The Counter Ruck: The Irish Times Rugby Podcast

Its not often journalists get an access all areas pass inside a top flight rugby club.On today’s Counter Ruck rugby podcast, Irish Times rugby writer John O’Sullivan recounts a weekend he spent inside Ronan O’Gara’s La Rochelle camp.Host Nathan Johns also looks ahead to the weekend’s provincial action as Ulster face the Stormers, and Munster take on the Sharkes in South Africa, and Connacht host Leinster.

Following Tadhg Furlong’s citing for an alleged groin grab on Gavin Coombes during Saturday’s clash between Leinster and Munster, the question looms about whether a ban, should one be imposed, would mean for Ireland's November campaign.He has been cited under the same law which resulted in Bulls front rower Jan-Hendrik Wessels being handed a nine match ban last year for grabbing the genitals of Josh Murphy during a United Rugby Championship (URC) clash in Galway.On today’s podcast, Gordon D’Arcy and Nathan Johns discuss the prospect of sanctions on Furlong and what they’d mean for Leinster and Ireland.We’ll also look at Connacht’s win against Zebre, and Ulster’s continued wait for their first win of the season.Presented by Nathan Johns. Produced by Andrew McNair.

Andy Farrell announced a very familiar looking extended squad for Ireland’s Nations Championship campaign, save for the inclusion of Ulster’s Jamie Benson.On today’s Counter Ruch rugby podcast, host Nathan Johns and Irish Times rugby correspondent Gerry Thornley discuss the winners and losers; who’s in, and who’s out.We will also look ahead to Munster vs Leinster this weekend, and ask whether the rivalry can once again become the thriller is was once known for.Presented by Nathan Johns. Produced by Andrew McNair.

It’s not long since we were talking about a weekend of four defeats for all four provinces.The weekend’s action in round one of the European competitions was the opposite with four wins. In today’s podcast Nathan speaks to Gordan D’Arcy and John O’Sullivan about their highlights.And we’ll look ahead to the Ireland squad announcement on Wednesday.Presented by Nathan Johns. Produced by Andrew McNair.

Steven Kitshoff, the former South Africa and Ulster prop, joins Nathan Johns on The Counter Ruck. Kitshoff has won two World Cups with South Africa and has worked extensively with both Rassie Erasmus and Jacques Nienaber. He was also forced to retire due to a serious neck injury that could have developed into a significant issue known as the ‘hangman’s fracture’. Kitshoff joins the podcast to give an insight into the inner workings of South Africa’s historic run, his injury, the Springboks’ relatively new rivalry with Ireland and his time within Irish rugby.Presented by Nathon Johns. Produced by Andrew McNair.

Gordon D’Arcy and John O’Sullivan join Nathan Johns to pick through the weekend’s interpro action. Friday night saw Connacht struggle away in Glasgow with the set-piece and maul proving an issue. The panel discusses how Connacht continue to look to improve their tight five while analysing Bundee Aki’s return to action at the start of what could be his last season in Irish rugby.Elsewhere, the first interpro of the season brought about a thriller as Ulster and Munster went tête-à-tête for a draw in Belfast. Clayton McMillan’s side raced out to a commanding hall-time lead only for Ulster, spearheaded by the likes of Robert Baloucoune, Stuart McCloskey and Jacob Stockdale, to pull things back for a dramatic draw.Finally, Leinster returned to the RDS for the first time in competitive action as they saw off Cardiff. In a performance that featured impressive counter-attacking displays from the likes of Hugo Keenan and Sam Prendergast, our trio looks at how Leo Cullen’s side are trying to evolve their attack in a bid to ultimately catch up with some of their French foes later this season.Produced by John Casey.

Following Munster’s appointment of former Hurricanes chief executive Avan Lee as CEO, can the province build towards former glories?In today’s Counter Ruck rugby podcast Nathan Johns and Gerry Thornley look back at an era for the province which has been criticised for underachievement and ask whether Lee is the man to fix a culture that former players have described as “broken”.Gerry believes there are some strong indications that Munster has at last got the backroom leadership it has been lacking with Lee “fronting up” to the media and the public rather than leaving it to head coaches to explain what is amis.Munster travel to Ulster this weekend for the season’s first inter-provincial tie. The loser, Gerry explains, will go into the first round of European fixtures in the bottom eight of the URC table.So what does the future hold for Munster? And can it produce the consistent success its fan base expects?Presented by Nathan Johns. Produced by Andrew McNair.

After round one saw all four Irish provinces lose to kick off the URC season, this weekend brought a more encouraging set of results spearheaded by impressive outhalf displays. Gordon D’Arcy joins Nathan Johns to review all the action as Connacht and Munster secured victory, Ulster took a draw away in Glasgow and Leinster wrapped up their South African tour with a losing bonus point.On Friday night, Ciarán Frawley scored two tries in his first Connacht game since moving west from Leinster, the second a vital late contribution as the western province withstood a creaking scrum to beat Benetton away in Italy. Frawley offered an exciting window into what life might be like at Connacht with Frawley linking with Mack Hansen and Sam Gilbert, while Sean Jansen impressed off the base of the scrum.Munster had their own impressive outhalf, youngster Charlie O’Shea also scoring two tries as the province continues to look to fill the gap left by Jack Crowley’s injury. Using O’Shea’s willingness to be brave in attack, the pod analyses a wider shift in Irish rugby to trust players willing to take risks and impact games in a positive way.In this vein, Todd Lawlor at Leinster comes in for more praise despite Leinster’s loss, as does Ethan McIlroy at Ulster after their draw in Scotland.However, we also look at some weakness up front with many a provincial scrum struggling over the weekend, particularly against South African opposition.Produced by John Casey.

Andrew Trimble and London Irish chairman Daniel McKeown want to examine rugby’s governance. Looking at the money flowing in at a the international level, they want to know why so many clubs are still struggling. Worcester, Irish themselves and Wasps have all had well-documented financial troubles, while clubs further afield in Argentina and Australia have also gone under.Is rugby doomed to only succeed at international level, or should the governance structure be changed, featuring more control of star players for clubs and better initiatives to get more people watching the club game?Speaking from their experience attempting to revive London Irish, Daniel and Andrew discuss their plans with Nathan Johns and John O’Sullivan.