TV shows we love: Full Contact

I’ve been waiting for this for a while! Full Contact has finally hit the screens, marking Netflix’s first docuseries dedicated to the Six Nations.

Split into eight episodes of about 45 minutes each, the series is the brainchild of the same mastermind behind the global success of Drive to Survive, with the new show delving into everything that went on behind the scenes of the 2023 edition of the world’s most famous rugby tournament.

Of course, we cannot ignore a fundamental premise: Full Contact is a product designed to attract new rugby enthusiasts. The structure is almost identical to that of Drive to Survive, which has indeed led many people to follow the world of Formula 1.

There is a lot of focus on the off-field stories of individual players and their families and storytelling of the matches dwells almost exclusively on moments of high tension, such as rough on-field encounters between players, as well as the coaches’ emotionally charged reactions.

That said, there are many elements that would attract even the most demanding rugby fan.

The focus on coaches and the many moments behind the scenes are some of them. The post-match reactions, especially to defeats, are brutally filterless.

The viewer can perceive the disappointment, the anger, the frustration, all things that almost never transpire from the boring post-match interviews by coaches and players alike.

Of the many moments that caught my attention was Scotland’s head coach Gregor Townsend angry with his players for their underwhelming performance despite the historic victory at Twickenham against England.

The Welsh players’ dramatic strike, beautifully supported by players from other national teams, as well as Italy’s Kieran Crowley severely reprimanding his players (“If you want to finish last for another 22 years, keep playing like this!”), were also high points.

What stands out is the quality of the product, made with all the trappings of a Netflix sports docuseries, the best in the business.

Excessive drama? Yes, of course! But Full Contact definitely works and is worthy of anyone’s time, rugby aficionado or not.