Friday, January 31, 2020

PODCAST : "Preview : Ireland v Scotland"



Click play above to hear the pod or better still subscribe we're on Apple Podcasts as well as a host of major platforms - search "The HarpinOnRugby Podcast".  

With no Leinster or Ireland match last weekend I decided to put more time into developing my podcast, and so set out to interview fans from all four provinces ahead of the Six Nations.   So far in the series I heard from Conor Cronin representing Leinster, Padraig Kelly of The2ndRow flew the fan for Connacht, and the author of the excellent Munster fan blog WestTerraceView Gayl Kennedy joined me for part 3, you’ll find all of those chats back in my feed.  Unfortunately I was unable to secure an Ulster guest, but I’ll be sure to get some northern opinion in the near future.  And so I have elected to round off this mini-series by presenting my match preview of Ireland’s opening match of the 2020 Six Nations in podcast form, offering my own take on the questions I asked my previous guests.

1) How do you think Andy Farrell will approach the Six Nations?

2) What do you make of Johnny Sexton as captain?

3) What is your ideal starting XV to play Scotland?

I also offer some thoughts on the Scots as well predicting the match result.  JLP

PS : Best of luck of course to all the other Irish teams in action this weekend - Women, U20, Clubs, plus Men & Women's 7s!!!  That's a lot of international rugby to follow!!!!

#COYBIG
SCOTLAND : 15. Stuart Hogg - CAPTAIN 14. Sean Maitland 13. Huw Jones 12. Sam Johnson 11. Blair Kinghorn 10. Adam Hastings 9. Ali Price
1. Rory Sutherland 2. Fraser Brown - VICE CAPTAIN 3. Zander Fagerson 4. Scott Cummings 5. Jonny Gray 6. Jamie Ritchie 7. Hamish Watson 8. Nick Haining
Substitutes : 16. Stuart McInally 17. Allan Dell 18. Simon Berghan 19. Ben Toolis 20. Cornell du Preez 21. George Horne 22. Rory Hutchinson 23. Chris Harris.

Guinness Six Nations 2020 - Round 1
Saturday, February 1, 2020
KO 4:45pm
Aviva Stadium

Referee: Mathieu Raynal (France)
AR1: Pascal Gauzere (France)
AR2: Federico Anselmi (Argentina)
TMO: Glenn Newman (New Zealand)
at
Labels:

Front Five - 31.01.20

Start your day with five eye-catching egg-chasing quotes & links from around the ruggersphere.

Can't believe it's the end of January already!
Come to think of it...
Can't believe it's the eve of the 2020 6N already!

“It’s not something that I take lightly...I’ve got to try and be myself and just learn from past experiences of doing it.”

Johnny Sexton says Ireland captaincy makes him emotional

Gerry Thornley - Irish Times
There is a lot of exciting potential in the starting XV as captain David McCann leads a side that includes five players who featured last year.

Tucker hopes U-20s crop can create their own history

Cian Tracey - Irish Independent
"...he’s a quality player and one that we are going to have to be fully switched on for because he has a full bag of tricks that he can pull out."

Irish just as wary of Adam Hastings as they would have been of Finn Russell

Nick Purewal - The Scotsman
...the move...represents World Rugby’s ambition to bridge the gap between developing and elite sides in the international game.

The new global tournament that World Rugby hopes to replace the failed Nations Championship with

RugbyPass.com
"Obviously we have to go out and do it still, but yeah I’d disagree because I can’t see what it’s based on."

Herring bristles at BOD's 'dog' remark

Sean Farrell - The42.ie
Feel free to share any interesting links you spot yourself about t’internet by email, Twitter, Facebook, blog comment or carrier pigeon – whatever works for you. JLP

Note - views expressed in "Front Five" links do not necessarily reflect those of HarpinOnRugby
at
Labels:

Thursday, January 30, 2020

Rugby on TV : Jan 30-Feb 6

Rugby on TV is brought to you by
the IrishRugby TV YouTube channel


THURSDAY, JANUARY 30

 7:30PM
WIGAN V WARRINGTON
SUPER LEAGUE
SKY SPORTS MAIN EVENT
SKY SPORTS ARENA

 10PM
THE PRO 14 HOUR
EIR SPORT 2

FRIDAY, JANUARY 31

6AM
BLUES V CHIEFS (L)
SUPER RUGBY
SKY SPORTS ARENA

 8:10AM
BRUMBIES V REDS (L)
SUPER RUGBY
SKY SPORTS ARENA

 5:10PM
SHARKS V BULLS (L)
SUPER RUGBY
SKY SPORTS ARENA

 7PM
IRELAND V SCOTLAND (L)
U20 SIX NATIONS
RTÉ TWO

 7PM
ST HELENS V SALFORD (L)
SUPER LEAGUE
SKY SPORTS ARENA

 7:20PM
WALES V ITALY (L)
U20 SIX NATIONS
S4C

 10:20PM
SYDNEY SEVENS (L)
SKY SPORTS ARENA

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 1

6AM
SYDNEY SEVENS (L)
SKY SPORTS MAIN EVENT

 6AM
CRUSADERS V WARATAHS (L)
SUPER RUGBY
SKY SPORTS MIX

 1PM
STORMERS V HURRICANES (L)
SUPER RUGBY
SKY SPORTS ARENA

 1PM
WALES V ITALY
SIX NATIONS
VIRGIN MEDIA ONE
BBC ONE (1:40PM)
S4C (1:30PM)

 2:55PM
CHEETAHS V SOUTHERN KINGS (L)
PRO 14
EIR SPORT 1
FREESPORTS TV

 3PM
SIX NATIONS JOURNEY 2018
VIRGIN MEDIA SPORT

 4:30PM
 IRELAND V SCOTLAND (L)
SIX NATIONS
VIRGIN MEDIA ONE

 9:35PM
SYDNEY SEVENS (L)
SKY SPORTS ARENA

 11PM
SIX NATIONS HIGHLIGHTS
VIRGIN MEDIA TWO

 11PM
JAGUARES V LIONS (L)
SUPER RUGBY
SKY SPORTS MAIN EVENT
SKY SPORTS MIX

 SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 2

6AM
SYDNEY SEVENS (L)
SKY SPORTS ARENA

 11AM
RUGBY'S FUNNIEST MOMENTS
SKY ONE

 12:30PM
IRELAND V SCOTLAND (L)
WOMEN'S SIX NATIONS
RTÉ TWO

 12:30PM
FRANCE V ENGLAND (L)
WOMEN'S SIX NATIONS
SKY ONE
SKY SPORTS MIX

 12:30PM
EXETER CHIEFS V HARLEQUINS (L)
PREMIERSHIP CUP
BT SPORT 2

 12:50PM
WALES V ITALY (L)
WOMEN'S SIX NATIONS
BBC 2 WALES

 2PM
FRANCE V ENGLAND (L)
SIX NATIONS
VIRGIN MEDIA ONE
BBC 1 (2:30PM)

 2PM
TORONTO V CASTLEFORD (L)
SUPER LEAGUE
SKY SPORTS ARENA

 4:30PM
LEEDS RHINOS V HULL FC (L)
SUPER LEAGUE
SKY SPORTS ARENA

 6PM
SCRUM V
BBC 2 WALES

 7PM
IRELAND V SCOTLAND (R)
SIX NATIONS
VIRGIN MEDIA SPORT

 11PM
SIX NATIONS HIGHLIGHTS
VIRGIN MEDIA TWO

 MONDAY, FEBRUARY 3

 7PM
FRANCE V ENGLAND (R)
SIX NATIONS
VIRGIN MEDIA SPORT

 9PM
SIX NATIONS HIGHLIGHTS
VIRGIN MEDIA SPORT

 10PM
SUPER LEAGUE FULLTIME
SKY SPORTS ACTION

 TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 4

 1PM
THE SUPER LEAGUE SHOW
BBC 2

 9PM
IRELAND V SCOTLAND (R)
SIX NATIONS
VIRGIN MEDIA SPORT

 WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5

8PM
SYDNEY SEVENS (H)
SKY SPORTS MIX

 8PM
RUGBY TONIGHT ON TOUR
BT SPORT 3

 9PM
SIX NATIONS HIGHLIGHTS
VIRGIN MEDIA SPORT

 10PM
IRELAND V SCOTLAND (R)
SIX NATIONS
VIRGIN MEDIA SPORT
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6

 7PM
CHAMPIONS CUP HIGHLIGHTS
VIRGIN MEDIA SPORT

 7PM
WARRINGTON V ST HELENS (L)
SUPER LEAGUE
SKY SPORTS MAIN EVENT

 10PM
THE LATE TACKLE
VIRGIN MEDIA ONE

L = LIVE
R = FULL REPEAT
T = TAPE DELAY
H = HIGHLIGHTS

Times generally refer to beginning of broadcast not kickoff
Check local listings for repeat showings
Feel free to let us know if something is missing! paganoblog@gmail.com



at
Labels:

Front Five - 30.01.20

Start your day with five eye-catching egg-chasing quotes & links from around the ruggersphere.


ICYMI check out our latest pod where I talk to
Gayl Kennedy of Munster fan blog WestTerraceView
about Ireland's Six Nations chances

"I never want to step on that field to lose, never ever, never will, want to play the best I can, put my best foot forward and my heart on my sleeve."

Aki draws a line under World Cup nightmare by resetting his goals

Rúaidhrí O'Connor - Irish Independent
...automatically qualified teams will be seeded...after the November international test window (21-22 November)

World Rankings race begins for RWC 2023 Pool Draw

WorldRugby.org
Without him the bald figures are eight wins and 10 defeats in 18 matches...5 of those victories came against Tier 2 nations

Finn Russell’s absence in Dublin will either knit the Scottish players or cast a pall

John O'Sullivan - Irish Times
“I can completely understand why people are annoyed about it...at the time, I didn’t.”

The truth about Chris Ashton, Toulon and the £1.35m Saracens property deal which Sale Sharks paid off

Ian Cameron - RugbyPass.com
...he’s done it the hard way, leaving school a year early to chase his dream, moving from Wexford Wanderers to Clontarf...

Meet the latest star to leap from the GAA into rugby

Garry Doyle - The42.ie
Feel free to share any interesting links you spot yourself about t’internet by email, Twitter, Facebook, blog comment or carrier pigeon – whatever works for you. JLP

Note - views expressed in "Front Five" links do not necessarily reflect those of HarpinOnRugby
at
Labels:

Wednesday, January 29, 2020

PODCAST Ep 33 : “Give form the reward” featuring Gayl Kennedy of WTView: Observations of a Munster Rugby Supporter



With no Leinster matches the week before the Six Nations I decided to use the extra time to get opinions from fans of all four Irish provinces on a few key questions : 1) What way will Andy Farrell approach his new job 2) What do you make of Johnny Sexton as captain and 3) What team would you pick for the opening game against Scotland?

Looking back in our podcast feed you’ll see I have already had chats with fans of Leinster and Connacht in the form of Conor Cronin and Padriag Kelly respectively, now it’s Munster’s turn and I spoke to the author of the excellent WestTerraceView.

