HARPIN' ON RUGBY

Summary

A longer show than usual just before the Christmas – to start I’m bringing back my Lions Selector Panel where I ask a group of fans to pick their best starting XV for the First Test against the Springboks before returning to them a couple of times before the squad is announced to see if they have any changes.  First up we have Michelle Tobin who also will share with us an opposition view of her beloved Munster going into Saturday night’s visit of Leinster to Thomond Park.  Then I spoke to Keego about the incident from the RDS last weekend involving Tom Wood and Josh van der Flier.

Harpin Leinster v Northampton match writeup > http://www.harpinonrugby.net/2020/12/leinster-35-northampton-saints-19.html

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Summary

So Leinster kicked off a new European campaign last weekend with a controlled performance on the way to maximum points in Montpellier.  Next up in round 2 we welcome the Northampton Saints to the RDS and I was lucky enough to find a perfect guest in Nathan Johns for the latest in our series of “opposition view” pods.  We talked about the Premiership outfit’s season so far and the kind of team we’ll expect to see them put out on Saturday among other things.

Montpellier v Leinster Harpin match writeup > http://www.harpinonrugby.net/2020/12/montpellier-14-leinster-35.html

ThreeBOD Rugby group > https://www.facebook.com/thethreebodrugbygroup

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Summary

So I took a bit of time off from the pod but I’m back now and there’s a lot to harp on.  Keego was on hand to discuss the Scotland match, the Autumn Nations Cup itself, the social media abuse directed at Andrew Brace (#DBAD) and Leinster’s upcoming trip to Montpellier.

Keego’s “The Couch Pundit” > https://thecouchpunditireland.com/

The Harpin writeup of Ireland v Scotland, titled “The Third Place Minutes” > http://www.harpinonrugby.net/2020/12/ireland-31-scotland-16.html

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Summary

With two matches every weekend for me to harp on, I’m trying to trim the workload down where I can, so for this week’s pod I’m simply going to share an audio version of my writeup from last weekend’s match at Twickenham in case you missed it on the website.  I reckon I didn’t have to look too far for positives, but I’ll let you judge for yourself.

Read the original text here > http://www.harpinonrugby.net/2020/11/england-xx-ireland-xx.html

Also, our Leinster v Cardiff writeup is here > http://www.harpinonrugby.net/2020/11/leinster-40-cardiff-blues-5.html

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Summary

With a new European campaign on the horizon I’m switching the focus back to the boys in blue and for this pod I’ve assembled an elite panel of Harpin contributors to discuss a possible matchday squad for our pool matches, also looking at how we might approach the competition.

Follow the lads on twitter Neil “Keego” Keegan @nkeegan, Conor Cronin @ccbooms & Richard Mifsud @RichMif

Harpin Ireland v Wales writeup > http://www.harpinonrugby.net/2020/11/ireland-32-wales-9.html

Harpin Leinster v Edinburgh writeup > http://www.harpinonrugby.net/2020/11/leinster-50-edinburgh-10.html

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Summary

In the latest from my series of “Opposition View” chats I spoke to Edinburgh fan Sandy Smith  who has both supported the club from the Scottish capital and written extensively on them over the years.  We covered their history, recent form and players to look out for when they come to Ballsbridge.

Ospreys v Leinster writeup > http://www.harpinonrugby.net/2020/11/ospreys-7-leinster-26.html

Follow Sandy on Twitter > https://twitter.com/theburghwatch

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Summary

This weekend has Leinster travelling to the Liberty Stadium so for the latest in our “Opposition View” series I spoke to Ospreys fan Brandon Smith about their varying fortunes over the years, what key players we can look out for this weekend, and the task ahead for coach Toby Booth.  We also spoke about the full Welsh test team and what they’ll be looking for from the upcoming Autumn Nations Cup.

Brandon Smith Podcast > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5R7Yr-jt9e1zflS1JT8E-Q

The Welsh Rugby Roundup show > https://www.facebook.com/TheDragonsBalls

Harpin France v Ireland writeup > http://www.harpinonrugby.net/2020/11/france-35-ireland-27.html

Harpin Glasgow v Leinster writeup > http://www.harpinonrugby.net/2020/11/glasgow-warriors-19-leinster-32.html

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Summary

In the latest from our Opposition View series I asked one of Glasgow Warriors’ biggest fans David Arnott to tell us about how their squad is looking this season.  Then as a bonus I’ve recorded an audio version of my Ireland v Italy match writeup which you can read here.

To read our Leinster v Zebre writeup click here.

And you can follow David Arnott on twitter here > https://twitter.com/thepenGW

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Summary

This weekend sees both Leinster & Ireland in action, against Zebre and Italy respectively, so for the latest in our “Opposition view” series I was lucky enough to be able to talk to Italian rugby super fan Andrea Tronchin, who is curator of the Italy twitter account for RugbyUnited as well as those for both Benetton and Zebre.  I asked him how the game has grown in Italy since they joined the Six Nations, what upcoming players we should look out for from Zebre, and how the national team will be approaching Saturday’s big match at the Aviva Stadium.  He kept apologising for his English, though I thought he was fine, definitely a hell of a lot better than my Italian that’s for sure.  But just in case, in the programme notes you’ll find a link to a blog where I’ve paraphrased his answers – for my part I thought he gave some really good insight to what the game is like over there.

Transcript is here > http://www.harpinonrugby.net/2020/10/podcast-s02e015-opposition-view-for.html

Munster v Benetton full match as mentioned by Andrea can be found here.

Andrea is on twitter at these accounts > @RugbyIta @Rugbytreviso_ & @RugbyZebre

Also at the Rugby Treviso Facebook page and group.

The touch rugby programme he mentioned can be found here.

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Summary

Ready to start thinking about an Ireland matchday squad that can win the 2020 Six Nations?  Here’s as good a place as any to get you started.  

Joining me for the discussion this week were Michelle Tobin (@CorkSeashell – Munster), Padraig Kelly (@the2ndrow – Connacht) and David Topping (@davethewingnut – Ulster) and we had a slightly different way of putting a squad together that you probably shouldn’t try at home 😜

Michelle Tobin’s Lions 2017 diary > http://www.harpinonrugby.net/2017/06/a-lions-tour-diary-by-michelle-tobin-1.html

Padraig’s ‘The 2nd Row’ > https://www.facebook.com/The2ndroww

David’s ‘The Ulster Rugby Round Up Show’ > https://www.facebook.com/WhiteWalkersChatandCraic

Harpin Benetton v Leinster writeup > http://www.harpinonrugby.net/2020/10/benetton-25-leinster-37.html

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