28 November 2025; Joshua Kenny of Leinster scores his side’s second try during the United Rugby Championship match between Dragons and Leinster at Rodney Parade in Newport, Wales. Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile
Glad for the bonus point win but am genuinely concerned about the discipline issues. I really worry about the European matches to come.
Christy O’Connor
That was a hard watch. The discipline was terrible, a lot of unforced errors and 3 yellow cards.
There was some scattered good passages of play but overall that was a terrible performance. We could’ve lost that game and not have had any complaints that Dragons didn’t deserve it.
I’ve said it many times now, I’m not a fan of Nienabar and it’s getting harder and harder to enjoy watching Leinster under his style of play
Kevin Kelehan
Better second half, Luke McGrath added an urgency and Snyman’s offloading came off perfectly. Against better sides the penalty count would have been fatal, they really need to stop giving away penalties at the breakdown.
Pádraig Turley
A curate’s egg of a performance, but bonus point very welcome.
Cormac Mannion
South African refs – a great bunch of lads
Eamon Saunders
Need to be better but getting loads of game time for the second choice players we will need them going forward
Gavin Delves
Ulster Munster and Connacht have ireland players playing this week and leinster had snyman in the second have why no one else becacause leo does what hes told by the IRFU things have to change
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Hi there, welcome to Broken Play, aka my Saturday morning Substack scribbling, and since you’re here, if you haven’t already, please hit the subscribe button if you don’t mind.
Last night there was something of a standoff here in Harpin’ Manor. On ‘normal’ weekends, my flagging the date and time of the latest Leinster & Ireland match (usually by way of a note on the fridge) informs/warns the rest of the family that his is the two-hour block where Dad is going to be screaming at the main TV for the duration and be sure to find something else to do.
But more often than not, and indeed on most weekends this season, said match has been on a Saturday, and given I’m the only real rugby fan in the house, I suppose you’d forgive the others for assuming it was the same this week.
So it turns out the four of us have been actively going about our lives all week with three of us under the assumption that Friday evening would be spent binge-watching the new episodes of Stranger Things, while my plans involved a different type of Dragons, with absolutely no dungeons.
Things came to a head when we sat down to dinner as I rocked up to the table wearing my Leinster jersey.
“Dad, why did you change into that????” asked one of the kids.
Given I’m unashamedly one of those nerdy dads who not only implements household systems like putting regular notes on the fridge, but also gets extremely smug when the opportunity arises to point out that people didn’t follow it, my reply was dripping with sarcasm.
“Because of the match”
“What match?”
“The match you’d know about if you looked at the fridge.”
My hubris came from the fact that I assumed this was a one v one conversation that I would easily win as the other two would remain neutral, if possibly rolling their eyes that dad is referring to another one of his nerdy systems again. But in actual fact, I had talked myself into a perilous 1 v 3 situation.
It was great to have Cian “RugbyKino” O’Muilleoir back on the wrap pod this weekend, he had been off working on his own podcast “Mudder Rucker” along with Ailbhe O’Nolan focusing on the recent World Cup. Unfortunately it had to be this crazy contest that he came back for, but he still managed to find some positivity in the pandemonium although as you’ll see later down the column, one of his analogies did not go down too well with fans of a certain literary work/motion picture series. ICYMI click here to check out the pod.
POTTS OF CASH
“I’m beginning to see some real green shoots of increasing revenues emerging from the Nations Championship.”
Every year the IRFU releases its financial report and according to Chief Executive Keith Potts, things look in decent shape. Deficits aren’t always a bad thing so it would seem he is justified in describing the union’s situation as “robust”. He also seems to be pointing to the new Nations Championship as a possible avenue for more revenue, I suppose we’ll have to wait and see what kind of broadcast deals come with it. To be honest I was kind of surprised there wasn’t one in place when they announced the format, especially given it is a competition that has been mooted for many years now.
From a fan’s point of view, here’s hoping the “robustness” together with the prospect of further growth from external sources means the ticket prices can at very least be held at current levels for a while going forward? We’ll see.
Sasha gets the YC he should have then it changes the opening 20 mins.
Ryan may have ended his stint as a front liner with his stupidity there.
Interested to know how the SA LHP can hinge down 3 times in a row and they Paddy Mc gets a YC 😵💫
Mathew Carley lost control and composure and he lost buy in from the Irish players.
Christy O’Connor
I can’t disagree with any of our cards, except that Ryan’s could’ve been a straight red. Sacha should’ve been carded though. We were panicky when on the ball, took us for ever to get out of our own half in the 2nd half.
