The Left Wing

Rugby returns this weekend and The Left Wing is back too as Will Slattery and Luke Fitzgerald are joined by Ruaidhri O'Connor and Cian Tracey of the Irish Independent to chat about the upcoming action.Rugby gets back under way at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday with a blockbuster Leinster vs Munster clash, followed by Connacht vs Ulster on Sunday, and there are plenty of talking points ahead of the games.Can Leinster keep their unbeaten run going into a new season where they are fighting on two fronts from the off?Is it Munster's time to end their trophy drought after signing Springbok duo Damian De Allende and RG Snyman?Can Ian Madigan fight his way back into the Ireland squad after signing for Ulster?Did Connacht make the right call in releasing a number of veteran players in the summer?The lads also discuss Joey Carbery's injury woes, the dilemma facing the IRFU over Johnny Sexton's next contract and what they are expecting from the opening weekend of matches.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this week's episode of The Left Wing, Will Slattery and Luke Fitzgerald are joined by Jamie Heaslip to discuss rugby in lockdown, his career and life in retirement.With players confined to their homes for the most part like the rest of the population, Jamie and Luke discuss how they will go about maintaining their fitness while in lockdown.The lads then discuss life after rugby, with both Luke and Jamie forced into retirement by injuries. They chat about joining the workforce at the bottom rung of the ladder after being at the top of their sport, and how it can be a difficult adjustment. Jamie talks about the preparation he put in to ensure he had options after retiring.The lads then finish up by talking about the highlights of Jamie's career.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on The Left Wing, Will Slattery and Luke Fitzgerald observe podcast social distancing as they recap a wild week in rugby.With the PRO14 final cancelled and the Champions Cup on ice, it’s looking increasingly likely that the club rugby season won’t be completed.The lads discuss the latest cancellations, reflect on Leinster’s lost perfect season attempt and chat about Ian Madigan’s move to Ulster.Luke thinks it is a great move for both Madigan and the northern province as the out-half looks to get his career back on track.Luke also answers some questions from the listeners, including what life was like on the 2009 Lions Tour.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this week's episode of The Left Wing, Will Slattery and Luke Fitzgerald are joined by Ruaidhri O'Connor of the Irish Independent to discuss all the latest rugby news.There has been further disruption to the rugby schedule as coronavirus continues to spread across the world, with the Six Nations, the PRO14 and possibly the Champions Cup all experiencing problems.The possibility of playing big games such as Leinster vs Saracens behind closed doors is becoming a bigger reality with each passing day, and Luke says that it would have a big impact on the players' ability to deliver their best performance.In terms of on-pitch matters, the lads discuss how the rescheduled Six Nations fixtures will impact Ireland and Andy Farrell in his first year as a head coach. The topic of players responding to media criticism is also up for discussion after Johnny Sexton's recent response to Ronan O'Gara's comments around his captaincy, while the lads also weigh in on Joe Marler's grab of Alun Wyn Jones' testicles.France's capitulation against Scotland and England's win over Wales are also up for discussion.The Left Wing is sponsored by Land RoverSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this week's episode of The Left Wing, Will Slattery and Luke Fitzgerald are joined by Cian Tracey to discuss the latest news around the Ireland team and former Leinster hooker Bryan Byrne joins the lads to chat about his move to Bristol.With Ireland vs Italy already postponed and the rest of the Six Nations games up in the air, there is a lot of uncertainty around the rugby world. Cian explains how Ireland are going about their business as they wait for news about their final game against France.Also, the lads discuss the fallout to the defeat to England, in particular Johnny Sexton's fiery response to Ronan O'Gara's questions about his captaincy.Bryan Byrne then joins from Ian Madigan's house in Bristol as he explains why he decided to leave Leinster and join Pat Lam's side in the Gallagher Premiership.Byrne, who joined Leinster in 2012 with his twin brother Ed, admits it was tough to leave his sibling behind and start a new challenge in England but he is relishing the prospect of more game-time.The Left Wing is in association with Land Rover.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the latest Left Wing schools rugby special, Will Slattery is joined by Tony Ward and Des Berry to look ahead to the cup semi-finals.The lads start in Leinster, where St Michael's take on Newbridge and Clongowes go up against Castleknock. St Michael's recorded an impressive quarter-final victory over Gonzaga, giant-killers of Blackrock, and the panel think that they will be too strong for the Kildare school in the final four. However, even though St Michael's remain the team to beat, everyone is very impressed with Clongowes after their opening two wins over Terenure and St Gerard's. It is also a great year for Castleknock, after they beat Belvedere to qualify for their first semi-final since 2002.In Munster, an all-Cork final between rivals PBC and CBC looks likely while there are a number of top prospects in Ulster, including Nathan Doak, son of former Ireland international Neil. The Connacht semi-finals are also up for discussion, as is the behaviour of past pupils at schools games in Donnybrook.