The Left Wing

Ireland have named their squad for the Rugby World Cup and Cian Healy misses out through injury. At the team hotel, Cian Tracey joins Rúaidhrí O'Connor on the Left Wing podcast to run through Andy Farrell's big decision, assess the fallout of Saturday night's performance against Samoa and look back on the final round of warm-up games before the main event gets going in less than two weeks' time. J...

La Rochelle star, Dillyn Leyds, joins Will to discuss South Africa and Ireland's chances at the World Cup and whether the Champions Cup final defeat will have a major impact on the Irish campaign. Dillyn also chats about La Rochelle’s sensational journey to the top of European rugby, their epic Champions Cup final comeback against Leinster in Dublin and reveals what it's like having Ronan O'Gara a...

On the latest episode of The Left Wing podcast, Will Slattery is joined by Rúaidhrí O'Connor to discuss the Ireland team to face Samoa. Andy Farrell's selection gives some indication as to his thinking ahead of Monday's squad announcement, and Rúaidhrí reads the tea leaves as to who he thinks will be on the plane. Ireland's out-half situation, centre partnerships and final World Cup preparations a...

On the latest episode of The Left Wing, Will Slattery, Luke Fitzgerald, Cian Tracey and Rúaidhrí O'Connor discuss Ireland's ongoing World Cup build up. Will is joined by Rúaidhrí to start the show, who is currently in Biarritz with the Ireland team ahead of Saturday's Samoa clash. He gives a lay of the land as Andy Farrell prepares to select his squad on Monday. Luke and Cian then join Will and th...

There were five tries, including a most memorable one from centurion Keith Earls, as Ireland beat England 29 points to 10 at the Aviva stadium yesterday but there is an injury concern over Dan Sheehan who picked up a foot injury and plenty of work still to do for the Ireland team. Rúaidhrí O’Connor and Cian Tracey join Sinéad Kissane on the latest Left Wing podcast to discuss where Ireland now sta...

The Ireland team has been named for Saturday’s World Cup warm-up game against England at the Aviva Stadium and as expected Andy Farrell has gone, as expected, with a very strong team for this one and Cian Prendergast is given a big opportunity being named at number 8. Cian Tracey joins Sinéad Kissane on the latest Left Wing podcast to discuss the line-up and they also discuss World Rugby’s announc...

On the latest episode of The Left Wing podcast, Will Slattery, Luke Fitzgerald and Rúaidhrí O'Connor discuss all the latest news after a busy weekend of World Cup warm-up games. Will and Rúaidhrí kick things off with a reaction to the news that Owen Farrell's red card from the weekend was overturned, meaning he won't miss any games. Luke then joins the lads as they reflect on France star Romain Nt...

Will Slattery, Luke Fitzgerald and Cian Tracey look back on Ireland's opening World Cup warm-up match against Italy. Andy Farrell's men got the win but the Ireland head coach won't be too happy with a number of aspects of the performance. Caelan Doris gave a Man of the Match display at number 7, as the debate continues about whether he should ever be moved from the number eight jersey. The lads we...

The Left Wing podcast is back for another season as Will Slattery, Luke Fitzgerald and Rúaidhrí O'Connor look ahead to Ireland's World Cup warm-up matches. First up is Italy this Saturday as the lads discuss what team they expect Andy Farrell to pick and how the coach might approach the three warm-up games. The squad selection dilemmas, Ireland's World Cup schedule and New Zealand's return to form...

It wasn’t to be for Ireland in the Under 20 World Championship final. They were beaten by a simply sensational French team, 50 points to 14, and on the latest Left Wing, Rúaidhrí O’Connor joins Sinéad Kissane with the post-match analysis from Cape Town. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Ireland U20s have a chance to make history tomorrow when the Grand Slam winners play France in the World Rugby U20 Championship final in Cape Town and Rúaidhrí O’Connor speaks to Sinéad Kissane from South Africa to preview the game. He also has the latest on Johnny Sexton’s disciplinary hearing as Irish rugby holds its breath in relation to the complaint of misconduct towards match officials d...

On the final episode of The Left Wing this season, Will Slattery, Luke Fitzgerald and Cian Tracey look back on Munster's URC triumph. After a tumultuous season, Graham Rowntree's men ended it as champions after a stunning win over the Stormers in South Africa. The lads reflect on the journey Munster took across the year, heap praise on the key players and look ahead to how the squad might fare nex...

After twelve years, Munster have ended their trophy drought in spectacular fashion with a 19-14 win over the Stormers in South Africa. Rúaidhrí O’Connor joins Sinéad Kissane from Cape Town after the final whistle with all the reaction and analysis to a momentous night for the Irish province. Don’t forget, Will and Luke are back next Wednesday for their final show of the season and if you want to g...

2,000 Munster fans have made the long trip to South Africa for their URC final against the Stormers on Saturday, but what can the Irish fans expect come the final whistle? Rúaidhrí O’Connor is in Cape Town and he joins Sinéad Kissane on the Left Wing podcast with the latest team news and insights from the camp. Calvin Nash, Malakai Fekitoa and Conor Murray have all been recalled to the starting XV...

On the latest episode of The Left Wing podcast, Will Slattery, Luke Fitzgerald and Cian Tracey look back on Saturday's Champions Cup final. In one of the greatest finals ever, Leinster lost out by a point as La Rochelle made it two in a row at the Aviva Stadium. Leinster blew a 17-point lead and there are plenty of questions about the squad's mental strength after another Champions Cup collapse. L...

After 12 minutes of the Champions Cup final surely no one saw this coming. Leinster were 17-0 up and cruising but somehow they snatched defeat from such a strong position. Rúaidhrí O’Connor joins Sinéad Kissane from the Aviva Stadium right after the final whistle to dissect where it all went wrong for Leinster who finish this season empty-handed and with more question marks over their mentality th...

With twelve changes to the Leinster team that were beaten by Munster in last week’s URC semi-final, Leo Cullen has named as strong a starting XV as expected, but will it be enough to depose their conquerors of the last two seasons, La Rochelle? Cian Tracey joins Sinéad Kissane on the latest Left Wing podcast to go through the Leinster team and bench and although home advantage will be huge, he cau...

On the latest episode of The Left Wing podcast, Will Slattery and Luke Fitzgerald are joined by former Leinster and Ireland star Dan Leavy to preview the Champions Cup final. Leinster vs La Rochelle is a rematch a year in the making and the lads discuss the key tactical battles, selection issues and coaching decisions that could dictate the outcome. They also look back on Munster's dramatic URC se...

On the latest episode of The Left Wing podcast, Will Slattery and Luke Fitzgerald are joined by Jonathan Bradley to look back on the URC quarter-finals. They kick things off with a post-mortem on Ulster's season after their disappointing home defeat to Connacht. Where do Ulster go from here and is head coach Dan McFarland the right man to lead them forward? Luke and Jonathan then pay tribute to Co...

On the latest episode of The Left Wing podcast, Will Slattery and Luke Fitzgerald are joined by Rúaidhrí O'Connor with an in-depth review of Leinster's big win over Toulouse and the areas where the French giants fell short. The chat then turns to how Leo Cullen should select his team for the challenges to come ahead of the final in three weeks' time - should he rotate his squad or go with his stro...

0 points, 5 heavy defeats, and the worst points difference in their history in the Six Nations, what does the future hold for the Irish women’s rugby team? After the team’s fifth and final defeat to Scotland over the weekend, Anna Caplice and Ali Donnelly join Sinéad Kissane on the latest Left Wing podcast to discuss the result and the wider issue for Irish women’s rugby. Never mind England or Fra...

The Leinster team to face Toulouse in their Champions Cup semi-final on Saturday has been named and a late injury sees Robbie Henshaw joining Johnny Sexton and James Lowe on the sidelines. Rúaidhrí O’Connor is with Sinéad Kissane on the latest Left Wing podcast to go through the starting XV, he discusses why All Black Charlie Ngatai has come in for Henshaw and why he thinks the advantage now rests...

On the latest episode of The Left Wing, Will Slattery and Luke Fitzgerald are joined by Cian Tracey to look ahead to Leinster vs Toulouse. The Aviva Stadium hosts a battle between the two most successful teams in Champions Cup history on Saturday and the lads discuss what Leinster need to do to come out on the right side of the result. Leo Cullen's selection dilemmas, Leinster's heavy defeat to th...

We’re down to the final week of the Women’s Six Nations and it has been a tournament loaded with reality checks and harsh lessons for Ireland. After their 48-0 defeat to England at Musgrave Park, Ireland play Scotland in Edinburgh on Saturday evening bottom of the table on zero points. Former Ireland player Anna Caplice and Ali Donnelly of Scrumqueens.com join Sinéad Kissane to discuss another cha...

On the latest episode of The Left Wing, Will Slattery and Luke Fitzgerald are joined by Cian Tracey to pick through all the talking points from the latest round of URC action. There is the big news that Springbok head coach Jacques Nienaber will replace Stuart Lancaster in the Leinster set-up next season - it's certainly a big statement but is it a good fit style wise? Munster also got their seaso...