All right, so today I just wanted to reintroduce the Rugby Muscle Podcast for this year, as I've said on previous podcasts. We are going to double down on the Rugby Muscle Podcast for the year of 2023. And I wanted to sort of reintroduce what this podcast is about, why we're doing it as a podcast, why I've made this decision. Maybe we'll touch a little bit on the tackle height controversy. That is threatening the very existence of rugby. And if we have time, we'll preview the upcoming Six Nations and maybe we'll ask sir a few questions if we have any, if we have time that have been asked on the Rugby Muscle Athletes Facebook group, because I've decided to stream it live there. So let's get into it. If you are new here, welcome. My name's tj. I am a strength and condition coach and Certifi. It's important to say certified because anyone's a nutritionist. These days. I'm a certified nutritionist, specialize in athletic performance, particularly with amateur. Rugby players. Of course. I'm the creator of the Rugby Muscle Podcast and the Rugby Muscle Company itself, which has been going now for well over five years. Even. The podcast itself has been going for over five years. And to kick off this very podcast, I wanted to get into why I'm doubling down on this podcast in 2023. So why podcast? I've got a few different reasons. Very meaningful in their own different ways. So first and foremost, as I said, quality of content compared to Instagram and TikTok, which are, you know, the two other huge ways that I see people, and even probably like medium, other sort of outlets. I think podcasts are just much more suited to the content that I wanna deliver. I get to get into the nuances of different situations because there are so many nuances when it comes to rugby specific strength and condition and nutrition. There are so many nuances that it just describing everything or trying to get it all down into a few Instagram posts, it is just really difficult and, and almost an impossible task to do, particularly if you really want to do it. To give lots of different people specific information. Again, really difficult, if not impossible to do and to, you know, really discuss like both sides of the equations, both like the full spectrum of how different movements, how different energy systems, how different all the different applications we're looking for. For rubber strength and conditioning and for nutrition just require a lot more in depth inform. And of course, you can help influence that content by asking questions in the comments below. Below this Facebook group video below the YouTube video, or if you're listening on the podcast, just there'll be a link to the Facebook group where you can comment and ask any questions. And again, if you leave a comment, they will be, or a question they'll be answered in either a future video, a future podcast, or in the monthly q and as that we run. again, you get to decide what sort of information you get to consume as part of this Rugby Muscle podcast. Speaking of consuming, that's probably the other, another reason you know, when people are scrolling through Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, they're just scrolling to look to pass the time. Even if I give like the best information that I can as far as rugby strength and conditioning goes, People aren't really looking for it. Like then they're looking to pass a time. Even if I present you the best program, the best information ever, if you are not looking for it, it's useless to you. Podcasts on the other hand, and to an extent, YouTube are deliberate. You're listening. You're taking in for information. You're taking information, knowing that it's going to apply to you. You're choosing to listen to this information. You're choosing to listen to this podcast. You're choosing to watch this video, and therefore, You are going to consume that information much better. I could spend the same amount of time on the same information that goes on Instagram that maybe even gets more views, but it's gonna be consumed way less applied way less. Cuz obviously consumption isn't just particularly when it comes to this stuff. It's not just about consumption, it's about application. So actually side note on that stuff From time to time, we might upload a video because the, you know, or we might upload a podcast just as a video or just videos because the visual stimulus can sometimes help explain better. There might be things where I need to put in in like actual infographics or, or graphics up, or I might show, need to show demonstrations of movements, that sort of stuff. You can still listen to it and get your head around it, but sometimes it's better to look at the YouTube or to look at the video. So I would suggest that everyone listens to this, especially if you're listening to this on any sort of podcast platform. I'd still suggest subscribing to the Rugby Muscle YouTube channel, but just understand that that's how another way that we're going to distribute this podcast so that you guys can consume it, and obviously the fact that you can consume particular pieces of information. Depending on how they apply to you, you can like really scroll and navigate and find podcasts, find videos that really apply to you in your situation and really, you know, listen to them over and over and over again. You can't do that on others areas of social media. You can't do that on Instagram. And yes, you can favor them, but who the hell goes back to their favorites on? I. I dunno, anyone that does that, if you do that, that's, I mean, maybe I'm outta touch, but