Shows / The Counter Ruck: The Irish Times Rugby Podcast
The Counter Ruck: The Irish Times Rugby Podcast
A rugby podcast from The Irish Times, presented by Nathan Johns with regular panelists John O'Sullivan, Gordon D'Arcy and Gerry Thornley.
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Episodes
- The Counter Ruck: The Irish Times Rugby Podcast
Ireland beat a dogged Wales side under the lights at the Aviva
This was a much-changed Ireland side from the one who performed heroics at Twickenham against England two weeks ago. And there was much to admire given their…
- The Counter Ruck: The Irish Times Rugby Podcast
Have Ireland changed their selection policy ahead of the clash with Wales?
Andy Farrell has made five changes to the starting XV ahead of Friday’s clash with Wales. Unusual, perhaps, to mix up a winning formula after a stunning day…
- The Counter Ruck: The Irish Times Rugby Podcast
Data in rugby and Ireland’s tactical revolution explained
Sam Larner has, quite literally, written the book on data in rugby. In his recent publication, Attacking the Space: Inside rugby’s data and tactics revolution…
- The Counter Ruck: The Irish Times Rugby Podcast
Ireland U20s - how does the talent pipeline actually look?
Everyone loved a crisis talk after Ireland U20s and Ireland XV lost on the same weekend the senior side struggled in Paris. Since then, though, the U20s have…
- The Counter Ruck: The Irish Times Rugby Podcast
Ireland pull off one of the great Twickenham days against England
How many of you saw that coming? A record Irish victory in Twickenham was some way for Andy Farrell and co to change the narrative surrounding this side after…
- The Counter Ruck: The Irish Times Rugby Podcast
How might Ireland pull off a Twickenham upset?
Ireland’s team for the weekend is out with a big decision made at outhalf. Will the changes improve Ireland’s chances of securing an upset? What of England who…
- The Counter Ruck: The Irish Times Rugby Podcast
Did Ireland restore confidence ahead of Twickenham showdown?
Ireland responded to their disappointment in Paris with a win over Italy. Albeit an unconvincing one. Did new faces in Andy Farrell’s team do enough to change…
- The Counter Ruck: The Irish Times Rugby Podcast
Do Ireland's rugby pathways need a serious overhaul?
John O’Sullivan joins Nathan Johns to pick through some big selection decisions made by Andy Farrell ahead of Ireland’s Six Nations clash with Italy. Plus…
- The Counter Ruck: The Irish Times Rugby Podcast
Are wounded Ireland vulnerable to an Italian job?
Ireland suffer a heavy defeat to France while Italy are on a high following a win over Scotland. Does that make for a potential banana skin for Andy Farrel and…
- The Counter Ruck: The Irish Times Rugby Podcast
How far behind the leading pack are Ireland after defeat against France?
A difficult night for Ireland saw them lose heavily to France in Paris. Nathan Johns and Gerry Thornley were at the Stade de France to pick through where it…
- The Counter Ruck: The Irish Times Rugby Podcast
France vs Ireland - Six Nations preview
Ireland have named their team for Thursday’s Six Nations opener. There are surprises, namely Jacob Stockdale in for James Lowe and Cian Prendergast starting at…
- The Counter Ruck: The Irish Times Rugby Podcast
Can rugby take off in America?
The new head coach of the US team is an Irishman from Skerries. After winning a medal with the Canada Sevens team in Paris, Jack Hanratty has moved to America…
- The Counter Ruck: The Irish Times Rugby Podcast
Should Irish players have been wrapped in cotton wool ahead of the Six Nations?
Ireland’s front-row injury crisis plummeted to a further low when Jack Boyle was carted off with an Achilles issue for Leinster against Connacht. Given the…
- The Counter Ruck: The Irish Times Rugby Podcast
Is Ireland's Six Nations squad 'safe'?
It’s squad week ahead of the upcoming Six Nations. Both the senior group, the squad selected in the second string and the U20s have all been revealed. Is Andy…
- The Counter Ruck: The Irish Times Rugby Podcast
What does Munster’s crushing Champions Cup exit mean for Ireland?
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…
- The Counter Ruck: The Irish Times Rugby Podcast
Why did the All Blacks drop a coaching bombshell?
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…
- The Counter Ruck: The Irish Times Rugby Podcast
How did Leinster pull off their win against La Rochelle?
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…
- The Counter Ruck: The Irish Times Rugby Podcast
Rory Best on how Ulster have turned things around
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…
- The Counter Ruck: The Irish Times Rugby Podcast
Which province is worth paying to watch?
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…
- The Counter Ruck: The Irish Times Rugby Podcast
Why rugby’s bomb squads are bad for the game
The now infamous 7-1 forward split on the bench hit the headlines last year when World Rugby announced they would not be outlawing the practice. The…
- The Counter Ruck: The Irish Times Rugby Podcast
Leinster and Munster’s battle for rugby’s soul
The Christmas interpros have been and gone, Leinster and Ulster prevailing over Munster and Connacht respectively. Thomond Park was notable not so much for the…
- The Counter Ruck: The Irish Times Rugby Podcast
The role sports psychology has played in Leinster and Ireland’s success
Inevitably, before their success in the United Rugby Championship last season, plenty of public commentary focused on Leinster’s inability to get over the line…
- The Counter Ruck: The Irish Times Rugby Podcast
Christmas takeaways from a strange provincial weekend
Another week, another round of games featuring Irish provinces winning ugly. Leinster and Munster secured bonus point victories despite being far from their…
- The Counter Ruck: The Irish Times Rugby Podcast
Could a multiple URC champion be on the way out?
