MudderRucker

That's a wrap on the 2026 Women's Six Nations — and what a way to finish it. 31,294 people at the Aviva for a first ever standalone fixture. A heritage caps ceremony honouring 30 years of Irish women's rugby. And Ireland putting in arguably their most complete performance of the tournament to send Scotland home empty-handed. Chloe Pearse is back — cap 206, AIL Player of the Year, and now apparentl...

Round 4 is done — and this week Ailbhe and Cian are joined by not one but two guests. Chloe Pearse is back as ever, and making his MudderRucker debut is Huw Griffin of HG Rugby — Welsh rugby analyst, stats obsessive, and self-declared England hater. He fits right in. Huw takes us inside the chaos engulfing Welsh rugby and what it actually means for the women's game, while we try to work out if Sea...

Round 3 is done — and Chloe Pearse is back, somehow vertical after UL Bohemian's AIL title win, to help us make sense of it all. England did England things against Wales. Italy absolutely shocked Scotland in a result nobody saw coming. And Ireland went to Clermont, matched France for long stretches, created chances, and came home empty-handed. Again. The margins are getting smaller. The performanc...

Round 2 is in the books — and Ireland finally made it to Galway. The Dexcom delivered, the crowd delivered, and by God did the team deliver. Ailbhe and Cian are joined once again by Chloe Pearse — now preparing for an AIL final at the Aviva, no big deal — to break down a weekend that had everything. Scotland hosted England in front of 30,000 at Murrayfield and were absolutely, comprehensively, his...

Round 1 is done and dusted — and Chloe Pearse is back, fresh off an AIL semi-final POTM, to help us make sense of it all. France beat Italy, but don't let the scoreline fool you — their breakdown was an absolute shambles and Italy had them rattled for long stretches. Chloe still thinks France are beatable, and honestly, after watching that, it's hard to argue. Wales and Scotland served up the kind...

We're BACK! Season 3 of MudderRucker kicks off with a bang — Ailbhe and Cian are joined by the brilliant Chloe Pearse (calling in live from her sun lounger, can of Dorado in hand) to preview the 2026 Women's Six Nations. We get into Erin King's appointment as Ireland captain, what it means for the team, and why Ailbhe reckons she's been a leader in the making since she was 16. We break down Englan...

The Rugby World Cup 2025 reaches its finale, and England’s Red Roses stand tall as champions on home soil. Canada threw everything at them but couldn’t crack a side built on set-piece power, defensive grit, and the depth to finish games out. Ailbhe and Cian are joined by Fiona Hayes and Chloe Pearse to break down the World Cup Final and Bronze match. From Botterman’s turnovers and Bern’s scrum imp...

Semi-final weekend delivered drama and a BIG exit — the Black Ferns are out, and Canada are into the Rugby World Cup final. Sophie de Goede led from the front in a masterclass of control and decision-making, while New Zealand couldn’t find answers in the set piece or at the breakdown. Joining Ailbhe and Cian are Chloe Pearse and Ruth Campbell to break down how Canada took apart the reigning champi...

Ireland’s World Cup run ends at the quarter-final stage against France, but not without controversy. The infamous “bite” incident grabs headlines, but the real story is Ireland’s performance across the pitch, the progress of this campaign, and what it means heading into the next four-year cycle. Ailbhe and Cian are joined by Ireland prop Christy Haney and Munster Player of the Year Chloe Pearse to...

It finished 40–nil—but the noise told a different story. This week on MudderRucker, Ailbhe and Cian are joined by Chloe Pearse and Alice Soper to unpack Ireland’s bruising night against the Black Ferns in Brighton: the offloads, the width, the collision zone, and where Ireland’s shape came unstuck. We also zoom out to what actually mattered: the crowd, the feeling around the team, and why nights l...

Ireland may be two from two with Eve Higgins at the heart of the action, but there’s a gravitational pull towards a Black Ferns vortex of danger. In this week’s MudderRucker, Ailbhe and Cian are joined by Chloe Pearse and Christy Haney to dissect the five-try win over Spain that somehow still felt nervy. We break down scrum dominance, shaky set-piece calls, and defensive breakdowns — plus the all-...

Ireland opened their Rugby World Cup campaign with a tempo-heavy win over Japan — and on this week’s MudderRucker, Ailbhe and Cian are joined by Chloe Pearse and Alycia Washington to break it all down. We’re talking lightning quick ball, dominant breakdowns, standout performances (yes, Brittany Hogan, we see you), and why lighting quick ruck speed is starting to look like a serious stat. Plus, we...

Welcome to Episode 12 of Mudder Rucker, your go-to podcast for Irish women's rugby! Join hosts Ailbhe O'Nolan and Cian Ó Muilleoir as they discuss the World Cup warm-up games against Scotland and Canada, and dive into the first round of the Interpros. Special guests Chloe Pearse and Nikki Caughey share their unique insights and personal rugby journeys. Don't miss out on their discussion about squa...

Two new skippers, one microphone, and plenty of interpro spice. This week on MudderRucker, Maeve Óg O’Leary (Munster) and Molly Boyne (Leinster) join Ailbhe for a chat about what it really feels like to pull on the provincial jersey with a “C” beside your name for the first time. From learning how to lead your mates (and not just boss them), to why jersey shopping is a surprisingly risky business,...

Eve Higgins and Aoife Dalton take centre stage in this episode, swapping stories from the frontline of Irish rugby’s midfield battleground. From debut nerves and sevens circus tales to the art of reading a game and mastering defence, they pull back the curtain on what it takes to hold the line. Hear about team rituals that glue the squad together, camp quirks (including rave music that won’t quit)...

Pre-season camp is in full swing and Jane Clohessy plus Niamh “Noddy” O’Dowd drop by to swap fresh-camp anecdotes and rewind to their very different Six Nations first-cap memories. Hear how a routine lash-lift turned into a selection cliff-hanger, why laser-tag suddenly broke out at team dinner, and what not to wear to a coach’s one-to-one. On the rugby side they dig into camp training loads, the...

On June 1st in Oslo, a team of trans women will face a team of cis elite players from the women's game in a sevens rugby match called Ruck You—a powerful act of protest, inclusion, and solidarity through sport. This week on MudderRucker, we bring you a special episode dedicated to the voices behind that game, and the policy that made it necessary. We speak with former USA international Alycia Wash...

This week on MudderRucker, it’s the end of the Six Nations—and the end of our first series! Chloe Pearse and Katie O’Dwyer are back to help us unpack Ireland’s bruising, frustrating, and oddly hopeful finale against Scotland at The Hive. We talk injuries, inexperience, and intercepts, plus how the squad responded when under pressure when leaders were lost from the field. We also look at the big Si...

This week on MudderRucker, we’re bringing you a special bonus episode ahead of the AIL Women’s Final at the Aviva! Ailbhe sits down with Railway Union captain Niamh Byrne and UL Bohemian head coach Fiona Hayes for an in-depth look at what makes this fixture—and this rivalry—so special. From Rocky-themed team talks to Atomic Kitten singalongs, we dive into the sisterhood, scrap, and sheer joy that...

This week on MudderRucker, we welcome tighthead legend Katie O'Dwyer alongside the ever-brilliant Chloe Pearse to break down Round 4 of the Women’s Six Nations. Italy pushed France all the way, England cruised past Scotland, and Ireland turned in a dominant performance against Wales—but was it dominant enough? We unpack Ireland's clinical-but-could’ve-been-clinicaler win in Newport, assess the dep...

This week on MudderRucker, we’re joined by Irish rugby legends Chloe Pearse and Ilse van Staden to unpack a huge weekend of Women’s Six Nations action. From Ireland’s gutsy, galvanising 50-minute stand against England, to France’s chaos-ball against Wales and Italy’s bounce-back win over Scotland, there’s loads to dive into. We talk player development, set-piece struggles, the growing IQ and grit...

This week on MudderRucker, we're thrilled to welcome back rugby savant Chloe Pearse for another cracking episode! Join us as we break down Ireland's outstanding performance against Italy, highlighting incredible defensive efforts, explosive attacking plays, and the depth now evident throughout the squad. Chloe shares insider insights on standout players, tactical changes, and discusses Ireland's m...

This week on MudderRucker, we’re joined by not one but two Irish rugby legends—Chloe Pearse and Ilse van Staden! We get the inside scoop on life in camp, the highs and lows of the Six Nations opener against France, and how the squad is bouncing back ahead of the clash with Italy. Plus, we dig into leadership styles, team dynamics, and some unexpected insights into life off the pitch. Join Ailbhe a...

We talk with the inimitable Chloe Pearse and get some insights into life within the Irish camp, her rugby journey, and her thoughts on Ireland's prospects heading into the massive tournament opener against France. On Bluesky you can find Ailbhe at @irishwomens.bsky.social, and Cian at @rugbykino.bsky.social. Drop by and tell is what you think, and don't forget to like, share, and subscribe, wherev...

Join hosts Ailbhe O’Nolan and Cian Ó Muilleoir as they bring you all the latest from Irish women’s rugby! From the Women’s Six Nations to key matches and big talking points, Mudder Rucker keeps it fun, accessible, and full of insight. No overcomplicated analysis—just straight-talking rugby chat and exclusive interviews with Irish rugby stars. Whether you’re a die-hard fan or new to the game, subsc...