https://westterraceview.wordpress.com/

https://twitter.com/WTView

https://www.facebook.com/wtview/


at
Labels: ,

Some Thoughts Ahead of the Six Nations By Ciarán Duffy


Come the day and the hour and all the rest.  It’s that time of year. 6 Nations go head to head.  What I like about the tournament is that each game has a rivalry and a story.  There’s the triple Crown, the Calcutta Cup, the Millennium Trophy, the Centenary Quaich, the Giuseppe Garibaldi Trophy, the Auld Aliiance Trophy, and the Dodie Weir Cup.  And along the way teams are vying for the GrandSlam while trying to avoid the wooden spoon. Over the past few seasons Wales, England, and Ireland have been the big guns, France have been in transition, and Italy and Scotland have struggled with calls for relegation growing.  The new decade brings with it a decade of stories.  
And where will Ireland be at the end of the decade, in both the men’s and women’s.  The women see themselves still recovering from a poor World Cup a few years back. It’s a pivotal year for them, 3 home games and then World Cup qualifiers in November.  Missing the next World Cup would be a disaster. The top team in the qualifiers will qualify, with the runner-up going into a repechage. As things stand Kenya are the only team to have qualified for the repechage.  
The men are coming off a terrible World Cup.  As much as they’ll want to forget about it, lessons have to be learned.  The team looked tired and out of ideas. You never know what new management will bring.  When Eddie Jones took reigns at England after a disaster of a World Cup they went on to win a GrandSlam.  At the same time, management can also need time.  
In reality, we can’t be going into this tournament expecting perfection.  This tournament, this year in fact, is about laying the bricks. There has to be an idea there.  Ireland should be beating Scotland, Italy, France (despite having a good young team), and looking to take a scalp of either Wales or England.  It might not be the kind of scores Leinster have been putting on teams this season, but any kind of win with a good performance is acceptable.  
Something Keego brought up on Provincial Jazz a few weeks ago was Leinster fans leaving early.  Very early, like with 20 minutes to go. He said we need to enjoy the bad times and remember the good times.  I largely started following Leinster in the good times. My first Leinster game was against Edinburgh in the final pool game of the 2009 Heineken Cup winning season (I can shake the glory tag because in football I support Bray Wanderers and Charlton Athletic).  But I do remember the recent bad times. I remember a much more empty RDS. I started writing for this site during the bad times, my first article was on an awful game at home to Treviso.  
Of course when we were there I wanted the glory days back.  But the point of supporting a team is you support the team, through double winning seasons and missing out on the play-offs.  That’s something a lot of Irish rugby fans seem to have forgotten. It’s hard to know how many go to games just for the pints and the atmosphere. Being a rugby person has become fashionable in recent years, particularly following Leinster and Ireland.  I wrote about them before the World Cup.  Which is fine when we’re winning.  During 2018 everybody on the island and their dog loved rugby.  Then during 2019 everybody was an analyst talking about how Ireland were never that good. 
Which is rubbish, because Ireland were without doubt the best international side in the world in 2018.  That’s the thing about sport, that’s the thing about life, there are good times and bad times. The last world cup for both Ireland sides were the bad times.  The good times will be back, we need to be patient though.  
Ireland men should be beating Scotland handily enough.  That team is good enough. I would have liked to see Cooney start, hopefully he gets a good 25 minutes.  But ultimately this is a very strong side, that’s slightly experimental but not a complete tear-up of a script that needs revision not tearing up.  Fans need to get behind this Ireland team and accept that there will be flaws. Instead of looking for likes on Twitter for your hot takes, actually watch the game and see if there is any sort of a plan.  Because that’s the first step, a game plan.  
As for the women, the word transition has been thrown around more than the rugby ball itself since the World Cup.  In short, they need 3 wins to go into the Qualifiers with momentum. Last year was disappointing, this year there need to be better performances.  I’m confident they can deliver. The team is a good mix of exciting new talent and veterans who have been around and can keep a calm head.  
This week on Provincial Jazz, Post to Post Sport's Irish rugby podcast, we looked ahead to Ireland men and women's games.  Couch Pundit Keego joined us to speak on the men’s game (it is at this point I’d like to remind you that Keego is no.2 in the contributor rankings while I am no.1 and therefore should get first go in Pick-Up-Sticks).  Keego spoke about what he wants to see. And former Ireland and Munster star Fiona Hayes joined us to speak about the Women’s game.  

For coverage of the Six Nations, tune in to Provincial Jazz Every Tuesday, search Post to Post Sport wherever you get your podcasts.  I’ll also be writing for IrishSportTV.com throughout the tournament.  Tickets are still on sale for the Women’s games in Donnybrook.  

Like us on Facebook.  


Follow @PostToPostSport on Twitter & Instagram.
at
Labels: ,

Front Five - 29.01.20

Start your day with five eye-catching egg-chasing quotes & links from around the ruggersphere.


In our latest podcast we hear from Connacht fan and creator of 
"The 2nd Row" Padraig Kelly about Ireland's Six Nations chances

"I want to see the good old traditions of what all champion Irish teams have always been about"

Winds of change as Ireland name a refreshed team, picked on form

Gerry Thornley - Irish Times
Clearly the World Cup has not gone away entirely.

Andy Farrell can't claim he picked this team on form - otherwise two men would have bigger roles

Brendan Fanning - Irish Independent
"If you ask the players, none of us are really that bothered about it. The focus is on the guys who are in the squad."

Finn Russell's absence is a major deal... but only outside of Scotland

RugbyPass.com
It...avoids a difficult situation if they had managed to achieve a top four or top six place.

