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

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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)

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

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NEXT HARPIN’

TUESDAY

BONUS CHAT : “LEINSTER’S WORKONS”

WEDNESDAY

80+ COLUMN 

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)

458 : Stormers v Leinster wrap

26 September 2025; Luke McGrath of Leinster during the United Rugby Championship match between DHL Stormers and Leinster at DHL Stadium in Cape Town, South Africa. Photo by Shaun Roy/Sportsfile


🏉  Lack of attack

🏉  Sam’s kicking

🏉  In our defence…

🏉  Set-piece woes

🏉  And now, the Bulls


DAVID CORDIAL


FULL TIME TAKES

Gavin Hegarty

Two yellows in one game, how many did we get last season?

We looked rusty and disinterested but let’s not get carried away. First game of a long season, let just learn from it.

Kevin Kelehan

Kick up the arse first day of the new season, 2 cards in 4 minutes made the scoreline a hammering. It will get better from here

Chris McDonnell

Our coaches know the players who were available for the past 2 or 3 months and still we couldn’t win a lineout scrum or even score a point. Total failure from our coaching staff once again. Not one coach from our group can say his pre season work actually looked better than a shambles.

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TUESDAY

BONUS CHAT : “LACKING LEADERSHIP”

WEDNESDAY

80+ COLUMN 


457 : Stormers v Leinster preview




LEINSTER : 15. Jimmy O’Brien 14. Tommy O’Brien 13. Robbie Henshaw 12. Ciarán Frawley 11. Jordan Larmour 10. Sam Prendergast 9. Luke McGrath (c)

1. Jack Boyle 2. Gus McCarthy 3. Rabah Slimani 4. Diarmuid Mangan 5. Brian Deeny 6. Ryan Baird 7. Scott Penny 8. James Culhane

16. John McKee 17. Paddy McCarthy 18. Andrew Sparrow 19. Max Deegan 20. Will Connors 21. Fintan Gunne 22. Harry Byrne 23. Hugh Cooney


STORMERS :  15 Wandisile Simelane 14 Seabelo Senatla, 13 Ruhan Nel (c), 12 Dan du Plessis, 11 Leolin Zas, 10 Jurie Matthee, 9 Stefan Ungerer

1 Vernon Matongo 2 André-Hugo Venter 3 Neethling Fouché 4 Adré Smith 5 JD Schickerling 6 Paul de Villiers 7 Ben-Jason Dixon 8 Evan Roos 

16 JJ Kotze, 17 Olly Reid, 18 Zachary Porthen, 19 Ruben van Heerden, 20 Ruan Ackermann, 21 Marcel Theunissen, 22 Dewaldt Duvenage, 23 Clinton Swart


BKT United Rugby Championship 25/26 Rd 1

Friday, September 26, 2025

DHL Stadium, Cape Town

KO 6pm Irish time  

Live on : TG4, Premier Sports 1, URC.tv


Referee: Gianluca Gnecchi (FIR)

AR 1: Sean Muller (SARU)

AR 2:  Stephan Geldenhuys (SARU)

TMO: Adam Jones (WRU)

443 : Leinster are URC Champions wrap

BKT United Rugby Championship Grand Final, Croke Park, Dublin 14/6/2025 Leinster vs Vodacom Bulls Leinster players celebrate with the trophy Mandatory Credit ©INPHO/Ben Brady


🏉  Kicking on

🏉  Pack Mentality

🏉  Defensive stands

🏉  Below par Bulls

🏉  Playing the conditions


TOM COLEMAN

CIAN O’MUILLEOIR


FULL TIME TAKES

Kevin Kelehan

Great atmosphere in Croker from about 30 mins before kick off, hat tip to the support in the Hill they were so vocal. The defensive set for 5 minutes before half time was what won the game, Bulls threw everything they had at Leinster, recycling clinically but there was no way through. Was delighted to see Ross Byrne get point 32 at Croker as his last act, was even happier to see Sam Prendergast hit a lot of people today, he has redeemed himself.

Jackie McEachern

Brilliant team performance! So happy for everybody at Leinster rugby. I hope they all thoroughly enjoy celebrating this and that it can be the foundation that next season is built upon.

William Andrew

Elon Musk, Nelson Mandela, Charlize Theron, Rassie Eramus, Trevor Noah your boys took some beating 💓 in Dublin today. 😀😃🙂🙃😊😇😀

Superb . Controlled aggression. Total focus at all times. I enjoyed the wins at the scrum as much the tries. The real slim shadys stood up today

Kevin OCeallaigh

That was a brilliantly coached performance, especially on defence. Thrilled for Sam. Thought he was really good today and probably one place kick away from POTM. He’s probably had a tough week. Also a great sign-off for Jordie, and the cheers from the crowd shows just how much he is respected by the fans. Loved the celebration from Ross when he showed that kick

Cuan Mulligan

Ryan Baird.. more of that please. Was good to see Sam P try some flare, looked like his mojo was back.. kicking off the tee is still a growth area for the summer…looked like he wanted contact more, although fell off tackles but not for lack of want. What they have tapped into.. they need to stay tapped into.

