The BBC’s Sarah Mulkerrins has been in France this past month covering the Women’s World Cup. Settled in Lyon for Tuesday's semi-final between USA and England, the Galway native guides us through the ground-breaking tournament from Megan Rapinoe backing up her White House comments, with goals, to the misguided moral compass of Phil Neville.  We are blessed by the presence of Sonia O'Sullivan in The Irish Times building to discuss the latest twist in the Caster Semenya story.Need a GAA fix? Ian O'Riordan (and Sonia) run the rule over the hurling finals in Leinster and Munster as Wexford and Limerick temporarily topple the mighty towers of Kilkenny and Tipperary. Davy Fitz's gets his overdue credit as a master tactician. Also, Aidan O'Shea's kick-pass gift for Armagh, along with all the football qualifier news, gets a good airing on the Added Time podcast, presented for one week only by the dynamic duo of Gavin Cummiskey  and Mary Hannigan.  4.30 Sarah Mulkerrins on the Women's World Cup20.25 GAA37.25 Caster Semenya Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#79 GAA Weekend, Sonia O'Sullivan on Caster Semenya, Women's World Cup

A rugby podcast from The Irish Times.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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In the coming weeks, World Rugby will decide on a proposal to implement a new 20-minute red card. Already seen in the southern hemisphere and Super Rugby, the proposal allows sides to replace a red carded player after 20 minutes in order to preserve the spectacle of a contest, to not kill off games when teams are reduced to 14 players. 
Critics of the move say that the measure risks admitting defeat in the battle to change player behaviour and eradicate high tackles as a result of poor technique. The impending decision has been pitted as a battle of philosophies, of attitudes of leniency towards high shots both sides of the equator. 
Owen Doyle, a former international referee and an Irish Times columnist, joins Gordon D'Arcy and Nathan Johns to discuss the potential new law and what impact it could have.
Produced by John Casey. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Does rugby need the 20-minute red card?

News of Leinster's recent signing of All Black Jordie Barrett has split opinion. Is this a fair reflection of the dominant province flexing their muscle, or an unfair benefit of the IRFU paying their best players via national contracts? 
Next season, 10 Leinster players will have their salaries paid by the governing body via central contracts, the other provinces combined have three. Is this a cycle of dominance, or a worrying portend of Leinster pulling ahead and destroying competitive balance in the provinces?   Gordon D'Arcy joins Nathan Johns to discuss the issue, how we got here and what can be done about it. 
Produced by John Casey. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is Ireland's central contract system broken?

Few things get the Irish rugby public as excited as a young talent at outhalf. Dannah O'Brien has been on the scene for a while now, making her debut against Japan in 2022. Fresh off starting in Ireland's defeat to Italy last weekend, O'Brien joins The Counter Ruck to talk through her career to date, the first two rounds of this year's Six Nations and how Ireland are trying to progress from last year's wooden spoon. 
Gordon D'Arcy also joins host Nathan Johns to talk through the best of the weekend's rugby action including Leinster's win, sickly Munster's defeat and some eye-catching moments from the southern hemisphere.  Produced by John Casey.   https://twitter.com/jimhamilton4/status/1776276230632787982?s=12 https://www.instagram.com/reel/C5aRgq9y7J2/?igsh=MWNzdXRnajExeWpjbA%3D%3D https://twitter.com/i/status/1776965041125728521 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Interview - Dannah O'Brien, Ireland's great outhalf hope

Former Ireland, Leinster and Leicester backrow Shane Jennings joins Gordon D'Arcy and host Nathan Johns. The historical links between Leinster and Leicester, opponents this weekend in the Champions Cup, are profound. In 2005, Jennings and current Leinster head coach Leo Cullen left the province for a two-year stint at the English club. When they returned, they played a significant role in a culture shift that saw the province transition from perennial underachievers to European champions. 
Also on this episode of The Counter Ruck, John O'Sullivan breaks down Ireland women's defeat to Italy in the Six Nations. 
Produced by John Casey. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How Leicester inspired Leinster's drive to the top

Gordon D’Arcy and Nathan Johns talk through Ireland's defeat to France to begin the women’s Six Nations. We also pick through the best of the action following a mixed weekend for the provinces in the URC. 
A week on from the Six Nations, we look at which fringe internationals, now playing before the return of European action, have the best chance of forcing their way into Andy Farrell’s reckoning ahead of the summer tour to South Africa.
Produced by John Casey. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#79 GAA Weekend, Sonia O'Sullivan on Caster Semenya, Women's World Cup

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