The better team won in the end, but other than their scrum, I don’t think SA were all that great.
David Harold
SA didn’t go out to win the match. They went out to “beat” Ireland. But the ended up winning the match. And deservedly so.
Gavin Hegarty
My problem is at what rugby has become.
A ref, two touch judges and a tmo review sfms no wrap shoulder to the head of Tob and deem it only a penalty by not applying the correct laws.
The same laws they apply to Ryan’s moment of madness.
Can’t help but feel this was influenced by the same outcry over reds this week. Carley and his team copped out.
That early in the game it could have made a huge difference.
After this Ireland did themselves no favours but honestly did well to stay in the game.
RGs card being rescinded soon after was a new one to me! If it was red would it have been! No.
World rugby need to halt where rugby is going. You now have tmos that want the spotlight and we are spending far too long reviewing footage. For this to happen and still have the wrong outcome is pathetic.
John O Halloran
What did I just watch? A mental game, a bizarre reffing performance, a bizarre Irish performance of indisipline, and more subs than the battle of the Atlantic.
Cormac Mannion
The lack of a card for Feinberg set the tone for the rest of the match. I hate Carley or Dickson reffing either a Leinster or Ireland match and he didn’t fail to disappoint once again tonight
I don’t know if it’s hilarious or pathetic how the Saffa trolls are out in force once again tonight. Some are even still bleating about ROG’s try in 2004.
Oh well, they can press their grubby noses to the window in February when the 6N starts once again as they whimper to be allowed to compete in it.
Kevin Kelehan
Worst refereeing performance of 2025, destroyed the contest by letting Rassie get inside his head. Boks ruthless scrummagers, Ireland died with their boots on, Could have been a 40 point defeat when down to 12 men
Bert McLoughlin
Carley should do us a favour and retire. Boks could have beaten us by way more if they actually played a bit of rugby instead of being 🔔🔚’s and trying to pummel our pack (anti rugby if you will) they along with Carley killed the game as a spectacle
GIFsRugbyNStuff (@gifsrugbynstuff.bsky.social)
Ireland’s finishing XV
Paddy Mc Kelleher Bealham
Beirne Prendergast
Doris Conan one armed vdF
Casey Sam
JGP bundee Farrell ringrose
Crowley
Justin Deegan (@justindeegan.bsky.social)
Having 15 on the field is always a help. I had the head bitten off me before when I said Ireland’s discipline not as foremost as it was a couple of years ago. Well, I hope today was the culmination rather than the next step down. Piss poor.
Early subs from Sth Africa also took their foot off their pedal.
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Hi there, welcome to Broken Play, aka my Saturday morning Substack scribbling, and since you’re here, if you haven’t already, please hit the subscribe button if you don’t mind.
Many thanks once more to Hugo Gordon for recording his part in our Preview Show looking ahead to the big match with South Africa, unfortunately our schedules didn’t allow us to record at the same time but we still managed to cover the match pretty well I thought, click here to judge for yourself.
It has been a cold week round these parts, hasn’t been that long since I could easily go outside in a t-shirt yet now we’re digging out the scarves and gloves. It’s the kind of weather that makes even a seasoned rugby fan like myself even just a tiny bit happy not to be heading to the Aviva later on, although I suppose if a free ticket were to fall in my lap by this evening I might change my tune. That’s not a hint to anyone reading this by the way. No, no, I REALLY mean it, it’s not.
So last Sunday due to a late (and totally understandable) withdrawal of my wrap pod guest at the 11th hour I was forced to do it “solo” and I actually surprised myself how relatively unafraid I was to do it. That may sound odd because if I have a podcast, surely I have no trouble talking into a microphone, one would say.
That’s true to an extent, but for the most part I’m very OCD about how I produce content, especially the spoken variety. Some people are much better suited to freewheeling when it coms to talking but I need to be prepared and generally I put the time in producing scripts beforehand, at least for the filler parts like intros, outros and links between segments.
I normally let my guest select the themes from the match in question so what I do is let them harp on them for about 5 minutes or so then we have some back and forth, but I also have what I call my “must mention list” which is a set of points I want to make sure get brought up and although the guest hits most of them anyway, I can offer the rest. So when called upon to do the solo I ended up just going through the list point by point and hey presto I had myself a show.
