The Left Wing

On this week's episode of The Left Wing, Will Slattery and Luke Fitzgerald are joined by Jonathan Bradley of The Belfast Telegraph to discuss all the latest rugby news.The lads kick off by asking Jonathan about the state of Ulster rugby as the province moves into their fourth year under head coach Dan McFarland.The signing of Duane Vermeulen, John Cooney's uncertain future and the emergence of Nathan Doak are all up for discussion.The chat then moves onto Munster and the rotten injury luck suffered by the team and their Springbok signing RG Snyman, who has suffered an ACL injury for the second straight season.However, there are some positives with the performance of the province's young guns.The lads finish up by taking a look at the out-half landscape in Ireland and debating whether a Club World Cup is worth pursuing at the expense of the Champions Cup.For more Left Wing episodes and rugby stories visit the show page at:www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/the-left-wing/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the latest episode of The Left Wing, Will Slattery and Luke Fitzgerald are joined by Cian Tracey to discuss all the latest rugby news.The lads kick off with a look at how the South African sides have fared over the opening two weekends of the URC. With seven defeats from eight, it has been a tough opening for the four new franchises and the lads discuss the challenges facing the quartet as they look to make their mark.It was a good weekend for the provinces with four wins from four, but while Connacht and Munster will be particularly happy with two big wins over South African opposition, Leinster won't be pleased with their laboured win over Dragons.Finally, the lads look back at the titanic clash between the All Blacks and the Springboks, and assess which country is the best in the world at the moment.For more Left Wing episodes and rugby stories visit the show page at:www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/the-left-wing/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Left Wing is back for another season and Will Slattery and Luke Fitzgerald are joined for the first episode by Ruaidhrí O'Connor and former Ireland international Alison Miller.The panel kick things off with a post-mortem of Ireland's failure to qualify for the Women's World Cup after a disastrous defeat to Scotland last weekend. Alison says that change is needed at the top of the sport to ensure women's rugby in Ireland can get back on its feet.The discussion then turns to the United Rugby Championship, which kicked off over the weekend. Will the arrival of four new South African teams provide a much-needed boost for the league?Munster are the team that are most interesting heading into the new campaign, with question marks over the future of their coaching staff as well as the return of Simon Zebo to Thomond Park.For more Left Wing episodes and rugby stories visit the show page at:https://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/the-left-wing/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 discuss the Lions test team and look ahead to Saturday's clash with the Springboks.Warren Gatland has once again sprung a number of selection surprises, with Conor Murray forced to settle for a place on the bench after the head coach opted to start Scotland's Ali Price.The lads discuss all the key Irish selection decisions, with Tadhg Furlong, Jack Conan and Robbie Henshaw named to start while Tadhg Beirne joins Murray on the bench.The bench make-up and South Africa's formidable starting team are also discussed while Luke and Ruaidhri also give their predictions for the first test - and they both think the Springboks will come out on top.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the latest episode of The Left Wing, Will Slattery and Luke Fitzgerald are joined by Cian Tracey to discuss a crazy day on the Lions Tour.Two positive Covid cases - one in the coaching group and one in the playing squad - left the game against the Sharks in doubt, and although it ultimately went ahead, Warren Gatland was forced to rejig his team.With uncertainty surrounding the players who are currently isolating, the lads discuss the viability of the tour. Luke thinks that it should still go ahead while Cian is concerned that the integrity of the test series could be compromised if key men are ruled out for Covid reasons.The chat then moves on to the players who have impressed, with everyone in agreement that Iain Henderson is in with a great chance of starting the test series while Luke thinks that Elliot Daly could make a charge at 13.The lads finish up by looking back at Ireland's win over Japan and discuss whether Andy Farrell should have given his young guns more game time.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this week's episode of The Left Wing, Will Slattery and Luke Fitzgerald are joined by former Scotland international Jim Hamilton to discuss all the latest Lions news.The show kicks off with a discussion on whether the Lions should be travelling to South Africa at all given the Covid situation there, with the lads saying that sport can be an important tool to give people enjoyment during tough times.Then they move onto Warren Gatland's surprise decision to make Conor Murray the Lions captain, with Luke and Jim both surprised that the Ireland scrum-half was given the honour.What does it say about the form of Owen Farrell and Maro Itoje? After a poor season for club and country, Jim says that the Saracens contingent in the Lions squad are under pressure to perform.Luke and Will also look ahead to Ireland's game against Japan this weekend, with the visitors looking sharp in attack in their game against the Lions.