Episodes

  • Eagles Overseas: Team of the Week Honors, First Tries & Unbeaten Runs!

    Eagles Overseas: Team of the Week Honors, First Tries & Unbeaten Runs!
    Oct 19 2026
    Join Bill Baker as he breaks down all the rugby action featuring American Eagles overseas from Wednesday, October 14 through Sunday, October 18, 2026. Highlights include Charlie Abel’s Pro D2 Team of the Week honors, Ale Heaney’s spectacular 2-try performance for Cornish Pirates, Morgan Freeman’s debut try for Saracens, and Declan Cadden commanding Leicester Tigers U23! Players Featured: Charlie Abel (3 - Tighthead Prop / Oyonnax - ProD2) Kapeli Pifeleti (16 - Reserve Hooker / Provence - ProD2) Nafi Ma’afu (8 - Number 8 / Montauban - ProD2) Rufus McLean (Wing / Stade Français Paris - Top14 / Champions Cup) Ale Heaney (1 - Loosehead Prop / Cornish Pirates - Champ Rugby) Declan Cadden (10 - Flyhalf / Leicester Tigers U23 & Loughborough Univ.) Lotte Sharp (15 - Fullback / Saracens - PWR Next Gen Cup) Morgan Freeman (2 - Hooker / Saracens - PWR Next Gen Cup) Tess Feury (10 - Flyhalf / Leicester Tigers - PWR Next Gen Cup) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    5 mins
  • Hall of Famer Tony Ridnell Unpacks American Rugby’s Untold Stories & New Book Project

    Hall of Famer Tony Ridnell Unpacks American Rugby’s Untold Stories & New Book Project
    Oct 16 2026
    US Rugby Hall of Famer and dual-code Eagle Tony Ridnell steps into the booth with Bill Baker and John Fitzpatrick to talk about his ambitious new historical book project, The Good, The Bad, American Rugby. From recounting his 1990s international playing days and navigating multiple severe concussions to examining the crucial off-field milestones that shaped the sport in the U.S.—including Title IX, the 2020 USA Rugby bankruptcy, and early struggles faced by the 1991 Women’s World Cup champions—Tony provides a candid, behind-the-scenes look at the legacy of the American game. The conversation also covers modern developments across the domestic and international landscape. Tony discusses the game-day culture built by the Seattle Seawolves at Starfire, highlights the remarkable philanthropic growth of the XV Foundation supporting women's rugby, and offers honest commentary on the Men's Eagles' recent performances and World Rugby's scheduling decisions ahead of the 2031 Rugby World Cup. Connect with US Rugby Happy Hour: Twitter: https://x.com/AmerRugbyRising Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/americanrugbyrising/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AmericanRugbyRising/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@americanrugbyrising Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@americanrugbyrising BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/americanrugbyrisin.bsky.social LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3OjEHf8 🎧 Listen to this and previous episodes of US Rugby Happy Hour on Youtube and your favorite podcast player today! Apple: bit.ly/3Uuj9u7 Spotify: bit.ly/3ZxjAa0 Like, follow, and subscribe and please leave a comment!! Check out americanrugbyrising.com for the latest on your USA Eagles, schedules, news and more! Hosts, Bill Baker and John Fitzpatrick are available for media opportunities and appearances. Contact information below. Bill Baker, an Emmy award winning editor and producer, has curated Eagles Overseas Rugby since 1996, providing updates and news stories about USA Eagles plying their trade around the world. http://www.americanrugbyrising.com⁠ ⁠eaglesoverseas@comcast.net⁠ John Fitzpatrick is the brain behind Rugby Morning, serving rugby news everyday via email newsletters to rugby fans around the world. johndaniel.fitzpatrick@gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    59 mins
  • The National Maul: Locker Room Access, D.C. Rugby History, and Bipartisan Scrumming

