The Molecast

Support the Molecast at https://ko-fi.com/dementedmoleAre Australia a banana peel with Kryptonite embedded into it? Or are Ireland just on a long upwards trajectory and the Wallabies on a long slow dive? Were New Zealand ever really about to lose to Scotland? Why did they go back to the formula that decidedly didn't work during the summer? And do they have a complex about visiting Fortress Twicken...

Support the Molecast at https://ko-fi.com/dementedmoleDoes the World-Cup-Cycle give Ireland's powerhouse win over the Boks more meaning, or was it just a bit of a classic slobberknocker on a Saturday night? Why did Ireland 'A' miss the point so badly at the RDS?Also: Fiji selections, Australian revival and Perilous Pumas! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Support the Molecast at https://ko-fi.com/dementedmole1) Is that smell coming from the Ulster dressing room or the URC boardroom?2) Move over Bundee, Mackenzie Hansen is the new King of Connacht3) Crowley should be in the squad (woah-ooo-woah)4) Meeting the physical level of the Saffa teams5) The Blue Machine ticks onwards Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Support the Molecast at https://ko-fi.com/dementedmoleIreland's international squad has precious few surprises: what can you expect when you win a test series in New Zealand? Britain in Crisis! The Premiership bluster sees them lose as many clubs as Prime Ministers. Where were will it end? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Support the Molecast at https://ko-fi.com/dementedmoleWe're doling out high praise for the internationals who brought their A game in the instant classic between Leinster and the Cell C Sharks at the RDS. Who plays what role in Munster's off-field team as they struggle to define short-term and long-term goals? And finally the Emerging Ireland tour that no one can agree about, other than that it's...

Support the Molecast at https://ko-fi.com/dementedmoleLeinster's wet weather excellence against Ulster; someone defends the Emerging Irish tour; tough schedules in the URC and The Top 14 becoming Le Premier League du Rugby. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Support the Molecast at https://ko-fi.com/dementedmoleMunster are back at the big well of woe and we use a number of metaphors to explore what's wrong. Elsewhere: Luka Modric and the PhD in tackling, a Mark E Smith reference(!), and Ulster vs Leinster HYPE HYPE HYPE. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Support the Molecast at https://ko-fi.com/dementedmoleRugby didn't stop while we were on our break so there's plenty to talk about: 1) Are we seeing the last of the Stewsdays at Leinster? 2) After an anomalous and clunky first year, the URC looks like a meaner, tougher competition that's less forgiving for the young 'uns. 3) What's the craic with Emerging Ireland?4) The Premiership and what makes...

Support the Molecast at https://ko-fi.com/dementedmoleStill somewhat unbelieving of Ireland's incredible achievement in New Zealand, the Moles gather remotely to discuss the *serious vibes* of the tour embodied by Rob Herring just going for the line and getting there when it seemed so unlikely. We look at NZ's relative lack of structure, the diminishing power of their front five, and whether Foste...

Support the Molecast at https://ko-fi.com/dementedmoleIreland beat the All Blacks in the land of the long white cloud with a performance that overcame frustrations from the first two tour matches, showed both toughness and guile and leaves us asking very legitimately: can we win the series? We ask the big questions about where this non-vintage All Blacks team is going? And we finally we ask what L...

Support the Molecast at https://ko-fi.com/dementedmoleIreland stink up Kirikiriroa with a rudderless and disciplineless performance against the Māori All Blacks: catastrophe or opportunity for LEARNINGS? Also, what's wrong with rugby generally. But seriously, Ireland were so bad we didn't even get around to talking about the test match this weekend. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more...

You can support the Molecast at https://ko-fi.com/dementedmoleWe take a look at how Ireland's actual touring party to New Zealand compares with what was predicted before surveying the landscape of winners and losers in the recent weeks of cup match rugby: Leinster's defeat to the Bulls, Leicester's shit-on-a-stick win over Saracens and Castres' ability to squeeze out the rugby royalty of Toulouse....