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this week's episode of The Left Wing, Will Slattery and Luke Fitzgerald discuss Warren Gatland's first Lions selection and are joined by Sevens stars Billy Dardis and Harry McNulty to discuss Ireland's historic Olympic qualification.The lads kick off the podcast by talking about what a good performance against Japan this weekend could mean for the Lions' Irish contingent, and about how important it is to get off to a strong start on tour.Will and Luke are then joined by Billy and Harry, who over the weekend played a huge part as Ireland booked their place in Tokyo.They tell the lads about the long six-year journey from a third-division tournament in Bosnia to reaching the biggest tournament in the sport.The two lads talk about all the ups and downs, as well as giving an insight into the day-to-day and week-to-week life of a professional Sevens player.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 discuss all the latest rugby news.The PRO14 is no more... now the Irish teams will be playing in the United Rugby Championship. The four big South African sides are joining the original PRO12 outfits to form a new league - and the lads sink their teeth into all the various changes.The lads are concerned about the move away from merit-based qualification for Europe, but agree that it is a good move to allow the South African teams compete in the Champions Cup.Speaking of Europe's premier rugby competition, there are some changes coming to that too, with the lads pleased overall but on the fence about having two-legged last 16 ties.The lads finish things off by picking through Andy Farrell's Ireland squad for the summer tour, including the decision to omit Ross Byrne from the out-halves, as well as taking a look at some of the exciting young players involved.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 to discuss all the latest rugby news.The lads kick things off with the latest on the fire pit accident that saw Springbok duo Damian De Allende and RG Snyman along with Munster team-mates Mike Haley and CJ Stander suffer burn injuries, before moving on to the news that Benetton will play in the Rainbow Cup final after receiving a walkover against the Ospreys.Cian says that it might be a blessing in disguise for Munster that they won't be able to win the Rainbow Cup while Luke says that it is a fitting end to what has been a once-in-a-lifetime season.The conversation then turns to the performance of IRFU Performance Director David Nucifora. Has he done a good job? And who should replace him if he leaves in 2022?Finally, the lads discuss Andrew Porter's unfortunate injury ahead of the Lions tour as well as the players who might miss out for the Springboks.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this week's episode of The Left Wing, Will Slattery and Luke Fitzgerald are joined by Leinster and Ireland flanker Josh van der Flier.The lads kick off with a chat about Leinster's recent Champions Cup semi-final defeat to La Rochelle, as Josh explains the learnings the team can take from the loss.The 28-year-old flanker is in top form at the moment after some impressive performances against England and Exeter Chiefs, and Luke asks what Josh's strong displays have been down to.Warren Gatland recently announced his Lions squad to tour South Africa and Josh also discusses his disappointment at missing out.The lads also look back on Josh's Ireland debut - which came in a very tough environment against England at Twickenham in the Six Nations in 2016.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 to discuss the Champions Cup final and all the latest rugby news.Toulouse became the first team to win five European Cups by beating Ronan O'Gara's La Rochelle. The lads discuss all the major talking points - from Levani Botia's red card, to Ronan O'Gara going away from one of his coaching lessons to whether Toulouse were worthy champions.The discussion then turns towards Bulls head coach Jake White's revelation that he offered CJ Stander a contract, before the show finishes up with a chat of where Bundee Aki's form is at heading into the Lions tour, and his partnership with Robbie Henshaw.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 discuss all the latest rugby news.The lads kick things off by discussing whether people have a bit of fatigue around rugby, with the Rainbow Cup failing to capture the imagination.The recent inter-pros saw Connacht secure a big win over Munster, but one major talking point has been the Captain's Challenge.The lads debate whether or not it is working and if it should be kept going forward, and the discussion then moves onto Robbie Henshaw's tackle on Robert Balacoune - and whether it should have been punished with a card.Ireland's upcoming squad announcement for their summer test matches should be interesting, and Luke and Ruaidhri discuss which young players should make the cut.This weekend sees Toulouse take on La Rochelle in the Champions Cup final, and the lads finish things off by giving their predictions for the big game.