Jack Senior and Ben Davies
64 episodes listed below
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What makes sport so special? Why do people fall in love with it, live it, breathe it? What is it about these games that move us so deeply? Behind every sport is a story, a story of where it came from, how it developed and who shaped it along the way. From the dreamers and the trailblazers to the scandals, tragedies and moments of pure joy, sport reflects everything it means to be human - our struggles, our triumphs, our need to belong. At The Sporting Almanac Podcast, we follow the global sporting calendar - not just to preview the events, but to explore the history, culture and characters that made them what they are today. Hosted by Jack, an engineer and grassroots football coach, and Ben,…
Based on 6 episodes we listened to · September 2026
Jack and Ben connect sporting spectacle to the institutions, controversies and unlikely figures that gave it meaning.
Jack and Ben treat sporting events as historical arguments with a scoreboard attached. Their conversations move from prepared narration into lively exchange, tracing the British & Irish Lions through landmark tours, linking the Tour de France's origins to the Dreyfus affair, and…
The Wimbledon queue comes with a five-set debate, if your tennis curiosity outlasts the strawberries.
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Short reviews from the PlayNext desk, based on the episodes we processed.
A warm, lightly comic look at stubborn Olympic ambition.
Michael David Edwards, better known as Eddie the Eagle, is framed here as more than a novelty. The episode treats him as a stubborn, unlikely Olympic figure whose story is really about nerve, belief, and the simple refusal to quit.
A Wimbledon episode that mixes ritual, scheduling, and a straightforward debate about how the tournament is played.
On Wimbledon, The Sporting Almanac treats the event like a national ritual, not just a tennis tournament. It opens with the ballot and the overnight queue, then moves through the lawns, Henman Hill, strawberries and cream, and the small details that give the place its odd…
A lively take on the Tour de France that keeps sport, politics, and scandal together.
The Sporting Almanac Podcast treats the Tour de France as more than a race, tracing jerseys, climbs, breakaways, and time trials into the political split that helped shape it.
A clear reminder that the Women's Euros was built out of persistence, not permission.
The Women's Euros comes across as the end point of a long fight, not just a tournament. It spends time on bans, fertility myths, and the rules that pushed women out of the game, then follows the clubs, leagues, and cross border competition that kept it alive anyway.
England's rugby self-myths get a blunt, lively airing.
The Sporting Almanac treats England's Six Nations loss to Ireland as a sharp, if slightly loose, piece of rugby self-examination. It works best when it sets old English certainties against what is happening now, and the back and forth keeps the episode moving.
A touring myth that casts the Lions as rugby's hardest test of selflessness.
The episode treats the British & Irish Lions as rugby's clearest case for selflessness: the I and the me have no place here. From there, it traces why a touring side drawn from a small cluster of islands in the Northern Hemisphere came to carry the sport's greatest honour, and…
Local cricket, score by score.
Cricket analysis with the lid off.
Loose talk, sharp turns, real feeling.
Cricket reaction with memory and nerve.
This episode of The Sporting Almanac Podcast delves into the history, ethos, and legendary tours of the British & Irish Lions rugby union team.
The host expresses excitement for Super Bowl Sunday while mocking a rival team's season and challenges ahead.
This segment introduces the Six Nations rugby championship, discussing its significance, schedule changes, and the intense rivalries and physical nature of the matches.
This episode explores the rich history and cultural significance of archery, from its origins in hunting and warfare to its modern role as a sport, highlighting legendary figures and its appeal as a source of power and freedom.
This episode introduces the Winter Olympics series, focusing on the inaugural 1924 Chamonix Games, highlighting the excitement, sports, and potential for dramatic moments in winter sports competitions.
This episode discusses personal connections to the Ashes cricket rivalry, focusing on why people love it and the players who inspired them.
This segment reflects on how football, particularly through the African Cup of Nations, can transform tragedy into triumph, unite people, and inspire heroes, using Zambia's journey as a key example.
This segment introduces the paradoxical nature of Test cricket and the Ashes rivalry between England and Australia, emphasizing the game's complexity, laws, and cultural significance.
This episode explores how Canada influenced American football history and introduces the Grey Cup as the pinnacle of Canadian football.
This segment highlights the Premier League's dramatic history, including underdog victories, intense competitions, controversies, iconic stadiums, and its status as the world's top football league.
This segment explores Ireland's transformation in rugby, from its historical and cultural complexities to becoming a modern powerhouse in the Six Nations, despite ongoing World Cup challenges.
This segment introduces alpine skiing as a high-stakes Olympic event, highlighting the physical and mental challenges faced by elite athletes, particularly superwomen, in downhill racing.
This segment explores Italy's enduring passion and perseverance in rugby, highlighting their journey beyond stereotypes in the Six Nations.
This segment passionately celebrates Europe's historical and spiritual dominance in the Ryder Cup, highlighting key players and memorable victories while contrasting it with American struggles and controversies.
This segment discusses the essence and appeal of the World Athletics Championships, highlighting its history, the motto 'Segoy' meaning amazing, and the sport's ability to inspire awe and controversy.
Two English hosts introduce a debate about selecting an all-time Six Nations XV team, acknowledging the subjective and controversial nature of such a list.
