The Counter Ruck

With Leinster and Leicester squaring off in Europe this week, Jimmy Gopperth - a former outhalf for both sides - joins ex-teammate Gordon D’Arcy and Nathan Johns.

We look back at an interesting time in Leinster’s history, the years when they were coached by Matt O’Connor. We also chat about Irish rugby’s tactical evolution in the last 10 years, as well as the direction of travel of the sport more generally, given Gopperth’s experience playing for 10 different clubs across the world.

Produced by John Casey.

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Round one of European action has been and gone as Leinster won in unconvincing fashion over an understrength Harlequins side, Munster fell away to Bath, Connacht lost to Ospreys and Ulster hammered Racing at home in Belfast.

Are Leinster leaving it till too late in the season to kick into gear? Is Munster’s defeat terminal to their European ambitions? Were Ulster the only Irish province to actually impress across the opening weekend?

Gordon D’Arcy and John O’Sullivan join Nathan Johns to discuss all the action.

Produced by John C...

Two years out from the World Cup, Ireland now know who they are playing after Wednesday’s draw.

The fixture dates come next February as World Rugby look for spikes of ‘hype’, a tactic which divides the opinion of our panel.

Nathan Johns is joined by Gordon D’Arcy and John O’Sullivan to look at Ireland’s draw and preview the upcoming European action.

Leinster may well have a chance to blood a few newer faces due to injury, while Munster face a fascinating trip to take on old friend Johan...

During the November window, the IRFU released their financial accounts for the previous year. Inevitably, they were asked about rising ticket prices for games at the Aviva Stadium.

Irish Times rugby correspondent Gerry Thornley reported that the cost of a ticket has increased by 80 per cent in the past 12 years. Why does rugby charge more for the in-ground experience, compared to other sports?

There’s a lot in this: the financial health of the sport, ticket vs TV revenue, how tickets are sold through clubs, the corporate nature of the audience and a ne...

There have been postmortems aplenty on the state of Irish rugby after the November window. But what of the international window as a whole. Officiating is arguably a hot a topic as it ever has been - and not in a good way.

Stylistically, law tweaks have more and more teams striving for efficiency and playing in similar styles, ones which are not always popular among the crowds.

Whatever about results and Irish fortunes, as a spectacle, is international rugby still a good watch?

Host Nathan Johns is joined by...

Saturday was shambolic. Chaotic. Insert your choice of adjective here. A rugby match took over 130 minutes to complete. Seven cards were handed out - one rescinded.

Somewhere in between, South Africa bullied Ireland, Andy Farrell’s side ultimately doing well not to lose by a heavier margin.

What to make of all the chaos, and of Ireland’s November window as a whole?

John O’Sullivan and Gordon D’Arcy join Nathan Johns to discuss.

Produced by John Casey.

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South Africa come to town this weekend with two World Cup winners’ medals in the back pocket of plenty of squad members. Yet one of the few frontiers this side under Rassie Erasmus has yet to cross is winning in Dublin.

Daniel Gallan is a South African journalist for Rugbypass and the Guardian. He joins Nathan Johns to explain just how Rassie has done it for so long.

How does he keep his players motivated? How does socio-economic and cultural realities back home play into the rugby psyche? Is to be a Springbok ak...

Ireland secured a record victory over Joe Schmidt’s Wallabies on a wet Saturday night at the Aviva Stadium. It was comfortably the best display of this November window from Andy Farrell’s side, but where does it leave them ahead of next week’s Springbok challenge?

Gordon D’Arcy and John O’Sullivan once again join Nathan Johns to discuss, amongst other things: Sam Prendergast’s impressive starting display; Ireland’s kicking supremacy; return of the Mack; Gibson-Park’s continuing excellence and Australia’s fall from grace.

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After beating the Lions in the last Test and running them close in the series as a whole, Australia have gone downhill. They started this November window with a scare against Japan while last weekend saw a damaging defeat to Italy.

Where did it all go wrong? Joe Schmidt is in the twilight of his tenure in charge, finishing up next July. After the Lions recovery but subsequent demise, how will his time with the Wallabies be remembered?

Jonathan Drennan of the Sydney Morning Herald joins Nathan Johns to discuss.

...

Ireland 41 Japan 10: back on track after the Chicago disappointment or a worrying, laboured victory?

Did Ireland get what they needed from returning players? Did newer faces step up?

Gordon D’Arcy and John O’Sullivan join Nathan Johns to give their thoughts.

Meanwhile over in Spain, Ireland’s second string impressed against the tier two nation. Can anyone from that group force their way into senior Irish reckoning any time soon?

Produced by John Casey and JJ Vernon.

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Two Irish sides take to the pitch on Saturday; Andy Farrell’s senior outfit takes on Japan before a second-string side play Spain.

Plenty of interesting selection calls have been made, while a number of high-profile players - Caelan Doris included - return to starting roles.

What are the storylines and performances to watch? Who needs a big display to keep their spot, and who might force their way into first choice reckoning?

John O’Sullivan joins Nathan Johns to discuss.

Produced by John Casey.

Host...

Where does Ireland’s defeat to the All Blacks leave them in world rugby’s hierarchy?

After a solid if unspectacular opening hour, Ireland collapsed to a two-score defeat in the final quarter. The Irish kicking game brought plenty of joy, but New Zealand’s bench ultimately turned the contest.

Gordon D’Arcy and John O’Sullivan join Nathan Johns to pick through the action from Ireland’s Chicago trip.

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Is this the most undercooked an Irish side has been heading into an international window? Is Andy Farrell picking on form?

What to make of Jack Crowley at outhalf, Stuart McCloskey at centre and Caelan Doris on the bench?

Do Ireland stand any chance of upsetting a New Zealand side which has yet to convince under Scott ‘Razor’ Robertson?