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the latest episode of The Left Wing, Will Slattery and Luke Fitzgerald are joined by Springbok World Cup winner BJ Botha to get the South African view ahead of the Lions tour.Amazingly, the Springboks haven't played a game since beating England in the World Cup final, and BJ outlines the challenges facing South Africa ahead of the visit of Warren Gatland's side. Luke and BJ discuss some of the interesting selection decisions in the Lions squad, and the lads also discuss whether the Springboks may eventually end up playing in the Six Nations.The influence of Rassie Erasmus, Munster's South African contingent, the amount of overseas South Africans and the future of South African club rugby are all up for discussion too.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the latest episode of The Left Wing, Will Slattery and Luke Fitzgerald are joined by Cian Tracey for an emergency podcast to discuss the Lions squad announcement.The lads kick off by discussing James Ryan's omission and the reasons given by Warren Gatland. Luke thinks Ryan was hard done by while Cian thinks it is a bad look for Irish rugby that Ryan and Garry Ringrose, two of Ireland's top young players, have missed the cut. The discussion then moves onto the centre selections, with the lads in agreement that it is a perplexing collection of players, especially considering the quality left out.The chat then moves to out-half, where Johnny Sexton was left out of the squad, with Owen Farrell, Finn Russell and Dan Biggar included. The questions around Sexton's durability looks to have cost him a shot at a third tour.The lads finish off by discussing the back row balance, and Luke is asked whether he is more or less confident now that the squad has been picked.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the latest episode of The Left Wing, Will Slattery and Luke Fitzgerald are joined by Neil Francis to look back on Leinster's Champions Cup semi-final defeat and look ahead to the Lions squad announcement.For the third year in a row, Leinster have failed to win back the European Cup - this time losing to Ronan O'Gara's La Rochelle side.Luke picks out the areas he thinks cost Leinster the game, while Neil thinks that the influence of La Rochelle second row Will Skelton was crucial in the outcome.The lads debate whether the weakness of the PRO14 has hindered Leinster's chances in Europe and look at how Ross Byrne fared in the absence of Johnny Sexton.On the Lions squad, Neil thinks that Sexton could miss out on selection and explains why he misses Warren Gatland since his departure as Wales head coach.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the latest episode of The Left Wing, Will Slattery and Luke Fitzgerald are joined by Ruaidhri O'Connor to discuss the upcoming Lions squad announcement and Leinster's Champions Cup semi-final against La Rochelle.Will and Luke kick things off by discussing how Luke found out about his selection for the 2009 tour, and his initial experience meeting up with the squad.Luke, Will and Ruaidhri then debate the tough selection decisions facing Warren Gatland as he picks his Lions squad to tour South Africa. Will Sexton make the cut despite his injury concerns? How many Irish players will go?The lads also give their possible bolters who could be a surprise inclusion when the squad is named on May 6.The lads finish off by looking ahead to Leinster's mouthwatering Champions Cup semi-final against Ronan O'Gara's La Rochelle side. Luke and Ruaidhri both think it will be a cracking game and both also think that Leinster will edge a tight encounter.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this week's episode of The Left Wing, Will Slattery and Luke Fitzgerald are joined by Leinster out-half Ross Byrne to discuss the recent win over Exeter and much more.Byrne came off the bench to steer Leinster to a famous win at Sandy Park, and he tells the lads how the province managed to overturn a 14-0 deficit and come out on top.The out-half gives an insight into what his mentality was when he came in off the bench, and also reflects on the tough experiences he has had in an Ireland jersey to date.Byrne is in an interesting situation with his brother Harry competing for the same jersey at Leinster, but Ross says that he enjoys having his sibling around in the set-up.The lads also discuss the three new laws being trailed in the upcoming Rainbow Cup, while Ross says he would be excited by a potential British and Irish 'Lions' League in the future if it ever came to pass.Will and Luke also discuss the news that the South African sides won't be competing in the Rainbow Cup, and the future of women's rugby in Ireland amid calls for the game to go professional.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the latest episode of The Left Wing, Will Slattery and Luke Fitzgerald are joined by Brendan Fanning of the Sunday Independent to discuss all the latest rugby news.The lads kick things off with a look back at Leinster's epic win over Exeter in the Champions Cup final. Luke breaks down the defensive issues that saw Leo Cullen's men go 14-0 down in the opening stages, while Brendan takes a look at how they battled back to claim victory.It was a big day for Ross Byrne after he came on to replace Johnny Sexton, and the lads discuss whether the out-half has been harshly treated in his international career after another strong display in Europe.Simon Zebo has announced his return to Munster and everyone is in agreement that it is an exciting move - but will the 31-year-old be back in the Ireland squad soon?The lads then debate Leinster's signing of Crusaders prop Michael Alaalatoa, with Luke saying that the province should be backing their young players.Finally, the panel look back on Ireland's impressive win in the Six Nations opener against Wales, which included a stellar performance from superstar wing Beibhinn Parsons.