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this week's episode of The Left Wing, Will Slattery and Luke Fitzgerald are joined by Neil Francis to discuss Ireland's Six Nations defeat to England.Luke is disappointed that the pattern of the loss followed along similar lines to Ireland's recent defeats to England, while Neil says that Ireland were outfought by Eddie Jones' side.The form of the Ireland half-backs, Conor Murray and Johnny Sexton is discussed, with Luke saying that he thinks Sexton might be carrying an injury.In terms of changes to the team, Neil says that Leinster back row Rhys Ruddock - who was omitted from the Six Nations squad - is someone who could make a difference for Andy Farrell's men.The French revival, Joey Carbery's latest injury and Eddie Jones' selection decisions are all up for discussion too.the Left Wing is sponsored by Land RoverSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this week's episode of The Left Wing, Will Slattery and Luke Fitzgerald are joined by Cian Tracey of the Irish Independent and former England fullback Ben Foden ahead of a huge Six Nations weekend.Ireland take on England at Twickenham this weekend with the Triple Crown at stake, and Cian is cautiously optimistic that Ireland can produce a big performance. Andy Farrell is set to name an unchanged team and although the veteran players have been going well, Luke still thinks that starting some of the fresh blood would have been a good option.The lads also look ahead to Wales vs France, a game with big championship implications, and Italy vs Scotland, where the home side are looking to win their first game in the Six Nations since 2015. Ben Foden also joins the lads to talk about his adventure playing with Rugby United New York in Major League Rugby. Foden talks about the growth of rugby in the USA, why he decided to leave the English Premiership and also looks back on the famous Leinster vs Northampton Heineken Cup final in 2011.The Left Wing is sponsored by Land RoverSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Improved Ireland, South Africa look north and Rhys Ruddock on his Six Nations omissionOn this week's episode of The Left Wing, Will Slattery and Luke Fitzgerald are joined by Ruaidhri O'Connor and Rhys Ruddock after another Six Nations weekend.Ireland made it two wins from two under Andy Farrell, and the lads talk through the different improvements made in the victory over Wales.Ruaidhri discusses Ireland's more expansive attack while Luke was interested to see the team kick from the outside channels more often.One big selection debate heading towards England at Twickenham is whether Farrell will bring Doris back into the back row after his concussion. Ruaidhri and Luke both think he should start but aren't sure if the Ireland head coach will drop Peter O'Mahony or CJ Stander.Reports have emerged that South Africa might be in line to join the Six Nations after the 2023 World Cup. Is that a good idea?Rhys Ruddock also joins the lads to discuss missing out on Six Nations selection, his World Cup experience and his season to date.The Left Wing is sponsored by Land RoverSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the latest episode of The Left Wing, Will Slattery is joined by Tony Ward and Des Berry for another schools rugby special.Gonzaga’s sensational win over Blackrock is a big discussion point as the panel review the opening round in Leinster and look ahead to the quarter-finals.The lads also check in on the progress in Munster, Connacht and Ulster and pick out a number of players to watch. The Left Wing is sponsored by Land RoverSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this week's episode of The Left Wing, Will Slattery and Luke Fitzgerald look back on the opening weekend of the Six Nations.Ireland got the win over Scotland but there wasn't a whole lot different about the approach as Andy Farrell's men eked out a win at the Aviva Stadium.It is only one game into Farrell's tenure as head coach but already Luke is concerned that we haven't seen a departure from the style of play under Joe Schmidt in 2019.The continuing selection battle between John Cooney and Conor Murray is discussed, with Murray's form a concern ahead of the visit of Wales this weekend.France's exciting victory over England is also analysed - and why it is too soon to be reading too much into the French revival as yet.And where are England after the 24-17 defeat? Luke thinks although Eddie Jones is a great coach, that he makes a number of odd selection decisions.The Left Wing is sponsored by Land Rover.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the latest episode of The Left Wing podcast, Will Slattery and Luke Fitzgerald are joined on the line by Bristol out-half Ian Madigan to preview the Six Nations.The lads discuss Andy Farrell's first team selection, with Luke and Ian weighing in on the decision to start Conor Murray over John Cooney.Caelan Doris has been selected to make his Ireland debut, and Ian is very excited to see what the Leinster back row can bring.The panel are in agreement that France could be dark horses for the 2020 championship, with Ian tipping them to win it outright.Luke thinks England are the team to beat, but the Saracens salary cap scandal still hangs over the squad.Ian talks about the impact that has had on the Premiership, and also discusses his own future.Madigan's Bristol contract is up at the end of the season, and he says that he might return home to Ireland to play for one of the provinces.