The Counter Ruck end-of-season special!
The Counter Ruck Podcast
The Counter Ruck Podcast
Munster will be the first Irish province in action when they take on Stade Francais on Saturday, December 7th
Munster get Northampton and Bulls, Ulster drawn against Toulouse and Leicester
Cheika stepped down as head coach of Argentina last December
Disappointing seasons for Leinster, Munster, Ulster and Connacht highlighted how the Irish system needs to change
Not having an Irish team in the URC decider could be a good thing
Ireland U20s outhalf will move to the northern province after this summer’s U20 World Championship
Irish players went into World Cup camp a year ago this week and they have not stopped playing since
The Counter Ruck podcast: Leinster and Munster both crashed out of the URC semi-finals in a bitter blow for Irish rugby
Leo Cullen’s side would bag a top seeding if the French giants can complete the double
Both team’s entered last weekend’s semi-finals as favourites but came up short, their opponents deserving winners
The URC has a problem on its hands when it comes to appointing match officials
Sergeal Petersen’s brilliant late try leaves Leo Cullen’s men with time to reflect on another frustrating campaign
Munster coach Graham Rowntree frustrated by the inability to seal home URC final against the Bulls as season ends in disappointing home defeat to Glasgow
La Rochelle’s O’Gara a tad grumpy in advance of Toulon game; Bulls overjoyed after performance; and the numbers game
Sergeal Petersen’s two tries key as South African side dominate through the boot and in the pack
Leo Cullen confident Leinster will deal with the challenging conditions at Loftus Versfeld as they face down Jake White’s Bulls in the URC semi-final
Paddy Costello was a shot putter, an international rugby player and an inspiration to his son, to whom he conveyed tips through his deeds, notes and pipe
URC team news: Munster make four changes for home semi-final clash with Glasgow Warriors
This type of mindset has brought back Munster’s killer pride in performing at Thomond Park to once again make it a fortress
The Counter Ruck podcast: Former Ireland U20s head coach and current Glasgow Warriors’ attack coach speaks about his attacking philosophy
Ireland take home a record haul of medals; John O’Shea calls for clarity on manager’s role; GAA needs better stadiums
Veteran Leinster prop Cian Healy energised by the tough challenge of facing a URC semi-final against the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld
URC semi-finals: Leinster take on the Bulls in Pretoria while Munster welcome Glasgow Warriors to Thomond Park
Simon Zebo remains crucial to Munster’s chance of retaining their title
Leinster stepping out of their comfort zone in South Africa not just confined to the game itself as travelling there proved tricky
Ringrose has not played since the final round of the Six Nations while Conan missed the Ulster game as a precaution
A new generation of referees is emerging for this URC, a competition which has grown immensely in stature and now heads towards the semi-finals and grand final
Leinster will now assess the challenge of travelling to the African continent for Saturday’s semi-final
Leo Cullen asks for understanding over Keenan absence; Home advantage pays off in URC; Lowe’s ‘lucky’ try
URC review: Six tries was a handsome reward, a reflection of Leinster’s ruthlessness inside the Ulster 22
Final scoreline flatters Leo Cullen’s side a tad but they were nonetheless full value for their win at the Aviva
Follow along for live updates as Ulster travel down to Dublin to take on Leinster in the Aviva Stadium
Ross O’Carroll-Kelly: Sorcha is furious when she discovers that Ross got a tattoo in homage to Leinster’s European Cup achievements
Crosswords & puzzles to keep you challenged and entertained
How does a post-Brexit world shape the identity and relationship of these islands
Inquests into the nightclub fire that led to the deaths of 48 people
Weddings, Births, Deaths and other family notices