This segment explores Scotland's unpredictable and inconsistent performance in the Six Nations rugby championship, highlighting their historic victories and ongoing struggles.
This segment explores the historical characteristics of French rugby, describing it as mercurial and unpredictable, and discusses how recent domestic reforms have transformed the team into a dominant force in the Six Nations.
This episode introduces a boxing-themed story about Leen Sanders, focusing on his personal battles beyond the ring and the broader themes of fighting for various reasons.
This segment poetically describes Gaelic football as a deeply rooted, defiant sport in Ireland, embodying history, identity, and community pride.
This segment describes the chaotic and unforgiving nature of snowboard cross racing, highlighting its risks and the pursuit of victory, with a focus on Lindsey Jacobellis's story of redemption.
This segment introduces the excitement and challenges of the NFL playoffs, highlighting the journey to win the Lombardi Trophy.
This segment recounts Ayrton Senna's historic home victory at the Brazilian Grand Prix in Interlagos, highlighting the race's dramatic and unpredictable nature.
This segment passionately describes rugby as a sport of identity, defiance, and glory, highlighting key teams, players, and its cultural significance across nations like New Zealand, South Africa, Argentina, and Australia.
This segment recounts the historical split from rugby union in 1895 that led to the creation of rugby league, highlighting its origins in northern England and setting the stage for the modern Super League Grand Final between Yorkshire and Lancashire.
An Englishman seeks advice on choosing an Australian rules football club, leading into a podcast episode that serves as both a history lesson and an introduction to the sport, while previewing the ongoing playoffs and upcoming grand final.
This podcast episode introduces volleyball as a globally popular sport, discusses its world championships, and promises to cover both men's and women's events.
The 2026 Formula 1 season introduces major technical changes like smaller cars, bigger batteries, sustainable fuels, and new manufacturers, potentially reshuffling the competitive landscape.
This segment highlights Wales' deep rugby culture, passionate fans, and distinctive playing style within the Six Nations tournament.
This segment recounts the historical legal battle that established darts as a game of skill rather than chance, leading to its acceptance in pubs and eventual professionalization with the PDC World Darts Championship.
This segment introduces the Melbourne Cup as Australia's premier horse racing event that stops the nation, highlighting its cultural significance and historical roots.
This segment poetically reflects on the enduring allure and dramatic history of The Ashes cricket series, highlighting iconic figures and moments.
This segment introduces the bobsleigh event in the Winter Olympics, highlighting its history, dangers, and the popular Hollywood story about Jamaica's team, contrasting it with the true story.
This podcast segment explores what defines different eras in NFL history, examining factors like dynasties, gameplay evolution, legendary players, and lasting legacies.
This segment highlights the history and significance of the US Open, focusing on pioneering African-American players like Arthur Ashe and Althea Gibson, and its evolution into a major tennis event in New York.
This segment introduces the Australian Open tennis tournament at Melbourne Park, describing the atmosphere and setting up a podcast discussion about it.
This segment explores the deep cultural significance of football in England, emphasizing the EFL pyramid structure, the emotional highs and lows for fans, and how clubs serve as vital community hubs across all levels of the game.
This segment examines the contrast between the Olympic ideals of unity and the controversial choice of Nazi Germany to host the 1936 Games, questioning the true essence of the Olympics beyond symbols and imagery.
This episode reflects on the emotional and narrative aspects of sports as the Sporting Almanac Podcast concludes its 2025 season with a year-end awards celebration.
This episode tells the inspirational story of Eddie the Eagle, the British ski jumper who captured hearts at the 1988 Calgary Olympics despite finishing last.
This episode of The Sporting Almanac Podcast delves into the history, traditions, and iconic moments of the Wimbledon Championships.
This episode explores the history and current state of the UEFA Women's European Championship, tracing the sport's journey from early 20th-century bans and paternalistic restrictions to its modern explosion in popularity and professionalism.
The Tour hardly needs an entrance.
The Sporting Almanac Podcast explains half-pipe snowboarding through Olympic judging criteria including amplitude, difficulty, execution, variety, and overall flow.
The Sporting Almanac Podcast's "Winter Olympics V - Steven Bradbury" explains short-track speed skating through a 111-metre track, speeds above 45 kilometres per hour, tight turns, and frequent crashes.
The Sporting Almanac Podcast examines the Boat Race between Oxford University and Cambridge University, an event the hosts date back 195 years and approximately 169 official races.
The Sporting Almanac Podcast examines the 1980 Winter Olympics ice-hockey matchup in Lake Placid, where United States college players faced the Soviet Union's dominant amateur-era system.
The Sporting Almanac Podcast examines the 1994 Winter Olympic scandal involving figure skaters Tonya Harding and Nancy Kerrigan.
The hosts deliver a passionate, critical post-mortem of England's disappointing Six Nations campaign, arguing that systemic cultural issues—arrogance, conservatism, and a fixation on weaknesses over strengths—are to blame for the team's underperformance.
This segment poetically describes baseball as more than just a game, emphasizing its emotional impact through memories, joy, hope, and dramatic moments like the postseason.