Gerry Thornley is our man on the ground in Chicago. He joins Nathan Johns to build up to Ireland’s Chicago clash with the All Blacks.

Produced by John C...

In a slightly different episode, Gordon D’Arcy has gone digging around his attic for career memories. A teammate feedback sheet from his aged 21 season prompts today’s discussion.

In these anonymous submissions, D’Arcy was given both praise and constructive yet strong criticism about his early days with Leinster. In his own words, it was the sheet which “changed everything.”

What was said by his peers, how did it affect his behaviour and how did he go on to achieve what he did?

Plus, a review of the opening five round...

Brendan Fanning has just published a book on the modern history of Irish rugby. Looking at recent successes, he speaks to the heavy hitters involved to figure out if we are set-up to continue growing, stay still or go backwards.

Brendan joins The Counter Ruck to discuss his book, Touching Distance, to analyse the biggest issues that have affected the game since 2007.

What is Stuart Lancaster’s relationship with Andy Farrell like? What does David Nucifora think of Munster? Are the good times here to stay or already gone?

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Munster battered their provincial rivals for the first time in a long time, potentially igniting this derby match for the future.

Were Leinster simply undercooked as they continued to bring back their Lions or has the tide turned on this previously one-sided grudge match?

Gordon D’Arcy and John O’Sullivan join Nathan Johns to recap the weekend’s action and look ahead to the ramifications of this game for Ireland’s November series.

Produced by John Casey.

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Andy Farrell named a settled Ireland squad for the upcoming November internationals this week. With just one uncapped player - Leinster’s Paddy McCarthy - has he taken the opportunity to regenerate the side halfway through a World Cup cycle?

Gerry Thornley joins Nathan Johns to pick through the more interesting selections. Why has McCarthy risen so quickly up the depth chart? Can Tommy O’Brien force his way in? Why are there so many Leinster players? 

Produced by John Casey.

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For the first time this season, Gordon D’Arcy and John O’Sullivan are back together on The Counter Ruck to pick through the weekend’s rugby action.

Leinster returned to winning ways, Munster won an ill-disciplined affair against Edinburgh, Ulster picked up a statement win over the Bulls while Connacht fell away to Cardiff.

With Harry Byrne impressing for Leinster, will he be included in Wednesday’s Ireland squad announcement? Will he or Sam Prendergast start against Munster?

After Mike Haley picked up a head injury thanks to a high tac...

Another provincial preview but this one is a little different. After going through things at senior level, Nathan Johns is joined by John O’Sullivan to look at the new players entering the four provincial academies across Ireland.

Which players that impressed at U20 level have earned an opportunity? What names should we look out for? Is Ireland still strong at producing younger talent? A deep dive into the provincial academy structure.

Produced by John Casey.

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The weekend’s provincial action took a hit as Connacht and Ulster both saw their games postponed courtesy of Storm Amy. Munster managed to get their game in as they saw off Cardiff while Leinster finished up their South African trip with another defeat. It’s the first time they’ve lost their first two fixtures of a campaign since 2003.

Is there genuine room for concern or is this just a continuation of their difficult relationship with South African trips?

Do Munster look a more cohesive unit as the Croke Park clash looms into v...

Four years after failing to qualify for the World Cup, few would argue that a valiant quarter-final defeat to France represents progress for the Irish women’s side. How do they keep that going, capitalising on the support which followed them for a month over in England? Lynne Cantwell is the IRFU’s head of women's strategy. A former player, she is tasked with making the sport more visible, helping to improve the standard of player while increasing the commercial viability of the game. With better domestic structures needed, the chance for players to develop both at grassroots and professional leve...

The opening weekend of the URC season has been and gone with three out of the four Irish provinces recording victories.

Stuart Lancaster and Clayton McMillan opened their accounts with victories for Connacht and Munster respectively, while Ulster saw off the Dragons with their attack impressing under the influence of Richie Murphy’s assistant Mark Sexton.

Leinster, though, turned in a horror display down in South Africa.

Could they be staring into a 10-point deficit to their rivals just two weeks into the season?

How did the ot...

Our province-by-province preview series concludes out West and in the capital. Connacht have a new coaching staff led by Stuart Lancaster while Leinster have extended their group spearheaded by Leo Cullen and Jacques Nienaber.

Can Connacht bring through their young players into Ireland contention? Will Leinster finally break their European curse?

John O’Sullivan joins Nathan Johns to discuss.

Produced by John Casey.

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The return of the URC is upon us as all four provinces gear up for the new campaign. New coaches, new players, teams looking to improve on a down season for Irish rugby as a whole domestically, there are plenty of storylines to keep an eye on.

Joining host Nathan Johns to pick through Munster and Ulster’s prospects is Irish Times rugby writer John O’Sullivan. 

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Ireland came close to upsetting France in the World Cup quarter-final, only for an improved display to come up short.

How did they nearly pull off the unthinkable? What to make of the bite on Aoife Wafer and subsequent punishment? Where does this Irish team go from here?

John O’Sullivan joins Nathan Johns to discuss.

Produced by John Casey.

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Ireland’s green wave came crashing back down to earth after a 40-0 defeat to New Zealand in Brighton. The saving grace is that, after defeating Japan and Spain in their opening games, a quarter-final spot has still been secured. They play Six Nations foe France in Exeter next weekend.

After attending the match on Sunday, Nathan Johns and Gerry Thornley pick through the talking points.

Where did it go wrong for Ireland? Did they play into New Zealand’s hands with their game plan? Will Aoife Wafer play any time at this tour...

Ireland have qualified for a Women’s World Cup quarter-final for the first time since 2014 having beaten Spain. Whether they win the pool, and their knockout opponent, will be decided on Sunday when taking on the Black Ferns. Across their first two games, Ireland have scored 13 tries and 85 points.

