The Left Wing

On this week's episode of The Left Wing, Will Slattery and Luke Fitzgerald are joined by Cian Tracey to look back on the Champions Cup quarter-finals. Leinster booked their place in the semi-final after a dominant win against Leicester in Welford Road, and the lads are in agreement that they are well primed to take on Toulouse in Saturday's semi-final. The French giants outlasted Munster in a dramatic penalty shootout at the Aviva Stadium, and Luke thinks that Munster's defence let them down. Munster's game management, Leinster's semi-final selection and Toulouse's ability to make something out of nothing are all up for discussion too. Listen and follow the Left Wing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts from. For more, visit: www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/the-left-wing/

On this week's episode of The Left Wing, Will Slattery and Luke Fitzgerald are joined by Cian Tracey to look ahead to the Champions Cup quarter-finals. It is set to be a bumper weekend, with Munster and Leinster playing back to back on Saturday afternoon. Munster host holders Toulouse in what promises to be a cracker at the Aviva Stadium, and while Cian thinks the French side will be too strong, Luke has an inkling that Munster could produce an upset. We then have a clash of the two most in-form teams in Europe. English table-toppers Leicester host Leinster, who have a commanding lead in the URC. While it won't be easy for Leo Cullen's side, the lads are in agreement that they should have enough to advance to the semi-final stage. Listen and follow the Left Wing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts from. For more, visit: www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/the-left-wing/

After the heavy defeat to England, is this now a moment of reckoning for Ireland's women's rugby team with professional contracts set to be the next phase in the XV game's development here? Wasps hooker, Cliodhna Moloney, and Cian Tracey join Sinéad Kissane to discuss the fall-out from last week's loss as well as looking ahead to Ireland's final Women's Six Nations game against Scotland when the team has an opportunity to leave their mark on the tournament. For more rugby discussion and analysis, don't forget to join Will and Luke on the Left Wing next Wednesday. Listen and follow the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts from. For more, visit: www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/the-left-wing/

On this week's episode of The Left Wing, Will Slattery and Luke Fitzgerald are joined by South African rugby journalist AP Cronje to discuss the resurgence of the South African teams in the URC. The Bulls, Lions, Stormers and Sharks are a combined 18-2 at home against the rest of the competition, which is a complete turnaround to how they started the competition away from home. AP gives the lads the lowdown on the four South African franchises and says that enthusiasm is building for the tournament among the fans down there. The Springboks potentially joining the Six Nations, Leinster's defeat to the Sharks and Munster's win over Ulster are all up for discussion too. Don't forget to listen to the Left Wing Extra on Thursday when Sinéad Kissane previews Ireland's final game in the Women's Six Nations at home to Scotland with Cliodhna Moloney and Cian Tracey. Listen and follow the Left Wing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts from. For more, visit: www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/the-left-wing/

Cliodhna Moloney joins Sinéad Kissane and Cian Tracey on the latest episode of the Left Wing to look ahead to Ireland's Women's Six Nations game against England in Leicester on Sunday. Cliodhna and Cian talk about the huge task awaiting Ireland against the number one ranked team in the world especially for an Irish team that is without most of its Sevens players who've been pulled from the squad ahead of their World Sevens Series in Canada. Cliodhna believes the players can use this as a motivating factor like the squad has done in the past. Sinéad also talks to Ireland hooker Neve Jones who's been one of the team's leading players in this Six Nations ahead of what's set to be a record attendance at Welford Road. For more rugby discussion and analysis, don't forget to join Will and Luke on the Left Wing next Wednesday. For more rugby discussion and analysis, don't forget to join Will and Luke on the Left Wing next Wednesday. Listen and follow the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts from. For more, visit: www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/the-left-wing/"

On this week's episode of The Left Wing, Will Slattery and Luke Fitzgerald are joined by Jonathan Bradley of The Belfast Telegraph to discuss the Champions Cup round of 16. Leinster and Munster march on to the quarter-finals after wins over Connacht and Exeter, with the southern province producing a classic Thomond Park performance to sweep Exeter aside. There was also drama in Belfast, as Ulster were pipped at the death by Toulouse. Jonathan starts off by telling the lads about the mood in Ulster as the province look to bounce back from the devastating defeat. Ulster's progress, Connacht's consistency issues, Leinster's tricky balancing act ahead of the quarter-final and Joey Carbery's resurgence are all up for discussion too. Don't forget to listen to the Left Wing Extra on Friday when Sinéad Kissane previews England v Ireland in the Women's Six Nations. Listen and follow the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts from. For more, visit: www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/the-left-wing/