Not for the first time this year, Welsh rugby is awash with speculation of the downfall of one of its clubs. The Ospreys, four-time winners of the URC in its…
- The Counter Ruck: The Irish Times Rugby Podcast
Do Leinster’s misfires matter so long as they’re winning?
Leinster won on their travels but looked far from convincing against Leicester. Munster also flattered to deceive albeit they got a winning bonus point at home…
- The Counter Ruck: The Irish Times Rugby Podcast
Rugby’s stylistic direction of travel - is it for the best?
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…
- The Counter Ruck: The Irish Times Rugby Podcast
Munster fall as Leinster fail to impress in Europe
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…
- The Counter Ruck: The Irish Times Rugby Podcast
Ireland's path to World Cup redemption + European preview
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…
- The Counter Ruck: The Irish Times Rugby Podcast
Why are Irish rugby tickets so expensive?
During the November window, the IRFU released their financial accounts for the previous year. Inevitably, they were asked about rising ticket prices for games…
- The Counter Ruck: The Irish Times Rugby Podcast
Is international rugby becoming unwatchable?
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…
- The Counter Ruck: The Irish Times Rugby Podcast
Saturday Shambles wraps up Ireland's November window
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…
- The Counter Ruck: The Irish Times Rugby Podcast
Ireland vs South Africa: rugby’s biggest rivalry?
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…
- The Counter Ruck: The Irish Times Rugby Podcast
Ireland’s record win over Australia sets up Springboks clash perfectly
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…
- The Counter Ruck: The Irish Times Rugby Podcast
What will Joe Schmidt's legacy with Australia be?
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…
- The Counter Ruck: The Irish Times Rugby Podcast
Ireland’s unconvincing Japan job
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?…
- The Counter Ruck: The Irish Times Rugby Podcast
A big weekend for Ireland’s emerging rugby talent
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…
- The Counter Ruck: The Irish Times Rugby Podcast
Are Ireland sliding down rugby's global pecking order?
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…
- The Counter Ruck: The Irish Times Rugby Podcast
Can Ireland upset the odds against New Zealand?
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…
- The Counter Ruck: The Irish Times Rugby Podcast
How to save a young Irish rugby player’s career
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…
- The Counter Ruck: The Irish Times Rugby Podcast
After a decade of success, can Irish rugby continue to achieve?
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…
- The Counter Ruck: The Irish Times Rugby Podcast
What we learned from Munster’s emphatic win over Leinster
Munster battered their provincial rivals for the first time in a long time, potentially igniting this derby match for the future. Were Leinster simply…
- The Counter Ruck: The Irish Times Rugby Podcast
Ireland’s November squad: valuable rotation or more of the same?
Andy Farrell named a settled Ireland squad for the upcoming November internationals this week. With just one uncapped player - Leinster’s Paddy McCarthy - has…
- The Counter Ruck: The Irish Times Rugby Podcast
How are Leinster and Munster stacking up ahead of their first meeting of the season?
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…
- The Counter Ruck: The Irish Times Rugby Podcast
Which new academy players could shine for the provinces?
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 Counter Ruck: The Irish Times Rugby Podcast
How many Ireland jerseys are up for grabs ahead of the Autumn Nations Series?
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…
- The Counter Ruck: The Irish Times Rugby Podcast
How can Ireland build on their World Cup success?
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…
- The Counter Ruck: The Irish Times Rugby Podcast
Provincial rivals get a head start on Leinster
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…
- The Counter Ruck: The Irish Times Rugby Podcast
Provincial previews - How will Connacht and Leinster fare this season?
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…
- The Counter Ruck: The Irish Times Rugby Podcast
Provincial previews: How will Munster and Ulster get on this season?
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…
- The Counter Ruck: The Irish Times Rugby Podcast
Biting controversy overshadows Ireland’s quarter-final near miss
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…
- The Counter Ruck: The Irish Times Rugby Podcast
Ireland suffer at the hands of a vengeful New Zealand
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…
- The Counter Ruck: The Irish Times Rugby Podcast
Ireland set up New Zealand showdown
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…
- The Counter Ruck: The Irish Times Rugby Podcast
Ireland’s joyous World Cup start
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…
- The Counter Ruck: The Irish Times Rugby Podcast
Ireland’s 2017 World Cup misery - what can be learned?
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…
- The Counter Ruck: The Irish Times Rugby Podcast
Ireland’s World Cup: limping to the start line or a golden opportunity?
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…
- The Counter Ruck: The Irish Times Rugby Podcast
Ireland are back at the World Cup. How will they fare?
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…
- The Counter Ruck: The Irish Times Rugby Podcast
How will the 2025 Lions be remembered?
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…
- The Counter Ruck: The Irish Times Rugby Podcast
Who is Ireland’s greatest ever Lion?
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?…
- The Counter Ruck: The Irish Times Rugby Podcast
Thrilling second Test saves Lions tour from ignominy
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…
- The Counter Ruck: The Irish Times Rugby Podcast
Is it do or die for Australia in the second test against the Lions?
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…