you know, it's the way I see it. And selfishly, like another reason I'm doing the podcast is because I'm reducing my own self social media consumption. And if I was just to use the platform just to post and never consume it for some reason, like, I feel like a bit of a knob doing that. Like the reason. That that platform works because people are on it, consuming it. And if I'm not contributing to the consumption, I don't want to be contributing to the noise either. And if I'm believing in the platform's, less, less. If I don't want to go there, I don't want to promote my stuff there for people to have to go there to consume my content. That's the way I sort of see. So again, you might see some stuff from me that every now and again, but in general, I think. As a listener, like if you've made a deliberate effort to listen to the podcast, to watch this video, you are the type of person that can use this info and can apply this info, right? Not just consume, consume, consume. Ah, this is a great movement. Ah, this is a great technique. Ah, this is a good bit of advice. And, and, and then just scroll onto the next thing. Maybe with this stuff you might get a smaller reach, maybe, but not, not necessarily for sure, but certainly I'm gonna have a bigger impact by doing it this way. You know, look at every inta, Insta Fit chick that has millions and millions of followers. How many of those people that are following really get anything outta that crap? Like anything like minimal, you know, really minimal and, and we're talking about anything productive, it's even smaller. Right? And any meaningful change, even smaller, I'm looking for that meaningful change. That's why we are doing the podcast. That's why we're not doing Instagram. That's why we're not doing TikTok. That's why we're not doing Twitter. Twitter, especially for the negative. Just, it just seems so toxic on there. Instagram and TikTok for the, I don't want, I don't wanna be doing these pointy video things, are fucking, never gonna do any of those. So podcast, it is for 2023. The first quarter, the plan is to sort of disseminate all of the information and. Lead you down a path whereby you can get the most out of your rugby, strength and conditioning. Get the most out of your nutrition. Get the most outta yourself, and play your bet and beyond the path. And be confident that you are heading in the right direction to playing your best rugby Minimum one podcast a week. High level information, nuances different processes that will go through rugby strength and conditioning and nutrition, different stuff like. Covering some tools, but like, you know, real useful information that you can use. So I'd appreciate if you share the podcast with any of your teammates. Help them get better, help them get in better shape, help them feel better about themselves. Spread the word, spread the loves. And of course, if you could be so kind, take two minutes, give us a five star review on Spotify Apple Podcast. If you type up a review, it really will make a huge difference and it means the world to me. If you could do. All right, let's move on to the tackle height controversy. So last week the rugby football union agreed a controversial to say the least change in tackle height law. They said that you cannot tackle in leagues. Yeah. So Nash from National one down, you cannot tackle above waste height. Otherwise it will be a penalty. The bull carrier is also encouraged to run upright and use evasive maneuvers, I believe was the, the terminology that was used there. I had dozens and dozen tons of people, man, reach out to. Ironically enough, I was, I was using Instagram at the time and it's, it's one of the only ways that people get in contact with me. And man, it was an uproar, like so many people wrote to me and said, this is gonna be my last season. So many said this is a complete bullshit. A lot of people from that are playing in different countries said, this is also bullshit. I'm glad that I'm not in it. And. Yeah. It's just, it's just a fucking mess. The big problem I have with this whole thing has been the lack of communication, right? If I'm coaching someone, they're paying me for a service. I will consult them if I'm trying to make any big change of their program. Right? Any change and, and like, let alone a change that completely. makes their whole program look completely different. Likewise, the R F U are providing a service to amateur rugby players. Amateur rugby players are paying their membership to their clubs, their clubs affiliate with the R F U. They, you know, and they're paying for this service, which is to Phil facilitate them to play rugby. They've not consulted the players on, on whether this is a good idea. This is ridiculous, right? To just completely throw this, I like this new law out there without. Any sort of talk, any discussion, any meaningful consultation about this with, with the players is absolutely, absolutely ridiculous. And the reality is that people just want more respect. They want to be consulted, they want to be explained to. They haven't got any of that. They haven't even explained, like they said, oh, because of the science, but they haven't like really taken the time to. to explain how rugby is gonna look, explain all the big differences you know, explain what they want to achieve, explain how this is a complete benefit, rather than just saying, you know, it reduces concussions and then move on. It doesn't make any sense to me. Like, weirdly, I could see a situation where like, this rule might make sense. Like maybe there is a situation possibly, and