The Left Wing

On this week's episode of The Left Wing, Will Slattery and Luke Fitzgerald look ahead to the PRO 14 final and discuss last weekend's semi-final. The lads start off by discussing Glasgow's comprehensive win over Ulster, and Luke asks why Ulster haven't been able to get over the line and win a trophy in the last ten years. Leinster vs Munster turned out to be one-sided on the scoreboard and Luke thi...

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. Saracens clinched a third European crown in four seasons after seeing off Leinster, producing a powerful performance to run out 20-10 winners. The lads start by discussing one of the game's pivotal moments - Leinster's decision not to kick the ball out at the end...

On this week's episode of The Left Wing, Will Slattery and Luke Fitzgerald preview the Champions Cup final with Cian Tracey and Ruaidhri O'Connor of the Irish Independent. Leinster vs Saracens is the dream final match-up, pitting last year's winners against the side who won back-to-back European crowns in 2016 and 2017. Leinster got the better of the English giants in the quarter-final last year e...

On this week's episode of The Left Wing, Will Slattery and Luke Fitzgerald discuss the PRO 14 knock-out stage and Munster's trophy ambitions. Johann van Graan's men take on Benetton in the PRO 14 quarter-final as they look to win their first trophy since the 2011 league title, with an away semi-final against Leinster awaiting them if they prevail. Luke thinks Munster are lacking an X-Factor star i...

On this week's episode of The Left Wing, Will Slattery and Luke Fitzgerald are joined in studio by Leinster back row Jack Conan to discuss the Champions Cup semi-final win over Toulouse and much more. Conan played a key role as Leo Cullen's men booked their place in the Champions Cup final in Newcastle, and the big number eight takes us inside the Leinster set-up as he explains how the team got th...

On this week's episode of The Left Wing, Will Slattery and Luke Fitzgerald are joined by Munster and Ireland legend Denis Leamy to preview the Champions Cup semi-finals. Munster are looking to qualify for their first European Cup final since 2008 as they face Saracens at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry. Johann van Graan's men are underdogs for the final four clash but Leamy thinks that Munster can pro...

Cian Tracey fills the sizeable boots of Will Slattery, and he is joined by Luke Fitzgerald ahead of another busy week. Ireland Sevens made history by qualifying for the World Series for the first time and Luke believes having another avenue for players can only benefit Irish Rugby. Connacht face a season defining game against Cardiff and Luke and Cian discuss how securing Champions Cup rugby is th...

On this week's episode of The Left Wing, Will Slattery and Luke Fitzgerald are joined on the line by Tommy Bowe to discuss a cracking weekend of European rugby. Leinster pipped Ulster in an enthralling quarter-final tie at the Aviva Stadium, and Bowe thinks that the northern province have a lot to be positive about despite the defeat. As former international wings, Fitzgerald and Bowe are well pla...

The Champions Cup is back after the post-traumatic stress suffered from the Six Nations campaign and with all four provinces in action this weekend there’s a lot to look forward to with Will Slattery, Cian Tracey and Luke Fitzgerald previewing all the action on this week's episode. The inter-pro tie between Leinster and Ulster is the pick of the quarter finals while the panel reckons Edinburgh v M...

It may have been a disappointing Six Nations campaign but on this week’s Left Wing podcast, Luke Fitzgerald believes everyone should just calm down and catch themselves on. The panel of Will Slattery, Cian Tracey and Luke discuss the fall-out from the defeat to Wales and the criticism being levelled at the coach and players “Things aren’t that bad,” says Luke. “We still have the best coach in the...

It’s the end of an era as Ireland face Wales in Cardiff this Saturday. In the last Six Nations game for both Joe Schmidt and Warren Gatland, the winner decides who has the best head-to-head record against each other and Luke Fitzgerald believes the game is going to be ‘an absolute war’. Plenty to look forward to then, even if it’s unlikely that Ireland will retain their Six Nations title, and Iris...

Bernard Jackman joins Luke Fitzgerald and Will Slattery on this week’s Left Wing to preview Ireland’s Six Nations clash against France, plus Jackman discusses life after the Dragons, and why Welsh rugby is in turmoil over Project Reset, Luke gives his thoughts on the criticism of Johnny Sexton’s outbursts and why he believes the player needs to ‘take it down slightly’. “I’m uneasy about someone as...

Are Ireland really as bad as some pundits are making them out to be or have expectations for Irish rugby just risen to insane heights? Luke Fitzgerald, Will Slattery and Cian Tracey review Ireland’s first three games in the Six Nations and wonder if the glass is half-full or half empty. “This isn’t the time for an overhaul,” believes Luke. “But it is time to think about the basics that have been t...

