Five nights in hospital with juvenile idiopathic arthritis is a blur for Guy Pepper; he was just seven years old. The Bath Rugby forward reveals how, despite ongoing steroid injections, his diagnosis only strengthened his drive to compete. Pepper also discusses being taught and coached at school by his dad, rooming with Henry Pollock on England duty, and the truth behind his love of clothes shopping.

In this podcast you will also hear from his father Martin, brother Max of Bristol Bears, and England team mates Henry Arundell and Joe Heyes.

FOLLOW:

▪️ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/englandrugby/

▪️ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/redrosesrugby/

▪️ X: https://twitter.com/EnglandRugby/

▪️ X: https://twitter.com/RedRosesRugby/

▪️ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@englandrugby

▪️ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@englandrugby

▪️ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OfficialEnglandRugby/

▪️ Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/user/englandrugby

MORE:

💻 https://www.englandrugby.com/

🛒 https://www.englandrugbystore.com/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From cognitive behavioral therapy, to body confidence issues and a night that resulted in him being arrested, Joe Heyes has had more hurdles than most to overcome off the pitch. The Leicester Tigers' prop talks candidly about his sporting heritage, his grandfather and dad were both professional goalkeepers, while his mum played basketball for Ireland, explains why he left a potential football career and found rugby and the importance of detaching from sport - whether it's his love of history, cooking or gardening.

Heyes also opens up on how proud he is of his working class routes and the potential talent pool in state schools, how he struggled with bullying because of his height and weight, and how his pet gecko Albert accidentally joined him in class one day at school.

In this podcast you will also hear from Joe's mum Rachel, his Tigers' academy friend Xavier Purcell as well as England team mates Fraser Dingwall and Henry Arundell.

FOLLOW:

▪️ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/englandrugby/

▪️ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/redrosesrugby/

▪️ X: https://twitter.com/EnglandRugby/

▪️ X: https://twitter.com/RedRosesRugby/

▪️ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@englandrugby

▪️ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@englandrugby

▪️ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OfficialEnglandRugby/

▪️ Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/user/englandrugby

MORE:

💻 https://www.englandrugby.com/

🛒 https://www.englandrugbystore.com/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After a childhood of 'tantrums', Fraser Dingwall reveals how he developed fierce competitive instincts on the pitch and in the classroom, and how a potential career in football was a possibility before focusing on rugby. The Northampton Saints centre talks about growing up with a Scottish dad and Geordie mum that has seen him representing both nations at rugby, and how his journey to Test ruby with England came about.

Dingwall also discusses why despite 'not being blessed with genetics' he uses problem solving to prove people wrong about his physicality, the Health Sciences degree he studied alongside rugby and how a late night prank with George Furbank went very wrong.

In this podcast you will also hear from Fraser's dad Gordon as well one of his first coaches at Cambridge RUFC Steve Jackson, as well as Guy Pepper and Henry Arundell.

FOLLOW:

▪️ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/englandrugby/

▪️ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/redrosesrugby/

▪️ X: https://twitter.com/EnglandRugby/

▪️ X: https://twitter.com/RedRosesRugby/

▪️ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@englandrugby

▪️ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@englandrugby

▪️ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OfficialEnglandRugby/

▪️ Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/user/englandrugby

MORE:

💻 https://www.englandrugby.com/

🛒 https://www.englandrugbystore.com/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From welding at the family business to only match fee rugby contracts, Ollie Chessum has had an unconventional route into professional rugby. The Leicester Tigers lock opens up on how he avoided a Premiership academy route from his state school, growing up in rural Lincolnshire and taking on the big brother role for his two siblings following his parents’ split.

Chessum also reveals the importance of his friendship groups in camp, the challenge of finding size 15 boots as a teenager and the various nicknames he’s got from different players.

In this podcast you will also hear from Ollie's mum Michelle Chessum, his coach that introduced him to rugby Ben Pickard and teammate Will Stuart.

FOLLOW:

▪️ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/englandrugby/

▪️ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/redrosesrugby/

▪️ X: https://twitter.com/EnglandRugby/

▪️ X: https://twitter.com/RedRosesRugby/

▪️ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@englandrugby

▪️ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@englandrugby

▪️ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OfficialEnglandRugby/

▪️ Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/user/englandrugby

MORE:

💻 https://www.englandrugby.com/

🛒 https://www.englandrugbystore.com/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There are few players who have had a rise in rugby like Henry Pollock; from starting a season playing in The Champ, to The Prem, reaching a Champions Cup final, scoring twice on your England debut and selection for British & Irish Lions, it has been an unprecedented rise for the Northampton Saints flanker.