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the latest episode of The Left Wing, Will Slattery is joined by Tony Ward and Des Berry for a schools rugby preview.Tony has complied a bumper schools rugby supplement that is available in Saturday’s Irish Independent, and he previews the Leinster, Munster, Connacht and Ulster competitions.Can anyone stop St Michael’s in Leinster? Tony is calling them the school’s ‘Dream Team’ as they return 13 players from last year’s cup-winning side. Blackrock are set to be their main challengers while the lads think that Gonzaga will give them a good game in round one after reaching their first final last year. As well as the familiar teams, there has also been the emergence of new schools across the country, such as Temple Carraig in Leinster, CBS Roscommon in Connacht and Bantry in the Munster Junior Cup.Tony also discusses catching up with old Ireland rival Ollie Campbell for the supplement, with Campbell looking back on his illustrious schools career with Belvedere.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this week's episode of The Left Wing, Will Slattery and Luke Fitzgerald discuss the fallout to the Saracens salary cap scandal and look back at the final weekend of European pool action.Saracens are set to be relegated to the RFU Championship after being found guilty of another salary cap breach this season, with the future of their star-studded squad uncertain.However, despite being relegated to English rugby's second tier, Saracens are still competing in the European Cup, and are set to face Leinster in the Champions Cup quarter-final.Luke says it is a disastrous draw for Leinster, who will face the defending champions in the last eight despite winning all six of their pool games and securing a top seeding.The lads also discuss Andy Farrell's first Six Nations, with Luke expressing his surprise and disappointment at Rhys Ruddock's omission.The form of Stuart McCloskey, Luke's first experience in Ireland camp and Munster's European exit are all up for discussion too.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this week's episode of The Left Wing, Will Slattery and Luke Fitzgerald are joined by Ruaidhri O'Connor to review all the Champions Cup action and look ahead to Ireland's Six Nations squad announcement.Leinster are still riding high in Europe after recording their fifth straight pool win, but Luke and Ruaidhri both agree that their defence could be their undoing later in the tournament if they don't tighten it up.A number of Leo Cullen's young guns are in line to be selected for Ireland, and the lads debate whether Caelan Doris or Max Deegan have the upper hand in the number eight battle.Besides that, Rob Kearney, Sean Cronin and Jordi Murphy are all looking to fight their way back into Andy Farrell's squad, while the matter of captaincy could also be settled.Luke and Ruaidhri both think that second row James Ryan would make a good captain at this stage of his career.Elsewhere, Munster suffered a tough defeat to Racing 92 that all but ends their interest in the Champions Cup - Ruaidhri assesses where the southern province is at and gives his reasons for why head coach Johann van Graan deserves more time at the helm.Ulster's near-miss in Clermont, Racing 92's futuristic stadium and Will's Champions Cup power rankings are all up for discussion too.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this week's episode of The Left Wing, Will Slattery and Luke Fitzgerald are joined in studio by Cian Tracey to review all the festive inter-pros as well as look ahead to the upcoming Champions Cup clashes.Munster were rocked by the news that Joey Carbery will be on the sidelines for the foreseeable future with an arm injury, and the lads discuss the implications for Johann van Graan ahead of a must-win European tie against Racing 92.It has been a tough couple of weeks for the southern province with a number of losses, and the panel talk through the issues facing Munster as they look to get their season back on track.Leinster continue to maintain their remarkable winning streak, but how does Leo Cullen and Stuart Lancaster manage to keep so many players happy? Cian explains how the Leinster coaches make every player feel involved as they build towards another successful season.Ulster are one of the form teams in Europe at the moment and two players - John Cooney and Stuart McCloskey - are primed for Six Nations involvement. But should Andy Farrell make the big call in dropping Conor Murray for Cooney?And it was a tough December for Connacht with a number of injuries but Andy Friend is able to welcome back nine key men for the clash against Toulouse.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's Left Wing Christmas special, Will Slattery and Luke Fitzgerald look ahead to the rugby over the festive period.Leinster's trip to Thomond Park to face is Munster is the highlight and Luke looks back on his memories of playing at the Limerick ground.Luke also looks back at the games last weekend, and expresses concerns over Leinster's defence after conceding six tries in the win over Ulster.Will unveils his Team of the Decade, Coach of the Decade and Player of the Decade... and there are plenty of disagreements!And Andy Farrell held his first press conference as Ireland head coach today, and the lads discuss what this priorities might be as he heads into his first Six Nations in charge.