Daniel James

Thank god!! I could leave it at that but it was a brilliant performance where they went at the bulls like they did in the champions cup up to the semi final. Hopefully this lays a foundation to get over the line in next years knockout competitions. Also past time to win the URC now we need push all the way next year!

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NEXT HARPIN’

TUESDAY

BONUS CHAT : “SAM’S ROLE” & “THE IMPORTS”

WEDNESDAY

80+ COLUMN 


442 : URC Grand Final preview


LEINSTER : 15. Jimmy O’Brien 14. Tommy O’Brien 13. Garry Ringrose 12. Jordie Barrett 11. James Lowe 10. Sam Prendergast 9. Jamison Gibson-Park Luke McGrath

1. Andrew Porter 2. Dan Sheehan 3. Thomas Clarkson 4. Joe McCarthy 5. James Ryan 6. Ryan Baird 7. Josh van der Flier 8. Jack Conan (c)

16. Rónan Kelleher 17. Jack Boyle 18. Rabah Slimani 19. RG Snyman 20. Max Deegan 21. Luke McGrath Fintan Gunne 22. Ross Byrne 23. Jamie Osborne


BULLS : 15 Willie le Roux 14 Canon Moodie 13 David Kriel 12 Harold Vorster 11 Sebastian de Klerk 10 Johan Goosen 9 Embrose Papier

1 Jan-hendrik Wessels 2 Johan Grobbelaar 3 Wilco Louw 4 Cobus Wiese 5 JF van Heerden 6 Marco van Staden 7 Ruan Nortje (c) 8 Marcell Coetzee

16 Akker van der Merwe 17 Alulutho Tshakweni 18 Mornay Smith 19 Jannes Kirsten 20 Nizaam Carr 21 Zak Burger 22 Keagan Johannes 23 Devon Williams


BKT United Rugby Championship 24/25 Grand Final

Saturday, June 14, 2025

KO 2:45pm  Aviva Stadium

Live on : TG4, Premier Sports 1 & URC.tv 


Referee: Andrea Piardi (FIR)

AR 1: Mike Adamson (SRU)

AR 2: Sam Grove-White (SRU)

TMO: Matteo Liperini (FIR)



UPDATE : We have received further press conference videos…

[they might have taken a moment to re-think the above thumbnail image…]

441 : Leinster v Glasgow wrap

7 June 2025; Dan Sheehan of Leinster celebrates after scoring his side’s first try during the United Rugby Championship semi-final match between Leinster and Glasgow Warriors at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. Photo by Seb Daly/Sportsfile


🏉  Dan & Tommy

🏉  Improved players

🏉  Setback recovery

🏉  Defence on point

🏉  Below par champs


CONOR CRONIN

HUGO GORDON


FULL TIME TAKES

Kevin Kelehan

The stadium was buzzing right from the first hit off kick off, the team seemed to feed off it, 32 points clear on 65 minutes having refused to let a decent enough Glasgow side play. Tom Clarkson and Tommy O’Brien were both superb today, Tom winning scrum penalties now and Tommy is so unpredictable. The confidence is back at exactly the perfect time to get it back.

Christy O’Connor

Definitely a much better performance than the last few weeks, I was expecting a tight game. Glasgow were never in it, we let them off easy a few times but we were never losing that game. Just hope we show the same attitude next week

Jackie McEachern

It seemed that Leinster showed great attitude from the start and several players really stepped up. I’m worried about all the missed kicks from Prendergast. But for now excited for the final next week!

Gavin Hegarty

Like do we have that little confidence in our attack that our first instinct is to kick, every time? Frustrating rugby and helping the opposition.

Clarkson had the game of his life and dominated their loose head.

Scot penny take a bow, he was everywhere.

A good win but we fell asleep in the last twenty and gave them tries.

If we stayed tuned in it would have been 50+.

Considering the injury list jvdf, Doris, furlong, henshaw, ringrose, Keenan) we did well.

Clarkson, Osbourne and the optometrist (tob) will Excell on the summer tour

Cuan Mulligan

Much better performance, however Sam is a weakness.. the flare and magic he showed late last year is no where to be found and he is weak in defence, Bulls will run down him all day next Saturday. Far more cohesive as a team, should make for a great game.

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NEXT HARPIN’

TUESDAY

BONUS CHAT : “SAM’S KICKING & BULLS REVIEW”

WEDNESDAY

80+ COLUMN