I know this is ridiculous cuz I didn't think about this until. You know, a good few days after, like there is a situation where th this, like, this could be the future of rubbing, it could work out, right? But it's not been explained in any way, shape, or form by the R F U to convince me of that. Like, you know, I could see it because like the waist isn't the hips right? The hips are, the hips are much lower than the waist. The waist, you've got a little bit, quite a lot more wiggle room. And basically if someone's carrying a ball, if you're tackling below that, more often than not, that's where you kind of need to tackle anyway. That is gonna be waste and below. But you know, there are rumors also that it worked in France, but then again, I did see that they did it in the champ, in the championship cup and it was terrible. I think they had to stop doing it because it resulted in potentially more concussions. And, you know, personally, as someone that actually had to retire from rugby because of concussions, I got a bunch from knee to the face. From trying to tackle low, I got a bunch from like Rs. So to me, like, and just putting my head in different situations, it wasn't from tackling high and hitting head on head. Maybe I got a couple from that, but I, I can't recall any of that, those being a significant problem for me as someone that got like, something teen concussions that led to me having to retire from rugby. I don't remember. I don't remember having a head on, head clash. Be whilst I was making a tackle or someone else was making a tackle be a reason that I got sent, I got had to go off with a concussion. Ironic that is because I don't remember it. Maybe because I was concussed though, but you know, to me it just doesn't make sense, you know? On top of that, like I said about putting your head in the rs, what about mos? How the MOS work? If you can't go below the waist, how do you stop someone? If they're doing a pick and go and they're keeping like a low body high and they're just trying to run, how does the ball carrier stay upright? If like, if you're trying to change direction, you're gonna get, like the lower you get, the better You are able to evade people, not just. Go into contact, but like run around people, you're getting low. Like you see a lot of people end up tackling around the neck because the guy who like, because they get sidestep and the person that puts on a big step, like they've got a real low body height because that's how you've got to be when you're trying to change direction and then someone's just grabbed the neck. That doesn't make sense. You know? And another thing on top of this, tier three and below, these are the guys that are volunteers. I don't understand if. Policing, like the higher level where they, like, if you're someone that's got concuss, you might have to brush a concussion, sort of sweep it under the rug because you need to pay your mortgage. Or if you're as a team, you, you want to encourage that person to brush, like you're more incentivized, you're financially incentivized to, to not pay as close attention to concussions because yeah, you need to pay your mortgage or your team needs to survive in. The league gets in, otherwise it's gonna like, could potentially stop existing because of the financial implications of relegation or, or not winning a game. Like it's also where the forces are much higher and potential consequences are worse because these players are bigger, more physical players and also where they're playing more games, right? They're playing for the whole year and they also train more because they train throughout the week and they're exposed more to this. it doesn't make sense that like you are, that they're only applying this to the amateur players, like the, these guys that are volunteers, these guys are the ones that want to do this and they're saying, yep, I wanna play rugby. This is what I want to do. Like, so they're not compromising the same way as you would do if you, if you had to do it to earn a living unless. and this is where I, I can get into sort of conspiracy theory talk, which is always dodgy on our podcast, particularly if I'm gonna post this on YouTube. But there is a conspiracy here that the R F U like are doing this. my conspiracy theory whilst I research whether this is actually something that has been walked back, is that. Essentially they did this kind of on purpose because I know there's lawsuits going on for concussions and, you know, they can announce this law, right? And, and sort of then know that people are gonna outrage against it and, and say, this is, there's no way we're gonna do this law. Walk it back and say, look, we tried to change laws to make it safer and you guys didn't want to do it. There's no way you can sue us. For, for not trying to help you stay away from concussions. That's, that's something definitely that I can see whether that is actually how it's gonna work out. Not really Sure. So the RFU has apologized for the handling of its decision to implement new laws on tackle height in the English community game. The RFU has released the same saying, sorry for the anger and concern it had created. That's it. In a statement we fully acknowledge we got the engagement wrong and we are truly sorry. It is in making our decision. We are aware that France have lowered the tackle White New Zealand will be doing. So world rugby supports his approach. We like the French, use the term waste him below. This has caused a misunderstanding and confusion. We would now like the game to help us define how we describe our lower