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this week's episode of The Left Wing, Will Slattery and Luke Fitzgerald discuss Andy Farrell's first Ireland training squad, the Champions Cup action and Johnny Sexton's future.Farrell named a 45-man squad for a 24-hour mini-camp, with the omission of Rob Kearney, Sean Cronin and Jordi Murphy catching the eye.Despite many saying that this is likely the end of Rob Kearney's international career, Luke thinks that his former team-mate could still make an Ireland comeback for the Six Nations.Likewise, he doesn't think that Sean Cronin or Jordi Murphy have been cast aside just yet.In provincial action, Leinster look well placed to top the overall Champions Cup seedings ahead of the quarter-final after their big win over Northampton - but what does that victory and the weak challenge of many teams say about the overall health of the Champions Cup?Munster and Saracens' fiery encounter, John Cooney's scintillating form and Connacht's last-gasp victory are all up for discussion too.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this week's episode of The Left Wing, Will Slattery and Luke Fitzgerald are joined by Ulster scrum-half John Cooney to discuss his stellar season to date.The number nine has been the star man for the northern province as they have started their European campaign with three wins against Bath, Clermont and Harlequins. After slotting a pressure kick to beat Quins, Cooney opens up on how he keeps a cool head when standing over a match-winning penalty.The 29-year-old missed out on World Cup selection in the summer but used the omission to hit the ground running for Ulster; he says that he has used the disappointment to spur him on this season.Cooney also discusses the parts of his game he is looking to improve as he looks to break into Andy Farrell's Ireland squad.Leinster's impressive win over Northampton, Munster tight affair with Saracens and the IRFU report into Ireland's World Cup failure are all up for discussion too.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this week's episode of The Left Wing, Will Slattery and Luke Fitzgerald are joined by Cian Tracey and Bernard Jackman to look ahead to a huge weekend of European rugby.All four of the Irish provinces have made a good start to the Champions Cup campaign, but Bernard thinks the tournament have problems coming down the track; chiefly that the English and French clubs put more emphasis on their domestic competitions.However, there is still some big games on the horizon - with Munster's clash with Saracens set to be a belter. Stephen Larkham is getting a lot of praise for his performance thus far as the Munster backs coach, but the Saracens defence will be a stern test for his attack.Leinster's young guns continue to impress - is this weekend the time for Leo Cullen to give some young players a chance in Europe?Ulster's brilliant turnaround, Connacht's progression and the problems at the Ospreys are all up for discussion too.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this week's episode of The Left Wing, Will Slattery and Luke Fitzgerald look back on another successful Champions Cup weekend for the Irish sides.Munster played out a thrilling encounter with Racing 92 at Thomond Park and although Johann van Graan's side battled back to earn a valuable draw, that might not be enough when the points are added up at the end of the pool stage.Munster played some great rugby but there are question marks over the form over Conor Murray, especially with John Cooney playing so well for Ulster in the win over Clermont.Leinster, meanwhile, dug out an impressive win in Lyon to make it two from two - but more interesting was the insight that Stuart Lancaster gave into how he coaches the team.Elsewhere, Connacht battled well against Toulouse before falling away while Ronan O'Gara had a tough outing with La Rochelle in Sale.Will also unveils his first European power rankings of the season, while the lads also look ahead to Andy Farrell's first Six Nations squad.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s back to the bosom of European rugby where all is warm and comforting for Irish teams who get to win their games again and on this week’s Left Wing, Luke Fitzgerald and Will Slattery look back on a great opening round of matches for the Irish provinces. They also look ahead to the weekend games including Ulster at home to Clermont, Connacht away to Toulouse, Leinster’s visit to Lyon and the much anticipated Simon Zebo return to Munster with Racing.It’s sure to be a hero’s welcome for Zebo in Thomond but Luke can’t see Munster losing whilst he also tips Leinster’s pack to win it in Lyon. Jacob Stockdale’s heroics against Bath showed he can produce the goods defensively and if he can work as hard defensively every week he can be ‘one of the all-time greats’ according to Luke.Plus, Will speaks to the Sunday Independent’s rugby correspondent, Brendan Fanning, about his exclusive Joe Schmidt interview in this weekend’s paper. Schmidt has a new book out and Fanning reveals how the former Ireland coach has been coping post-World Cup. The question is though, does Luke get a mention in Joe’s book?For more from the Left Wing you can visit the show page:www.independent.ie/podcasts/the-left-wing/The Left Wing is sponsored by Aldi.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this week's episode of The Left Wing, Will Slattery and Luke Fitzgerald are joined by Cian Tracey and Ruaidhri O'Connor to preview the new season of the Champions Cup.Luke and Will welcome Cian and Ruaidhri back into the studio after their time covering the World Cup in Japan, and the panel give their view on the state of Irish rugby after a tough couple of weeks.Thoughts then turn to Europe, with Leinster well primed to have a good tournament after being handed a favourable pool draw. For Munster, they are in the pool of death along with Saracens and Racing 92, and could struggle to get out of it. Ulster look to be in with a good shout to once again make the quarter-finals while Connacht might have to settle for one or two big scalps after being lumped in with some heavyweight contenders.The lads also discuss the form of Ireland's key men heading into a European weekend as well as where Joe Schmidt might end up next.For more from the Left Wing you can visit the show page:www.independent.ie/podcasts/the-left-wing/The Left Wing is sponsored by Aldi.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former England centre, Ben Te’o joined Luke Fitzgerald, Fergus McFadden and Will Slattery on this week’s Left Wing podcast as they looked back on England’s World Cup final defeat.“In camp, every day, for four years, Eddie used to say ‘We’re going to win the World Cup’,” Te’o revealed. “He built a game to beat New Zealand but not necessarily South Africa. I don’t know if England’s minds switched enough to respect South Africa.”Te’o also spoke about his current Toulon adventure and of his time with Leinster and how Joe Schmidt had talks with him about staying in Ireland for another year to qualify for the national team.Plus Luke and Fergus discuss what it’s like for the Irish provinces when the international players return and how they’ll be looking forward to putting the World Cup behind them and concentrating on this week’s interpros.For more from the Left Wing you can visit the show page:www.independent.ie/podcasts/the-left-wing/The Left Wing is sponsored by Aldi.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's all over and South Africa are the world champions after a sensational final performance in Yokohama.Ruaidhri O'Connor and Jonathan Bradley were there to witness a forward masterclass from Rassie Erasmus' men.What went wrong for England? What went right for the Springboks? And what will it mean for the Rainbow Nation? The lads assess it all and give their final thoughts on an incredible seven weeks in Japan before saying sayanora!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's finally here. No, not the third/fourth place play-off, but tomorrow's Rugby World Cup final in Yokohama.In their penultimate podcast from Japan, Ruaidhri O'Connor and Jonathan Bradley assess England and South Africa's strengths and weaknesses, assess whether Eddie Jones' men can get back to the level they reached against New Zealand and wonder why Maro Itoje isn't on the shortlist for World Rugby player of the year.Jonathan picks his team of the tournament and the lads wonder whether this World Cup has been any good.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Much as you might hate to admit it, England are on course to win the Rugby World Cup and you have to admire the way they're going about it. On this week's Left Wing, Fergus McFadden joins Luke Fitzgerald and Will Slattery to preview the 2019 final and everyone is tipping England to win it.Is this the culmination of the Eddie Jones grand plan and will it be Sir Eddie if he leads them to greatness? Plus, the panel look back on Warren Gatland's legacy, New Zealand's concerns for their future and ask what style of play for Irish rugby in the post Joe Schmidt era."What Stuart Lancaster's biggest strength is that he's brought in multi phase play to Leinster and it’s the way we’re training," says Fergus. "The Irish team didn’t evolve with the same type of sessions and all the emphasis on set pieces. I feel like Joe didn’t move forward."For more from the Left Wing you can visit the show page:www.independent.ie/podcasts/the-left-wing/The Left Wing is sponsored by Aldi.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's the final week of the World Cup and, after two contrasting semi-finals set up an England v South Africa World Cup final, Ruaidhri O'Connor and Jonathan Bradley look back at the weekend just gone and begin to talk about Saturday's show-piece.The lads assess England's greatness, while they wonder if the 'Boks have a trick or two up their sleeves after boring their way to the final against Wales.They assess Wales' weird World Cup, with Warren Gatland's men left in a weird position where they achieved their goal but could have gone further.And as the end comes into view, there's some frantic sight-seeing to be done as Ruaidhri recounts his run-in with a Japanese lad in a Munster jersey.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The show goes on in Tokyo and the World Cup semi-finals are upon us.It's been a week of heavyweight press conferences in Japan and Jonathan Bradley and Ruaidhri O'Connor have been listening to the noises from all four camps ahead of the big games at the weekend.England face the rampant All Blacks in Yokohama on Saturday, with Wales taking on South Africa a day later.Jonathan's been staking out the final venue, but says there's not much to be doing in Japan's second biggest city. At least the rugby should be good.Inevitably, the lads veer into a chat about the fallout from Ireland's exit and discuss some very pointed comments from Brian O'Driscoll and Isa Nacewa, before they get back on point.Can England stop the three-peat or is this just New Zealand's world and the rest of us just live in it.Wales have somehow reached the semis, but it looks like the end of the line against the all-powerful 'Boks.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s been a bad week for Jaco Peyper but an even worse one for Irish rugby. Another Rugby World Cup and another quarter-final exit. Luke Fitzgerald, Fergus McFadden and Alison Miller joined Will Slattery on this week’s Left Wing to dissect all that went wrong, asking how and why we dropped from the heights of 2018, but they also celebrate Joe Schmidt’s Ireland managerial career. “It’s a tough one to take and you’ve got to feel for the players,” said Fergus. “It’s a World Cup, the expectations have been so high and the fall from grace hasn’t been easy. Maybe you have to look at the structures and wonder were they ones to have?” The panel give their verdicts on the semi-finals, Peyper’s ‘photo-gate’ and they look ahead to the Andy Farrell era with an expected clear-out of a number of players for 2020. It’s time to look ahead but whilst also remembering how far Joe Schmidt has brought Irish rugby despite the disappointments this week. For more from the Left Wing you can visit the show page:www.independent.ie/podcasts/the-left-wing/ The Left Wing is sponsored by Aldi.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the final episode of the The Left Wing daily, Ruaidhri O'Connor is joined by Cian Tracey who like Ireland, is leaving Japan sooner than planned. The lads reflect further on Ireland's dismal World Cup exit to the All Blacks while assessing the chances of the four remaining teams as the serious business heats up.Andy Farrell has a huge job on his hands to rebuild Ireland as the page will quickly turn. There are also some overall thoughts on the hugely enjoyable experience of spending the last five weeks in Japan.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Joe Schmidt era is over and it has ended in a crushing defeat to New Zealand that sees them march on to the World Cup semi-final and Ireland in the familiar position of searching for answers.Cian Tracey and Ruaidhri O’Connor pick through the rubble of an abject performance from an Irish team that made errors, gave away penalties and played into the hands of the best team in the world when it mattered most.They discuss the coach’s post-match comments, assess the impact of this loss on Schmidt’s legacy and also praise the All Blacks who delivered a sensational performance that ends Ireland’s journey in Japan.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ireland's World Cup is on the line in Tokyo tomorrow and Johnny Sexton led a one-man Captain's Run at the venue where they'll meet the All Blacks.We hear from the Ireland out-half on how he feels the game will go, as Jonathan Bradley is joined by pod regular Ruaidhri O'Connor and Tom Cary of The Telegraph who has been covering Ireland throughout the tournament.Ireland's tournament isn't the only thing on the line, Joe Schmidt's legacy is also in the mix as he prepares for what could be his final match.Sexton is confident they can get the job done, but so are the All Blacks who are more focused on their mullets than James Ryan.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The teams has been named and Saturday's World Cup quarter-final between Ireland and the All Blacks is getting closer.Ruaidhri O'Connor, Jonathan Bradley and Cian Tracey are in Disneyland where Joe Schmidt has named his strongest side for the winner-takes-all showdown with the world champions.They assess the two line-ups and consider whether Ireland's experience can beat the All Blacks' expansiveness, if Steve Hansen is taking risks with his team selection and whether Ireland are the team the All Blacks least wanted to face.They also take a quick look at the selection surprises from England and Australia as a mouthwatering weekend draws ever closer.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With Ireland and New Zealand taking a day off in Tokyo before team announcements tomorrow, Jonathan Bradley, Cian Tracey and Ruaidhri O'Connor take a look at the three other last eight clashes.Can the hosts keep their run of success going against the Springboks in what will be a fascinating clash of styles and a re-match of their famous 2015 match in Brighton. Can Japan's quick hands beat Jacques Nienaber's rush defence? Will South Africa prove too strong or will the Brave Blossoms continue to surprise?Down in Oita, England v Australia is a dream for reporters who are getting front-row seats in the battle for hearts and minds between Michael Cheika and Eddie Jones. On the pitch, Australia have more questions about their selection, but England haven't been tested. Form would suggest they'll be too strong, but the Wallabies are capable of a shock.And on Sunday, Wales take on a France team who have had their traditional behind the scenes arguments and come into this game without really having fired a shot. Wales are well organised and have a Grand Slam behind them, but the French will always have a chance given the talent available.The lads give their quarter-final predictions, although some are more definitive than others as Ruaidhri flip-flops over an Ireland win, with Jonathan confident of a first trip to the quarter-finals and Cian predicting Schmexit.