80+ column : October 22 (sample)


ON THIS WEEK’S COLUMN…

  • WRAP OF A WRAP
  • WHISKEY BUSINESS
  • WAFER QUIN
  • INTERNATIONAL RULES
  • SPRING-BOKS?
  • WHAM ZAM THANK YOU MA’AM
  • HARPIN’ ON…IRELAND’S NOV SQUAD
  • SOLDIER FIELD PLAY
  • LEINSTER SQUAD UPDATE
  • TROLL PATROL
  • COMPETITION UPDATES (incl AIL)
  • NEXT HARPIN’

WRAP OF A WRAP

Needless to say it was a tough wrap, and having already determined that Saturday’s Croke Park disaster reminded me of the Northampton semifinal earlier in the year, we had the added realizations that not only did we host Zebre the following weekend back then as well, but Hugo Gordon also featured on that Saints wrap pod!!!! To be fair, he did a really good job both times highlighting what went wrong while still affording due praise to our southern cousins this time.

ICYMI click here to check it out.



WHISKEY BUSINESS

“We’ve already brought in some new stuff this morning that we are working on for the next couple of weeks.”

Jamison Gibson-Park: Ireland’s World Cup prep starts against All Blacks

Michael Glennon – RTÉ.ie

Must have been tough for JGP to do an interview so soon after the Croke Park disaster, yet being one of the senior players in the squad it was good to get a sense of where the group is at as they embark on one of the most critical November series for Ireland in a number of years.

Sorry to heap that much pressure on it, but I believe it to be true. After two Six Nations Championships in a row, despite winning another 4 out of 5 this year it was considered a disappointment and with these being the last test matches before the RWC2027 draw, ranking points will be essential, but also it’s about restoring some confidence that we can take forward to the upcoming Six Nations and beyond.

The quote really does give us something to look out for in the Chicago test, we’ll see what it might be.


CLICK HERE FOR FULL COLUMN ON SUBSTACK

464 : Leinster v Munster wrap

18 October 2025; Leinster players after their side’s defeat in the United Rugby Championship match between Leinster and Munster at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by Sam Barnes/Sportsfile


🏉  Multiple issues

🏉  Jack’s boot

🏉  Beirne unit

🏉  No warnings

🏉  Back to drawing board


HUGO GORDON


FULL TIME TAKES

Sarah Lennon

I feel for Cullen. All the riches in the world and none of them his. The team was disjointed, two dimensional and predictable. They played like strangers.

Munster, as good as they were, simply needed to do the basics well.

The end is nigh, for the team and for the ticket!

Kevin Kelehan

Munster came to Croker with a simple game plan and executed it, led by Tadgh Beirne who led from the front and dominated the breakdown, ending so many multi phase Leinster attacks with turnovers. Leinster were not cohesive and butchered so many decent attacks with bad handling. The ref was not test level, let Munster away with murder when not releasing the tackler going to ground, constantly half a yard offside at rucks, denied Josh van Der Flier a clear try and let a Munster deliberate knock on away as accidental. Leinster badly missed Joe McCarthy, Ryan Baird, Jack Conan, Hugo Keenan and Cealan Doris with Prendergast, Lowe and Snyman all extremely rusty. But hats off to Munster to playing to their game plan and executing scraps into 7 point scores, their new manager unlike Richie Murphy hit the ground full tilt in his first season.

Gavin Hegarty

I’m embarrassed by that performance. Lions and internationals on the pitch beaten by a team that just wanted it more.

I need to watch that penalty try again because from the Cusack stand it made zero sense. But that made no impact on the final score.

We thought the first two games were just blips,maybe not.

Colin Mehigan

We were missing key players and leaders (Doris, Conan, McCarthy, Keenan, Tommy OB, Baird etc). There’s too much hyperbole in modern sport and the aftermath of tonight from fan and media alike will be no exception.