Anyway my point here is that probably the biggest reason for my improved confidence in these situations is my weekly gig on DublinSouthFM with David Nolan. For full disclosure I had received offers for gigs like these a few times over the years and turned them down, telling people I was too busy and such when the real reason a was a big fat chicken! I guess the thought of not having control over the narrative of an interview spooked me and I preferred to stay in my comfort zone of setting the talking points myself.
But by the time David approached my for this DSFM spot I was well aware that I was long overdue facing this particular fear, so I took it on and now I really enjoy doing it. I mean it’s hardly This Week In Politics…the subject matter is something I know about anyway and more often than not we chat within an hour of finishing my recording for the preview show so it’s not like the subject isn’t fresh in my mind.
We welcome guest posts here at Harpin’ Manor, if you would like to get involved in the conversation forward your articles to paganoblog@gmail.com
For the past decade, Leo Cullen has been the steady hand guiding Leinster Rugby through an era of domestic dominance. Since taking the reins in 2015, Cullen has delivered five United Rugby Championship titles and a Champions Cup triumph in 2018. Yet, despite their glittering squad and attacking flair, Leinster have fallen short on Europe’s biggest stage in recent years—losing four consecutive Champions Cup finals and suffering a semi-final defeat to Northampton in 2025.
Often spoken about as a future Ireland Team Manager, Cullen’s stock has fallen in recent years. The aforementioned European defeats, in particular, have been very damaging. Costly refusals by his teams to “take the three points on offer”, whether by penalty or drop goal, stands in stark contrast to the mindset of the top clubs and international sides – the reigning world champions, South Africa, being a prime example of how to consistently win finals by keeping the scoreboard ticking over.
In comparison to Soccer, Rugby union’s revenue is far smaller and only concentrated in a few regions. Rugby Union relies heavily on Marquee Events, such as the Rugby World Cup, every four years, and British & Irish Lions tours. These events effectively subsidise the rest of the game. Outside these peaks, most unions and clubs operate at a loss. In 2023/24, the top 10 unions posted a combined loss of almost €130 million, and Premiership/Top 14 clubs lost over €90 million. Figures are harder to come by / assess for the Irish provinces, but the IRFU share was recorded as €18.4 million, which led to the discontinuation of the Men’s Sevens programme, earlier this year.
The precarious financial position of Rugby Union finances is a problem for Cullen in that he is perceived, by many, to have underachieved with the resources at his disposal. This makes landing another head coach role in the professional game that bit more challenging for him. Clubs and unions want to extract every last ounce from their teams and not be too calm and/or comfortable with defeats.
Leo Cullen is locked in until 2027, so there’s no immediate vacancy. Yet with the RDS Arena redevelopment set to be unveiled ahead of the 2026 Dublin Horse Show, could Leinster Rugby view a change at the helm as part of their new era? Or, indeed, could Cullen himself decide to move on to new pastures?
With speculation mounting, here are some possible names in the frame to take over:
Jacques Nienaber – The Defensive Mastermind
Currently serving as Leinster’s senior coach, Nienaber arrived fresh from guiding South Africa to back-to-back Rugby World Cup titles. His defensive systems have already tightened Leinster’s game, and his contract runs until 2026. If Cullen moves on, Nienaber is the most logical successor—continuity, pedigree, and proven success at the highest level. Springboks will rarely let their teams turn down three points on offer.
Stuart Lancaster – The Architect of Leinster’s Modern Game
Lancaster’s fingerprints are all over Leinster’s attacking identity. During his tenure (2016–2023), he transformed the province into a powerhouse of skill and structure. After a stint at Racing 92, Lancaster returned to Ireland as Connacht head coach. His familiarity with Leinster’s culture and player development makes him a compelling candidate—if timing aligns.
Michael Cheika – The Maverick Option
Always be wary about the return of a head coach – Warren Gatland and Wales comes to mind! Cheika is a name that sparks debate. The Australian coached Leinster to their first Heineken Cup title in 2009 and has since led national teams and World Cup campaigns. His fiery personality and bold approach could inject fresh energy, but would Leinster gamble on a coach known for volatility?
