World Rugby CEO Alan Gilpin joins David Pembroke to discuss the real hard questions facing our sport at the moment – rugby’s global calendar, player safety and cashflow are just the tip of the iceberg. Gilpin breaks down the real tension World Rugby is trying to solve: accuracy and flow, without treating it as a trade-off, and why too many law tweaks make life harder for officials moving between competitions. He explains the Mark Robinson match officiating review, what “shape of the game” stakeholders are pushing for, and why the strategic plan (targeting an early May launch) is centred on fans, player welfare, and growing the sport’s commercial engine. There’s also a big look ahead: strong early Rugby World Cup 2027 ticket demand in Australia, the long runway to USA 2031 and 2033, and how rugby can win in a brutal “attention economy”.

● Alan Gilpin’s rugby journey from Gloucestershire to World Rugby

● Six Nations weekend: Scotland v France, Italy’s big moments

● Match officiating: accuracy versus flow is not a trade-off

● Law trials across comps make consistency harder for referees

● Mark Robinson review: TMO use, philosophy, elite officiating model

● World Rugby strategy: fans, player welfare, commercial growth, USA 2031

PLUS: Gilpin argues rugby’s future is more fans consuming more rugby, more often.

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David Pembroke is joined by Ewen McKenzie (with Eddie Jones in San Diego) to rip through what’s changing in Super Rugby and what rugby still gets wrong off-field. Ewen breaks down the experimental laws: no more caterpillar rucks, faster ball, 30-second scrum set calls, and more quick taps that keep defences unstructured. They also flag a noticeable shift in how refs are handling intercept knock-ons and yellow cards, and the bigger issue: why World Rugby won’t clearly explain what’s changed. From there, it’s back to the Six Nations: what made it so competitive, why England’s Steve Borthwick looks set to stay through to the 2027 Rugby World Cup, and what selection and combinations might unlock them. Plus, Rugby Unity launches “The Big Three” on Substack, and they finish with Third Voice questions covering Wallabies physicality, Rugby World Cup 2027 conditions, alignment camps, and whether the Iran Israel War could disrupt the Nations championship.

● Super Rugby law trials speed up rucks and scrums

● Quick taps increase tempo and punish disorganised defence

● Yellow card trend shifts on intercept knock-ons

● World Rugby transparency and communication under the microscope

● Six Nations competitiveness, England review, Steve Borthwick stays

● Rugby Unity launches “The Big Three” Substack digest

PLUS: David Pembroke and Ewen McKenzie argue rugby must market itself harder, explain the laws better, and make it easier for fans to follow the game.

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📧 Get in touch: info@rugbyunity.com.au

Thanks to Eleven labs for providing a grant to Rugby Unity so that we can use their world leading software.

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David Pembroke is joined by Mark Philpott, a New Zealander based in Cancun who’s building United Rugby Fans, a fast-growing movement aimed at giving rugby supporters a real seat at the table with unions and World Rugby. Mark lays out why he thinks the game’s finances, grassroots infrastructure, and volunteer fatigue are the biggest pressure points, and why “fan empowerment” matters more than likes and clicks. They talk lessons from Football Supporters Europe, how fans ended the proposed Super League and earned a seat on UEFA’s board, and what rugby can copy to unlock smarter decision-making and better investment. Mark outlines URF’s plan to gather large-scale polling and survey data, plus early projects including a charity division, URF TV with Stacey Paetz, and a new global rugby book with contributors including Gordon Bray. The big question: can rugby act before a crisis forces change?

● United Rugby Fans aims for a seat at World Rugby

● Mark Philpott’s global nomad path to Cancun

● Grassroots rugby needs cash, facilities, and volunteer support

● Data, polling, and surveys to map fan priorities

● Football Supporters Europe model and UEFA board representation

● URF TV, charity work, book, and global awards

PLUS: A practical debate on how rugby can grow revenue beyond the World Cup cycle.

Ask Eddie Jones and Ewen McKenzie anything! Fill out the form below 👇

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👉 Want more from Rugby Unity? Subscribe to our Substack for exclusive content, blogs, behind-the-scenes insights, and full podcast access — all in one place: Rugby Unity | Substack

📧 Get in touch: info@rugbyunity.com.au

Thanks to Eleven labs for providing a grant to Rugby Unity so that we can use their world leading software.

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