On this week's episode of The Left Wing, Will Slattery and Luke Fitzgerald are joined by Sean O'Brien to look back on the Ireland legend's career. O'Brien confirmed last week that he will retire at the end of the season and he says that the 2017 Lions tour in New Zealand was when he was playing at his peak. The Tullow Tank says that the 2015 World Cup quarter-final against Argentina is one game that still gnaws at him, while he also opens up on his love of coaching. Cian Tracey also joins the lads to discuss Graham Rowntree's appointment as the new Munster head coach as well as the proposed trial for a 20-minute red card. Listen and follow the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts from. For more, visit: www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/the-left-wing/

Cliodhna Moloney, the Wasps hooker who was a surprise omission from Ireland's Six Nations squad, joins Sinéad Kissane and Cian Tracey on the latest episode of the Left Wing to look ahead to Ireland's must-win game against Italy on Sunday. The big news is that Beibhinn Parsons is back in the first XV, one of six changes to the team. Eimear Considine drops out of the match-day 23 with Lucy Mulhall switching to full-back in a back-three consisting of Parsons and Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe. Kathryn Dane, Christy Haney and Hannah O'Connor have all been promoted to the starting line-up as well. Also on the show, Cliodhna addresses her disappointment at being left out of the squad, where the team needs to improve as well as the 7s v XV debate. For more rugby discussion and analysis, don't forget to join Will and Luke on the Left Wing next Wednesday. Listen and follow the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts from. For more, visit: www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/the-left-wing/

On this week's episode of The Left Wing, Will Slattery and Luke Fitzgerald are joined by Ruaidhrí O'Connor to discuss Leinster's big win over Munster and Ireland women's head coach Greg McWilliams to discuss the Six Nations campaign to date. Leinster secured a big win in Thomond Park to head into Champions Cup action in style, but both Luke and Ruaidhrí are worried about Munster's prospects after another damaging defeat to their biggest rival. Joey Carbery's best position, Leinster's Champions Cup chances and Munster's head coach search are all up for discussion too. Greg McWilliams then joins the lads to discuss how he feels Ireland have performed in the Women's Six Nations so far. Despite two defeats from two, McWilliams thinks there are reasons to be hopeful ahead of Sunday's game against Italy. Don't forget to listen to the Left Wing Extra with Sinéad Kissane later in the week when she previews Ireland v Italy in the Women's Six Nations and you can follow the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts from. For more, visit: www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/the-left-wing/

On the latest Left Wing podcast Sinéad Kissane previews Ireland women's Six Nations crunch clash against France with Cian Tracey and former Ireland captain, Claire Molloy. The big talking point has been coach Greg McWilliams' decision to keep Beibhinn Parsons on the bench and sticking with the starting XV that lost 27-17 to Wales in their opening match. It will be a daunting trip to Toulouse to one of the game's power houses where Ireland have never won and neither Claire nor Cian expect this record to be broken on Saturday. But an improved performance will be green shoots pointing in the right direction. For more rugby discussion and analysis, don't forget to join Will and Luke on the Left Wing next Wednesday. Listen and follow the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts from. For more, visit: www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/the-left-wing/

On this week's episode of The Left Wing, Will Slattery and Luke Fitzgerald discuss all the latest rugby news and are joined by Chris Foy in the UK to chat about Eddie Jones, England and their coaching succession plan. The lads kick off by looking back at Ireland's opening game of the Women's Six Nations. Despite losing to Wales, Luke thinks there are reasons to be positive ahead of a big test against France this weekend. The chat then looks at the resurgence of the South African teams on home soil in the URC, as well as the prospect of Leinster signing ex-All Blacks centre Charlie Ngatai. In the second half of the show, Chris joins the lads to discuss all the options on the table as England decide who should succeed Eddie Jones after the 2023 World Cup. Listen and follow the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts from. For more, visit: www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/the-left-wing/