tackle height to reflect what the research is telling us. So they, yeah, they're already sort of walking it back, so it's nowhere near like, they're, they're trying to say, oh, we mean waste is below, but kind of where is the waist? Who knows? Like, is, are you, you know, are you someone that's trying to show how small your waist is by measuring it like the perfect point? Or are you gonna go a little bit higher on the ribs? Are you gonna go just below the nipples? What have you got Really saggy nipples? Like, they're, they're basically trying to make it look like they're really trying to help reduce tackle heart. I don't. Like if, if this was one and your only reason that you were gonna retire from rugby because this law is ridiculous, I think you are gonna be all right. I don't necessarily agree that, I mean, obviously I agree that the way they've done it has been a fucking joke. I agree that we need to outlaw dangerous and out of control tackles. We wanna have that not be part of a game. But we've always had had that, like, especially since, you know, the, the awareness of concussions has come, come up. I think that's, that's how you deal with this concussion stuff. Like it's not, it's not what, never letting anyone ever hit them, hit someone else on the head or never ever get concuss. It's dealing with the concussions properly. It's reducing the sheer volume of concussion. but I think that's done by managing it as better as, as best as we can. And then it's also done by, you know, implementing the art of tackling, doing that better you know, making the game just better in general and more professional. I think we're, we're doing all of those things. So let me know in a comments blow or in the Facebook post. In the Facebook group. Which are attaching the links below the podcast, if you have any, anything to add to this Tackle Hike controversy. Finally, yes, we do have time to get in some six nations predictions. Next week is the start of the is it? Who's sponsoring the Six Nations this year? I'm interested to find out. But this is gonna be big. It is, it is Guinness again, Guinness, six Nations. So my predictions are gonna be that I don't have a bloody. It's gonna be really fun to watch. I, I, I'm, I'm really pumped to start watching But as far as predictions goes, well, first and foremost, I'm gonna put my predictions into Super Brew. If you want to join us, there'll be prizes for whoever wins at the end of the Six Nations. I'll put the Super Bowl pool in the links below. Join us if you make the best predictions you win, you win some prizes, which will include a year of team Rpy muscle. Include some other good. That I'm yet to sort of nail. But my overall predictions, I guess like Wales that start with them, they lost a Georgia in the, in the autumn, so they were miserable. But they've got Gatlin back and they always seem to show up for six nations. They always have miserable autumns. They can't. Seem to play well against Southern Hemisphere teams. But even saying in saying that they beat the South Africa in South Africa last year, if I remember. Yeah, they did. So I mean they lost a series but they won a game, which is huge. They always seem to shout to Six Nations. I think they've got Island first. I think they could do it with Gats back. They always seem to perform well in the Six Nations apart from last year. Italy, obviously they last year beat Whale as well. Again, they're a team where it, it's so easy to sort of, to keep dismissing them and say they're not growing. But I do think they are growing. It's just that when you are the underdog as much as they are, like it just takes a, a couple things to not go quite, go your way. And it's so hard in that level of rugby to get momentum back and to really win games. So I think that's, that's gonna always be their uphill battle. I do think they could get, get a scrap. I think they could eat, they could be. Any team on their day. So it'll be interesting to see how they go. You know, with this being a World Cup year, I think they actually want to really start implementing some sort of plan because their, their World Cup pool, I believe is gonna be rough. So, and they've got France first up in the Six Nations. I think they have France in the World Cup as well. So yeah, good luck, Italy. But I do think they're building stuff where it's just circumstances tough for them. Scotland now Scotland. in 2023 like coming into this World Cup with the best chance they've ever had at doing really well in a World Cup. They, if you look at the players they've got, if you look at the squad, they've got like, they're too good now to be sure they've got enough quality in their side. I just don't know if they know how to win the big games. I think they've, like, they can win lots of games on paper. Rugby has clearly not played on paper. I don't know if they've got enough quality to. really make a a, a run at doing well in the Six Nations. If you look at not enough quality, enough game-winning, championship winning experience like the other countries have, or they're like the next three countries at least have, I think they've got quality, whether they, you know, but the only, there's only one way to, to get more experience of winning stuff. That's by winning stuff. So they've gotta start somewhere. like you're looking at Hoggy, you're looking at Finn Russell. Those two guys are getting on, probably they're still their two most talented players. And those two in particular, like this is probably gonna be them. It could be their last World Cup. So, you know a lot, there is a bit of pressure that