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this week's episode of The Left Wing, Will Slattery and Luke Fitzgerald are joined by former Ireland international Niamh Briggs to look back on an eventful weekend of European rugby and look ahead to Exeter vs Leinster and the Women's Six Nations.Everyone was impressed with Ronan O'Gara's La Rochelle side and the discussion quickly turns to whether the Munster legend is a live option to return to his former province as the head coach.The chat then turns to Exeter vs Leinster, and whether the English side will be able to overpower Leinster like they did to other teams en route to Champions Cup glory last season. Luke, Will and Niamh all think that Leinster's international pack will be able to withstand the Exeter onslaught and that could be key.Niamh also gives her assessment of where the Ireland women's team are at heading into their Six Nations opener against Wales this Saturday, including a look at some of the exciting Sevens talented that have been drafted into the Ireland squad.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 to discuss the state of Munster rugby after their PRO14 final defeat to Leinster.It is Munster's sixth consecutive defeat to their biggest rivals, including their fourth knockout loss in a row, and the lads begin their discussion by asking why they were so off the pace at the RDS last weekend.Luke was disappointed by the team's defensive intensity while Cian was surprised that the game plan didn't seem to have evolved hugely from the teams' previous meetings.The discussion moves on to the province's signing of South African second row Jason Jenkins, with Luke and Cian in agreement in their worry that it will block the emergence of some exciting young talent in Munster.The lads finish up by looking ahead to a mouthwatering weekend of European rugby, as Leinster host Toulon and Toulouse travel to Thomond Park to take on Munster.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 discuss Ireland's win over England, the crazy finish to France vs Wales and look ahead to Leinster vs Munster in the PRO14 final.Ireland delivered the best performance of the Andy Farrell era to thump England at the Aviva Stadium - but where did the dominant display come from?Will asks Rud why it took so long for the team to produce their best form, while Luke takes a look at the areas that impressed him.A number of Irish players stood up and delivered their best, such as Conor Murray, while star performers such as Tadhg Beirne, Robbie Henshaw and Tadhg Furlong were as good as ever.The lads discuss who stood out for them across the campaign, and then finish up by naming their Player of the Tournament before a quick look ahead to a huge Leinster vs Munster clash.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 react to CJ Stander's shock retirement and discuss all the latest Six Nations news.The lads kick things off with a discussion on the back row's surprise announcement, with Neil saying that he doesn't think Stander will stay retired, and could potentially join up with one of the South African franchises after he returns home.Luke pays tribute to Stander's service to Irish rugby, but has mixed feelings over his decision to step away.In terms of on-pitch action, Luke takes a look at Ireland's defensive issues, while the lads discuss Ireland's propensity to kick away turnover ball.England are coming to town for the Six Nations finale on Saturday, and Luke and Neil both offer areas where Ireland must improve if they want to secure an upset victory.However, ultimately, they think Eddie Jones' men will leave the Aviva Stadium with a five consecutive win over Ireland.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this week's episode of The Left Wing, Will Slattery and Luke Fitzgerald are joined by Leinster second row Devin Toner to look back on his career.Toner is closing in on the record for most Leinster appearances and although his contract is up at the end of the season, he plans on playing on for at least one more year.From his early days under Michael Cheika to making the breakthrough with Leinster and Ireland under Joe Schmidt, Toner has been involved in professional rugby for 15 years.He tells the lads about the highs and lows of his career, including the disappointment of being dropped by Joe Schmidt from the Ireland squad ahead of the 2019 World Cup.Luke and Will also look ahead to Ireland's Six Nations clash with Scotland this weekend, and whether Andy Farrell should go on the Lions tour as an assistant to Warren Gatland.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 to go over all the Six Nations news.The lads kick off with a look back on Ireland's win over Italy. More offloads, a better attacking shape and a resolute defence were all on the wish-list ahead of the visit to Rome - so how did Ireland fare on that count?Both Cian and Luke think that Italy's shocking showing means that not much can be gleaned from Ireland's win, and both were surprised with how bullish Andy Farrell and Johnny Sexton were after the game.Craig Casey's place in the scrum-half pecking order, the standard of Six Nations refereeing, Wales' Triple Crown win and why England resemble 2019 Ireland 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 Sale out-half AJ MacGinty to discuss his unique journey from Blackrock to becoming a USA international.MacGinty is enjoying a great run of form in the Premiership currently playing alongside Springbok star Faf de Klerk, and tells the lads all about life in England.They then look back at his memorable performance as Connacht beat Leinster in the 2016 PRO12 final - which turned out to be Luke's final game before retirement.MacGinty has played at two World Cups for the USA, and despite his international allegiance contributing to his Connacht departure, he says that he has no regrets about the road he went down.Luke and Will also look ahead to Ireland's trip to Rome to face Italy this weekend, and Will is joined by Brendan Fanning to look back on the life of former Ireland international Gary Halpin after his tragic death.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 campaign to date.Neil is disappointed by the lack of progress the team has made under Andy Farrell, while Luke is concerned with the team's defence as well as the attack.The lads look back on the defeat to France last weekend, with Neil left very impressed with how Les Bleus are building following the addition of Shaun Edwards.The out-half succession plan is a talking point, with both Luke and Neil very enthusiastic about the potential of Leinster youngster Ciaran Frawley.Neil says that Andy Farrell will be under a lot of pressure if things don't improve and that the IRFU should make a call to Ronan O'Gara at the end of the Six Nations.Scotland's collapse against Wales and England's stuttering form is 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 look back at an eventful opening weekend of the Six Nations.The show kicks off with an apology as Will eats humble pie following his slating of Scotland's chances of beating England last week, before the lads discuss the controversy surrounding the comments made by two French doctors about Johnny Sexton's concussion issues.The chat then moves on to Ireland's defeat in Wales, with Luke sounding a positive note due to a number of strong individual performances, while Ruaidhri thinks that Ireland's leaders let Andy Farrell down in Cardiff.However, both were enthusiastic about the performance of Ireland's bench and what it could mean for the visit of France this Sunday.The lads then moved on to Scotland's upset win over England - did Eddie Jones make an error in picking so many under-cooked Saracens stars?Finally, Luke and Ruaidhri give their predictions ahead of what is a must-win game for Ireland against France at the Aviva Stadium this Sunday.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 look ahead to the Six Nations championship.The lads kick things off by talking about Ruaidhri's list of the top 50 Irish players of the Six Nations era, with Luke coming in at number 31.The discussion then moves onto the championship, which kicks off this weekend. After a patchy autumn, how is the Irish team fixed?Luke is very positive on Ireland's chances and is tipping Andy Farrell's side to win the Six Nations, while Ruaidhri strikes a more cautious note.The back row selection dilemma and Tadhg Beirne's place in the team are up for debate, while the lads take a look at how favourites France and England are shaping up.Both Luke and Ruaidhri are backing Ireland to get off to a winning start this weekend against Wales as an exciting period of rugby gets under way.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the latest episode of The Left Wing, Will Slattery and Luke Fitzgerald are joined by Cian Tracey to discuss all the latest rugby news.The lads kick things off by reflecting on Leinster's win over Munster and discuss whether the southern province have closed the gap on their biggest rival.Talk then turns to the Six Nations, as the lads look at Andy Farrell's selection decisions at scrum-half and out-half.The Six Nations bubble, Ulster's signing of Leone Nakarawa and Paul O'Connell's Ireland role 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 Leinster and Ireland flanker Will Connors to discuss his eventful few months in blue and green.Connors enjoyed a brilliant spell after rugby returned last year, making his European debut against Saracens before getting his first international cap against Italy.Connors talks about his experience going up against Billy Vunipola in that Saracens game, and how if he had the chance again he wouldn't have focused so much on the big number eight.The Kildare man then discusses his spell in the Ireland Sevens set-up and his impressive Ireland U-20 team back in 2016, which included James Ryan, Jacob Stockdale and Andrew Porter.Connors also explains why he enjoys beetroot juice before games and the origins of his nickname, 'porridge'!Luke and Will also look ahead to Munster vs Leinster this weekend, and talk about the players who will be looking to impress Andy Farrell.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 go over all the latest rugby news and look ahead to Andy Farrell's Six Nations squad announcement.The lads kick things off by going over the state of affairs in the Champions Cup, PRO14 and Six Nations after a week that saw postponements and rescheduling.The discussion then moves on to the news that the CVC deal to buy a portion of the Six Nations is close to being announced. Would the Six Nations moving behind a paywall be catastrophic for participation and interest?The lads then assess a number of players in terms of where they stand in the Ireland pecking order, with Tadhg Beirne, Rhys Ruddock, Dave Kearney, Jack Carty and Stuart McCloskey all up for discussion.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 to discuss all the latest rugby news as we start a new year.The lads start off by discussing the situation surrounding the Lions tour, and whether it will go ahead in South Africa, in Ireland and the UK or be postponed to 2022.The discussion then moves on to the provincial derbies taking place this weekend, as Leinster host Ulster on Friday night before Munster visit Connacht on Saturday.After Connacht produced a big shock win over Leinster last weekend, the lads discuss Jack Carty's Ireland prospects and whether Andy Friend's side will be able to back it up when they face Munster.On the Ulster front, Springbok back row Marcell Coetzee is set to leave the province in the summer. The lads discuss who could replace him, with Will suggesting one of Leinster duo Max Deegan or Jack Conan.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the last Left Wing of 2020, Will Slattery and Luke Fitzgerald are joined by Ruaidhri O'Connor to reflect on all the Champions cup action.The lads start with the news of the South African teams joining the PRO14 to play in the Rainbow Cup at the end of the current season. While Luke and Ruaidhri think it is exciting from a rugby perspective, they are waiting to see how the Covid situation is in terms of whether the new tournament will be a success.The lads then break down Munster's sensational comeback in Clermont, as Johann van Graan's side came from 28-9 down to win. Could this be a springboard to finally ending Munster's trophy drought?The first thing to do will be to end their losing run against Leinster, and with Leo Cullen's men visiting Thomond Park this Saturday, they will have an early chance to do so. Munster have lost eight of the last nine matches against their biggest rivals so they will be keen to change that statistic, but Luke doesn't think the game will make or break Munster's season.Tom Wood's tackle on Josh van der Flier, Ulster's latest loss and how Irish rugby managed its return during a pandemic 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 Brendan Fanning of the Sunday Independent to discuss the opening weekend of the Champions Cup and Ireland's World Cup pool draw.Although the tournament in France is just under three years away, the lads kick things off by discussing Ireland's difficult draw, and how the arrival of the South African teams in an expanded PRO16 could be crucial for Irish rugby.The lads then move on to the European action, starting with how the young players fared after being given a show of faith from the provincial coaches.Leinster and Munster opened their campaigns with wins while Connacht and Ulster came up just short, and there are a few cracking games up for decision this coming weekend.Pat Lam's return to Galway with Bristol and Ben Healy's possible move to Glasgow are discussed 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 discuss all the week's news.The lads kick things off by discussing the legal proceedings taken by a number of former players against World Rugby over what they allege as a failure to protect them from concussion.The lads discuss the harrowing tales told by former professional players and what steps the sport needs to take to become safer.Luke gives his personal insight, having played for ten years, and says that it is a very difficult topic to tackle given the dangerous nature of the game.The lads also look ahead to the Champions Cup this weekend - and start off by looking at what is a complicated format for the 2020/21 season!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 to discuss Ireland's recent struggles.After a poor performance against Georgia off the back of yet another loss to England, Andy Farrell's first year as Ireland head coach looks set to be a disappointing one with just one game to go.The lads delve into the various problems - a muddled attack, a leaky defence and a malfunctioning set-piece to name three.They also discuss Andy Farrell's head-coaching credentials and whether he has the right skill-set given most of his career was spent in rugby league background.IRFU Performance Director David Nucifora also spoke to the media this week and Cian breaks down his press conference performance as they discuss whether he has done a good job since coming on board in 2014.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this week's episode of the Left Wing, Will Slattery and Luke Fitzgerald are joined by London Irish flanker Sean O'Brien to recap Ireland's loss to England and to discuss his eventful career.It was another tough day for Ireland against England and the lads discuss whether Andy Farrell's men are any closer to beating their biggest rivals after suffering their fourth straight defeat.Sean O'Brien reckons that Ireland's sloppy work at the breakdown is the main cause of the team's downfall, while Luke is concerned that the same plan is being used against Eddie Jones' side that has failed before.Ross Byrne's display, Chris Ashton's comments on James Lowe and England's suffocating defence are all up for discussion too.The lads also discuss Sean O'Brien's memorable career to date, including how he almost retired due to injury as well as his goal to become a coach when he finishes his playing career.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 look ahead to Ireland's clash with England at Twickenham.It is a big opportunity for Ross Byrne as he comes into the team at out-half in the absence of Johnny Sexton, while James Ryan takes on the captaincy. The lads discuss what Byrne needs to do to make his mark and the extra challenge being the captain will pose for Ryan ahead of his battle with Maro Itoje.Ireland's team to face England contains five players who qualified via the residency rule, and the lads discuss whether the law - which has been changed to five years - has been good for international rugby.Dan Leavy's injury comeback has been going very well in recent weeks - how close is he to an international comeback?Ruaidhri O'Connor also discusses the situation of Philly Caldwell, who is recovering from a serious injury suffered in a tag rugby game. To donate to Philly's cause, click this link: https://fta4philly.com/.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this week's episode of The Left Wing, Will Slattery and Luke Fitzgerald are joined by former England and Lions prop Alex Corbisiero to discuss Eddie Jones' side as well as Corbisiero's battle with cancer.The 32-year-old was initially diagnosed with testicular cancer in late 2019 but recently underwent a bout of chemotherapy after the disease returned during lockdown. Thankfully, Corbisiero is hopeful that he is on the road to recovery and he tells Luke and Will about the tough mental and physical battle he has been on over the last few months.In terms of on-pitch action, Corbisiero is very positive about where England are at following their Six Nations triumph and also gives an insight into Andy Farrell's methodology having worked with him during his time in international rugby.Farrell named his team to face Wales on Tuesday, and Luke weighs in on some of the key selections, including James Lowe, who is in line to become the last player capped for Ireland under the old residency rules.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 to dissect Ireland's defeat to France and look ahead to the Autumn Nations Cup.The guys kick things off by assessing Jacob Stockdale's performance and Will asks whether the Ulster fullback should be kept in the team in the short-term after another poor display.Luke thinks that Andy Farrell should stick with Stockdale while Cian says that Hugo Keenan would be a good option in the fifteen jersey.Johnny Sexton's shake of the head as he left the field is also discussed, as is his captaincy and the guys look at whether now is the time to pick a new skipper with a view to the 2023 World Cup.Sexton's successor at out-half, the benefit of a quick-tap penalty and the players to watch this November 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 prop Jack McGrath to discuss his move north and his eventful career to date.McGrath made the choice to leave Leinster for Ulster ahead of the 2019/20 season, and he explains to the lads why he decided to make a move away from his hometown team.He also tells Luke and Will what it has been like as a professional rugby player during lockdown, as well as the strange sensation of running out for a PRO14 final in front of an empty stadium.Jack also looks back ten years to his Leinster debut, as well as talking about his rise through the ranks to become an Ireland regular and a Lion.Ireland's win over Italy and the big game against France are 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 look ahead to Ireland's Six Nations clash with Italy.The lads agree that Andy Farrell has put more of his own stamp on the team, with four players in line to make their debut, including Will Connors and Hugo Keenan who are in from the off.Luke talks about what Keenan needs to do to hold onto the journey amid stiff competition, while Ruaidhri weighs in on the back row.The guys then discuss what they want to see from Ireland over the next few weeks in terms of style of play, while they debate whether or not the IRFU should relax the rule on selecting overseas players as Simon Zebo continues to excel in Paris.To finish up, they reflect on the Champions Cup final between Exeter and Racing 92, and also squeeze in some Lions selection talk.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this week's episode of The Left Wing, Will Slattery and Luke Fitzgerald are joined by Peter Stringer to discuss Ireland's Six Nations squad, Munster's development and the legendary scrum-half's career.Andy Farrell's squad will enter their Covid bubble in Carton House today, and the lads discuss the difficulties posed by the players being away from their friends and family for an extended period. When it comes to Andy Farrell's squad, Peter is eager to assess the nines, as well as talking about John Cooney omission following a run of poor form.Peter gives his opinion on the form of Conor Murray, Jamison Gibson-Park and Kieran Marmion as the Six Nations draw into view.Elsewhere, Munster have started with two wins from two in the PRO14 but Peter isn't convinced about his former province and questions whether they have an identifiable style of play.To round out the chat, the lads ask Peter about how he managed to play professional rugby until he turned 40, with the 98-cap Ireland international giving an honest insight into how it felt to slip to fourth-choice scrum-half at Munster.