The Counter Ruck

The final European weekend for a while threw up plenty of intrigue.

Munster are out of the Champions Cup, their latest love affair with Europe’s top tier proving to be a short lived one. Leinster once again won in difficult circumstances to ensure they are the lone Irish team flying the flag in the Champions Cup.

Ulster and Connacht safely guaranteed their progression to the knockout stages of the Challenge Cup, where they will be joined by Munster.

What did the latest round of provincial action mean for this week’s Ireland squad announcement ahead of the Six Nations?

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

Produced by John Casey with JJ Vernon on sound.
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Gerry Thornley joins Nathan Johns to pick through the rugby news of the day.

The quality of the on-field product certainly improved during last weekend’s European action, a badly needed injection of life after some difficult outings for Irish sides in recent months.

Meanwhile the rugby transfer story mill has picked up into overdrive while the All Blacks shocked the world with the decision to move on from their coach Scott Robertson. What to make of it all?

Produced by John Casey.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Leinster get out of jail against La Rochelle while Munster fall in Toulon in the Champions Cup.

Meanwhile Ulster are snowed off while Connacht let a late lead slip against Montpellier in the Challenge Cup.

A weekend of entertaining rugby, but what did we learn, if anything, about Irish rugby’s trophy prospects this year?

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

Produced by John Casey.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

An ex-Ireland captain is now in charge of the rugby department at one of the country’s four provinces. Rory Best, Joe Schmidt’s on-field lieutenant towards the back end of the 2010s, is back in Irish rugby as general manager of his native Ulster.

This is worth a deep dive in and of itself - what is a general manager? Why has Best gone into this role instead of coaching? Is he the Jason Wilcox to Ulster’s Ruben Amorim equivalent? - but add to that Ulster’s recent form and there is plenty to get into.

Best only joined the province three months ago, so there is an element of him coming in on top of good work done previously, but he undoubtedly will have a role in shaping the continuing development of a recently struggling outfit which appears to have turned the corner.

Best joins Nathan Johns to discuss his role, why he came back and if Ulster’s purple patch is a genuine revival for the northern province.

Produced by John Casey.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The end of the festive interpro season is nigh but that means Europe is back in focus as the provinces gear up for continental rugby once more. All while Andy Farrell ruminates on his Six Nations squad which is expected to be named in the coming weeks.

Whose performances may have turned his eye after three weeks of Irish derbies? Will any of Ulster’s in-form youngsters prompt a shake-up? What to make of Leinster’s slow march to victory with performances that divide opinion? Have disappointing runs for Munster and Connacht had a negative impact on their players?

Plus, which Irish provinces are actually worth paying into these days? Gordon D’Arcy and John O’Sullivan join Nathan Johns to discuss.

Produced by John Casey.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.