IRELAND : 15 H Keenan 14 M Hansen 13 G Ringrose 12 B Aki 11 James Lowe 10 J Sexton (c) 9 J Gibson-Park
1 A Porter 2 R Kelleher 3 T Furlong 4 T Beirne 5 J Ryan 6 P O’Mahony 7 J van der Flier 8 C Doris
16 D Sheehan 17 D Kilcoyne 18 F Bealham 19 I Henderson 20 R Baird 21 C Murray 22 J Crowley 23 R Henshaw
SOUTH AFRICA : 15 Damian Willemse 14 Kurt-Lee Arendse 13 Jesse Kriel 12 Damian de Allende 11 Cheslin Kolbe 10 Manie Libbok 9 Faf de Klerk
1 Steven Kitshoff 2 Mbongeni Mbonambi 3 Frans Malherbe 4 Eben Etzebeth 5 Franco Mostert 6 Siya Kolisi (c) 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit 8 Jasper Wiese
16 Deon Fourie 17 Ox Nche 18 Trevor Nyakane 19 Jean Kleyn 20 RG Snyman 21 Marco van Staden 22 Kwagga Smith 23 Cobus Reinach
Rugby World Cup 2023 Pool B
Saturday September 23 KO 8pm (Irish time)
Stade de France
TV : RTÉ2
Referee: Ben O’Keeffe (NZR)
AR1: Mathieu Raynal (FFR)
AR2: James Doleman (NZR)
TMO: Brendon Pickerill (NZR)
Also Leinster v Ulster, Fri Sep 22 6:30pm, Navan RFC
LEINSTER : 15. Chris Cosgrave 14. Tommy O’Brien 13. Jamie Osborne 12. Ciarán Frawley 11. Rob Russell 10. Harry Byrne 9. Cormac Foley
1. Jack Boyle 2. John McKee 3. Rory McGuire 4. Brian Deeny 5. Jason Jenkins 6. Max Deegan 7. Will Connors 8. James Culhane (C)
Replacements : Lee Barron, Paddy McCarthy, Thomas Connolly, Ross Molony, Conor O’Tighearnaigh, Diarmuid Mangan, Scott Penny, Ben Murphy, Sam Prendergast, Andrew Osborne, Ben Brownlee, Liam Turner, Aitzol King, Jordan Larmour
A WEEKLY COLUMN LOOKING AT TOPICS BEYOND THE SCOPE
OF OUR FEATURE MATCH OF THE WEEK
WRAP OF A WRAP
For new readers, listeners, our main feature each week here at Harpin On Rugby is a “wrap pod” where we go through Leinster or Ireland’s match from the previous weekend. This week I was joined by Conor Cronin and Rich Mifsud with a couple of reports from Cian “RugbyKino” O’Muilleoir recorded from the stadium in Nantes on the night. Also there’s more “time travel” like last week, since we now record at 6:30pm for RWC it means we can’t give our report on the 8pm kickoff so we hand over to “Future Jeff” who will be getting a lot of work over the coming weeks. As ever the lads did a bang up job, click here to listen on Spotify or you’ll find it on most major platforms, see a small sample below.
Should have been PotM last week, deservedly was PotM this, so we decided to dedicate our bonus clip to Bundee Aki and how he has made a strong claim for Ireland’s 12 jersey for the big matches to come.
SH*T RASSIE SAYS
For the week that’s in it, this week’s harpin’ point for TikTok is about our good friend Rassie Erasmus.
Although of course we’re mostly wearing our green goggles these days, the blue need to be kept close – after the comprehensive win down in Musgrave Park a couple of weeks ago Leinster are closer to home this Friday evening as they host Ulster at Navan RFC. Just over a month to go until the URC kicks off so it will be interesting to see how the squad is shaping up. I have a ticket but I’m still not 100% sure I’ll be able to make it, fingers crossed.
#LETTHECLIPSPLAY
As a counter to the really annoying call from certain quarters of the ruggersphere to “Let The Boys Play”, I’m trying to get this hashtag going in defence of much more prolific content creators like Squidge who are being denied by World Rugby (although it has the whiff of corporate overlords about it) when it comes to sharing and analysing clips and images from the Rugby World Cup.
