate game reaction pod this week. The most hyped game of the year delivered, the All Blacks held strong to keep their 30-year fortress intact and gave Ardie Savea the perfect 100th test celebration, while the Boks were left muttering about what could’ve been. Over in Townsville, the Wallabies played the role of international rugby’s rom-com kings once again, pulling off another ridiculous comeback against the Pumas. And we talk BS and Rugby whilst smiling and slightly drunk. Grab a beer and Enjoy.

The All Blacks were a flaming dumpster fire this week, and as loyal fans we are disgusted. Razor’s backline looked like they’d just met in the carpark before kickoff, and Argentina gleefully ran riot in front of delirious Buenos Aires fans. Over in South Africa, the Wallabies gave the Boks a proper scare of potentially going back to back… until James O’Connor’s boots decided they were made of Play-Doh. Grab a beer and enjoy. Thanks to Sports 4 Cats for the beers! Go check them out https://sports4cast.com/4casts/rugby4cast/