The Breakdown
The Breakdown
Australian rugby once had $40 million in the bank. Crowds over 100,000. TV audiences of 3 million. Today the Wallabies have sunk to their lowest world ranking ever. Off the field rugby is a "war zone" with a $20 million deficit last year alone. The Breakdown is a gripping podcast investigation from The Australian, exploring just how far "the game they play in heaven" has fallen - and why. Jessica…Social links:
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Introducing: My Sister's Secrets
My Sister's Secrets is the gripping story of one woman's quest to get justice for her sister - and along the way, to uncover the hidden places in her family, and all our families. In this first episode, you meet Alexandra Tapp who died at just 32, haunted by the predators in her own family. Now he…
38:44
Introducing: What Really Happened in Wuhan
Investigative journalist Sharri Markson goes deep into the secret history of Covid-19. In a series of exclusive interviews - from Donald Trump and Mike Pompeo to intelligence chiefs and Chinese dissidents - Markson takes us inside the investigation behind her bestselling book and documentary, to e…
41:03
What now?
The never-before-told story of how rugby nearly died altogether, the voices of those people keeping passion alive at the grassroots, and the sharp reality facing rugby if it is to ever recover in Australia. To listen to all six episodes of The Breakdown first, read the journalism and take the mult…
49:37
Folau and the First Lady
How rugby lost its golden player, featuring exclusive words from former Prime Minister John Howard, and a glimpse inside the locker room where Michael Cheika reveals how he handled the fallout with his players. For the first time, we reveal what really happened inside the boardroom. To listen to …
48:29
Where'd the money go?
Billionaire Andrew Forrest and the frantic battle to reshape the game, amid roiling uncertainty at head office and looming disaster on the field. To listen to all six episodes of The Breakdown first, read the journalism and take the multimedia experience search for and download The Australian app…
57:39
The Kick
A heartstopping England field goal broke Australian rugby’s heart in 2003 - and precipitated a terminal slide. We explore how union headhunted league’s superstars, hear ex-Wallabies shed a tear for what’s been lost and tell the ripping yarn of a rugby-related burglary at The Lodge. To listen to al…
22:47
Partying at the Lodge
For the first time, Olympic boss John Coates, rugby ex-supremo John O’Neill and the leading lights of Australian sport talk about the schoolboy rugby game that triggered mayhem, the futile efforts to reform the code and the seeds of today’s chaos. To listen to all six episodes of The Breakdown fi…
36:54
The Breakdown
How has rugby fallen so far? Why isn’t the Wallabies’ greatest-ever try scorer coaching in Australia? Why do even private school kids struggle to name a Wallaby? Why are foreign coaches dominating the game? What happened to the $40m World Cup windfall? Why are clubs closing? Can anyone save rugby u…
41:59
Preview
Search for and download The Australian's app to hear The Breakdown first. To read about The Breakdown and dive deeper into the multimedia experience take out a subscription at theaustralian.com.au/thebreakdown or download The Australian app at your app store
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