All seems well, but were there cracks in the performance against two lower ranked teams? How do we balance critiquing displays while acknowledging the achievements of this side?

Irish Times contributor Louise Lawless joins Nathan Johns to discuss.

Produced by John Ca...

Ireland returned to the World Cup stage with a dominant win over Japan. Given the day that’s in it, a first World Cup match for all bar one of the squad, all at Franklin’s Gardens left in a positive mood. Even with a second half struggle which allowed Japan to get back into the game.

What made the day a successful one, who impressed and how could Ireland improve ahead of their next game with Spain?

Nathan Johns and Louise Lawless discuss after being in Northampton.

Produced by John...

Ireland’s last Women’s World Cup appearance came in 2017. It was supposed to be a crowning moment, a global tournament hosted on Irish soil. Instead, results on the field precipitated a decline off it. Eight years later - with one failed qualification attempt in between - Ireland finally return to the world stage.

What has changed in the last eight years? Are there lessons to be learned from the 2017 disappointment? How important a moment is it that Ireland are now back competing at World Cups?

Former player Lindsay Peat, current assistant coach Lari...

Ireland’s World Cup campaign is fast approaching. Yet perhaps due to Lions fatigue, the build-up has been somewhat muted. Maybe the bandwagon won’t get going until Ireland play New Zealand on September 7th, or is it a case of the women’s game being in a strange place?

Much of the chatter around this Ireland group has been positive in recent years, thanks to improving Six Nations results and a famous win over the Black Ferns. Yet with key players injured, last-minute call-ups from England and questions on the future of the domestic game, this W...

After missing out on the 2021 edition, Ireland are back in World Cup action as they prepare for the upcoming campaign in England. Matches against Japan, Spain and New Zealand - who they memorably beat last autumn - await in Northampton and Brighton respectively.

Ahead of the campaign, Nathan Johns is joined by players Aimee Leigh Costigan and Cliodhna Moloney-MacDonald to get an insight into camp. We chat World Cup preparation and the future of the women’s domestic game in Ireland which is set for an overhaul in the coming years.

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The Lions failed in their bid of a Test whitewash but still travel home from Australia as series winners. It seems that this series took a while to kick into gear but once it did, the final two Tests provided entertainment aplenty. Not least due to a dramatic lightning delay in Sydney on Saturday.

How did Australia come back to salvage some pride? Was it inevitable human nature that the Lions took their foot off the gas once the series was secure? Where does this Lions tour rank in the annals of tours to the southern...

Nine Irish players start in the Lions Test side in back-to-back weeks. But will this be remembered as a vintage tour, even with all the Irish representation? Is it difficulty to get up for the third test after last week’s series-winning drama?

And with Tadhg Furlong in line for his ninth consecutive start for the Lions in Test matches this Saturday, is he in the conversation of greatest ever Irish lion?

John O’Sullivan and Nathan Johns preview the third test between the Lions and the Wallabies.

Read about the L...

As expected, the Lions are series winners having secured a 2-0 lead heading into the final Test against the Wallabies in Sydney. But, Melbourne’s second Test victory wasn’t without its drama. A Wallaby counterpunch, a thrilling fightback, refereeing controversy, a last-minute try and plenty of Irish involvement. The second Test had it all and the tour as a whole badly needed such a shot in the arm.

Gordon D’Arcy and John O’Sullivan join Nathan Johns to pick through the match; how did Australia give Andy Farrell’s side a bloody nose? How did the Li...

This year’s Lions tour has been laden with negative coverage of how the tourists have endeared themselves to (or otherwise) to the Australian public. With disputes on the strength of touring sides, blocking players from lining out and the general negativity surrounding the standard of the Wallabies, it feels this tour has been as memorable for off-field storylines as much as on-field ones.

Do the Lions need to be popular in their host country? Does any of this matter so long as the Lions win? Are we really talking about the demise of tours to Au...

As was widely expected, the Lions were too strong for Australia during Saturday’s first Test in Brisbane. How did Andy Farrell’s side go about working past Joe Schmidt’s Wallabies?

A fast start gave way to a middling if not average second half display. Does this give Australia hope of a series comeback, or did the Lions simply take their foot off the gas?

Gordon D’Arcy and John O’Sullivan join Nathan Johns to pick analyse where the game was won and lost. We also conduct a postmortem on the year for I...

The teams have been named for Saturday’s first Lions Test and Australia are missing a number of big names. With Will Skelton, Rob Valetini and Taniela Tupou among those on the sidelines, concerns abound for Joe Schmidt’s ability to put together a competitive gameplan.

Will wily Joe have something up his sleeve? Will Saturday turn into a uncompetitive drubbing, a nightmare scenario for the tour as a whole?

Irish Times rugby correspondent Gerry Thornley is on the ground in Brisbane. He joins Nathan Johns to preview the first Test between the Lion...

Gordon D’Arcy and John O’Sullivan join host Nathan Johns to recap the weekend’s action: South Africa’s hijinks, Ireland’s century and the Lions’ final warm-up game are all up for discussion.

What, if anything, did we learn about an Irish side which scored 100+ points against a poor Portuguese side? Is this Lions side genuinely world class, or are they just playing against bad opposition? Will this slow build-up be worth it once the Test series gets underway?

Fancy joining us for our live show? Head to irishtimes.com/events to join Gordon...

The rugby action continues to come thick and fast. John O’Sullivan is in Portugal to preview Ireland’s clash in Lisbon, and he joins host Nathan Johns for today’s episode.

We chat Ireland’s selection of fast wings, Jamie Osborne’s Lions call-up, Andy Farrell’s selection conundrums and take a deep dive into the disappointing U20s campaign at the World Championships.

Like what you hear? Join Nathan, John, Gordon D’Arcy and Seán O’Brien in the Harcourt Bar on July 16th for a Lions preview live show.