It’s 2023 FFS. No matter how much broadcasters might live in a world where fans only want to consume their output, the fact remains that a significant portion rely on the independent sector, and while I certainly wouldn’t expect myself to be included, I really do think accommodation should be made for the top influencers, it has to be good for the sport and also has to be good for the sponsors.
Obviously it needs to be monitored but isn’t that the case with all broadcast material mainstream or no? Let the clips play!!!!
PS – literally as I finished typing the above bit, I spotted this poll on “x” so you can probably guess how I voted…
In “Future Jeff”s report on England’s win over Japan at the weekend he may have been a little bit harsh about the English performance, I mean any team would take two wins out of two to start a World Cup however they were achieved, and however the opposition was playing.
But you still need to check the reactions, and many on English media, mainstream and social, seem to have forgotten what caveats are. Yes, yes, I know this is an Irish rugby site so we’re far from their biggest fans, but goggles aside, if England are genuinely happy with their performances to date, especially when you factor in the standards they should be expecting given player pool etc, then I’ll have whatever they’re having, thank you very much.
PS found this quote on “x”…
IT’S VERY SIMPLE, SIMON
“There was one tweet that pissed me off, however, because rather than come from a random fan this was by an actual member of the Munster squad. Only thing I will add to posting it below is this : imagine the uproar if it were a Leinster squad player after the boys in blue won a trophy. Articles would be written about it. Hang on never mind articles….PLAYS would be written.“
I wrote the above in the final 80+ column of the 22/23 season about a tweet by Simon Zebo and I was careful not to use his name because I really thought it was a “one off” but no, it really does look like he has little or no control over either himself or his social media accounts.
Now I guess we have to take him at his word about the posts he was “liking” (although if it really was his kids I’m not sure I’d be too keen to involve them in all of this) but even without that side of it, I have to say he really needs to make a simple decision as to whether he wants to slag off Leinster fans or be a serious pundit, and when I say “serious” of course I know they need an element of humour and banter but he really has been not only crossing “the line” but also catapulting himself way beyond it.
I guess I qualify as a “Dermot” to him so he probably wouldn’t listen to me but hopefully someone around him has had a word.
NEXT BATCH OF HARPIN’
Next up here at Harpin Manor we’re all about the clash with the reigning World Champions. Preview will drop either late Thursday or in the afternoon on Friday, we’ll be on “x” throughout the match and finally of course the wrap pod on Sunday. If I can make it to Navan on Friday I hope to do a TikTok report so keep an eye out for that as well. Please comment, like, share & subscribe to our feeds & channels whenever the mood takes you.
And as ever, be sure to enjoy your rugby wherever you are. JLP
A WEEKLY COLUMN LOOKING AT TOPICS BEYOND THE SCOPE
OF OUR FEATURE MATCH OF THE WEEK
WRAP OF A WRAP
With World Cup matches coming thick and fast over the next couple of months, our pod recording schedule has to be modified. We normally kickoff the wrap pod at 8pm on a Sunday but due to Wales v Fiji we moved it up an hour. Plus, since that match was something we wanted to harp on, I had to use a time machine of sorts to get my report in! As ever both Cian O’Muilleoir and Ciarán Duffy did a bang up job going over the match be sure to check it our at this Spotify link or on whatever platform you use.
HARPIN ON…IRELAND WITH/WITHOUT SEXTON
With Sexton back on the pitch for the first time since the Grand Slam was in the bag, we had a chat for our bonus clip
DISAGREEMENT?👍DISRESPECT?👎
This week’s TikTok harpin point looks at whether or not it’s ok to analyse a referee’s performance. Since the Wales v Fiji match I’ve been hearing the “we must never criticise the ref” mantra from some surprising sources, I have to say.
In the video I mentioned one of the tweets I posted while the match was still on, for full disclosure I’m adding the other ones. Maybe, just maybe, the Oprah one is straying towards disrespectful? I don’t think so but others might.
The point is that while I know social media isn’t the be all and end all of anything, it can be a decent gauge of opinion from hard core fans and in all my years following rugby on Twitter/x I have never seen this much agreement across the board on a referee’s performance, including some Welsh fans.
Does it mean the ref in question should never hold a whistle again? I really don’t think so, and if there are to be “repercussions” I really don’t want to know. In fact he’s actually AR1 for Ireland’s next match against Tonga and I for one have no problem with that FWIW.