On the latest Left Wing podcast Sinéad Kissane was joined by former Ireland prop, Lindsay Peat, and Irish Independent rugby writer, Cian Tracey, to look ahead to the 2022 Women's Six Nations with Ireland kicking off their championship against Wales at the RDS on Saturday. Peat, who played her final game for Ireland last November, spoke about the turbulent months for Irish women's rugby following the failure to qualify for this year's World Cup and Cian also spoke about the challenges ahead for this Irish team who will be the only team in this Six Nations who won't also compete in this year's World Cup. Flanker Edel McMahon who is in the starting XV for Saturday, was also on the show telling Sinéad about the mood in the Irish camp ahead of the Welsh game. For more rugby discussion and analysis, don't forget to join Will and Luke on the Left Wing next Wednesday. Listen and follow the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts from. For more, visit: www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/the-left-wing/

On this week's episode of The Left Wing, Will Slattery is joined by Cian Tracey to review the 2022 Six Nations. Ireland came up short in their title quest but ended up with a Triple Crown after four bonus-point wins. The lads are in agreement that the continued development of the attack was a big positive although the number of handling errors needs to be addressed ahead of the summer tour to New Zealand. One area of concern for Andy Farrell will be the depth at front row, with injuries to Andrew Porter and Ronan Kelleher putting the scrum under serious pressure. Away from Ireland, the state of England is one of the big talking points. Should they stick with Eddie Jones? Scotland's poor campaign, France's resurgence and the return of crowds are all up for discussion too. Listen and follow The Left Wing on Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts from. For more, visit the show page at: www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/the-left-wing/

Irish Independent rugby writers Rúaidhrí O'Connor and Cian Tracey join Sinéad Kissane from the Aviva Stadium after Ireland's victory over Scotland earned them a Triple Crown title in Dublin. Luke and Will return for the regular Left Wing show for more rugby discussion and analysis next Wednesday. Listen and follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts from. For more Left Wing episodes, visit the show page at: www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/the-left-wing/

Will Slattery and Luke Fitzgerald are joined by Rúaidhrí O'Connor to discuss Ireland's team selection for the Six Nations finale against Scotland. Iain Henderson, Jack Conan and Mack Hansen all start as Andy Farrell's side look to win a first Six Nations title since 2018 - provided England can do Ireland a favour against France. Meanwhile, Scotland have dropped out-half Finn Russell and have opted for rookie ten Blair Kinghorn. Will that decision come back to haunt Gregor Townsend? Can Ireland win an unlikely Six Nations title? Luke is tipping England beat France anyway... Don't forget to listen to Sinéad Kissane and the Left Wing Live for post-match reaction to the game on Saturday while Luke and Will return for the regular Left Wing show for more rugby discussion and analysis next Wednesday. Listen and follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts from. For more Left Wing episodes, visit the show page at: www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/the-left-wing/

On this week's episode of The Left Wing, Will Slattery and Luke Fitzgerald are joined by former England prop Alex Corbisiero to look back on Ireland's record win in Twickenham. Andy Farrell's side are still in contention for the title ahead of Saturday's game against Scotland, but need Eddie Jones' side to do Ireland a favour in Paris against France. The lads kick off the discussion by taking a look at Ireland's scrum woes - with Alex giving his take on why England were so dominant there. Luke felt that Ireland attacked well but forced the final pass on too many occasions, a recurring theme from earlier in the campaign. Eddie Jones' position, Ireland's bench boost and the team's depth are all up for discussion too. Listen and follow The Left Wing on Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts from. For more, visit the show page at: www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/the-left-wing/

Irish Independent rugby writers Rúaidhrí O'Connor and David Kelly join Sinead Kissane from Twickenham to reflect on Ireland's Six Nations win over 14-man England. Luke and Will return for the regular Left Wing show for more rugby discussion and analysis next Wednesday. Listen and follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts from. For more Left Wing episodes, visit the show page at: www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/the-left-wing/

