ITV 6 Nations Rugby Podcast

After an exceedingly long flight, Flats joins Shanks straight off the plane from Japan to reflect upon South Africa's stunning victory over England in the 2019 Rugby World Cup final. And in many ways, David is the right man to dissect where the match was won and lost, given the importance of the scrum in determining the outcome ...

The big game is nearly upon us, and David and Tom are a little bit excited. As well as offering their perspective on the final, they also have extended interviews with World Cup winners Ben Kay and Bryan Habana. They also bid a fond farewell to Warren Gatland, which leads them onto a surreal conversation about who from the world of rugby would make the best father-in-law.

With Shanks literally on the first flight out of Japan following Wales's agonising defeat to South Africa, he and Flats are in sombre mood - despite England's extraordinary victory over the Kiwis in the other semi-final. But they still manage to scrutinise both matches with characteristic verve, insight and humour before he is booted out of his hotel.

Amid tales of ping-pong with Andrew Cotter, mind-games with Dave Alred and high-fives with Tiger Woods, Flats & Shanks preview the semi-finals between England and New Zealand and Wales and South Africa.

The boys are exceedingly happy with the quarter-final results in Oita from a patriotic perspective. They also lament the departure of Ireland from the tournament, and marvel at the brilliance of both the All Blacks and the Boks.