Rephonic
Artwork for The Counter Ruck

The Counter Ruck

The Irish Times
Leinster
Rugby
Six Nations
Ireland
Irish Rugby
Munster
Champions Cup
Leinster Rugby
Ireland Rugby
Connacht
URC
Munster Rugby
Gordon D'arcy
France
Ulster
Lions Tour
New Zealand
Ulster Rugby
Ireland Rugby Team
Rugby World Cup

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.

PublishesTwice weeklyEpisodes208Founded8 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
RugbySports

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for The Counter Ruck

Latest Episodes

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

Key Facts

Accepts Sponsors
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

The Left Wing
The Left WingIrish Independent
The 42 Rugby Weekly
The 42 Rugby WeeklyThe 42 Rugby Weekly
OTB Rugby
OTB RugbyOTB Sports
Indo Sport
Indo SportIrish Independent

Recent Guests

Owen Doyle
Former referee who writes a column for The Irish Times
The Irish Times
Episode: Is rugby’s TMO process fair?
Sam Larner
Rugby analyst
Independent rugby analyst (as discussed in episode)
Episode: Are we living in rugby's good old days?
Mark Palmer
Scottish rugby correspondent for The Times
The Times
Episode: Do Scotland have a genuine chance at breaking their 11-match losing run to Ireland?
Jack Hanratty
Head coach of the US women's rugby team
US Women's Rugby Team
Episode: Can rugby take off in America?
Simon Thomas
A recurring analyst on issues within Welsh rugby
Welsh rugby analyst
Episode: Could a multiple URC champion be on the way out?
Jimmy Gopperth
A former professional rugby player with an extensive career, including time at Leinster and Wasps.
Formerly of Leinster, Wasps, and various other clubs
Episode: Rugby’s stylistic direction of travel - is it for the best?
Daniel Gallan
A rugby journalist with experience at The Guardian and Rugbypass, originally from South Africa.
The Guardian, Rugbypass
Episode: Ireland vs South Africa: rugby’s biggest rivalry?
Lynne Cantwell
Former Ireland International and current IRFU head of women's strategy
IRFU
Episode: How can Ireland build on their World Cup success?
Lindsay Peat
Retired Irish rugby player, former loose-head prop who played in the 2017 World Cup.
Episode: Ireland’s 2017 World Cup misery - what can be learned?

Hosts

Nathan Johns
Host of The Counter Ruck; Irish Times rugby writer and commentator; prolific presence across episodes.
Gordon D'Arcy
Panelist and former Ireland international; regular on the show providing expert rugby insight.
John O'Sullivan
Panelist; Irish Times rugby writer providing analysis and context.

Reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars from 136 ratings
  • Average

    ‘Bar bites’

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    Bazza 17
    Irelanda year ago
  • John, stop using the phrase “if you like” inappropriately

    John O’Sullivan needs to stop using the phrase “if you like” at the end of every sentence inappropriately

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    jizzhandle
    Ireland2 years ago
  • D4 central

    Im a Leinster supporter but this podcast is ridiculously Leinster/D4 centric.. like a private school boys club

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Moncarmar123m
    Ireland2 years ago
  • Replace Gavin C with Liam T and it’s perfect!

    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.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    RobVals
    Ireland7 years ago
  • Fantastic!

    Super podcast!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Rob626262
    Ireland7 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Listeners value the depth of rugby analysis and guest expertise.
High praise for production quality and variety of topics.
Some feedback notes a Leinster/D4-centric tilt.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#11
United States/Sports/Rugby
Apple Podcasts
#18
United Kingdom/Sports/Rugby
Apple Podcasts
#19
Canada/Sports/Rugby
Apple Podcasts
#18
France/Sports/Rugby
Apple Podcasts
#21
Italy/Sports/Rugby
Apple Podcasts
#24
Germany/Sports/Rugby

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Leinster reach a record ninth Champions Cup final
Q: What were the key factors that kept Leinster in the mix until the end of the semi-final?
A combination of solid defence, disciplined game management, and timely substitutions helped Leinster weather the late onslaught, allowing them to maintain a slender lead and secure the win.
Is rugby’s TMO process fair?
Q: What changes would improve the TMO process going forward?
Introduce an independent TV director with the TMO, increase rugby-specific training for TMOs and those handling video, and ensure fans can see the reasons behind decisions to improve transparency and trust.
Is rugby’s TMO process fair?
Q: What differences exist between European panels and other regions in terms of TMO operation?
There are calls for rugby-literate technical staff separate from TV directors, and for more independent, specialized teams to handle the clips and packaging shown to TMOs, rather than relying on general broadcast staff.
Is rugby’s TMO process fair?
Q: Why does the problem seem to rear its head more often in France?
Owen explains it stems from long-standing practices and the influence of satellite broadcasters, with some systems relying heavily on the TV director, which leads to inconsistent replay angles and delays in official decisions.
Ireland denied the title by France's late act
Q: What did you make of that France display?
Gerry Thornley highlights France's resilience, the card discipline, and key moments when they capitalized despite going down to 14 men, while noting how those factors weighed against Ireland's performance.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About The Counter Ruck

What is The Counter Ruck about and what kind of topics does it cover?

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.

Where can I find podcast stats for The Counter Ruck?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for The Counter Ruck. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to The Counter Ruck and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does The Counter Ruck get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for The Counter Ruck, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for The Counter Ruck?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for The Counter Ruck, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does The Counter Ruck have?

To see how many followers or subscribers The Counter Ruck has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to The Counter Ruck?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Counter Ruck:

1. The Left Wing
2. RTÉ Rugby Podcast
3. The 42 Rugby Weekly
4. OTB Rugby
5. Indo Sport

How many episodes of The Counter Ruck are there?

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.

How do I contact The Counter Ruck?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for The Counter Ruck?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for The Counter Ruck from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for The Counter Ruck?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of The Counter Ruck. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on The Counter Ruck?

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

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days