On the latest Left Wing Extra, Sinead Kissane is joined by Luke Fitzgerald and Rúaidhrí O'Connor to discuss the Ireland team to face England in Twickenham on Saturday. The big guns have been recalled for the crunch clash with Andrew Conway, Bundee Aki and Peter O'Mahony making the first XV. As expected, Johnny Sexton returns as No.10 replacing Joey Carbery while Hugo Keenan is recalled and Mack Hansen misses out. Up front, Andrew Porter's injury-enforced absence paves the way for Cian Healy to earn a start in a front-row along with Dan Sheehan and Tadhg Furlong. Don't forget to listen to Sinead Kissane and the Left Wing Live for post-match reaction to the game on Saturday while Luke and Will return for the regular Left Wing show for more rugby discussion and analysis next Wednesday. Listen and follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts from. For more Left Wing episodes, visit the show page at: www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/the-left-wing/

On this week's episode of The Left Wing, Will Slattery and Luke Fitzgerald are joined by Rúaidhrí O'Connor to look ahead to Ireland's Six Nations showdown with England on Saturday. The show kicks off with the news that Johnny Sexton has signed a new deal to take him up to the 2023 World Cup, and the lads debate how Andy Farrell should manage his captain between now and the tournament in France. The chat then moves onto Eddie Jones and England - is he building a new team capable of success or has he abandoned the players and style that produced a World Cup final appearance? All three of the lads are nervous ahead of Saturday's game, despite England's poor recent showings, with the loss of Andrew Porter and Ronan Kelleher particularly damaging. Things finish up with a look at the recommendations made from the report into the women's team, before predictions for the England game. Listen and follow on Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts from. For more, visit the show page at: www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/the-left-wing/

On the latest episode of The Left Wing podcast, Will Slattery and Luke Fitzgerald are joined by Ian Madigan to discuss Ireland's win over Italy and the campaign to date. Ian and Luke agree that although Andy Farrell's side have had a good tournament, last Sunday was a sloppy day at the office. Luke thinks that the team forced things too much against 13 men, while Ian gives his assessment on how he thinks Joey Carbery played in his two recent starts. Ireland play England next, and both Luke and Ian are unsure if Eddie Jones is going down the right path with his revamped team. The lads finish off the chat with Ian by discussing how his Ulster team are faring, as well as looking ahead to their two-legged tie with Toulouse in April. Listen and follow on Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts from. For more, visit the show page at: www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/the-left-wing/

Sinéad Kissane hosted the Left Wing Live from the Aviva Stadium with Cian Tracey and Dave Kelly giving their post-match analysis of Ireland's 57-6 thrashing of Italy. Don't forget to listen to Luke and Will's weekly analysis and views on the Left Wing with new shows released every Wednesday. Listen and follow wherever you get your podcasts from. For more, visit the show page at: www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/the-left-wing/

On the latest Left Wing Extra, Sinead Kissane is joined by Cian Tracey and Dave Kelly to discuss the Ireland team to face Italy on Sunday. The main news is Joey Carbery keeps his place on the team with Johnny Sexton on the bench and expected to make a second half appearance. Elsewhere, Ulster's Michael Lowry will make his international debut and Ryan Baird is handed his first championship start. For more Left Wing episodes, visit the show page at: www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/the-left-wing/

On this week's Left Wing, Sinead Kissane is joined by Luke Fitzgerald, Cian Tracey and former Leinster and Italy international, Ian McKinley, to look ahead to Ireland's clash against Italy at the weekend. It's a case of how many points the Irish team can rack up says Luke and Cian, with getting the bonus point and avoiding injury the real focus with the crunch game against England in Twickenham still to come. Ian McKinley discusses recent stories about Italy's possible replacement by South Africa in the Six Nations and says, while it's not new, there has been a lack of progress in recent years and the panel discuss how Italy can improve to help make them more competitive. Listen and follow the Left Wing podcast on Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts from. For more Left Wing episodes, visit the show page at: www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/the-left-wing/

