The Counter Ruck: The Irish Times Rugby Podcast

Gordon D’Arcy and John O’Sullivan join Nathan Johns to pick through Ireland’s comfortable victory over Scotland at Murrayfield. Are Ireland the most psychologically resilient side in the Six Nations? Will Scotland ever get over their Irish hoodoo? Might things have looked different if Finn Russell and Darcy Graham avoided injury?

The panel explain how Ireland’s game plan dismantled Scotland’s dangerous attack, withstanding a handful of counter-punches to once again assert their superiority. With the Six Nations now heading into a rest week, Ireland’s impressive form under Simon Easterby is analysed, alongside their chances of securing a Grand Slam.

Elsewhere, we pick through Wales’ ongoing decline after their defeat to Italy. France’s implosion in Twickenham is also up for discussion; have we finally seen Antoine Dupont show his human side?

Finally, what of the Ireland U20s, who got their Six Nations campaign back on track with victory over Scotland?

Produced by John Casey.

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Ireland have not lost to Scotland since 2017, but it seems every year since then the Scots feel closer and closer to ending their hoodoo. Will this year finally be their time?

Nigel Carolan is an Irishman on the inside of Scottish rugby. Originally from Galway, he coached Ireland U20s before becoming Glasgow Warriors’ attack coach. Working with the likes of Huw Jones, Stafford MacDowall and Sione Tuipulotu on a daily basis, he offers unrivalled insight into what makes this dangerous Scottish attack click. Alongside Irish Times sportswriter John O’Sullivan, Carolan analyses how Ireland might stop Scotland’s backline, as well as how the Irish attack, much improved against England, might break through the Scottish wall.

Gerry Thornley joins us later in the podcast to react to the surprise Ireland team selection, with Peter O’Mahony named to start as he resumes his rivalry with Scottish teams. Fresh off Simon Easterby’s press conference, Thornley offers his analysis of why Ireland have picked the team they have.

Produced by John Casey.

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After an impressive, comfortable victory over England, do Ireland rival France as favourites for this year’s Six Nations? As Gordon D’Arcy points out on today’s round-up episode, do we need to wait until next week to ascertain France’s true ability after their hammering of Wales on Friday night?

Still, Ireland looked both better coached and more instinctive than an England side which caused problems in the first half. How did Simon Easterby and co rise to the challenge of working without Andy Farrell to prepare this Irish side? Did we expect them to be so rampant in that second half? How important were the contributions of James Lowe, Jamison Gibson-Park and the returning Dan Sheehan? What does this mean for hopes of a record third title in a row?

Produced by John Casey.

Link: http://www.justgiving.com/team/grandtourcore

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The Six Nations is upon us. Momentum in this tournament is key and Ireland start with one of the harder fixtures with the visit of Steve Borthwick’s England side to Dublin. In round two, Ireland travel to Scotland while England host France. Given the difficult schedule, can either side afford to lose this weekend and if they want to hold realistic title ambitions?

Will Greenwood and Gordon D’Arcy toured together on the 2005 Lions tour. We reunite the two former centres to pick through England specifically. Why has their backline not yet clicked with Marcus Smith at 10? Is Borthwick under pressure for his job? Despite their losing run, are England on the cusp of turning the corner and becoming a threat?

Irish Times rugby correspondent Gerry Thornley also joins us to pick through Ireland’s selection. Should we surprised that Sam Prendergast got the nod at 10? Are Ireland worried about the lineout? Can the scrum survive without Tadhg Furlong and Joe McCarthy?

Produced by John Casey.

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It’s Six Nations week. Ireland get their campaign underway with a tricky assignment against England next weekend. Now under the leadership of Simon Easterby, Ireland are bidding to secure an unprecedented third consecutive Six Nations title.

Did the likes of James Lowe and Dan Sheehan do enough to prove their fitness for Leinster to be included? Who will start in the coveted outhalf jersey? Who should line out at centre?

Gordon D’Arcy joins Nathan Johns to preview the week ahead. Gordon also offers insight into how to prepare for commentating on a Six Nations match ahead of his stint in the Aviva Stadium gantry, while he details why calf injuries - of the sort which have ruled Tadhg Furlong out of the England game - are so difficult to overcome.

Produce by John Casey

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It’s that time of year when Schools rugby, the single most important development tool in Ireland, kicks into gear with the Senior Cup in all four provinces. 

Des Berry is the authoritative voice when it comes to covering the Leinster Schools Senior Cup. He joins John O’Sullivan and Nathan Johns to look at this year’s draw. Who are the young names we should look out for? Who have been the best schoolboy players down through the years? Are Blackrock College and St Michael’s once again the favourites this year, or can another school spring a surprise?

We also look at competitions in Munster and Connacht which have already gotten underway, while we chat through the decision to play an Ulster Senior Cup tie as a curtain raiser to a senior provincial game. 

Produced by John Casey.

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Now we know the knockout draw for the Champions Cup, can anyone get in the way of another Leinster vs Toulouse showdown in the final? Can Noel McNamara and Bordeaux get in the way of Antoine Dupont and co on that side of the draw? Can Munster spring an upset in the first ever edition of the Ronan O’Gara derby? Would Ulster have preferred to go on a Challenge Cup run to facing Bordeaux once again? Is winning the Challenge Cup a realistic goal for Connacht? 

Gordon d’Arcy and John O’Sullivan join Nathan Johns to discuss all this and more, including centres being thrown at the lineout, RG Snyman vs Dupont and the impact of the new laws on the game. 

Produced by John Casey.

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Ireland recently named their squad for the six nations. Widely seen as a continuity selection, there are still a number of talking points. What does Tom Ahern have to do to earn a call up? Are we finally starting to see the next generation of props? Who are the younger developmental players? Is this squad a good reflection on the Emerging Ireland programme?

John O’Sullivan and Gordon D’Arcy join Nathan Johns to discuss all this and more, including Dan Sheehan’s apparent fast recovery from an ACL injury.

Produced by John Casey.

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Leinster have now beaten La Rochelle on three consecutive occasions. Is this a sign they have turned the corner against bigger French sides, or was it a smash-and-grab with worrying implications for the future?

Gordon D’Arcy believes the bigger picture thinking should be placed to one side for now and that Leinster should be pleased to have come out of a difficult environment with the win. John O’Sullivan, on the other hand, points to a number of concerning trends in the Leinster performance which he thinks do not bode well for the future. 

Who is right in this debate? Only time will tell. 

On this edition of The Counter Ruck, the panel also discusses another European night in Thomond to remember for Munster, Connacht’s prospects of winning the Challenge Cup and Ulster’s implosion away to Leicester. 

Produced by John Casey.

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Michael Cheika was the head coach who guided Leinster to their first European crown in 2009. Now, coaching Leicester Tigers, he squares off against Irish opposition with Ulster travelling on Saturday night.

Alongside Gordon D’Arcy, who Cheika coached, The Counter Ruck looks back on the Australian’s time in Dublin. How did he convince the top Leinster brass to take a punt on an unproven coach? Did the Leinster players need a good kick up the backside? Are there parallels between Leinster then and Leicester now? Why is Cheika seen as ’the turnaround man’, the coach to call when a side needs an upturn in fortunes?

Produced by John Casey.

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