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The rugby action continues at full steam ahead. The Lions struggled against the Waratahs in Sydney while Ireland’s second string impressed in Tbilisi. Meanwhile the U20s continued their struggles against Italy. All this before you mention Wales losing to Japan, France’s B team putting it up to the All Blacks and Fiji giving Australia a bit of a bloody nose.

What to make of it all? John O’Sullivan is on his travels following Ireland as he dials in alongside Gordon D’Arcy and Nathan Johns.

The upcoming live Lions podcast...

While the Lions tour continues on its merry way, Ireland are back in action for the first time since the Six Nations.

John O’Sullivan is in Tbilisi for their game against Georgia and he joins Nathan Johns for a detailed breakdown of the tour opener. It’s pelting it down in the days leading up to kick off. Good look facing a Georgian pack in the rain.

Which players are we expecting big things from as plenty look to impress with the frontliners away in Australia? In what positions do Ireland need to b...

A busy weekend of rugby action saw plenty of Irish involvement in the Lions win over the Western Force, a Top14 final for the ages in France, Peter O’Mahony and Cian Healy bow out with the Barbarians, while the Ireland U20s finally returned to winning ways in their World Cup opener.

Gordon D’Arcy and John O’Sullivan join host Nathan Johns to chat through all the action while also looking forward to Wednesday’s Lions clash with Queensland, where a familiar face in Les Kiss will be coaching the Reds.

Which Ir...

Lions tours are full of stories of players being called up last minute, dashing across the world to get an opportunity to pull on the red jersey. Former Ireland prop Tom Court has as good a story as anyone, tucking into a takeaway in his native Queensland before being summoned to Melbourne as the 2013 Lions faced a mini-propping crisis.

Given it’s 12 years on from that tour, this is as good an opportunity as any to hear from Court. As much as this is a Lions chat, though, it turns into a fascinating analysis of Irish props an...

Imagine Irish rugby had to compete with a professional GAA and a thriving League of Ireland for talent. Would the country still be so successful?

That is the picture facing Australia at the moment and then some, given the popularity of Rugby League, AFL, cricket, soccer, basketball and countless other codes down under. Yet just over 20 years ago, Australian rugby defied this sporting competition to produce a side good enough to win the 1999 World Cup, beat the Lions in 2001 and narrowly miss out on back-to-back global crowns in 2003. What has changed?

Jonathan Drennan...

After a lengthy build-up, the Lions tour is finally upon us. Andy Farrell and co come to Dublin on Friday night to take on Argentina before travelling down under.

The last time the Lions faced Los Pumas, our own Gordon D’Arcy started at 12 back in 2005.

He joins Nathan Johns and John O’Sullivan to reminisce on his own Lions experiences, look ahead to Friday and analyse the place of the Lions in the public psyche. Is it an event which captures the everyday fan’s imagination or simply a corporate juggernaut?

...

After weeks of criticism, Leinster have answered their Champions Cup disappointment in the best way possible.

A first trophy since 2021 was secured by beating the Bulls on Saturday, Leinster climbing the steps of the Hogan Stand in Croke Park to lift a first URC title since the South African sides joined.

What does this mean for the province going forward? Have they cured their mental problems in big games? How will they replace the influence of Jordie Barrett? Is this a side ready to win European titles once again?

Gordon...

Leinster have played the Bulls twice in knockouts since 2022. Both times, they lost. The South African game plan has been clear: beat them up front. But are Leinster better equipped this time? Gordon D’Arcy, John O’Sullivan and Nathan Johns discuss. Plus, how will Sam Prendergast shape up in his first final?

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After weeks of consistent (yet fair) criticism, Leinster turned in a performance to silence the critics. At least for now, their ultimate test for this season still to come. A convincing win against Glasgow showed a side touching top form again while offering a window into their unusual ‘us against the world’ mentality. What to make of it all? Gordon D’Arcy and Nathan Johns discuss. Will Leinster disappoint in another final? What does D’Arcy think are the mental improvements for a side with all the talent in the world? Are Leinster back at their best?

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It may be URC semi-final week, but the rugby news cycle has been dominated by events away from Leinster. Connacht have pulled off a big-name managerial signing by securing the services of Stuart Lancaster, while Paul O’Connell has named his Ireland squad for the summer tour of Georgia and Portugal.

With the Lions contingent away in Australia, this tour will be vital for plugging the gaps and filling areas of weakness as we start to inch towards another World Cup.

Gerry Thornley joins Nathan Johns to discuss all this while looking at wh...

Gordon D’Arcy joins Nathan Johns to talk through a dramatic URC quarter-final weekend.

Munster’s shootout defeat to the Sharks in Durban has dominated the headlines, no least for the home side’s attempts to throw Munster’s kickers off their game. This inevitably opened up a wider chat on kick tricks and the dark arts in rugby more generally.

Plus, do Leinster look like a side on the cusp of a title after their unconvincing Scarlets win? What do we need to see from them over the next fortnight to end their si...

Gerry Thornley joins the latest episode of The Counter Ruck fresh off his trip to Cardiff to watch the Champions Cup final.

He breaks down the future landscape for free-to-air rugby in Ireland, analyses France’s domination of the Champions Cup, looks at the chances of Noel McNamara returning home and more.

Alongside host Nathan Johns, talk also turns to injuries ahead of the provincial run in the URC knockouts, and the importance of Leinster lifting the domestic trophy at the end of the campaign.

We'd love to find out wh...

This weekend was a quiet one for Irish rugby, with no provincial involvement in the Champions Cup final. Still, plenty of intriguing storylines emerged; Noel McNamara’s triumph, Henry Pollock’s return back to Earth plus the curious level of antipathy towards this game in Ireland.

