The Counter Ruck

This year’s Lions tour has been laden with negative coverage of how the tourists have endeared themselves to (or otherwise) to the Australian public. With disputes on the strength of touring sides, blocking players from lining out and the general negativity surrounding the standard of the Wallabies, it feels this tour has been as memorable for off-field storylines as much as on-field ones.

Do the Lions need to be popular in thei...

As was widely expected, the Lions were too strong for Australia during Saturday’s first Test in Brisbane. How did Andy Farrell’s side go about working past Joe Schmidt’s Wallabies?

A fast start gave way to a middling if not average second half display. Does this give Australia hope of a series comeback, or did the Lions simply take their foot off the gas?

Gordon D’Arcy and John O’Sullivan join Nathan Johns to pick analyse whe...

The teams have been named for Saturday’s first Lions Test and Australia are missing a number of big names. With Will Skelton, Rob Valetini and Taniela Tupou among those on the sidelines, concerns abound for Joe Schmidt’s ability to put together a competitive gameplan.

Will wily Joe have something up his sleeve? Will Saturday turn into a uncompetitive drubbing, a nightmare scenario for the tour as a whole?

Irish Times rugby ...

Gordon D’Arcy and John O’Sullivan join host Nathan Johns to recap the weekend’s action: South Africa’s hijinks, Ireland’s century and the Lions’ final warm-up game are all up for discussion.

What, if anything, did we learn about an Irish side which scored 100+ points against a poor Portuguese side? Is this Lions side genuinely world class, or are they just playing against bad opposition? Will this slow build-up be worth it once...

The rugby action continues to come thick and fast. John O’Sullivan is in Portugal to preview Ireland’s clash in Lisbon, and he joins host Nathan Johns for today’s episode.

We chat Ireland’s selection of fast wings, Jamie Osborne’s Lions call-up, Andy Farrell’s selection conundrums and take a deep dive into the disappointing U20s campaign at the World Championships.

Like what you hear? Join Nathan, John, Gordon D’Arcy and Se...

The rugby action continues at full steam ahead. The Lions struggled against the Waratahs in Sydney while Ireland’s second string impressed in Tbilisi. Meanwhile the U20s continued their struggles against Italy. All this before you mention Wales losing to Japan, France’s B team putting it up to the All Blacks and Fiji giving Australia a bit of a bloody nose.

What to make of it all? John O’Sullivan is on his travels following Irel...

While the Lions tour continues on its merry way, Ireland are back in action for the first time since the Six Nations.

John O’Sullivan is in Tbilisi for their game against Georgia and he joins Nathan Johns for a detailed breakdown of the tour opener. It’s pelting it down in the days leading up to kick off. Good look facing a Georgian pack in the rain.

Which players are we expecting big things from as plenty look to impress wi...

A busy weekend of rugby action saw plenty of Irish involvement in the Lions win over the Western Force, a Top14 final for the ages in France, Peter O’Mahony and Cian Healy bow out with the Barbarians, while the Ireland U20s finally returned to winning ways in their World Cup opener.

Gordon D’Arcy and John O’Sullivan join host Nathan Johns to chat through all the action while also looking forward to Wednesday’s Lions clash with ...

Lions tours are full of stories of players being called up last minute, dashing across the world to get an opportunity to pull on the red jersey. Former Ireland prop Tom Court has as good a story as anyone, tucking into a takeaway in his native Queensland before being summoned to Melbourne as the 2013 Lions faced a mini-propping crisis.

Given it’s 12 years on from that tour, this is as good an opportunity as any to hear from Court....

Imagine Irish rugby had to compete with a professional GAA and a thriving League of Ireland for talent. Would the country still be so successful?

That is the picture facing Australia at the moment and then some, given the popularity of Rugby League, AFL, cricket, soccer, basketball and countless other codes down under. Yet just over 20 years ago, Australian rugby defied this sporting competition to produce a side good enough to ...

After a lengthy build-up, the Lions tour is finally upon us. Andy Farrell and co come to Dublin on Friday night to take on Argentina before travelling down under.

The last time the Lions faced Los Pumas, our own Gordon D’Arcy started at 12 back in 2005.

He joins Nathan Johns and John O’Sullivan to reminisce on his own Lions experiences, look ahead to Friday and analyse the place of the Lions in the public psyche. Is it an eve...

After weeks of criticism, Leinster have answered their Champions Cup disappointment in the best way possible.

A first trophy since 2021 was secured by beating the Bulls on Saturday, Leinster climbing the steps of the Hogan Stand in Croke Park to lift a first URC title since the South African sides joined.

What does this mean for the province going forward? Have they cured their mental problems in big games? How will they repl...

It may be URC semi-final week, but the rugby news cycle has been dominated by events away from Leinster. Connacht have pulled off a big-name managerial signing by securing the services of Stuart Lancaster, while Paul O’Connell has named his Ireland squad for the summer tour of Georgia and Portugal.

With the Lions contingent away in Australia, this tour will be vital for plugging the gaps and filling areas of weakness as we star...

Gordon D’Arcy joins Nathan Johns to talk through a dramatic URC quarter-final weekend.

Munster’s shootout defeat to the Sharks in Durban has dominated the headlines, no least for the home side’s attempts to throw Munster’s kickers off their game. This inevitably opened up a wider chat on kick tricks and the dark arts in rugby more generally.

Plus, do Leinster look like a side on the cusp of a title after their unconvincing ...

Gerry Thornley joins the latest episode of The Counter Ruck fresh off his trip to Cardiff to watch the Champions Cup final.

He breaks down the future landscape for free-to-air rugby in Ireland, analyses France’s domination of the Champions Cup, looks at the chances of Noel McNamara returning home and more.

Alongside host Nathan Johns, talk also turns to injuries ahead of the provincial run in the URC knockouts, and the import...

This weekend was a quiet one for Irish rugby, with no provincial involvement in the Champions Cup final. Still, plenty of intriguing storylines emerged; Noel McNamara’s triumph, Henry Pollock’s return back to Earth plus the curious level of antipathy towards this game in Ireland.

Gordon D’Arcy joins Nathan Johns to discuss rugby’s place in the sporting calendar, how important it is that Leinster win the URC this year, the mental...

Bordeaux seem to represent a rare enough phenomenon; a domestic rugby team growing in both on-field and commercial success. They are the best attended club in France, to the extent they can boast to be more popular than the local football team.

We all know of their on-field talent, the likes of Louis Bielle-Biarrey, Damian Penaud and Mathieu Jalibert playing a brand of rugby which is easy on the eye.

Of course, with Joey Carb...