Saracens docked a further 70 points and chief executive resigns

Gerard Meagher - The Guardian
“It just shows if you keep your head down and work hard like he did...then really you can go the whole way.”

Introducing the latest Sean O'Brien on the Irish rugby scene

Garry Doyle - The42.ie
Feel free to share any interesting links you spot yourself about t’internet by email, Twitter, Facebook, blog comment or carrier pigeon – whatever works for you. JLP

Note - views expressed in "Front Five" links do not necessarily reflect those of HarpinOnRugby
at
Labels:

Tuesday, January 28, 2020

PODCAST Ep 32 : "Ireland needs genuine depth-building" featuring Padraig Kelly aka @the2ndrow



With no Leinster matches the week before the Six Nations I decided to use the extra time to get opinions from fans of all four Irish provinces on a few key questions : 

1) What way will Andy Farrell approach his new job 
2) What do you make of Johnny Sexton as captain and 
3) What team would you pick for the opening game against Scotland?

After talking to the blue-goggled Conor Cronin on the last pod,  I will also be getting input from provinces north and south, but this latest offering features the operator of The 2nd Row, run by Connacht fan Padraig Kelly.  

(note - recording was done ahead of official team announcement)

LINKS TO FOLLOW THE 2ND ROW :





at
Labels: ,

Front Five - 28.01.20

Start your day with five eye-catching egg-chasing quotes & links from around the ruggersphere.

With no writeup this week we have
extra podcasts featuring different
takes on Ireland's Six Nations chances
first one posts later today

There have been plenty of calls for Cooney to leapfrog Murray, but the new Ireland head coach is set to hand the number nine jersey to the Munster man.

Caelan Doris set to make Irish debut in Six Nations opener against Scotland as Murray to get nod over Cooney

Cian Tracey - Irish Independent
...avoiding burdening Ryan with the responsibilities and pressures of the leadership looks like an intelligent decision.

James Ryan doesn't need to be captain to go to next level with Ireland

Murray Kinsella - The42.ie
Leinster have three players – Tadhg Furlong, Jordan Larmour and Garry Ringrose – included in the list

Four Irish players feature in European Player of the Year longlist

RTÉ Rugby
 ...the opportunity to join an "ambitious" Bristol side was one Sinckler could not resist.

England prop Kyle Sinckler to join Bristol Bears

ESPN.co.uk
"Finn was aware of the consequences of his actions and aware that he wouldn’t be involved in Ireland because of that."

Gregor Townsend says Finn Russell’s Scotland return depends on ‘living up to the team’s standards’

David Barnes - The Offside Line
Feel free to share any interesting links you spot yourself about t’internet by email, Twitter, Facebook, blog comment or carrier pigeon – whatever works for you. JLP

Note - views expressed in "Front Five" links do not necessarily reflect those of HarpinOnRugby
at
Labels:

Monday, January 27, 2020

Front Five - 27.01.20

Start your day with five eye-catching egg-chasing quotes & links from around the ruggersphere.

Amazing match at Donnybrook
The schools level standard keeps getting better

“It’s a tricky balance because he has to be authoritative and stamp his style but also give players an opportunity to players to express themselves” 

Brian O’Driscoll says new boss Andy Farrell has to play to players’ strengths

Brendan O'Brien - Irish Examiner
Midi Olympique are linking the much sought after coach with the West Country club

Joe Schmidt linked to Bath

RugbyPass.com
The pandemonium in the stands did not prevent Colbert from holding his nerve to give Gonzaga the lead and a place in the quarter-final.

Gonzaga make history with dramatic late comeback to dump Blackrock out of Leinster Senior Cup

The42.ie
The win was New Zealand’s first at home in four years while France has now gone 15 years without a title.

NZ beats France to extend lead in World Rugby Sevens, Aussies finish third

FoxSports.com.au
Cork Constitution produced a barnstorming finish at Belfield

Cork Con show their mettle to reel in deficit and stretch run to 11 victories

Dave Mervyn - Irish Independent
Feel free to share any interesting links you spot yourself about t’internet by email, Twitter, Facebook, blog comment or carrier pigeon – whatever works for you. JLP

Note - views expressed in "Front Five" links do not necessarily reflect those of HarpinOnRugby
at
Labels:
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)

D4tress

D4tress
Taken by JLP from RDS press box on Nov 16, 2019