Gordon D’Arcy joins Nathan Johns to discuss rugby’s place in the sporting calendar, how important it is that Leinster win the URC this year, the mentality of winning and losing as well as the newly announced Club World Cup set for 2028.

We'd love to find out what...

Bordeaux seem to represent a rare enough phenomenon; a domestic rugby team growing in both on-field and commercial success. They are the best attended club in France, to the extent they can boast to be more popular than the local football team.

We all know of their on-field talent, the likes of Louis Bielle-Biarrey, Damian Penaud and Mathieu Jalibert playing a brand of rugby which is easy on the eye.

Of course, with Joey Carbery and Noel McNamara involved, there is Irish interest in the French side as they prepare for Saturday’s Ch...

Nearly a week on from the IRFU’s decision to cut the men’s Sevens programme, Gordon D’Arcy and John O’Sullivan join Nathan Johns to debate the merits of the decision.

Gordon, as a former Sevens player, is well placed to offer insight on the merits of Sevens for players moving into 15s. John has covered the Sevens team as extensively as anyone in recent years and he offers his experience as he dwells on the decision.

Do rugby’s financials leave the IRFU with any other choice? Is Sevens simply a luxury wh...

Inevitably, plenty of public commentary in the last few weeks has focused on Leinster’s inability to get over the line in big games. Clearly, they have the talent. Is the problem instead to be found in the top two inches?

Enda McNulty, a former All-Ireland winner with Armagh, worked with both Leinster and Ireland as a sports psychologist.

He joins Gordon D’Arcy - with whom he worked during his playing days - to look at the importance of sports psychology in winning environments. Does sport psychology work? How do you get play...

This weekend was a crucial round of URC action, with Munster and Ulster squaring off for playoff places, Connacht looking to stay in the hunt and Leinster aiming to wrap up the league’s top seed. Not to mention the occasion it was for the likes of Peter O’Mahony and Conor Murray playing their final game in Limerick.

Yet the crowds were on the low side, despite what was on the line. Does the public simply have a case of rugby fatigue? Perhaps the season stretches on too long, with emotional energy being preserved for the...

Andy Farrell has picked his long-awaited Lions squad ahead of this summer’s tour to Australia. 15 Irishmen have been named, a record for the touring side, just about pipping the 14 originally named in 2009.

A man who was belatedly called up to that squad 16 years ago, Gordon D’Arcy, casts his eye alongside the latest crop. Alongside John O’Sullivan and Nathan Johns, who attended the launch bash in London, this episode delves into the runners and riders, along with those who may have been unfortunate to miss out.

Do Ireland deserve to have so man...

Prior to Saturday, Leinster hadn’t conceded a point in European knockout action this year. No team had run in five tries against them in this competition since 2016. Northampton changed all that, leaving Leinster’s latest European escapade in tatters, scoring 37 points on route to a thrilling victory at the Aviva Stadium.

How did they do what no other team has done since 2016, let alone this year? Is Leinster’s galactico bubble burst? Why did they not start Jordie Barrett?

If Leinster aren’t going to win in Europe this year with this squad at...

Just one Irish province is in action this weekend, with Leinster taking on Northampton in the Champions Cup semi-finals.

Joining Gordon D’Arcy and Nathan Johns on today’s episode is a man who played for both sides in his career, James Downey. A centre back in his day, Downey lined up directly opposite D’Arcy in the infamous comeback final in 2011, Leinster overturning a 22-6 half-time deficit to win their second Heineken Cup.

The story of Leinster’s turnaround has been well told at this stage, but Downey gives a unique perspective from the...

For the first time since 2015, all four Irish provinces lost on a single weekend of domestic action. Add this to Ireland women’s defeat to Scotland to wrap up the Six Nations and it was an unusually glum 48 hours for rugby in this country. Panic stations or just a blip?

The playoff picture currently being painted leaves just one province, Leinster, playing knockout rugby in the coming weeks. There are also Champions Cup permutations. As it stands, Munster, Connacht and Ulster won’t be playing top tier European rugby next season, a result which would be bord...

The now infamous 7-1 forward split on the bench hit the headlines once again recently when World Rugby announced they would not be outlawing the practice. The innovation, first used by South Africa and made more prominent by France in the recent Six Nations, is controversial in some quarters

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While not quite at culture war levels, the use of extra forwards has prompted a strong rebuke, as either dangerous, against the spirit of the game, or both, from plenty of those involved in the game.

One of those is Owen Doyle. A...

The Champions Cup is not the competition it used to be. For all Munster’s recent trips to France provided a feel-good window of sport at its best, plenty of dead rubber ties reminded us that it is difficult to get the best of the best facing off in truly competitive ties. That the pool stages have featured too many hammerings on the scoreboard to be a proper competition has been true for some time. That such drubbings continue until the quarter-final stage is worrying. Plenty of column inches and podcast segments have been dedicated to calling out the is...

On any other day, an Irish provincial coach leaving his job with immediate effect would be front page news. As it happens, on the same day Pete Wilkins announces his departure from Connacht, Leinster revealed their next big name signing. Out goes Jordie Barrett this summer, in comes Rieko Ioane, his All Blacks centre partner.

Gordon D’Arcy and John O’Sullivan join Nathan Johns to pick through the move. Does it make sense, both from a positional and character sense, given Ioane’s role as a pantomime villain when facing Ireland last year? Should Leinster be all...

Watching the Champions Cup rugby action over the weekend, Gordon D’Arcy was taken by young Henry Pollock. The 20-year-old England flanker scored twice for Northampton in their quarter-final win over Castres, a result which tees up a last four trip to Dublin to take on Leinster. But which familiar face closer to home does Pollock remind D’Arcy of? Is the comparison a foreshadower of things to come?

