
A rugby podcast from The Irish Times, presented by Nathan Johns with regular panelists John O'Sullivan, Gordon D'Arcy and Gerry Thornley.
Produced in association with Ohk Energy.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
| Publishes | Twice weekly | Episodes | 208 | Founded | 8 years ago |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Listeners | Categories | RugbySports | |||

The season has come to a close for Connacht and Munster after their respective URC quarter-final defeats.
Leinster meanwhile beat a lacklustre Lions side to stay alive and reach the semi-finals.
Gordon D’Arcy joins Nathan Johns to review the actio... more
Former Leinster and Scotland analyst Brett Igoe joined Nathan Johns for a deep dive into the tactics Bordeaux used to outthink Leinster in the Champions Cup final.
Brett also casts his analyst’s eye over Connacht and Munster’s season to date, and th... more
After sobering defeats for both Leinster and Ulster in European deciders, Nathan Johns and Gordon D’Arcy look back at the weekend.
Analysis of where things went wrong plus thoughts on how Irish teams might be able to narrow the gap to their French ... more
Both Leinster and Ulster struck early in their respective finals, only to be pegged back soon after as both sides suffered chastening defeats.
Is this Leinster's most damaging final defeat since they last won the Champions Cup in 2018?
Did the heat... more
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‘Bar bites’
John O’Sullivan needs to stop using the phrase “if you like” at the end of every sentence inappropriately
Im a Leinster supporter but this podcast is ridiculously Leinster/D4 centric.. like a private school boys club
This is a great rugby pod but could be perfection if you could switch out the gossip-focussed Cummiskey with the far more knowledgable and insightful Liam Toland.
Super podcast!
Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.
How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.
Apple Podcasts | #11 | |
Apple Podcasts | #18 | |
Apple Podcasts | #19 | |
Apple Podcasts | #18 | |
Apple Podcasts | #21 | |
Apple Podcasts | #24 |
Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.
Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.
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A rugby-focused show from a major Irish publication, anchored by a host and supported by a regular panel of former players and writers. Episodes frequently dissect URC, European competition, and national team implications, with tactical breakdowns, live-match observations, and governance/news items shaping the sport. Notable is the willingness to tackle off-field topics—coaching changes, governance, and referee decisions—alongside in-depth analysis and crowd/venue dynamics. The cast consistently delivers context-rich takes, guest contributions, and data-informed commentary, making it a strong pick for listeners who want both on-pitch insight and broader rugby ecosystem coverage.
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The Counter Ruck launched 8 years ago and published 208 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.
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Recent guests on The Counter Ruck include:
1. Owen Doyle
2. Sam Larner
3. Mark Palmer
4. Jack Hanratty
5. Simon Thomas
6. Jimmy Gopperth
7. Daniel Gallan
8. Lynne Cantwell
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