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this week's episode of The Left Wing, Will Slattery and Luke Fitzgerald discuss the opening weekend of the PRO14 and chat to former Connacht flanker Eoin McKeon about his decade with the province.It was a clean sweep for the Irish teams in the opening round of league action, and the lads weigh in on Ben Healy's heroics for Munster, Connacht's strong start to the season against Glasgow and Garry Ringrose's impressive conversion against the Dragons.Then the lads welcome Eoin to the show, as he talks about adjusting to the working world having just left professional rugby over the summer.Connacht's PRO12-winning season, the impact Pat Lam made in Galway, the tough season under Kieran Keane and Andy Friend's project 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 to discuss all the latest news in the rugby world.Racing 92 succeeded where Leinster failed, beating Saracens to book a place in the Champions Cup final. The lads discuss how the Parisians got one over on the English giants, as well as the role of Donnacha Ryan, who continues to excel away from home despite approaching his 37th birthday. Should Munster and Ireland have done more to keep him?The PRO14 kicks off a new season this weekend, and there has been news that it will be expanded to 16 teams in 2021 as South Africa sends up four new teams to replace the Kings and Cheetahs. The lads debate the pros and cons and what this means for rugby in the northern hemisphere going forward, including whether the Springboks could eventually feature in an expanded Six Nations.And ahead of the new season the lads check in with each of the provinces, including whether Connacht are dark horses to do well, young players to watch and the injury problems surrounding some big names.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 pick through Leinster's defeat to Saracens and the rest of the weekend's action.Demolished at the scrum, cleaned out in the air and ill-discipline around the pitch all contributed to Leinster's surprise defeat to the English giants, and the lads pick out which part of the game they felt ultimately cost Leo Cullen's men.Leinster's depth at prop, the Ireland pecking order at number nine and Jacob Stockdale's performance in Toulouse are all up for discussion too, as is the PRO14 announcement of Monday Night Rugby for the forthcoming season as well as predictions for the Champions Cup semi-finals this weekend.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this week's episode of The Left Wing, Will Slattery and Luke Fitzgerald are joined by Stephen Ferris to look ahead to a big weekend of European rugby and discuss Leinster's win over Ulster in the PRO14 final.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this week's episode of The Left Wing, Will Slattery and Luke Fitzgerald are joined by Jonathan Bradley of the Belfast Telegraph to preview the PRO14 final.Leinster take on Ulster in the Aviva Stadium on Saturday night, which is the northern province's first appearance in a final since 2013. Jonathan gives the lads an insight from the north on how Dan McFarland has turned things around, while Luke looks at some reasons why Ulster can be hopeful of causing a shock.The lads also discuss some selection dilemmas McFarland has ahead of this weekend as well as whether Johnny Sexton will start for Leo Cullen's men.Meanwhile, Munster fell to Leinster for the third year in a row in the league semi-final last Friday - the lads look at what they have to do to take the next step as well as take a look at some of Munster's post-match comments.Owen Farrell's five-match ban for a dangerous tackle, as well as the state of rugby's disciplinary process, is up for discussion too.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of The Left Wing, Will Slattery and Luke Fitzgerald discuss the latest PRO14 action and chat to Jerry Sexton about his diverse rugby career.The brother of Ireland star Johnny has played in France, England and until COVID-19, was in Port Elizabeth in South Africa playing for the Southern Kings.However, the South African outfit recently folded and Sexton tells the lads about his time in the southern hemisphere, his relationship with Johnny and what life as a journeyman professional rugby player has been like.As well as chatting to Jerry, the lads discuss Ulster's slow start to the season ahead of their PRO14 semi-final against Edinburgh and also preview yet another big Leinster vs Munster clash.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 to reflect on rugby's return at the Aviva Stadium.Leinster dealt Munster another defeat in their rivalry but there were plenty of talking points afterwards. Is the gap closing between Leinster and Munster or is it as big as ever?The lads discuss Conor Murray's performance and whether scrum-half Craig Casey could soon get a chance in a big game. They also reflect on RG Snyman's knee injury and who could step up to replace him for Munster.With the Irish fullback jersey vacant ahead of the international season resuming, Jordan Larmour and Jacob Stockdale looked to impress at 15 at the weekend. Did either player do enough to catch Andy Farrell's eye?Connacht's impressive win over Ulster, the future of the PRO14 and whether midweek rugby could be on the agenda are all up for discussion too.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.