I do have qualms about the Nienaber system which have been reinforced after that game but we did win a trophy 5 matches ago. Munster were due a win against us and they sensed our vulnerabilities before and during the game….now it’s time to see leaders step up for the rest of the season

Michelle Tobin

Injury count was horrendous on both sides. Having said that I’m happy tonight

Christy O’Connor

First off the better team by far won. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, Nienabars tactics are awful. We are playing the same awful tactics that Van Graan did for Munster, stick it up the jumper and just try to barge through. We spent the majority of the 2nd half in their 22 and done nothing with it, not once did I feel confident that we would score. Superb defence from Munster but we never stretched them.

Felt sorry Frawley, was a brilliant tackle to deny the BP try only for the ref to make up some new law to give it.

Chris McDonnell

I have been saying this for years now, Cullen is not a head coach. He is a great servant to the club but simply has failed time and time again as coach. Pendergast didnt pick himself for ireland or leinster but simply isn’t any where near good enough at the minute and he may find it difficult to come back from this.

John Hyland

The breakdown was a free-for-all. Leinster lacked any pace or physicality. Crowley bossed our back three, and Prendergast was very poor. I’m not buying the ‘let him develop’ line. If he was good enough we would have seen it by now.

Conor Lowth

Actually refreshing to have a competitive Munster side back.

Leinster are on the decline the last couple of years and are persisting with mediocre players like Osborne, Frawley, Pendergast. These guys are rugby robots, slow with little flair , I fear for Leinster and Ireland

Get in the conversation yourself by leaving

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in Leinster & Ireland matches on our Facebook page


URC WRAP


NEXT HARPIN’

TUESDAY

BONUS CHAT : “IRELAND’S NOVEMBER SQUAD”

WEDNESDAY

80+ COLUMN 


Soldier Field play, Croke Park drawbacks & grabbed by the Bulls

Hey there thanks for tuning in, especially to the handful of subscribers who have been brave enough to sign on for free to read my scribblings.

And thanks also to Rugby Broadcast for pointing out that there seems to be an issue with Substack emails being sent out, I’m still having my people work on it, my people being me of course. And since I mention RB, I’d be remiss if I didn’t remind you that his account is the best for setting up your rugby TV viewing every weekend, so after you hit the subscribe button here, be sure and do likewise over at his place.

It was a busy week here at Harpin Manor, one that didn’t leave me a whole lot of time to keep to my regular posting schedule but I reckon I just about managed it. Many thanks to Keego for recording his own thoughts ahead of the big match at Croker today since we couldn’t have our regular Friday lunchtime chat. This meant that I could still produce a preview with the two of us in it that pretty much follows the usual format, if you missed it check it out here.

Speaking of the Preview Show, this week’s episode included a mention for a rugby-themed play that’s coming to Dundrum so here’s what I had to say about it…

…I’d like to tell you about a theatre production that’s coming up in the Mill Theatre in Dundrum…if you’ve followed Irish rugby online over the past decade or so you’ll know the name Pat McCarry who wrote for SportsJoe.ie but these days he’s writing plays, and as a tribute to the late great Anthony Axel Foley, who’s anniversary was just on Thursday by the way can’t believe it has been so long…anyway Pat wrote “Soldier Field” which is based on Ireland’s last tangle with the All Blacks in Chicago but also features Axel and the tribute the team paid to him before kickoff. Definitely looks worth checking out, here’s a link to find out more.

Now back to that match at Croker…obviously for my thoughts on the actual rugby you can watch the video, but for here I’d like to harp for a bit on the whole concept of playing matches at the iconic venue. And the simple question is….can rugby fans call it iconic anymore?

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL ARTICLE ON SUBSTACK

462 : Leinster v Sharks wrap

11 October 2025; Josh van der Flier of Leinster is tackled by Fez Mbatha of Hollywoodbets Sharks during the United Rugby Championship match between Leinster and Hollywoodbets Sharks at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile


🏉  Cohesion back

🏉  Gunne firing

🏉  Josh the skipper

🏉  Sleeping giants

🏉  Josh the debutante


CIARÁN DUFFY


FULL TIME TAKES

Gavin Hegarty

Normal (ISH) service resumes!

I thought Osbourne was great, most likely Irelands 15 for the autumn internationals in winter. Harry looked confident but did try a tad to hard in parts.

We were south lower and watched the ground covered by Baird to make a tackle, unreal!

