All Black Legend Sir John Kirwan and Springbok Legend Victor Matfield go head to head on all things rugby just as you'd expect an All Black Winger and a South African Forward to do battle.
Bringing in their friends and rivals from all over the Rugby world for a truly Global perspective.
Refereeing in the middle is NZ media legend Ric Salizzo .
And as all of them are well in the second half of their lives, Sir JK has some well meaning wellness advice to help them extend their lives and therefore the life of this podcast
JK & Victor React to Controversial Bok Team & Super Rugby's Future Secured?
Rassie has picked six uncapped bolters, and Etzebeth, Kolbe and Pollard are all out injured. JK and Victor go head to head on the controversial Springbok squad, then debate NZ Rugby’s decision on the future of Super Rugby.
In this episode:
🟢 The Bok squad for the Nations Championship: six new caps, four World Cup winners missing
🟢 Ahmed, de Klerk, Giliomee, Muller, Norton and Tshituka: are they ready for Test rugby?
🟢 NZ Rugby keeps Super Rugby Pacific and the NPC. Is the competition finally safe, and what does it mean for SA and the rest of the world?
Rivals is brought to you by RAM Hand-to-Hand Couriers.
Proudly supported by Klipdrift: Legendary Taste. Legendary Times.
19 Oct 2026
Are the All Blacks Back on Top? Victor & JK Debate
The All Blacks have swept the Bledisloe Cup, but are they the best team in the world again? Sir John Kirwan and Springbok great Victor Matfield break down the All Blacks’ 43-21 win over the Wallabies in Sydney.
A near-perfect first half had New Zealand 36-7 up at the break, with seven tries on the day including doubles to Josh Moorby and Beauden Barrett, plus Barrett’s 70-metre intercept on halftime. Then came the chaos: a depleted bench, a Chay Fihaki yellow card, and the All Blacks finishing the Test with 13 men.
Just weeks after losing 3-1 in South Africa, have the All Blacks closed the gap on the Springboks? JK and Victor go head to head on the 2-0 Bledisloe sweep, the Wallabies under Les Kiss, and what it all means heading into the Northern Tour.
🏉 Rugby Rivals is brought to you by RAM Hand-to-Hand Couriers.
🥃 Proudly supported by Klipdrift.
13 Oct 2026
Has Rennie Fixed the All Blacks? JK & Victor React to Bledisloe Blowout!
Sir John Kirwan and Victor Matfield break down the All Blacks' first Test since the Springbok series, and it was a statement.
New Zealand scored seven tries to three to beat the Wallabies 50–19 at Eden Park. That keeps the Bledisloe Cup in New Zealand for a 24th straight year and extends an Eden Park unbeaten run that goes back to 1994. But it was only 17–14 at the break. Was this as dominant as the scoreboard says?
JK and Victor dig into Damian McKenzie's first start at 10 this year, Scott Barrett's return to the second row, what it means for the return leg in Sydney, and whether the Boks should be paying attention.
Brought to you by RAM Hand-to-Hand Couriers and Klipdrift Premium.
Who has been a guest on Rivals
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
Jim Hamilton
Andrew Trimble
Sean Fitzpatrick
Portia Woodman
Podcast Authority Score: 50 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
82
Social presence
94
YouTube
0
Engagement
0
Contact Rivals
Guest appearances
Books guests
Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.
Pod Engine is an independent podcast discovery and analytics service and is not affiliated with or endorsed by this podcast. Artwork and show content belong to their owners. Full legal notice.
Explore this show Podcast research with Pod Engine