Alongside the Northampton game, Gordon joins John O’Sullivan and Nathan Johns to discuss the weekend’s rugby. Munster’s lineout woes cost them dear in Bordeaux...

Munster’s reward for their victory in La Rochelle is a Champions Cup quarter-final tie away in Bordeaux. Their former outhalf, Joey Carbery, started for the French side last weekend against Ulster.

The coach leading their famed attack, is another man with Munster roots, the Co Clare native Noel McNamara.

Irish Times rugby writer John O’Sullivan joins Nathan Johns to explore the Irish links to the French club. Was moving to Bordeaux the right move for Carbery? Where would he sit in the Irish outhalf pecking order if he moved home?

The weekend’s rugby action brought a result to remember for Munster in their first competitive outing against La Rochelle, coached by their former outhalf Ronan O’Gara. With wins elsewhere for Leinster and Connacht, plus a valiant defeat for Ulster, John O’Sullivan and Gordon D’Arcy join Nathan Johns to pick through the weekend’s action.

How did Munster pull off the upset in France? Is this another peak for the province to be followed by a trough, or can they back it up against Bordeaux? Is Leinster’s attack back firing, or was their drubbi...

Irish players prepare for another European weekend of action, with Leinster taking on Harlequins, Munster playing La Rochelle in the Ronan O’Gara derby, Ulster away to Bordeaux and Connacht lining out against Cardiff.

The past few weeks of URC action, while throwing up plenty of intriguing storylines, has been a reminder of how much interest in the national game drives the sport here. Rugby is at somewhat of a crossroads, financially speaking.

Simon Keogh, the CEO of Rugby Players Ireland, represents the interests of players in the wider discussions on the future of...

Gordon D’Arcy joins Nathan Johns to review the weekend’s action.

How did Connacht fail to take advantage of Munster’s red card in the test in the west? How much do we read into the Leinster youngsters beating the Sharks, or is that particular South African team always prone to madness? Are we finally seeing Ulster’s exciting back line turn a corner?

Speaking of back lines, Ireland finally take the handbrake off in a record Six Nations win over Italy.

Produced by John Casey.

Hosted on Acast...

On Wednesday, Andy Farrell confirmed three Irish coaches would be his assistants for the upcoming Lions tour. Simon Easterby, John Fogarty and Andrew Goodman join England’s Richard Wigglesworth and Scotland’s John Dalziel on the coaching ticket.

The launch event was impressive in parts, a reminder of the corporate behemoth the Lions has become. But does this commercial standing come at the cost of the Lions ethos?

John O’Sullivan joins Nathan Johns - who attended the launch event in London - to discuss the place of the Lions in modern rugby.

This weekend saw a series of thrilling, high scoring matches in the United Rugby Championship. Leinster, Munster and Connacht all lost - Ulster provided the sole Irish win of the weekend - but fans of attacking rugby cannot say that they were bored. 

Is this what we want to see from rugby matches, though? Do we want a basketball style, end-to-end product wherever whoever has the ball last takes on the final shot to win?

Gordon D’Arcy and John O’Sullivan join Nathan Johns to pick through the weekend’s action and assess...

Attention turns to provincial action and the women’s Six Nations after a lengthy men’s international campaign. With senior internationals set to be rested domestically, which young prospects can further their summer tour aspirations with a strong display over the next few weeks? How are Ulster fixed sitting as low as 14th in the table? Connacht seem set for coaching upheaval, how will they fare for the rest of the season? Will Leinster maintain their buffer at the top? Can Munster maintain their position in the top eight?

John O’Sullivan joins Nathan Johns to chat t...

Ireland’s final standing in the Six Nations depends on how you frame it. Third in Europe behind France and England doesn’t sound ideal. But plenty are young enough to remember when campaigns featuring four victories were gold dust. Is the glass half full or half empty?

John O’Sullivan and Gordon D’Arcy were in Rome to take in a clunky victory over Italy and they join host Nathan Johns to dissect the game and the tournament as a whole. Where do Ireland go from here? How will they evolve under Simon Easterby? Does this loo...

Steve Aboud is widely credited with revitalising Italy’s youth development. A number of the players leading the country’s rise from the bottom of the Six Nations pile, names including Garbisi and Menoncello, benefited from the structures he put in place. After a stint in charge of Canada Rugby’s high-performance department, Aboud returns to Rome later this year to head up the professional game. In a previous life, Aboud worked with the IRFU national academies before the provinces started working with the best schools talents. He took our own Gordon D’Arcy into the Irish system at a young...

It’s been a long time since Ireland were beaten as badly as Saturday’s French shellacking. Back in 2022 they also lost to 15 points away in New Zealand. Not since 2019, against England, have Ireland been left feeling so shell-shocked at home.

Where did it all go wrong?

Gordon D’Arcy joins Nathan Johns to pick through what was a French defensive masterclass. Following on from last week’s episode on talent development, the pair discuss how France had more powerful, game-changing athletes than Ireland. We also analyse the performance of Ireland’s halfback...

For the third time in as many years, it looks that the winner of Ireland’s clash with France will go on to win the Six Nations. Who, then, are the favourites for Saturday’s clash in Dublin and why?

Irish Times rugby correspondent Gerry Thornley joins Nathan Johns to preview the clash. What does Ireland’s selection of Jamie Osborne as Mack Hansen’s injury replacement tell us of the impending game plan? Will Ireland continue to be a kick-heavy team? What to make of France’s attack scoring a plethora of tries so far in this co...

A regular talking point when Ireland take on France is the competitively younger age of the French line up. Louis Bielle-Biarrey debuted when he was still eligible for France U20s. Where are the 20-year-olds making their way to the Irish senior team?

Is this just a case of a different system of talent development, or is France ahead of Ireland? For all the talk of Ireland’s impressive U20 pipeline, is it producing enough to keep up with bigger nations? Gordon D’Arcy joins John O’Sullivan and Nathan Johns to discuss.

