The Counter Ruck

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 the game. A former Leinster and Harlequins scrumhalf and wing, he joins The Counter Ruck alongside Nathan Johns and his former teammate Gordon D’Arcy. We chat memories of playing with and against each other, the infamous Bloodgate match between Leinster and ‘Quins, as well as the current state of the sport from the players perspective. What are the pressing issues facing players today? Does the Irish system allow for better player management than other countries? How does rugby become a financially sustainable entity?Produced by John Casey.

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.

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. Plus, with only Paul O’Connell remaining on the Irish ticket for this summer’s tour of Portugal and Georgia, does the Lions tour deprive Ireland of their key coaches ahead of an important tour for a side in transition? Or, is the opportunity for coach development too good to pass up? We hear from Andy Farrell himself, as well as other Irish coaches who will be travelling down under.Produced by John Casey.

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 the state of the game. Is this an issue of how rugby is officiated? What to make of defence coaches’ role in all this? Are we catering too much to new audiences or younger people with shorter attention spans?Plus, we review the women’s Six Nations where Ireland lost to France, albeit in a way which avoided the heavy defeats of years gone by. Did Ireland’s coaching staff cleverly manage to stick a plaster on the talent gap, or are Ireland making serious strides? Is the domestic game adequately preparing the players for the top level? 

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 through all the talking points. We also preview the women’s Six Nations, analysing if lopsided results in the Celtic Challenge have given Ireland proper preparation for their French challenge this weekend.Produced by John Casey.

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 look a jaded group in need of a refresh? Which players should we keep an eye out on the summer tour? How much of a job will Andy Farrell have on his hands next season to revitalise a group still lacking depth?Produced by John Casey.

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 age. Alongside D’Arcy, John O’Sullivan and host Nathan Johns, Aboud appears on The Counter Ruck ahead of Ireland’s clash with Italy. In a lengthy chat, Aboud explains why he is hopeful Italian rugby will continue to grow, while he also addresses the reasons behind his brief departure. Given Aboud’s talent development expertise, the group get into an in-depth discussion on the best ways to visualise and grow the game, and how to produce the best players. Ireland’s production line is widely praised, but how does it actually look under the hood? Are things as rosy as they seem?Produced by John Casey.

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 halfbacks as well as how Ireland’s attack struggles to break down a certain kind of defensive system.  Longer term, is this the time to rotate the team, to make wholesale changes, or was this result just part of sport’s cyclical, variable nature? Was this a sea change, a sign of France’s growing power in this rivalry or should we not panic just yet?Produced by John Casey.

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 competition? Produced by John Casey.