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're down to the business end of the Rugby World Cup and it's not South Africa, but New Zealand, that Ireland are facing, so what chance does Joe Schmidt's Ireland have of actually progressing past the quarter-finals?It's the biggest of asks against the All Blacks and on this week's Left Wing podcast, Leinster and Australia's, Scott Fardy, who played in the 2015 World Cup final, joined Luke Fitzgerald, Fergus McFadden and Will Slattery.For Scott Fardy it comes down to one thing: defence. Do that and we could be five point victors he reckons,"Just defend well, defend really well, then you have a chance."Fergus McFadden also thinks the Irish players will lift themselves for a match-winning performance, while Luke doesn't think so, believing New Zealand, ultimately, will have the edge.The panel also discussed the importance of Johnny Sexton, Joe Schmidt's trick-plays, the Nigel Owens' influence and they give their predictions for the other quarter-final pairings, the chances of an upset in those games and will Japan's fairytale World Cup continue into semis?For more from the Left Wing you can visit the show page:www.independent.ie/podcasts/the-left-wing/The Left Wing is sponsored by Aldi.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cian Tracey, Ruaidhri O'Connor, and Jonathan Bradley are on hand to discuss the fall out of Bundee Aki's three-game ban and what it means for Ireland's World Cup hopes.After a busy day scattered across Tokyo, Cian visited the All Blacks camp and got the thoughts of their assistant coach Ian Foster on what kind of challenge he expects from Ireland on Saturday. Meanwhile, Ruaidhri and Jonathan were in Disneyland where the mood within the Ireland squad is noticeably positive despite the news of Aki's suspension.The lads argue why Robbie Henshaw and Garry Ringrose are an ideal centre pairing to face New Zealand, while is some interesting chat surrounding the All Blacks possible team selection.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's taken a while, but the knock-outs are finally upon us as Ireland travelled to Tokyo from Fukuoka to prepare for the game of their lives against New Zealand on Saturday.Before they left, Cian Tracey got the thoughts of Johnny Sexton who is not happy at the level of criticism the team has received for their performances at this World Cup and the out-half is in confident form going into the big one.Ruaidhri O'Connor got a red-eye to see what Steve Hansen had to say for himself and it turned out to be a lot as he laid down an early marker and got the mind-games up and running.Having watched the Japan game in a bar packed with travelling fans, the lads are feeling the World Cup buzz as an exciting weekend of knockout rugby approaches.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As if the Rugby World Cup couldn't offer up any more farce, Cian Tracey and Jonathan Bradley report on a "disgraceful" playing surface in Fukuoka where Ireland complete their pool campaign against Samoa tomorrow.Compared to the impending destruction of Super-Typhoon Hagibis, this is small beer but it was clear from Joe Schmidt's behaviour at today's Captain's Run that hes not happy with the pitch.Along with Ruaidhri O'Connor, the lads assess the potential for danger from the pitch and from Ireland's 17/1 opponents, while they reflect on the looming crisis that will hit the World Cup if Scotland are knocked out without getting the chance to compete for their quarter-final place.All three are tipping a win, but the bonus point and the performance are as important as the result.We take some listeners questions, while Ruaidri has a bit of advice for travelling fans on some no-nos when ordering food in Japan after attracting an audience over dinner last night.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ireland have named their team, but with two games already cancelled and a third very much at risk Cian Tracey, Jonathan Bradley and Ruaidhri O'Connor discuss the ramifications for the tournament.It could have a direct impact on Ireland's chances in Pool A if Joe Schmidt's side fail to get a bonus point win against Samoa on Saturday.The lads assess Schmidt's team selection for a tough final game as the show goes on in Fukuoka despite the chaos elsewhere.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After watching Scotland hammer Russia, Ruaidhri O'Connor, Cian Tracey and Jonathan Bradley are on hand to run through the permutations for Ireland's quarter-final hopes.The worrying trend of the top teams pulling away from the rest continues as the lads wonder if anything will change after this World Cup.Cian and Jonathan both visited Hiroshima today and speak about the powerful impact it had on them.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ireland have taken their hits so far in this World Cup but the question remains whether they can pick themselves up for the rest of the tournament.On this week's Left Wing, Neil Francis joined Luke Fitzgerald, Fergus McFadden and Will Slattery and as usual, Franno didn't pull any punches."They look a tired team," says Franno. "The graph is going a particular way and even if they correct it against Samoa, they’ve got a lot of things wrong. Is it mirroring something? Where are the unforced errors coming from?"While all the panel agree that Ireland are more than capable of beating anyone on their day, no one can see them doing it for a semi or final. "It’s a tough space to be in mentally because you have to move on pretty quickly," says Fergus McFadden. "Your'e just hoping Joe is picking their confidence up again because time is of the essence."The panel also lament the continued poor standard of refereeing, whether Joe Schmidt has learned from 2015 and the return to form of the 'veteran' McFadden for Leinster in the Pro14.For more from the Left Wing you can visit the show page:www.independent.ie/podcasts/the-left-wing/The Left Wing is sponsored by Aldi.