Josh Gardner
@joshgardner.bsky.social
Commissioning editor, Guitar.com. The one you don’t like off the Blood & Mud rugby podcast. Variably competent dad. I cannot be reasoned with. 🏴
There was a time when The Rugby Paper was a relatively respectable outlet.
It's hard to claim that's still the case when they are constantly publishing these "guest blogs" that are basically paid SEO fodder for gambling companies.
Times is tough for online media, I *really* know – but c'mon!
It's hard to claim that's still the case when they are constantly publishing these "guest blogs" that are basically paid SEO fodder for gambling companies.
Times is tough for online media, I *really* know – but c'mon!
September 16, 2026 at 1:16 PM
There was a time when The Rugby Paper was a relatively respectable outlet.
It's hard to claim that's still the case when they are constantly publishing these "guest blogs" that are basically paid SEO fodder for gambling companies.
Times is tough for online media, I *really* know – but c'mon!
It's hard to claim that's still the case when they are constantly publishing these "guest blogs" that are basically paid SEO fodder for gambling companies.
Times is tough for online media, I *really* know – but c'mon!
I know it’s preseason and the results don’t really matter but also sometimes they probably do and good lord:
September 11, 2026 at 9:03 PM
I know it’s preseason and the results don’t really matter but also sometimes they probably do and good lord:
I mean both of these exist and are stunning so I don't think you should be complaining really.
September 10, 2026 at 9:35 AM
I mean both of these exist and are stunning so I don't think you should be complaining really.
These new Japan classic supporter jerseys from Canterbury are absolute A++ stuff
September 9, 2026 at 9:10 PM
These new Japan classic supporter jerseys from Canterbury are absolute A++ stuff
Hows your evening?
Probably more enjoyable Davit Niniashvili’s I’d wager.
Probably more enjoyable Davit Niniashvili’s I’d wager.
September 6, 2026 at 7:15 PM
Hows your evening?
Probably more enjoyable Davit Niniashvili’s I’d wager.
Probably more enjoyable Davit Niniashvili’s I’d wager.
Meanwhile on AliExpress…
September 4, 2026 at 12:38 PM
Meanwhile on AliExpress…
Mad that 20 years later and Welsh rugby is still just asking people to name their sources on camera and it ending badly.
September 1, 2026 at 1:53 PM
Mad that 20 years later and Welsh rugby is still just asking people to name their sources on camera and it ending badly.
This test series absolutely living up to its billing after me being so dismissive of the whole exercise for the last year.
August 29, 2026 at 3:50 PM
This test series absolutely living up to its billing after me being so dismissive of the whole exercise for the last year.
The Orb would never have stood for this
August 29, 2026 at 3:18 PM
The Orb would never have stood for this
Me watching post-NFL Louis Rees-Zammitt play test rugby:
August 27, 2026 at 4:56 PM
Me watching post-NFL Louis Rees-Zammitt play test rugby:
Guys what if Neil Barnes is just the best coach in the world?
August 22, 2026 at 5:04 PM
Guys what if Neil Barnes is just the best coach in the world?
Rassie Erasmus booting up Final Cut Pro and remembering his Jaco Johan Vimeo login details tomorrow morning.
August 22, 2026 at 4:56 PM
Rassie Erasmus booting up Final Cut Pro and remembering his Jaco Johan Vimeo login details tomorrow morning.
Speaking of clubs changing its colours, Newcastle have unsurprisingly switched to Red Bull Blue for their primary this season.
August 20, 2026 at 3:18 PM
Speaking of clubs changing its colours, Newcastle have unsurprisingly switched to Red Bull Blue for their primary this season.
Potentially unpopular opinion: the Dragons should make yellow/gold/amber/whatever their home kit
It’s so much more unique and distinctive than boring-assed black and they should lean into it..
It’s so much more unique and distinctive than boring-assed black and they should lean into it..
August 20, 2026 at 1:17 PM
Potentially unpopular opinion: the Dragons should make yellow/gold/amber/whatever their home kit
It’s so much more unique and distinctive than boring-assed black and they should lean into it..
It’s so much more unique and distinctive than boring-assed black and they should lean into it..
Looks like Ealing Trailfinders are gonna be a rare Nike-sponsored club outside of France next season.
More of this sort of thing.
More of this sort of thing.
August 19, 2026 at 5:17 PM
Looks like Ealing Trailfinders are gonna be a rare Nike-sponsored club outside of France next season.
More of this sort of thing.
More of this sort of thing.
Even accounting for how weird Lennon absolutely looked at this point, he did not have the beard of a Reeves & Mortimer sketch character.
August 17, 2026 at 8:06 PM
Even accounting for how weird Lennon absolutely looked at this point, he did not have the beard of a Reeves & Mortimer sketch character.
Please please please let this be the first step in my “Put him in a room alone with Dave Reddin and shut the door” dream coming true.
August 15, 2026 at 3:24 PM
Please please please let this be the first step in my “Put him in a room alone with Dave Reddin and shut the door” dream coming true.
The world of fan wikis are rarely a place to find entertaining writing, but the Transformers one is a real exception to the rule:
August 9, 2026 at 7:06 PM
The world of fan wikis are rarely a place to find entertaining writing, but the Transformers one is a real exception to the rule:
Profoundly fucking weird to have a kit launch shoot where the players aren’t in the full kit? Unless we’ve so fully given up we’re gonna send the players out in chino shorts and Birkenstocks?
August 6, 2026 at 1:25 PM
Profoundly fucking weird to have a kit launch shoot where the players aren’t in the full kit? Unless we’ve so fully given up we’re gonna send the players out in chino shorts and Birkenstocks?
Yikes, a terrible day for Welsh sporting apparel all round.
August 6, 2026 at 12:59 PM
Yikes, a terrible day for Welsh sporting apparel all round.
Nice to see the increasing apathy and disconnect between the Welsh public and the national team being reflected by Macron absolutely phoning the home kit in.
August 6, 2026 at 10:21 AM
Nice to see the increasing apathy and disconnect between the Welsh public and the national team being reflected by Macron absolutely phoning the home kit in.
Castore trying to replicate Canterbury’s 2001 Leinster jersey:
August 4, 2026 at 8:01 PM
Castore trying to replicate Canterbury’s 2001 Leinster jersey:
Antoine Dupont becomes the first men’s rugby player to have their own signature boot, I think, with the launch of the new Adidas AD9.
Ellie Kildunne is the only other player in recent years that had one, to my knowledge, and that was with Canterbury.
Ellie Kildunne is the only other player in recent years that had one, to my knowledge, and that was with Canterbury.
August 1, 2026 at 11:20 AM
Antoine Dupont becomes the first men’s rugby player to have their own signature boot, I think, with the launch of the new Adidas AD9.
Ellie Kildunne is the only other player in recent years that had one, to my knowledge, and that was with Canterbury.
Ellie Kildunne is the only other player in recent years that had one, to my knowledge, and that was with Canterbury.
The Bear has always been the pinnacle of depicting the pure bliss of stepping outside for a smoke after a hard day’s work, but the penultimate episode might be the apotheosis of the art form.
Nothing can compare, honestly.
Nothing can compare, honestly.
July 30, 2026 at 9:29 PM
The Bear has always been the pinnacle of depicting the pure bliss of stepping outside for a smoke after a hard day’s work, but the penultimate episode might be the apotheosis of the art form.
Nothing can compare, honestly.
Nothing can compare, honestly.
The WRU board looking back at 145 years of history and success in Welsh rugby:
July 30, 2026 at 3:43 PM
The WRU board looking back at 145 years of history and success in Welsh rugby: