State of Origin: The Union Way
5/20/20261 hr 7 min
Before professionalism swept it away, the Divisional Championship packed out Twickenham and launched international careers. Today, we're bringing it back. Armed with current pros, regional pride, and very little agreement on eligibility rules, our panel drafts four teams - North, Midlands, London & South, and the South West - and puts it to you to decide who'd win. Joining the show are World Cup winner and Leicester Tigers legend Ben Kay, and cross-code flying machine Martin "Chariots" Offiah - a man who actually pulled on the London jersey in 1987. Together with Payno and Tins, they argue, haggle, and horse-trade their way through the ultimate fantasy rugby draft. 00:00 🛞 Season 6 is sponsored by Continental Tyres 02:06 🌏 State of Origin Idea 03:16 🏉 Selectors and Memories 08:55 📋 Eligibility Rules 10:14 🔁 Back Three Picks 17:47 ⚔️ Centers 23:40 🎯 Halfbacks 32:07 🔒 NordVPN Break 34:45 💪 Front Row Picks 38:43 🏗️ Second Row Pairings 42:09 🔥 Back Row Debates 52:54 🏆 Who Wins? 54:15 🏟️ Choosing Home Stadiums 57:34 🧠 Picking The Coaches 01:00:04 💭 Can This Concept Actually Happen? 01:01:25 🤜 Grip Strength Challenge 🔐 EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/goodbadrugby Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee 📗 The Good, The Bad & The Rugby: Unloaded: https://lnk.to/GBRUnlocked/waterstones Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Clips
Transcript preview
First 90 secondsAlex Payne· Host0:00
This is fantasy rugby at its best.
Ben Kayser· Guest0:02
It's a brilliant concept, isn't it?
Alex Payne· Host0:03
Martin, Chariots of Fire. What do you remember of playing for the London in '87?
Ben Kayser· Guest0:07
It was massive then 'cause obviously it was the, the route to, to playing, um, for England.
Alex Payne· Host0:13
Or league. [laughs] [laughs] You're not gonna challenge on Owen Farrell.
Mike Tindall· Host0:17
He's definitely not from London.
Alex Payne· Host0:20
[laughs] And can you just give me his claim to the Midlands?
Ben Kayser· Guest0:23
Yeah, I might just need a bit of help on that.
Alex Payne· Host0:25
[laughs] I'd buy a ticket.
Ben Kayser· Guest0:26
Yeah.
Alex Payne· Host0:27
I'd buy a ticket to any one of those games.
Ben Kayser· Guest0:29
It's very good, isn't it?
Alex Payne· Host0:30
Yeah, it's great fun.
Mike Tindall· Host0:31
Alex Payne trying to keep the side going forward. Haskell takes it on now with just relentless chat, and there's Tindall to add the finishing touch of glamour and World Cup winning stories. A dominant display by the good, the bad, and the rugby.
Alex Payne· Host0:46
Poor Scott Hastings.
Ben Kayser· Guest0:50
Oh, yeah.
Alex Payne· Host0:51
Absolutely.
Ben Kayser· Guest0:52
I know.
Alex Payne· Host0:52
Jaw hit the floor. You'd have worked with him- Loads, yeah ... a lot.
Ben Kayser· Guest0:55
Yeah, yeah. 'Cause he had, he had treatment during the Six Nations, another round of treatment. And, um, Nick Mullins was saying, yeah, he was talking about the World Cup and doing that, and he just w- was the most positive person- Yeah ... in the world, wasn't he?
Mike Tindall· Host1:10
He was. He was.
Alex Payne· Host1:11
Very, very sad indeed, and huge thoughts with Corrie and his daughter Kerryann, and obviously Gavin, who I think we saw in March, um- Yeah ... ahead of the Scotland-England game. All his friends and family, that is a, a desperately, desperately sad note, and a man who touched a lot of people with the way he played and then in, in