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cian Tracey, Ruaidhri O'Connor and Jonathan Bradley are back together as they take the podcast to an outdoor setting along Naka River in Fukuoka.The Typhoon that was threatening Ireland's game against Samoa on Saturday thankfully seems to be veering away from southern Japan, but the hosts game with Scotland could now be thrown into doubt if it hits Tokyo. The lads discuss the knock-on effects of that. We hear from Joey Carbery who says he wants to repay the faith that has been shown in him. The lads debate the value in trying Carbery at full-back in order to use two play-makers.There are also several listener questions to get through to make up a bumper pod.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As Typhoon Hagibis tracks its way towards Japan, Cian Tracey is joined by Jonathan Bradley (Belfast Telegraph) and Ruth Gorman (UTV) to discuss the storm's potential implications for Ireland's final pool game against Samoa on Saturday.There is good news on the injury front as Jordi Murphy has remained with the squad despite picking up a rib injury last week, while Joey Carbery and Robbie Henshaw are also back in training. Having had the weekend in Fukuoka, Jonathan talks about experiencing a play-off game in the Japanese baseball league as Ruth offers an insight into what it has been like to cover the World Cup from a television point of view.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today's a travel day for Ireland and their press pack and that means we're on the road to Fukuoka. Before departure, Cian Tracey and Jonathan Bradley join Ruaidhri O'Connor to reflect on a difficult night for Joe Schmidt's men against Russia.Can a weekend off give them the lift they so appear to need? We hear from captain Rory Best about the team's confidence, while one of our party reveals he made a show of himself in front of the skipper in the hotel tennis court yesterday.There's plenty more happening in Japan with an exciting weekend of rugby ahead, the show must go on after all!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ireland won 35-0 against Russia in the Kobe Misaki Stadium, but there wasn't much to be positive from a sloppy performance despite Joe Schmidt putting a brave face on things.Cian Tracey, Ruaidhri O'Connor and Jonathan Bradley were all reporting on an error-strewn match that did little to inspire any faith that this Irish team can achieve their goals by getting to a semi-final and beyond in Japan.The injury count is mounting, the players' body-language is poor and there's a familiar feeling about this World CupWill a couple of days off in Fukuoka do the trick? should Ireland send for Devin Toner if Jordi Murphy is injured? What can Schmidt do to inspire a team who look low on energy and off their game in the next two weeks?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ruaidhri O'Connor and Alan Quinlan were at Ireland's Captain's Run to hear assistant coach Andy Farrell's views on the defeat to Japan and the state of refereeing in the tournament ahead of the clash with Russia.Quinny assesses Ireland's performance, wonders where the leaders have gone but believes they have enough left to bounce back and achieve in Japan.It's not all Ireland, the former Munster back-row has been on the road and experienced something special in Kamaishi last week when Uruguay beat Fiji.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The feel-good factor has gone again and suddenly Group A has got interesting. This week on the Left Wing, Luke Fitzgerald, Fergus McFadden and Will Slattery look back on the shock defeat to Japan and try to put a positive spin on things.But has the trauma of Rugby World Cups past come back to haunt them and what damage will there be to the confidence of the players?"On our day we can beat New Zealand or South Africa," says Fergus. "But the inconsistencies in our performances are the most concerning thing.""The Russia game is an opportunity for players to put their hands up for selection," believes Luke. " I want to see a cohesive performance, correct the errors, show we’ve become acclimatised and are a force to contend with."Plus, the lads discuss the ongoing problems with officiating, why Michael Cheika is such a tough nut (including a great story from Fergus from their Leinster days), and Luke's unforgettable Nelson Mandela moment.For more from the Left Wing you can visit the show page:www.independent.ie/podcasts/the-left-wing/The Left Wing is sponsored by Aldi.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ruaidhri O'Connor takes a turn in the hot seat and is joined by Cian Tracey and Jonathan Bradley to chat about the Ireland team to face Russia on Thursday.The lads discuss why Johnny Sexton's return is vital to get Ireland moving in the right direction again as an all Munster tight-five packs down together.Cian and Jonathan have both sampled the famous local Kobe beef and there are more tales about a trip to Japanese onsen.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ireland have moved to Kobe as preparations for the Russia game on Thursday ramp up.Cian Tracey is joined by Jonathan Bradley as they look back on the shock defeat to Japan having had more time to reflect on it.We hear from CJ Stander who admits that the loss to the host nation was up there with the biggest disappointments of his career. Jordi Murphy is due to link up with the squad today and the lads ask how ready he would be to play on Thursday after the long haul flight. Robbie Henshaw’s fitness is in the spotlight again as Joe Schmidt faces a selection headache in midfield.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.