Far from perfect but a step in the right direction

Get in the conversation yourself by leaving

your own thoughts each week after the full time whistle

in Leinster & Ireland matches on our Facebook page


URC WRAP


NEXT HARPIN’

TUESDAY

BONUS CHAT : “THE FRAWLEY DILEMMA”

WEDNESDAY

80+ COLUMN 


461 : Leinster v Sharks preview

ALSO AVAILABLE AS A PODCAST

Our guest : CIARÁN DUFFY


LEINSTER : 15. Jamie Osborne 14. Jimmy O’Brien 13. Robbie Henshaw 12. Ciarán Frawley 11. James Lowe 10. Harry Byrne 9. Fintan Gunne

1. Paddy McCarthy 2. Rónan Kelleher 3. Tadhg Furlong 4. Brian Deeny 5. Ryan Baird 6. Alex Soroka 7. Josh van der Flier (c) 8. Max Deegan 

16. Gus McCarthy 17. Jack Boyle 18. Thomas Clarkson 19. Diarmuid Mangan 20. James Culhane 21. Luke McGrath 22. Hugh Cooney 23. Joshua Kenny


SHARKS : 15 Edwill van der Merwe 14 Ethan Hooker 13 Jurenzo Julius 12 Lukhanyo Am 11 Makazole Mapimpi 10 Jean Smith 9 Jaden Hendrikse

1 Simphiwe Matanzima 2 Fez Mbatha 3 Ruan Dreyer 4 Jason Jenkins 5 Marvin Orie 6 Phepsi Buthelezi 7 Emmanuel Tshituka 8 Vincent Tshituka (c)

16 Bongi Mbonambi 17 Dian Bleuler 18 Vincent Koch 19 Bathobele Hlekani 20 Nick Hatton 21 Ross Braude 22 Siya Masuku 23 Francois Venter


BKT United Rugby Championship 25/26 Rd 3

Saturday, October 4, 2025

Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria

KO 5:30pm Irish time  

Live on : Premier Sports 1, URC.tv


Referee: Craig Evans (WRU)

AR 1: Keane Davison (IRFU)

AR 2:  Dan Carson (IRFU)

TMO: Keith David (WRU)

80+ column : October 8


ON THIS WEEK’S COLUMN…

  • WRAP OF A WRAP
  • LEWIS MOODY
  • SPINNING 360
  • CHICAGO HOPE
  • A (TONY) BRIDGE TOO FAR
  • SIMON SAYS
  • HARPIN’ ON…LEINSTER’S WORKONS
  • LEINSTER SQUAD UPDATE
  • TROLL PATROL
  • COMPETITION UPDATES (incl AIL)
  • NEXT HARPIN’

WRAP OF A WRAP

After the doom and gloom of the Stormers whitewash the week before, we were determined to look for positives in our second wrap pod, and to be fair, despite a second loss in a row myself & Conor Cronin were well able to find them. I mean, it WAS another loss, and also there was definitely an opportunity to bring home all five points which was thrown away (literally, sorry Sam), but while we did cover the negatives as you can see below we saved it for the bonus chat.

If you missed the pod you can catch it here.



LEWIS MOODY

Spend five minutes with any one of these men and they will teach you to stop feeling sorry for yourself.

Moody ‘very mentally strong, but also really honest’

Sally Nugent – BBC.com

Terrible news for Lewis and his family. Needless to say, the entire rugby community is keeping them in our thoughts.

Multiple comments online contrasting the increase in these tragic announcements with the determination of some to push ahead with the 20-minute red card because apparently the full red cards are “ruining the game”.

One could argue that stories like this do the sport far more damage.


FOR THE FULL COLUMN

GO TO OUR SUBSTACK

460 : Bulls v Leinster wrap



🏉  Heads not dropping

🏉  Attack is back

🏉  Handing them points

🏉  Tommy’s on fire

🏉  Half full or empty?