On this week's episode of The Left Wing, Will Slattery and Luke Fitzgerald are joined by Fergus McFadden to look back at Ireland's defeat to France in Paris. Andy Farrell's side came up just short at the Stade de France, with the decision to kick for the posts in the closing minutes proving contentious. Fergus thinks it was the right call while Luke says that James Ryan should have opted to stick the ball in the corner. Both of them are in agreement, however, that with a few less errors, Ireland could have secured a famous victory. Scotland's defeat in Cardiff to Wales, Six Nations trends and France's room for improvement are all up for discussion too. For more Left Wing episodes, visit the show page at: www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/the-left-wing/

Ireland suffered a major Six Nations blow when they were beaten by a powerful France 30-24. Sinead Kissane analyses the action with Irish Independent reporters David Kelly and Cian Tracey who were live from the Stade de France. Don't forget to listen to Luke and Will's weekly analysis and views on the Left Wing with new shows released every Wednesday. For more Left Wing episodes, visit the show page at: www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/the-left-wing/

On this week's episode of The Left Wing Extra, Will Slattery is joined by Cian Tracey and Rúaidhrí O'Connor to discuss the Ireland team to face France. The big news is Johnny Sexton's injury, which means that Joey Carbery will make his first Six Nations start in Paris. Is Carbery ready for the step up? The lads debate Ireland's chances with a new out-half, whether they have the power to match France and Andy Farrell's decision to name Iain Henderson and Robbie Henshaw on the bench. For more Left Wing episodes, visit the show page at: www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/the-left-wing/

On this week's episode of The Left Wing, Will Slattery and Luke Fitzgerald are joined by Cian Tracey and Benjamin Kayser to discuss all the Six Nations action. Will and Luke kick things off by looking back at Scotland's dramatic win over England, before Cian joins to discuss Ireland's bonus-point win over Wales. The lads all agree that Ireland's ball-playing forwards give them a big edge over the opposition, but the step up in Paris this weekend will be a huge test. Mack Hansen's dream debut, Ireland's lack of a bench impact and the selection battle for France are all up for discussion too. Former France hooker Benjamin Kayser then joins the lads to give an insight into the recent French resurgence after some lean years. Benjamin says the improved relationship between the clubs and the national team as well as the all-star coaching staff headed up by Fabien Galthié have played a big part in France's return to the top table. For more Left Wing episodes, visit the show page at: www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/the-left-wing/

On this bonus episode of the Left Wing, Will Slattery is joined by Rúaidhrí O'Connor and Cian Tracey with their reactions to the Ireland team announcement. Connacht's Mack Hansen will make his debut on the wing against Wales on Saturday in what is a huge call by Ireland head coach Andy Farrell. Elsewhere, Joey Carbery has fended off Jack Carty's claim to the back-up ten slot, while James Hume will get a chance off the bench after strong form for Ulster. The lads finish up with predictions, with all three going for a big Ireland win. For more Left Wing episodes visit the show page at: www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/the-left-wing/

On this week's episode of The Left Wing, Will Slattery and Luke Fitzgerald are joined by Rúaidhrí O'Connor and Welsh legend Tom Shanklin to look ahead to the Six Nations. Rud joins first and is bullish on Ireland's chances, tipping Andy Farrell's side for title glory off the back of a strong November and the form of key men. The lads discuss how Ireland should handle the out-half situation, the key players who are primed for a big campaign and any concerns ahead of the big kick-off. Tom then joins Luke and Will to give the view from Wales ahead of the opening game. While ordinarily he wouldn't be too worried by the form of the Welsh regions, Tom thinks that Wales' injury list will make life difficult for them this year. The lads finish up with their predictions, with both Luke and Tom going with France for 2022. For more Left Wing episodes visit the show page at: www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/the-left-wing/

On this week's episode of The Left Wing, Will Slattery and Luke Fitzgerald are joined by former Connacht back row Eoin McKeon to discuss all the weekend's Champions Cup action. All four Irish provinces are into the knockout stage after an exciting final round, and the lads kick off with what Connacht need to do to kick on after another dramatic defeat. The chat then turns to how Leinster are faring after getting their season back on track with two big European wins. Ulster's European form, Dan McFarland's coaching style and Munster's improvement are all up for discussion too. For more Left Wing episodes and rugby stories visit the show page at: www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/the-left-wing/