Produc...

Last weekend, either side of Ireland’s Six Nations victory in Cardiff, other Irish sides struggled. The U20s were on the wrong side of the result in Newport, the first time they’ve lost to Wales at that level since 2018. Ireland A were also in action in a rare second team fixture, losing to England A in Bristol. 

Ireland’s development pathway receives regular praise for punching above its weight. However, was last weekend a reminder of the cyclical nature of talent identification, or are there deeper underlying issues? What to make of the coaching...

Gordon D’Arcy joins Nathan Johns to debrief the weekend’s Six Nations action. We discuss silly season in the media, how Sam Prendergast can improve tackle technique, the art of defending in the hardest positions and more.

Also on the agenda is France’s impressive dismantling of Italy. Can Ireland take anything of comfort from that display? Were there clues as to how they can keep their grand slam bid alive when the French come to Dublin?

Produced by John Casey.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more inform...

Ireland have shuffled the pack ahead of the trip to Cardiff to take on Wales this Saturday. Dan Sheehan captains in place of the injured Caelan Doris, while Jamie Osborne gets a run out at fullback. Irish Times rugby correspondent Gerry Thornley joins Nathan Johns to pick through the team selection and what it means for the weekend.

Are there any areas where Wales can challenge some of Ireland’s more inexperienced players? How will Ireland’s lineout fare? Is this simply a show of Irish strength in depth? Will there be any sort of new...

After the first fallow weekend, the Six Nations kicks back into gear this week with Ireland travelling to Cardiff.

However, across the first two rounds of the tournament, Ireland have ranked second bottom of all six teams for lineout success rate. This fits in with the narrative of the Irish coaches battling to fix a set-piece which hasn’t always fired. Devin Toner was Leinster and Ireland’s lineout guru during his playing days. He joins Gordon D’Arcy and Nathan Johns to look back at how he became such an effective set-piece specialist. Who was th...

This week brought the news that Warren Gatland is no longer head coach of Wales. Given their recent 14-match losing run, that Gatland could not continue will be no surprise to many, but the timing, coming midway through the Six Nations, has raised questions. Simon Thomas is a Welsh rugby journalist. He joins Nathan Johns to explain where it all went wrong for Gatland - who of course coached Ireland as well once upon a time. We pick through puzzling tactical decisions, the lack of talent coming through the Welsh pathway plus the future of professional rugby in the c...

Gordon D’Arcy and John O’Sullivan join Nathan Johns to pick through Ireland’s comfortable victory over Scotland at Murrayfield. Are Ireland the most psychologically resilient side in the Six Nations? Will Scotland ever get over their Irish hoodoo? Might things have looked different if Finn Russell and Darcy Graham avoided injury?

The panel explain how Ireland’s game plan dismantled Scotland’s dangerous attack, withstanding a handful of counter-punches to once again assert their superiority. With the Six Nations now heading into a rest week, Ireland’s impressive form under Simon Easterby is analysed, al...

Ireland have not lost to Scotland since 2017, but it seems every year since then the Scots feel closer and closer to ending their hoodoo. Will this year finally be their time?

Nigel Carolan is an Irishman on the inside of Scottish rugby. Originally from Galway, he coached Ireland U20s before becoming Glasgow Warriors’ attack coach. Working with the likes of Huw Jones, Stafford MacDowall and Sione Tuipulotu on a daily basis, he offers unrivalled insight into what makes this dangerous Scottish attack click. Alongside Irish Times sportswriter John O’Sullivan, Carolan analyses how Ireland migh...

After an impressive, comfortable victory over England, do Ireland rival France as favourites for this year’s Six Nations? As Gordon D’Arcy points out on today’s round-up episode, do we need to wait until next week to ascertain France’s true ability after their hammering of Wales on Friday night?

Still, Ireland looked both better coached and more instinctive than an England side which caused problems in the first half. How did Simon Easterby and co rise to the challenge of working without Andy Farrell to prepare this Irish side? Did we expect them to b...

The Six Nations is upon us. Momentum in this tournament is key and Ireland start with one of the harder fixtures with the visit of Steve Borthwick’s England side to Dublin. In round two, Ireland travel to Scotland while England host France. Given the difficult schedule, can either side afford to lose this weekend and if they want to hold realistic title ambitions?

Will Greenwood and Gordon D’Arcy toured together on the 2005 Lions tour. We reunite the two former centres to pick through England specifically. Why has their backline not yet clicked with Marc...

It’s Six Nations week. Ireland get their campaign underway with a tricky assignment against England next weekend. Now under the leadership of Simon Easterby, Ireland are bidding to secure an unprecedented third consecutive Six Nations title.

Did the likes of James Lowe and Dan Sheehan do enough to prove their fitness for Leinster to be included? Who will start in the coveted outhalf jersey? Who should line out at centre?

Gordon D’Arcy joins Nathan Johns to preview the week ahead. Gordon also offers insight into how to prepare for comm...

It’s that time of year when Schools rugby, the single most important development tool in Ireland, kicks into gear with the Senior Cup in all four provinces. 

Des Berry is the authoritative voice when it comes to covering the Leinster Schools Senior Cup. He joins John O’Sullivan and Nathan Johns to look at this year’s draw. Who are the young names we should look out for? Who have been the best schoolboy players down through the years? Are Blackrock College and St Michael’s once again the favourites this year, or can another school sp...

Now we know the knockout draw for the Champions Cup, can anyone get in the way of another Leinster vs Toulouse showdown in the final? Can Noel McNamara and Bordeaux get in the way of Antoine Dupont and co on that side of the draw? Can Munster spring an upset in the first ever edition of the Ronan O’Gara derby? Would Ulster have preferred to go on a Challenge Cup run to facing Bordeaux once again? Is winning the Challenge Cup a realistic goal for Connacht? 