    The National Maul: Locker Room Access, D.C. Rugby History, and Bipartisan Scrumming
    Oct 15 2026
    On this segment of the US Rugby Happy Hour segment: The National Maul, Martin returns to discuss the shift toward NFL-style post-match locker room media access announced by Bristol Bears' Pat Lam. He draws on 25 years of journalism experience—sharing a classic 1990s locker room encounter with French legend Abdel Benazzi—to examine whether unfiltered access will survive high-stakes pressure, corporate media training, and press scrutiny. The conversation then shifts to Martin’s latest writing on the deep history of rugby played on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. From tracing back to the Potomac Athletic Club (PAC) and its predecessor, Club Sudamericano de Rugby, to uncovering a forgotten 1970 Richard Burton essay on rugby, Martin highlights the rich culture that ties local D.C. watering holes like The Bottom Line to the sport. Finally, the trio touches on the state of the Congressional Rugby Caucus, proving how the shared camaraderie of rugby—and a drink at the pub afterward—can bridge even the deepest political divides. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    24 mins
  • Eagles Overseas: Weekly Stars in France& the UK - Cantorna, Abel, Iscaro...

    Eagles Overseas: Weekly Stars in France& the UK - Cantorna, Abel, Iscaro...
    Oct 12 2026
    In this episode of Eagles Overseas with Bill Baker, host Bill Baker breaks down the weekend performances of American rugby stars in France's Top 14 and Pro D2, plus Round 4 of England's PWR Next Gen Cup. Features match reports, Team of the Week accolades, season stat tallies, and crucial player status updates. Featured Players: Jack Iscaro (Loosehead Prop / Stade Français Paris - Top 14) Nafi Ma’afu (Lock / US Montauban - Pro D2) Charlie Abel (Tighthead Prop / Oyonnax Rugby - Pro D2) Tess Feury (Flyhalf / Leicester Tigers - PWR Next Gen Cup) Nick James (Tighthead Prop / Sale Sharks Women - PWR Next Gen Cup) Gabby Cantorna (Inside Center / Exeter Chiefs - PWR Next Gen Cup) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    4 mins
  • Building a Junior College Rugby Powerhouse with COCC’s Max Bennett

    Building a Junior College Rugby Powerhouse with COCC’s Max Bennett
    Oct 8 2026
    The energetic standard intro tune rolls in as hosts Bill and John Fitzpatrick set the stage for an engaging dive into the world of college rugby. In this episode of US Rugby Happy Hour, the hosts sit down with Central Oregon Community College (COCC) Head Coach Max Bennett to unpack the triumphs, hurdles, and unique dynamics of managing a junior college rugby program. From inheriting a program founded by his uncle—an Oregon rugby legend—to earning NCR Coach of the Month honors, Bennett shares how deep-rooted family passion and relentless drive keep COCC rugby thriving. Listeners get a front-row seat to the art of collegiate recruiting outside the NCAA norm. Bennett details how he turns multi-sport high school athletes—especially wrestlers and football players—into rugby standouts, why Instagram is his go-to recruiting platform, and how COCC is helping pioneer rugby culture across Oregon and the Pacific Northwest. Tune in to discover what it takes to build a sustainable program, turn newcomers into ruggers for life, and navigate the wild world of community college athletics. —————————————— Connect with US Rugby Happy Hour: Twitter: https://x.com/AmerRugbyRising Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/americanrugbyrising/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AmericanRugbyRising/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@americanrugbyrising Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@americanrugbyrising BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/americanrugbyrisin.bsky.social LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3OjEHf8 🎧 Listen to this and previous episodes of US Rugby Happy Hour on Youtube and your favorite podcast player today! Apple: bit.ly/3Uuj9u7 Spotify: bit.ly/3ZxjAa0 Youtube: https://youtu.be/g4-SuPv01m4 Like, follow, and subscribe and please leave a comment!! Check out americanrugbyrising.com for the latest on your USA Eagles, schedules, news and more! Hosts, Bill Baker and John Fitzpatrick are available for media opportunities and appearances. Contact information below. Bill Baker, an Emmy award winning editor and producer, has curated Eagles Overseas Rugby since 1996, providing updates and news stories about USA Eagles plying their trade around the world. http://www.americanrugbyrising.com⁠ ⁠eaglesoverseas@comcast.net⁠ John Fitzpatrick is the brain behind Rugby Morning, serving rugby news everyday via email newsletters to rugby fans around the world. johndaniel.fitzpatrick@gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    41 mins
  • Eagles Overseas: Strong Wins and Standout Starts, AJ MacGinty, Lotte Sharp

