The Indy Rugby Podcast: Japan 2019 preview as England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland target World Cup glory

Join The Independent’s Jack de Menezes and Samuel Lovett as they discuss the hopes of the home nations and whether the All Blacks really are that vulnerable

With the Rugby World Cup just around the corner, The Independent is delighted to bring you The Indy Rugby Podcast: Japan 2019, where we’ll bring you all the latest updates and analysis fresh from the Land of the Rising Sun.

Available to download first thing in the morning three times a week – along with plenty of bonus material throughout the World Cup – Samuel Lovett and myself will be providing full coverage of England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland as they embark on their campaigns for rugby domination, as well as keeping a close eye on the All Blacks, Wallabies and Springboks.

But with this being the first Rugby World Cup to take place not just in Japan but on the Asian continent as a whole, there will be plenty of stories to tell off the beaten track, with the tournament taking us to the likes of Miyazaki, Sapporo, Oita and Kamaishi.

In our first full episode, we take a look through the four home nations as well as the Southern Hemisphere’s big three, and reflect on where four years of preparations has left them ahead of the ninth Rugby World Cup.

Download the episode here as well as on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Acast or wherever you listen.

Our next episode will be released on Tuesday where we take an in-depth look at England, Eddie Jones and whether they can really win the Rugby World Cup.