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Foden: Stateside - A RugbyPass Original documentary

In 2018 former England full-back Ben Foden shocked the rugby world when he confirmed a switch to the newly formed Rugby United New York and Major League Rugby, America’s emerging professional rugby venture.

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It was a maverick move from the 33-year-old international veteran.

Moving to a country and a league where his 34 England caps and tabloid celebrity meant little and where he would need to prove himself all over again.

RugbyPass’ Jim Hamilton goes behind the scenes with Ben as he forges a new life for himself in the Big Apple, away from the tabloid eye and the headlines he left behind in the UK.

Jim finds a man on a mission, trying to find himself in an alien city, plying his trade in a fledgeling league and in a RUNY team where his voice resonates like never before.

Can Ben mix it with America’s finest rugby talent in the rough and ready MLR? Can the MLR become the sustainable professional league America so dearly needs? Can the veteran ex-Northampton Saint rekindle his love for the game after over a decade as a professional rugby player?

Find out in ‘Foden – Stateside’.

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Joe Schmidt reacts to Owen Farrell's Lions selection to face Wallabies

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New All Blacks locks squeezing captain Barrett out of contention

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Comments on RugbyPass

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SadersMan 9 minutes ago
Half-back depth is the flaw in 'Razor's' 4-4-4 Rugby World Cup plan

It affected ALL teams.

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O
Over the sideline 10 minutes ago
Half-back depth is the flaw in 'Razor's' 4-4-4 Rugby World Cup plan

Loving the depth.

241 Go to comments
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Nik 10 minutes ago
How Ellis Genge reacted to being dropped for the second Lions Test

“you come into this squad with perceptions of different players”


Wow, the Irish players really didn’t like Genge before the tournament. Sheehan said something similar earlier in the tour. It must have come from the 6 nations because I don’t think Genge has played against Leinster. And now the Irish coach inexplicably drops him from the starting XV in exchange for, wait for it, an Irish player. Mmm, go figure.

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sm 11 minutes ago
From Wales to Fiji: Ioan Cunningham- 'It was time for something new'

Brilliant acquisition for Fijiana. Ioan will be 100% committed and I am confident that he is capable of making the huge step changes,that we saw with the Welsh Women ,during his tenure as coach.A huge challenge but one,that I’m pretty sure,that Ioan and the players will relish. Fiji,though geographically distant,is not a million miles from Wales,in regards to the nations proud rugby culture. I wish Ioan the best of luck in his new role and look forward in anticipation to watching Fijiana progress,as they head towards the world cup .

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O
Over the sideline 11 minutes ago
Half-back depth is the flaw in 'Razor's' 4-4-4 Rugby World Cup plan

Mmmm proving you can’t do something but claiming your skills to do it are good.

Now what is Wrll? Mr perfect spelling boy?

241 Go to comments
O
Over the sideline 15 minutes ago
Half-back depth is the flaw in 'Razor's' 4-4-4 Rugby World Cup plan

Yrs he does lose a lot.

241 Go to comments
O
Over the sideline 17 minutes ago
Half-back depth is the flaw in 'Razor's' 4-4-4 Rugby World Cup plan

Foster dealt with a world wide Virus that ruined sport world wide for a few years but NZs govt was extremely harsh on our rugby teams during that time too so I also bet it effected the playersmassively.

241 Go to comments
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SadersMan 17 minutes ago
New All Blacks locks squeezing captain Barrett out of contention

It’s a moot point. He’s ineligible. But if he was eligible, there’s room to move with a TRC 36 player squad. It makes sense to get him in the environment quickly, even as injury cover. But it’s off the table.

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JD Kiwi 18 minutes ago
Why New Zealand learned more from their July series than France

He has, but it starts after his return from LaRo.

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Over the sideline 22 minutes ago
Half-back depth is the flaw in 'Razor's' 4-4-4 Rugby World Cup plan

Yet both far better win records than Rassie. Again tho I agree… nothing to write home about.

241 Go to comments
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Over the sideline 23 minutes ago
Half-back depth is the flaw in 'Razor's' 4-4-4 Rugby World Cup plan

Never been done before and won’t be done again. If you want the 88% that Hansens ABs then you will just have to watch replays.

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SadersMan 23 minutes ago
Leicester Fainga'anuku denied All Blacks eligibility for TRC

NOONE?????

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SadersMan 24 minutes ago
Ruby Tui's response to World Cup omission earns praise of teammates

What a cringe piece.

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LJ 25 minutes ago
Leicester Fainga'anuku denied All Blacks eligibility for TRC

That’s absolute stupidity. WTF can’t these stars come home to play? If NZR would get off their lazy backsides, promote the game more. Better following attracts better sponsors hence better player salaries. They let these good player go o/s to make some decent money. And because of that they also become better players. Then we kick them in the teeth for being traitors. Disgraceful. NZR & AR are f… hopeless. Now wonder we can’t dominate world rugby anymore. Totally P..d OFF

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Over the sideline 25 minutes ago
Half-back depth is the flaw in 'Razor's' 4-4-4 Rugby World Cup plan

You literally didn’t need to know anything at all. Type in the misspelt “Roigatd” and the very first thing that you see is ROIGARD the NZ rugby player. Being childish suits children.

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JW 26 minutes ago
Competing interests and rotated squads: What the 'player welfare summer' is really telling us

Yeah I’d have thought the biggest gains are in recovery from concussion if it occurs. Going to be a really long time to know if it’s improved, can’t see them estimating it, if there isn’t the science and technology to prove brain can fully recover then it’s simply going to be a case of wait and see?


Which of course means decades with overboard rules. I’m more hoping once the legal side is cleared opinion will be more balanced on how we need to treat the threat of concussion.


Wasn’t the american case mainly revolved around NFLs inaction to a clear problem? It was all a coverup of course but I can’t see WR with the same culpability. The NFL was a money machine, WR was still amateur.

It just takes time as it has to start at the bottom in underage and amatuer level. It's hard to retrain 28 year old pros overnight.

IDK about this. I’d imagine head contact is going to be worse in some respects as coming up through the grades you’re allow to be more and more loose/careless. I hope they’ve got the learning windows right.

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Over the sideline 27 minutes ago
Half-back depth is the flaw in 'Razor's' 4-4-4 Rugby World Cup plan

Who can’t name “3 for each position”? Doesn’t mean the 3 are test quality tho. Again you seem to equate being named in a squad as meaning you’re top quality. That ain’t reality

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Over the sideline 30 minutes ago
Half-back depth is the flaw in 'Razor's' 4-4-4 Rugby World Cup plan

Single malt paint stripper?

241 Go to comments
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SadersMan 30 minutes ago
Half-back depth is the flaw in 'Razor's' 4-4-4 Rugby World Cup plan

Well, I’m speaking in-house of what many of us thought of our team in 2022 buddy. We even saw the reality behind the so-called 80% win rate of 2021. Padded by 6 gimmes v Tonga, Fiji, Fiji, USA, Italy, & Wales. The crash in 2022 was predictable. Widespread discontent added weight to the unprecedented intervention by NZR to sack coaches.


Razor was always gonna be judged by us on his second year in the saddle. What others think is irrelevant. So far, so good.

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Over the sideline 31 minutes ago
Half-back depth is the flaw in 'Razor's' 4-4-4 Rugby World Cup plan

Completely true. What depth does naming U20s in your test squad build? None.

Naming large and confusing squads isn’t building depth. It’s just naming large squads. Any one can do it but it’s a stupid thing to do. It achieves nothing other than making someone’s mum and dad happy they made a squad they ain’t good enough to make.

241 Go to comments
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