    Eagles Overseas: Strong Wins and Standout Starts, AJ MacGinty, Lotte Sharp
    Oct 5 2026
    In this episode of Eagles Overseas, host Bill Baker recaps action from Saturday’s domestic and international matches across Premiership Rugby, Top 14, and the Next Gen Cup for the week ending, October 4th, 2026. Players featured in this episode: AJ MacGinty (10 - Fly half / Bristol Bears - Gallagher PREM Rugby) Jack Iscaro (1 - Loosehead Prop / Paris - Top14) Lotte Sharp (11 - Left Wing / Saracens - Next Gen Cup) Morgan Freeman (7 - Openside Flanker / Saracens - Next Gen Cup) Nick James (3 - Tighthead Prop / Sale Sharks - Next Gen Cup) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    4 mins
  • Eagles Overseas: Big Wins and Debut Starts - Sept. 23-27, 2026

    Eagles Overseas: Big Wins and Debut Starts - Sept. 23-27, 2026
    Sep 28 2026
    In this episode of Eagles Overseas with Bill Baker, we recap match results and individual player performances from our USA Eagles across the globe, from matches played Sept. 23-27, 2026 Featured players in this episode: Lotte Sharp (Left Wing / Saracens - Next Gen Series) Tess Feury (Full back / Leicester Tigers - Next Gen Cup) Nick James (Loosehead Prop / Sale Sharks - Next Gen) Nafi Ma’afu (Reserve / Montauban - ProD2) AJ MacGinty (Fly half / Bristol Bears - Gallagher PREM Rugby) Jack Iscaro (Reserve / Paris - Top14) Jake Turnbull (Loosehead Prop / Wellington Lions - Hilux NPC) Finn Love (Left Wing / Cornish Pirates - Champ Rugby) Ale Heaney (Loosehead Prop / Cornish Pirates - Champ Rugby) Tomi Agbongbob (Number 8 / Cornish Pirates - Champ Rugby) Aidan King (Openside Flanker / Doncaster Knights - Champ Rugby) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    4 mins
  • USA U20 Assistant Coach Marcel Brache on Junior World Championship & Developing US Rugby Pathways

    USA U20 Assistant Coach Marcel Brache on Junior World Championship & Developing US Rugby Pathways
    Sep 24 2026
    Former USA Eagle #503 and San Diego Legion standout Marcel Brache joins the show to share his journey from international play to coaching the next generation of American talent. Brache reflects on his recent experience as Assistant Coach for the USA Men’s U20 team at the World Rugby Junior World Championship in Georgia. He breaks down the squad’s resilient second-half performance against Uruguay, the fine margins separating American players from Tier 1 nations, and why exposure to top-tier competition is critical for building domestic pathways. Beyond high-performance rugby, Marcel dives into the grass-roots movement that makes California a hotbed for youth rugby. He discusses parent involvement, the importance of flag rugby for kids, and how nurturing passion, coaching education, and referee development will dictate the future growth of the sport in the United States. Like, follow, and subscribe and please leave a comment!! Check out americanrugbyrising.com for the latest on your USA Eagles, schedules, news and more! Hosts, Bill Baker and John Fitzpatrick are available for media opportunities and appearances. Contact information below. Bill Baker, an Emmy award winning editor and producer, has curated Eagles Overseas Rugby since 1996, providing updates and news stories about USA Eagles plying their trade around the world. http://www.americanrugbyrising.com⁠ ⁠eaglesoverseas@comcast.net⁠ John Fitzpatrick is the brain behind Rugby Morning, serving rugby news everyday via email newsletters to rugby fans around the world. johndaniel.fitzpatrick@gmail.com Martin Pengelly is a Washington-based reporter and editor. His “The National Maul” Substack about rugby in the US. His first book, Brotherhood: When West Point Rugby Went To War, is published by Godine. https://thenationalmaul.substack.com/ Youtube | X | Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | Tiktok | Bluesky Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    54 mins