Two Cents gets Distracted - A Rugby Podcast

<p>It’s the final episode of the year, and you know we’re not signing off without our annual dose of chaos. Welcome to the most prestigious, least credible, and proudly unhinged rugby awards show in existence: </p><p>The 2CGDS. Tony and Mark return to hand out a fresh selection of awards nobody asked for, celebrate the best and worst moments of the rugby year. </p><p>But this year’s finale also carries a weight as Gazza, hung up his boots last week. We take a moment to pay tribute to Gazza, Mark’s dad, a regular on his channel and a genuinely good bloke. A true character: warm, funny, honest, and utterly himself in every moment. Gazza brought joy to so many who watched him, and his presence became a much-loved part of the wider Two Cents community. He will be sorely missed.</p><p>So grab a beer, raise a glass for Gazza, and enjoy.</p>

<p>South Africa and Ireland finally squared off in Dublin… and instead of the blockbuster we were promised, we got a full-blown scrum-a-thon of Biblical proportions. The Bok scrum was so dominant it bordered on performance art, Ireland simply ceased to exist in certain dimensions of reality. Add a stack of cards and the whole thing descended into glorious, farcical chaos. (And no, we’re absolutely <em>not</em> criticising the match itself… because we enjoy being alive. Wink.)</p><p>England keep marching forward, seeing off a spirited Argentinian comeback as Los Pumas continue to prove they’re becoming a genuine world force. The All Blacks had their turn to comfortably dismiss Wales… though if you squint, you <em>might</em> spot a green shoot or two for the Welsh. Maybe. Hard to say. Probably not.</p><p>And over in the “Shambosal Tour of Doom,” Australia rack up their fourth straight loss in Europe — their worst run since 1965 — this time falling to a red-hot French team. At least there were a couple of absolute pearler tries to soften the blow.</p><p>All that, plus plenty of rugby chat, nonsense, tangents, and the usual helping of BS</p><p>Grab a beer and enjoy!</p>

<p>This week on Two Cents Gets Distracted, the All Blacks served up a bowl of crap to their fans as England handed us a brutal loss, crushing our hopes, rattling the fanbase, and putting Razor and his coaching staff squarely under the blowtorch. And yes, we rant about it. At length. With feeling. Meanwhile, the Boks battled past a fired-up Italian outfit despite copping a red card that may go down as one of the worst decisions of the entire rugby year. Ireland absolutely pumped the Aussies, Wales finally remembered what a win feels like, and Argentina pulled off an outrageous comeback because of course they did — they’re Argentina. All that plus a whole lot of BS chat, whinging, therapy, and emotional processing about the state of the All Blacks. Buckle in. It’s a spicy one. </p><p>Grab a beer and enjoy</p><p> Massive thanks to todays sponsor Sorcerot! </p><p>Sorcerot is a fantasy themed metal band from Northern Kentucky/Cincinnati. There is a full album stream that is free on youtube. </p><p>You can purchase CD/Vinyl/Tape through our bandcamp Links: Bandcamp for physical copies: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://sorcerot.bandcamp.com/album/rotten-magick">https://sorcerot.bandcamp.com/album/rotten-magick</a> Full album stream on Youtube:<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://youtu.be/LiWye7-B2es?si=DwP6fXT7sWzPI_M3&amp;t=1">https://youtu.be/LiWye7-B2es?si=DwP6fXT7sWzPI_M3&amp;t=1</a></p>

<p>This week, the All Blacks (dressed in white) and down to <em>three</em> yellow cards — somehow held off a charging Scotland to keep their undefeated record alive. The Boks ate a full red card and still produced the performance of the weekend, thumping a fired-up France at home. Australia stumbled their way into a famous loss to Italy, and England edged a brilliant-but-gassed Fiji side.</p><p>We chat all that and a lot of BS.</p><p>Grab a beer and enjoy</p><p></p>

<p>At Soldier Field, the All Blacks and Ireland combined for what could generously be described as a slow-motion car crash — a stop–start slog dominated by a pedantic referee, an eye-rolling red card, and enough resets to make you question your life choices. It was as attractive as… well, something deeply unattractive. Somehow, the All Blacks eventually clawed their way out of the mud and Ireland’s grasp to win, but by then, most viewers were emotionally bruised and spiritually broken. </p><p>Over in Twickenham, England pummelled the Wallabies with typical English enthusiasm for suffering — helped along by a peroxide-blonde prodigy who has everyone from pundits to your nan saying “this kid is special” with alarming confidence. </p><p>And at Wembley, the Springboks reduced Japan to rugby confetti in front of about twelve people and a seagull. </p><p>Grab a beer and enjoy</p>