Internal Promotions – McBryde or Bleyendaal
Robin McBryde (forwards coach) and Tyler Bleyendaal (attack coach) have both signed extensions through 2027. Highly respected within the Leinster setup, they offer continuity if the province opts for evolution rather than revolution. However, neither has head coach experience at this level, which poses a risk. Given the scrum’s standout performance against Munster in an otherwise disappointing defeat, McBryde would likely be the preferred internal candidate over Bleyendaal should Leinster choose to promote from within
External Big Names
Leinster’s job is one of the most coveted in world rugby. Expect speculation around:
Joe Schmidt It is hard to keep up with Schmidt. Since stepping down as Ireland head coach in 2019, he has been the Director of Rugby and High Performance at World Rugby, joined the Blues (Super Rugby) as an assistant coach and became a selector and attack coach for the All Blacks, helping them reach the 2023 Rugby World Cup final (lost narrowly to South Africa). He was then appointed Wallabies head coach in January 2024 on a two-year deal, replacing Eddie Jones, tasked with rebuilding Australia ahead of the 2025 British & Irish Lions tour and preparing for the 2027 Rugby World Cup. He has always stated that he wishes to prioritise family commitments but he does still own a house in Dublin! Again, as with Cheiks, always be wary about the return of a head coach.
Ronan O’Gara Despite being a fully paid up member of Ireland’s “Sparta”, ROG has family ties to Blackrock (The Dublin one!). Very familiar with Leinster, both as a player and a manager, the mere thought of him taking the job would be too much for many of our southern brethren. Archie Macpherson’s description of the legendary Celtic FC manager, Jock Stein, was that he was “A Protestant chieftain of a Catholic clan”. Sport has seen stranger twists. His arrival would have many players on edge long before the first team meeting.
Andy Farrell Although his current contract with the IRFU runs until the end of the 2027 Rugby World Cup, Andy Farrell and Leinster could be a perfect match for each other. He has often highlighted his Irish roots and the sense of community he and his family have found since moving to Dublin. Whilst the life of a rugby coach is often nomadic, Farrell may be reluctant to move again – at least for a while. And who knows, Owen, who will be thirty six in 2027, might decide to join his father as a coach at Leinster? That would be box office!
Eddie Jones The “Davy Fitz” of rugby coaches would certainly get a response! Not going to happen, though. Would be box office times ten!
Rising stars from Super Rugby or the Top 14 Leinster, as a general rule, have tended to recruit well when looking for head coaches. However, it is unlikely that they will look past established candidates this time around.
The Big Question
Leinster’s next head coach must do more than maintain domestic dominance—they need to conquer Europe. Style of play, cultural fit, and timing will all shape the decision. For now, Leo Cullen remains in charge, but the succession debate is only just beginning…
I’m Andy Corbett and I live in Leopardstown, Dublin. I am a huge sports fan but GAA, Rugby (Both Codes) and Football are my favourites. Enjoy a bit of writing here and there but have been advised to stick to my day job.
This article? Let’s just say it’s the lovechild of some wild spitballing with a few mysterious insiders who prefer to remain in the witness protection program…
The above article has been published without editorial modification, and the opinions expressed are solely those of the signed author. Harpin On Rugby is committed to providing a platform for rugby fans to share their views through comments, videos, and articles, provided they meet our moderation standards.
Questioned in recent weeks, accused of being a team in serious decline, players being told in the media they were past their sell by date, line out coach and best lock in Irish history told he was shyte at his job. Then we get the best Irish performance since RWC 2023 and one as unpredicted as smashing France in Marseilles in 2024. Australia absolutely failed to deal with the weather conditions and coughed up a lot of easy possession in the red zone but this was the Irish team giving Andy Farrell and Paul O’Connell a performance they’ve been owed for a while. Despite the absence of lions Joe McCarthy, Van Der Flier, Ringrose and Keenan the team was rejigged into a cohesive unit and its clear there is more depth in the squad than has been thought for a couple of years, players like Henshaw and Hansen look reinvented whilst McCloskey looks to be the most unlucky player in recent history in only getting short stints. Hopefully the team can match this performance again next week and hopefully the BOK evolution hasn’t moved on too much since last summer’s drawn series.
Adrian Hickey
Australia still in shock after the Lynagh/Ioane show last week I reckon. When our very sick, reintroduced fb Mack can help himself to a hattrick out of position says quite a bit. Ronan not cutting the mustard the last bit. Gus on bench at hooker next week to back up Dano or he has to do 80. Kudos to Sambo for the drop btw
Bert McLoughlin
A lot more cohesive this week and apart from poor discipline in the 1st half we should have kept their score lower
Kettlebell Padawen
Sam’s best game in green. Australia were shocking
David Ryle
Sam should have shut his detractors up but no they’re still nit picking his performance.
Rob Gardner (via BlueSky)
JPG could give anywhere between 1-15 a good go.
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