The back row opens up on why self-expression, showing your personality and being yourself will always be an important characteristic, his mischievous childhood where he was asked to leave school lessons and why family values and work ethic means so much to him.

In this podcast you will also hear from one of his first coach’s Will Parkin as well as teammates Fin Smith and Fix Baxter.

FOLLOW:

▪️ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/englandrugby/

▪️ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/redrosesrugby/

▪️ X: https://twitter.com/EnglandRugby/

▪️ X: https://twitter.com/RedRosesRugby/

▪️ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@englandrugby

▪️ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@englandrugby

▪️ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OfficialEnglandRugby/

▪️ Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/user/englandrugby

MORE:

💻 https://www.englandrugby.com/

🛒 https://www.englandrugbystore.com/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Being doubted is something that Fin Baxter has become comfortable with; his youthful looks often meant he felt he was targeted during his playing career, but how he has used that as motivation to get where he is. The Harlequins prop also talks about how he keeps perspective off the field, why he quit his Civil Engineering degree to study Economics and his on-off relationship with social media.

In this pod you will also here from Fin's dad Ian about coaching his son to watching him play for England, Joe Marler on what it was like to mentor him coming through at Quins, as well as teammates Fin Smith and Henry Pollock.

FOLLOW:

▪️ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/englandrugby/

▪️ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/redrosesrugby/

▪️ X: https://twitter.com/EnglandRugby/

▪️ X: https://twitter.com/RedRosesRugby/

▪️ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@englandrugby

▪️ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@englandrugby

▪️ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OfficialEnglandRugby/

▪️ Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/user/englandrugby

MORE:

💻 https://www.englandrugby.com/

🛒 https://www.englandrugbystore.com/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From having to make the emotional choice between representing England or Scotland, to bailiffs threatening to enter his house in Worcester, Fin Smith has experienced more than most 23-year-olds. The Northampton Saints fly half discusses the hour-long conversation he had with his Scottish Rugby-loving dad on the decision to choose England, and then what it was like nailing a winning penalty in the Calcutta Cup.

A gifted sportsman, you will also hear how Fin called break on a promising tennis career to focus on rugby, how he went from a farce to embracing sports psychology, and what his British & Irish Lions selection meant to him following in the footsteps of his granddad. The self-confessed sore loser also discussed the pressure of playing number 10 and why he is studying a Economics and Mathematical Sciences degree alongside an international rugby career.

In this pod you will also here from Fin's dad Andrew, his sports psychologist Andrea Furst as well as team mates Fin Baxter and Henry Pollock.

FOLLOW:

▪️ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/englandrugby/

▪️ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/redrosesrugby/

▪️ X: https://twitter.com/EnglandRugby/

▪️ X: https://twitter.com/RedRosesRugby/

▪️ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@englandrugby

▪️ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@englandrugby

▪️ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OfficialEnglandRugby/

▪️ Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/user/englandrugby

MORE:

💻 https://www.englandrugby.com/

🛒 https://www.englandrugbystore.com/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From finding herself struggling with mental health to focusing issues, Mackenzie Carson’s ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) diagnosis came as a welcome relief to some of her struggles. The Red Roses and Gloucester-Hartpury prop opens up on her diagnosis to her coach since she started medication, as well as calling England ‘home’ after growing up in Abbotsford, Canada, as well as some of the sacrifices she made to pursue her rugby career. She also tells the stories of her job as a barista, as well as what life is like dating, and scrummaging against, her Red Roses’ partner Sarah Bern, as the both play for different teams in Premiership Women’s Rugby.

You will also hear from one of her partner and fellow Red Rose Sarah Bern, one of first coaches Darcy Patterson, her mum Alison Reeves as well as international team mates Abi Burton and Morwenna Talling.

FOLLOW:

▪️ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/redrosesrugby/

▪️ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/englandrugby/

▪️ Twitter: https://twitter.com/RedRosesRugby/

▪️ Twitter: https://twitter.com/EnglandRugby/

▪️ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@englandrugby

▪️ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@englandrugby

▪️ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OfficialEnglandRugby/

▪️ Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/user/englandru...

MORE:

💻 https://www.englandrugby.com/

🛒 https://www.englandrugbystore.com/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.