CONOR CRONIN


FULL TIME TAKES

Kevin Kelehan

Better performance, should have got 2 bonus points out of it but was a game they had chances to win. After last weeks ill discipline this was a much better performance

Christy O’Connor

Cross field kicks killed us and there were a number of other times they could’ve exposed us, but luckily we escaped. Saying all that, very unlucky not to have come away with 2 points

Get in the conversation yourself by leaving

your own thoughts each week after the full time whistle

in Leinster & Ireland matches on our Facebook page


URC WRAP


NEXT HARPIN’

TUESDAY

BONUS CHAT : “LEINSTER’S WORKONS”

WEDNESDAY

80+ COLUMN 

A stormy Friday night for some, a typical rainy one in Newport for others

On Saturday mornings I write an article for Substack I call “Broken Play” and here is a sample of the latest one…for the full thing click here, and while you’re there, why not subscribe for free.

Hey there, it’s Saturday morning here at Harpin Manor and as usual I’m up and about before everyone else so it’s time to get scribbling about my thoughts on the latest events in egg-chasing, a topic that does an excellent job of distracting me from all else that’s going on in the world.

Sadly though, the news headlines often bleed into the rugby ones and while the weather is rarely far from our conversation here in Ireland anyway, a certain Storm Amy is currently front and center and has already taken her toll on half the provinces and a quarter of Round 2 of the URC with Edinburgh v Ulster & Connacht v Scarlets already gone by wayside.

At least Leinster are safely ensconced the other side of the world, although one could say they got hit by a Storm(ers) of their own last weekend. Things certainly don’t get any easier for them later this evening as they face a Bulls team in Pretoria who are more than keen to do similar to us after the 2025 Grand Final just a few months ago.

Myself and Keego did our preview show and there was also my weekly Harpin’ slot on Dublin South FM. That airs on Fridays after the 5 o’clock news if you’d ever like to tune in, but I can also include it here for my Substack readers.

So my plan on Friday evening was to settle down with a beer or two to watch Ulster try to keep me top of the Harpin Superbru League (although they’d have had to lose by 5 in the Scottish capital for me to do so; sorry if you’re a fan, I just wasn’t feeling it) but like I said Storm Amy took care of that so instead I watched, or I should probably say half-watched, Dragons v Sharks, mostly to see what the South Africans were like on tour ahead of their trip to the Aviva next weekend.

For about 75 minutes it wasn’t exactly a thriller, but with the scores locked at 17-17, the ending was always going to be interesting. I had the Sharks to win by three so obviously when a series of penalties marched them down the field towards the Dragons’ try line, I was keen for them to slot one over but with one of the Welsh props on the naughty step I suppose I couldn’t fault them for kicking for the corner instead.

CONTINUED ON SUBSTACK

459 : Bulls v Leinster preview

ALSO AVAILABLE AS A PODCAST


LEINSTER : 15. Jimmy O’Brien 14. Tommy O’Brien 13. Hugh Cooney 12. Robbie Henshaw 11. Andrew Osborne 10. Sam Prendergast 9. Luke McGrath (c)

1. Paddy McCarthy 2. Gus McCarthy 3. Thomas Clarkson 4. Brian Deeny 5. Ryan Baird 6. Alex Soroka 7. Will Connors 8. Max Deegan

16. John McKee 17. Jack Boyle 18. Rabah Slimani 19. Diarmuid Mangan 20. Scott Penny 21. James Culhane 22. Fintan Gunne 23. Ciarán Frawley


BULLS :15 Devon Williams 14 Sebastian de Klerk 13 David Kriel 12 Harold Vorster 11 Stravino Jacobs 10 Keagan Johannes 9 Embrose Papier

1 Gerhard Steenekamp 2 Johann Grobbelaar 3 Mornay Smith 4 N JV Rensburg 5 JF van Heerden 6 Marcell Coetzee 7 Mpilo Gumede 8 JJ Theron

16 Juann Else 17 Alulutho Tshakweni 18 Francois Klopper 19 Sintu Manjezi 20 Nama Xaba 21 Zak Burger 22 Stedman Gans 23 Willie le Roux


BKT United Rugby Championship 25/26 Rd 2

Saturday, October 4, 2025

Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria

KO 5:30pm Irish time  

Live on : Premier Sports 1, URC.tv


Referee: Adam Jones (WRU)

AR 1: Sean Miller (SARU)

AR 2:  AJ Jacobs (SARU)

TMO: Gianluca Gnecchi (FIR)