One last point on the video…you have no idea how close I came to taking out all the recording equipment and doing it over when I saw that curled up collar!!!! And if you haven’t noticed it yet it’s probably all you can see now!!!! Ah well….
Loads to say about that match but Radradra should not feel bad about that knockon. They did amazing to create that chance and let's face it they should have been attacking at MOST 14 red jerseys. Match Of The Round by far. #WALvFIJ
"Never question the ref" is as ridiculous as "It's always the ref". But when you do question it's about how you do it. Clear evidence of disparity in this one match, with majority twitter agreement including 🏴 fans. Legitimate talking point once kept respectful IMO.
Loads of TikToks in this week’s column, I pledged to get in front of the camera more this season, so here’s one I did Sunday morning on Leinster’s comprehensive preseason win down in Musgrave Park on Friday evening.
And as you can see I really pushed the boat out with the special effects – I tell ya, between time travel and magic jersey changes, we spare no expense here at Harpin Manor!!!!
Unfortunately there have many reports of fans having difficulties getting to matches on time, like Ireland’s opener against Romania. Obviously it’s very easy to go on social media and call the organisation (or lack of it) a “shambles” but Irish fan Aisling O’Connor has found a much more practical way forward.
I very much doubt they’ll be able to improve their transport infrastructure much in time for fan heading to matches over the coming weeks so Aisling, a former president of the Official Leinster Supporters Club and a well seasoned rugby traveller all over the world at this stage, has been posting logistical information as well as directing people how to get more. If you’re over in France or planning to travel I strongly recommend you follow her.
The #RWC2023 information for @irishrugby#Ire v Tonga at #StadedelaBeaujoire in #Nantes on Saturday, 16 September (KO 9pm) has just been sent to anyone who bought tickets directly from the RWC ticketing site.
All information received is below for anyone who needs it ⬇️
After my agreeing with most of social media over the Wales v Fiji officiating, I think I’m actually swimming against the tide when it comes to my thoughts on Dan Biggar giving his team mates a rollicking at the end of the first in the very same match.
He wanted the ball put dead but the others played on and while I do get the importance of showing a united front out on the pitch, I can also appreciate the frustration from the leadership because, let’s face it, it was absolutely right and proper that the ball needed to be put dead. I saw loads of comments directed at Dan but I think I’d be inclined to back him here. It’s a World Cup, emotions are high, you’ve just played 40m of test rugby, no matter how much experience you have it’s not always easy to switch on the filter.
SCREECHING TO THE CHOIR
I have four kids, and possibly more to the point I was one myself back in the day, so I can totally imagine how exciting a prospect it would be to be allowed to sing at a massive global event like the Rugby World Cup.
But let’s face it…while the choir might work for some national anthems like The Flower Of Scotland (remember at Murrayfield they actually stop playing instruments at one point and let everyone sing like they’re a choir anyway) the more military style ones like for Argentina and, yes, especially France, have had the life sucked out of them by the format.
Personally I’m not always the biggest fan of going too strongly into symbols of nationalism, however I don’t reckon singing anthems before international matches is too strong to begin with, and I have always been of the opinion that each nation should be able to have theirs performed in a manner of their choosing.
But anyway for this World Cup, I understand they are considering a change, and though that would be tough on those who have been looking forward to their moment in the spotlight, I think it would be the right call.
EITHER/OR FOR THE ALL BLACKS PLEASE
Speaking of performances before kickoffs, I was never a fan of the All Blacks and others getting to do extra ones when others can’t, although with the Haka, Cibi and such practically being part of the sport’s DNA at this stage it would probably be harsh to ban it altogether.
But I reckon for the All Blacks to take even more extra time to have a huddle before they did their haka ahead of the opener against France was very much taking the piss.
NEXT BATCH OF HARPIN’
Next up here at Harpin Manor we’re looking ahead to our next Pool B assignment with Tonga. There will be a preview at the end of the week, social media coverage throughout, a wrap pod on Sunday evening and all the usual extra bits in between. As well as the podcast feed we’re on X, Facebook, YouTube, TikTok and Mastodon so please follow us wherever you can
And as ever, be sure to enjoy your rugby wherever you are. JLP
HARPIN' ON RUGBY 