The Counter Ruck

In a wide ranging chat, Contepomi joins host Nathan Johns and former teammate Gordon D’Arcy to look back at their time playing together at the RDS, Contepomi’s relationship with Michael Cheika - who …

How worried should Irish rugby be after a disheartening defeat to the All Blacks? Is it time to make significant changes to the team? Are sides starting to figure out Ireland’s famed attack? Does thi…

Andrew Mehrtens was the New Zealand outhalf before Dan Carter. A 70-cap All Black, he joins Nathan Johns and Gordon D’Arcy to preview Ireland’s clash with New Zealand.

We look back at when Mehrtens p…

It’s All Blacks week. At the beginning of his career, Gordon D’Arcy never felt like Ireland could get close to New Zealand. Towards the end, Joe Schmidt’s Irish side began to see themselves as equals…

After Tuesday’s shock announcement that Graham Rowntree is no longer Munster’s head coach, many questions remain. The most pressing: where does the province go from here?

Joining host Nathan Johns on…

Munster shocked the rugby world on Tuesday with the news that Graham Rowntree will no longer be their head coach, ending a five year stay with the province. After this weekend’s defeat to the Sharks …

Ed Byrne recently moved from Leinster to Cardiff after making over 100 appearances for the province. He was also capped 6 times by Ireland.

In the week that Cardiff host Ulster in the URC, Ireland al…

On Wednesday, Andy Farrell names his Ireland squad for the November internationals. But who will see their names included? How will Ireland resolve their hooker crisis? Will we see any fresh faces? G…

In the coming weeks, World Rugby will decide on the implementation of the controversial 20-minute red card. The proposed disciplinary law change will have a drastic effect on how high tackles and hea…

On Friday night, Ireland women worked past the USA to finish second in their WXV1 group. With next year’s Six Nations and World Cup to come, Scott Bemand’s side have taken a significant step forward.…

Stacey Flood is currently with the Irish team out in Vancouver for their WXV1 campaign. Lining out at fullback, Flood played an integral role in the side’s recent win over New Zealand. Formerly a reg…

Gordon D’Arcy remembers his first interpro game for Leinster against Munster for all the wrong reasons. As an 18-year-old, he was mercilessly stepped by Keith Wood before he got on the wrong end of P…

Last year, the IRFU introduced a law trial to lower the tackle height in amateur rugby. In a bid to make the game safer, the permitted tackle height was lowered from the shoulder to the sternum. One …

While you were sleeping on Sunday night, Ireland women beat New Zealand for just the second time in their history, opening their WXV campaign in style in Vancouver. This victory over the world champi…

As news reports emerge of English rugby once again being in dire financial straits, while some URC teams continue to live on the edge of their means, a rival competition across the water offers a pos…

As the provincial season gets underway, Nathan Johns is joined by Gordon D’Arcy and John O’Sullivan to pick through the opening weekend of action.

We look at how Felipe Contepomi has turned Argentina…

When Emerging Ireland first toured South Africa in 2022, the news caused controversy as provinces were left without important players at an early stage of the URC season. This time around, with anoth…

Host Nathan Johns is joined by Gordon D’Arcy and John O’Sullivan to pick apart Ireland’s win over Australia and highlight the best rugby action you missed over the weekend.

We also talk through provin…

To wrap up what has been a long rugby season filled with extreme highs and at times crushing lows, host Nathan Johns is joined by Gordon D’Arcy and John O’Sullivan in this end of season special.

Havi…

Gordon D’Arcy joins host Nathan Johns to pick through Ireland’s series opening defeat to South Africa. Do tactical changes need to be made? Did South Africa’s new attacking philosophy catch Ireland o…