On the latest episode of The Left Wing, Will Slattery and Luke Fitzgerald are joined by Cian Tracey to go over all the latest rugby news. The lads kick off by discussing the Ireland Six Nations squad announcement, as Andy Farrell makes some interesting decisions. The chat then moves on to the Champions Cup action, starting with Leinster's record-setting win over Montpellier - is there really anything they can learn from that? Connacht's collapse against Leicester, Ulster's exciting backline and Munster's European form are all up for discussion too. For more Left Wing episodes and rugby stories visit the show page at: www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/the-left-wing/

On this week's episode of The Left Wing, Will Slattery and Luke Fitzgerald are joined by Gavin Mairs of The Daily Telegraph to discuss the landscape of English rugby after a tumultuous Covid year. First, Will and Luke discuss Munster vs Ulster and Johann van Graan's short-term future. Then Gavin joins the lads and they chat about whether the English sides still value Europe and if the Premiership is as good as all the hype suggests. The prospect of a Lions League, the emergence of Harlequins and Eddie Jones' England are all up for discussion too. For more Left Wing episodes and rugby stories visit the show page at: www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/the-left-wing/

On the latest episode of The Left Wing, Will Slattery and Luke Fitzgerald are joined by Rúaidhrí O'Connor to go over all the latest rugby news. After a Christmas period light on on-field action, there's only Connacht vs Munster to discuss - and none of the lads were impressed with the standard on show. While Andy Friend's side continue to build, Luke and Rud both have major questions about Munster's prospects of success after another game where their attack struggled. The lads then discuss the fixture chaos in club rugby, in particular with Leinster, who have only played three games in ten weeks, as well as the decision to give Conor Murray a new two-year central contract. Finally, the lads discuss the to-do list for new IRFU CEO Kevin Potts, who is replacing Philip Browne. For more Left Wing episodes and rugby stories visit the show page at: www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/the-left-wing/

On the last Left Wing of the year, Will Slattery and Luke Fitzgerald are joined by Rúaidhrí O'Connor to discuss all the latest rugby news. For the second year in a row, Munster's St Stephen's Day clash at home to Leinster has been shelved due to Covid - Rud gives a state of play in what is a messy situation for Leo Cullen's side. The lads then turn their attention to Munster's win over Castres, while Rud also puts forward Declan Kidney as a possible replacement for Johann van Graan. The chat then turns to the news that Ultan Dillane is leaving Connacht at the end of the season to move to France and Will thinks that more fringe Ireland players would benefit from a move abroad, while Luke isn't so sure. For more Left Wing episodes and rugby stories visit the show page at: www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/the-left-wing/

On this week's episode of The Left Wing, Will Slattery and Luke Fitzgerald are joined by Cian Tracey to pick through all the latest news. The lads start off with a discussion about Munster's future after the announcement that head coach Johann van Graan will leave at the end of the season - is it time for Ronan O'Gara to finally come home? On the pitch, Munster enjoyed a bumper win at Wasps last Sunday, with the young guns making a big step up and Luke thinks it is time for the younger players to be trusted more. The chat then turns to Connacht's big win, as well as the form of Jack Carty and where he sits in the Ireland pecking order. Leinster's Covid situation, Ulster's upset win in Clermont and the state of women's rugby are all up for discussion too. For more Left Wing episodes and rugby stories visit the show page at: www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/the-left-wing/

On this week's episode of The Left Wing, Will Slattery and Luke Fitzgerald are joined for a bumper Champions Cup preview by Cian Tracey. Will starts things off by asking Cian and Luke who the best team in Europe is right now - the consensus seems to be that it is between Toulouse and Leinster. For Leo Cullen's side, it is coming up to four years since they last won the Champions Cup - how much pressure is on Leinster to deliver? Cian thinks they have a power deficit to make up with the top teams while Luke thinks their mindset has to be right to win it again. Meanwhile, Munster are looking to produce another European miracle against Wasps this weekend while there is also uncertainty around their coach Johann van Graan, while there are also question marks around Ulster and Connacht ahead of the tournament kick-off. The lads round things off by discussing the teams outside of Ireland that they are looking forward to seeing, and then give their predictions for the eventual winners. For more Left Wing episodes and rugby stories visit the show page at: www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/the-left-wing/