Support the Molecast at https://ko-fi.com/dementedmoleThe One Where Leinster Lose The Final: How it happened? what is its significance? Where next? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Support the Molecast at https://ko-fi.com/dementedmoleTwo Leinster matches to consider 1) the rotated squad turning over Munster in the URC dead rubber that still has profound implications2) the front-liners out to put some ghosts to bed against La RochelleMAH GAWD THAT'S WILL SKELTON'S MUSIC Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Support the Molecast at https://ko-fi.com/dementedmoleThe Moles chow down on the semis, the final, Leinster, La Rochelle, playing principles, 130kg props, departing coaches and replacements, Alex Soroka's hair and 10 minutes on why you should name your awards something cool. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A big snotty post-QF roundtable:1) Munster v Toulouse: a clash of styles for the ages2) Leicester v Leinster: Tigers back at the big table but no longer the alpha predator in Europe3) Are Toulouse's monster pack Leinster Kryptonite or sick of getting on planes and running around the pitch?4) La ROGelle vs Racing: côte du bœuf vs croissants5) Bizarre listing of French clubs we like and one of us re...

First up, it's the big NZ squad selection chat. Are there really such things as bolters? Secondly we talk about Ulster's slide after so much recent progress. Lastly we chat AIL Final briefly as Terenure look to shock Clontarf and round off an incredible year for the Lakelands outfit. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Three Tributes:1) Dan Leavy — what a goddamn player2) A consummate Leinster performance, their best of the season, obliterates their opponents on Saturday night3) Pints at the game and alickadoos farting Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Support the Molecast at https://www.ko-fi.com/dementedmole/After smashing the English at Fortress HQ with a bonus point and by a record margin not even achieve in the annus mirabilis of 2018, much of commentary focused on Ireland's flaws and celebrated England's moral victory — when did the script get so flipped? Wales vs France was a grizzled test match that our purists adored. A Wales low on tal...

With no BIG MATCH to talk about, we get into the weeds talking about DEPTH and whether it really makes that much of a difference, or is it just a desire for change for changes sake to get your province's man into the jersey? Carbery, Coombes, Baloucoune and bulky meaty fleshlumpeaters are all discussed. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is Joey Carbery not just the successor but a real competitor to Johnny Sexton after a lauded performance in Paris, or is the Emperor standing 10 yards behind the gainline, putting up weak garryowens and not sticking to the gameplan? The eternal match situation debate: go to the corner and maul satisfyingly over the pack who've disrupted your lineout and out-physicalled you all day, or take yer blo...

It's 80+ minutes of audio balm put rub on your tired Six Nations muscles. Were the Wales team that Ireland put to the sword dismal or were Ireland just that good? And what is it that's so good about this Ireland team (hint: it's definitely running straight :P )France and Italy was a predictable result but with lots to interest the Ireland fan with an eye on next week. Is France's team still to rea...

A scattershot journey through a week of rugby football union: I. "Be nice to refs!" [/Owen Doyle voice]II. Which way does the stream of influence flow between Leinster and a Leinster-led Ireland? III. Do Ulster have the legs to go long in Europe? IV. Can Ireland win another Six Nations 18 months away from a Rugby World Cup to prove, eh, nothing to nobody? V. Scotland, whisper it, are dark horses....

Andy Farrell names an Ireland squad that everyone pretty much thinks is great and we still find some room to squabble over omissions and inclusions. One Mole saw Munster's win away at Castres B as a season defining event while another Mole saw Leinster's facile tryfest against Montpellier J5s as a harbinger of doom for the hollow shell of the European Cup. There's also a glowing tribute to Auch, J...

Munster and Ulster traded awful defeats over the sparse Christmas period, but public patience seems to have run out for Johann van Grann: we assess where they go from here with their promising youth. Elsewhere COVID has laid waste to Leinster's season and the Champions Cup — how will that affect a Leinster-led Ireland, and is European rugby worth saving in its current form? Support the Demented Mo...