comes with that and whether that helps them win, whether that makes it harder, who knows? I'm doing well for prediction. So far we not, haven't even got like any sort of firm, this is what's gonna happen England. Okay, let's, let's see what we can say. Firm with England. They're gonna have more clarity. I think they're gonna have more direction. I think they're gonna look like they know what they're doing on the pitch a lot more than they have done in previous, the last previous couple of years. I think they'll have a little bit more confidence. I think they were just sort of ran down with the Eddie Jones regime. Regime. I'm a big Eddie Jones fan. I just think. it's a short his, from what I've heard from sources very that have worked with Eddie Jones, he's just brutal. And I think he, he, you know, over time it just tends to burn out those around him, even if they, they aren't aware of it. Even if they love him and they love what he's about. Borthwick obviously is a great coach. I think he's gonna keep things simple enough for them just to play well, to allow them to play well. I think. You can see from the way a lot of the English players have stood up in the, in the champions Cup that they can have. They have the ability to step up. They have the ability to perform. England, have a good amount of talent, whether they can really put it together in the white shirt against, you know, the likes of Ireland, the likes of France. It's still yet to be seen very much like Scotland in that. I, I would just say the only difference there being that I think other teams, Say this as an Englishman, other teams step up against England quite often and I think, you know, England have to be performing in all cylinders, which they can do, which is an excuse because the other teams are still outperforming 'em. If they win they have to step up and really perform to, in order to win, you know, win the six nations get high up in the ranking. Win a grand slam potentially. I don't think England will win a Grand Slam. I do think that they'll be up there contesting a lot more than they have done in the last couple years. And we've got the two favorites, rightly so. Island, I think island out of all of it. They're the easiest predict like how they play is just really efficient. Brutal simple. Rugby, strong carries good game management. Fast ball. playing the right, you know, doing the right things in the right areas. I think they just play so well. I do wonder if you could ruffle their feathers, because when you look at how Lent ster in particular have done in a Champions Cup, when you look at how well Island did, you know in, in this autumn Nation Series, South Africa, were the only team that got close to roughly in their feathers. I. I think Australia are only lost by a point. And, you know, Australia lost to Italy. So by that logic, you know, you know, you see where we're going. The, it's, it's, it's it's still somewhat unpredictable because I do think if you can ruffle their feathers, there's a chance that you can spoil that, that the way they play, get under their skin and, and, and grab a win. But if you let them get on Top Island, are gonna island are gonna smash it. I, I expect them to play really well. I do expect them to have at least one game where they come unstuck. And that's a good test for them because in the World Cup year, they continually seem to get unstuck in one pool game, or at least in the quarter final continually in World Cup. So I think that's the, they gotta overcome, and I think they're in a good place. They're in a better place than they have been in any other World Cup year. I, I think they can smash it. So yeah, big Ops Island. I think they're, I think they might actually be my favorites to win, win the whole thing. And that's only because France are the least predictable of Yeah, they're the least predictable. Maybe Scotland, they're the least predictable because it's just the way they play. It's just the French, you know, they easily have the most, that's. They definitely have the most talent across the board. I wouldn't say easily, but if you look at their players, especially their, their, their, their squad depth, how well they play yeah, they, they, they should be favorites. But I, I just think where as, I wonder if you could ruffle the feathers of. Island, I know you can ruffle the feathers of France. But their quality is so much so they're like the opposite of Italy, where Italy have to have everything go right. You know, a few little things that go wrong, ruin no momentum, and they're never gonna win Island. I mean, island France could have. Most of the game go wrong, but have four different plays of complete magic that win in the games because they've got such talent across the board and they'll still win. So it'll be interesting. I'm pumped for it, especially haven't given this little preview now. I'm excited to watch it next week. Again, I'll put the link to the Super Brew so you can participate. I do think putting a little like wager, not, not necessarily monetarily, but just saying who you predict is gonna win helps you root for those teams. Join me in the Subaru app. You can also just download the super app and use the code Bragga, B R A G G A S H, all lowercase to find the rugby muscle prediction, Paul. All right, that will round up this podcast for this, I think I'm gonna try and do two this week. I'll, I'll see you guys later on in this week. Otherwise, thank you guys so much for listening. As always, thumbs up on the YouTube channel, big comments, spread it to your mates, and I'll see you in the next one.