Gordon d’Arcy and John O’Sullivan join Nathan Johns t...

Ireland recently named their squad for the six nations. Widely seen as a continuity selection, there are still a number of talking points. What does Tom Ahern have to do to earn a call up? Are we finally starting to see the next generation of props? Who are the younger developmental players? Is this squad a good reflection on the Emerging Ireland programme?

John O’Sullivan and Gordon D’Arcy join Nathan Johns to discuss all this and more, including Dan Sheehan’s apparent fast recovery from an ACL injury.

Produced by John Casey...

Leinster have now beaten La Rochelle on three consecutive occasions. Is this a sign they have turned the corner against bigger French sides, or was it a smash-and-grab with worrying implications for the future?

Gordon D’Arcy believes the bigger picture thinking should be placed to one side for now and that Leinster should be pleased to have come out of a difficult environment with the win. John O’Sullivan, on the other hand, points to a number of concerning trends in the Leinster performance which he thinks do not bode well for the future. 

Michael Cheika was the head coach who guided Leinster to their first European crown in 2009. Now, coaching Leicester Tigers, he squares off against Irish opposition with Ulster travelling on Saturday night.

Alongside Gordon D’Arcy, who Cheika coached, The Counter Ruck looks back on the Australian’s time in Dublin. How did he convince the top Leinster brass to take a punt on an unproven coach? Did the Leinster players need a good kick up the backside? Are there parallels between Leinster then and Leicester now? Why is Cheika seen as ’the turnaround man’, the coach to...

No provincial men’s rugby took place this weekend but Ireland U20s did play their final warm-up match before their Six Nations campaign gets underway in a few weeks’ time. Playing against a Leinster Development XV in Donnybrook, we got a chance to see how Ireland are shaping up under new coach Neil Doak.

Nathan Johns and John O’Sullivan both attended Saturday’s game and run through the talking points. How does this crop compare to other years? Who are the young players to watch out for? Who will most likely go on to have str...

Harry Byrne recently caused a bit of a shock by moving from Leinster to Bristol on a short term loan. On paper, the move makes sense, given Byrne’s lack of game time in the 10 shirt. But why don’t we see more players taking short term punts with a view to returning home an improved player? Should game time not be the primary concern? Have players become too comfortable being squad players in their home environment?

Will Byrne’s move open the floodgates as a model for staying affiliated to your home side while also earnin...

Munster defence coach Denis Leamy recently described Leinster as ‘brilliantly boring’ due to their current style of play. After watching the weekend’s festive interpro where Leo Cullen’s side secured a dominant 28-7 win, it’s hard to disagree. As South African World Cup-winning coach Jacques Nienaber spends more and more time working with the province, a clear plan focusing on set-piece dominance, power up front and a strong kicking game is starting to emerge.

But are Leinster now too brilliantly boring? The power game is good enough to beat injury-hit sides such as Munster, b...

When news of Leinster's signing of All Black Jordie Barrett broke back in April of this year, opinion was split. Was it a fair reflection of the dominant province flexing their muscle, or an unfair benefit of the IRFU paying their best players via national contracts?

This season, 10 Leinster players have their salaries paid by the governing body via central contracts, the other provinces combined have three. Is this a cycle of dominance, or a worrying portend of Leinster pulling ahead and destroying competitive balance in the provinces?

Gordon D'Arcy joins Nathan Johns...

We may only be halfway through the rugby season, but the end of the calendar year presents an opportunity to reflect nonetheless. Ireland won a Six Nations, qualified for a women’s World Cup, competed at the Olympics, beat the Black Ferns and won three out of four in November, so was this a successful year? Does the country continue to punch above its weight, and have we become spoiled as rugby fans? Or are we at a stage now when more is needed, especially at provincial level in terms of silverware?

Gordon D’Arcy and John...

The Ireland women’s team is riding on the crest of a wave after World Cup qualification and a victory over New Zealand in 2024. How does the game look below international level, how are things under the hood? There are a number of moving parts within the domestic structure, including the AIL, provinces and Celtic Challenge. The AIL, though, remains the entry point for many women into rugby.

Joining Nathan Johns to review the women’s game in 2024 is Fiona Reidy, a former international and current director of rugby at AIL champions UL Bohemian, and John Cron...

This weekend, Sharks head coach John Plumtree made headlines for outlining the unsustainable nature of South African sides trying to compete in European competition. Both the Sharks and the Stormers sent rotated teams north to the UK and both were well beaten. This comes as Bath sent a rotated squad to Treviso and lost, Munster left behind a few regulars to take on Castres and came up short while Ulster’s policy of resting some frontliners last week failed to pay off as they lost this time around to Bordeaux. Even some of the French teams lost their home ma...

Rob Henderson played for Munster, Ireland and the Lions. He was Brian O’Driscoll’s centre partner both during his infamous Paris hat-trick and the 2001 Lions tour of Australia. In 2002, he played twice for Munster against Castres on the province’s ultimately unsuccessful run to the final of the Heineken Cup. He was part of the group which eventually broke the European duck in 2006.

With Munster returning to Castres this weekend and another Lions tour down under approaching, Henderson joins Nathan Johns and John O’Sullivan. From exorbitant room service bills to praise for The Counter Ruck’s v...

As this year’s European action kicked off with a mostly positive weekend for the provinces, one difference between Irish sides and those they squared off with became apparent: pace. For some time now, Ireland has not produced game-breaking wingers with top end speed. Why is this the case?

Gordon D’Arcy and John O’Sullivan join host Nathan Johns to pick through this issue which could become all the more pressing. One Irish wing did stand out from the weekend. Connacht’s Chay Mullins finally debuted after a lengthy stint playing Sevens. Could he be the answ...