In a Left-Wing podcast exclusive, Ireland legend, Paul O'Connell, joined Will and Luke to talk all things rugby. The former Ireland captain opened up on the challenges of coaching in France with Stade Francais, recalled his memories of winning the 2015 Six Nations and the impact it had in the lead up to the World Cup later that year, and says why he wouldn't make wholesale changes for the next Six...

On this week's episode of The Left Wing, Will Slattery and Luke Fitzgerald and joined in studio by Leinster and Ireland scrum-half Luke McGrath to discuss his career to date. McGrath made his Leinster debut as a 19-year-old back in 2012, and is now one of the senior players. The former St Michael's College pupil opens up on his rise through the ranks, having captained his home province from an ear...

The mood may have been sombre in the aftermath of the comprehensive defeat to England in the Six Nations at the weekend, but for Luke Fitzgerald, it's about looking to the bigger picture. "This is not the end of the world. Everyone just calm down. Let's for once in our lives say it’s about the World Cup," Luke told Will Slattery and Cian Tracey on this week's episode of the Left Wing. "Who cares a...

It’s Joe Schmidt’s last Six Nations with Ireland and he’s sure to want to go out on a winning note, but should one eye be on the World Cup and our chances there? On this week’s Left Wing podcast, Will Slattery and Luke Fitzgerald are joined by Irish Independent Rugby Correspondent, Ruaidhri O’Connor, and outspoken columnist, Neil Francis, to look ahead to Ireland’s opening clash against England as...

The Six Nations may be fast approaching, but so are the Schools Rugby cup competitions and in a special bonus episode on the Left Wing, Tony Ward joins Will and Luke to preview this year's Schools Rugby with a special supplement appearing in Saturday's Irish Independent. The usual suspects - Blackrock and St. Michaels - are the favourites once again, but Belvedere and Clongowes can never be discou...

On this week's episode of The Left Wing, Will Slattery and Luke Fitzgerald are joined by Ian Madigan to discuss his first season in the Premiership with Bristol. Madigan joined Bristol in 2017 and won promotion to the top flight after a year in the Championship. Madigan opens up on the challenges and excitement of playing Premiership rugby, as well as talking about how the Bristol project is devel...

On this week’s episode of The Left Wing, Will Slattery and Luke Fitzgerald are joined by the Irish Independent’s Cian Tracey to look back on a cracking weekend of Champions Cup rugby. All four Irish provinces won in Europe, and the lads start off by talking about Ulster’s big win over Racing 92. Jacob Stockdale crossed for two more tries and Luke pays tribute to the Irish winger, who is in sensati...

On this week's episode of The Left Wing, Will Slattery and Luke Fitzgerald are joined in studio by Irish Independent rugby correspondent Ruaidhri O'Connor to look ahead to a massive weekend of Champions Cup rugby. Leinster, Munster and Ulster all have a chance of qualifying for the quarter-finals and are facing into tough European tests. Munster are first up on Friday night with a trip to Gloucest...

On this week’s episode of The Left Wing, Will Slattery and Luke Fitzgerald are joined in studio by Irish Independent rugby correspondent Cian Tracey to look back at the festive rugby and look ahead to 2019. Will is billing 2019 as the biggest year in the history of Irish rugby and the lads agree that there is a lot to be excited about ahead of the World Cup. Looking back at Leinster vs Munster at...

On this week's episode of The Left Wing, Will Slattery and Luke Fitzgerald are joined by Jordi Murphy to discuss his move from Leinster to Ulster and his career to date. Murphy made the decision midway through last season to move up north, and he explains why he decided to leave Leinster after seven seasons. The Ireland back row also discusses the misconceptions around players from the Republic of...

On this week’s episode of The Left Wing, Will Slattery and Luke Fitzgerald are joined by Munster and Ireland second row Tadhg Beirne to discuss his unique journey to the top. Beirne was let go by Leinster in 2016 and signed with the Scarlets in Wales. He quickly became one of the stars of the PRO 12 and won the league in his first season before signing with Munster. Beirne opens up on the tough pa...

On this week’s episode of The Left Wing, Will Slattery and Luke Fitzgerald are joined in studio by Irish Independent rugby correspondent Cian Tracey to discuss all the latest rugby news. The lads start with their belated reaction to the news that Andy Farrell will replace Joe Schmidt as Ireland head coach after the World Cup, with Luke saying that it’s a natural time to move on after a brilliant t...