On this week's episode of The Left Wing, Rúaidhrí O'Connor and Luke Fitzgerald are joined by The Belfast Telegraph Rugby Correspondent Jonathan Bradley to talk about Munster's Covid-19 nightmare in South Africa, Ulster's big win at the RDS and Connacht's superb performance against Ospreys. With news that a large number of the Irish province's travelling party are expected to return home overnight, Luke and Jonathan assess the impact the episode will have on Munster's campaign and the season on the whole. On Saturday night, Ulster claimed a famous win in Ballsbridge and both guests were full of praise for Dan McFarland's sides approach as they assessed James Hume's contribution and the place in the Leinster and Ireland pecking order of Leinster out-half Harry Byrne. Leo Cullen had some harsh words for his players after the game and Luke reckons some will have a tough time getting back into the team, with Connacht on their way to the RDS this Friday. The Western province was sublime in the rain in Galway last Friday night, sweeping Ospreys aside with Mack Hansen giving a really impressive display that caught the eye. With Europe looming large, it's another big round of games this weekend as the provinces look to launch into their Champions Cup campaign. For more Left Wing episodes and rugby stories visit the show page at: www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/the-left-wing/

On this week's episode of The Left Wing, Will Slattery and Luke Fitzgerald are joined by Ulster out-half Ian Madigan to look back at the autumn internationals. Ireland finished November with three impressive wins from three games, and Ian was very pleased to see how the team's style of play has developed. After discussing Ireland's win over Argentina, the lads move on to the big question after the autumn tests - who is the best team in the world? Luke and Ian are in agreement that despite suffering a defeat to England, South Africa are the team to beat. Will and Luke then talk to Ian about his frustrating season to date, after initially suffering an injury, he is now looking to break back into the Ulster squad. For more Left Wing episodes and rugby stories visit the show page at: www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/the-left-wing/

On the latest episode of The Left Wing, Will Slattery and Luke Fitzgerald are joined by Cian Tracey and Ruaidhrí O'Connor to look back at Ireland's impressive win over the All Blacks. Will kicks off by asking Rud what his big take-away from the game is – and he was left very impressed by how dominant Andy Farrell's team were. Cian thinks the bravery with the ball-in-hand shown by Ireland was noteworthy while Luke was surprised by how poor New Zealand's handling was under pressure. Ireland's front row power, Jamison Gibson-Park's speedy service and the balance of the back three is all up for the discussion too. Rud and Cian also weigh in on what has been another controversial period for the women's game in Ireland after Director of Women's Rugby Anthony Eddy came under fire for an interview he gave last week. For more Left Wing episodes and rugby stories visit the show page at: www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/the-left-wing/

On this week's episode of The Left Wing, Will Slattery and Luke Fitzgerald are joined by Cian Tracey and New Zealand rugby journalist Liam Napier to look ahead to Ireland vs the All Blacks. To start off, Will, Luke and Cian look back at the big win over Japan - how much can be read into Ireland's impressive victory? Ireland offloaded far more than in previous matches, but Luke has an interesting view on whether this represents a new departure for the team. Liam then joins the lads to give the view from New Zealand. He says there are a number of question marks over the All Blacks, with the biggest one being the battle between Beauden Barrett and Richie Mo'unga at out-half. The lads then give their predictions - with Luke expecting New Zealand to leave the Aviva Stadium with a 15-point win. For more Left Wing episodes and rugby stories visit the show page at: www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/the-left-wing/

On this week's episode of The Left Wing, Will Slattery and Luke Fitzgerald are joined by Ruaidhrí O'Connor to look ahead to the autumn tests. We are at the midway point between World Cups, so how has Andy Farrell fared to date? Luke and Ruaidhri give their assessment of the positives and negatives of Farrell's tenure ahead of a crucial November period. Talk then turns to Ireland's schedule this month, starting with Japan, before the visit of the All Blacks and then Argentina. What would constitute a successful window for Ireland? Luke thinks a win in all three games is achievable. The lads then discuss all the questions surrounding Eddie Jones and England heading into November, following an article about Jones' abrasive style of management. For more Left Wing episodes and rugby stories visit the show page at: www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/the-left-wing/

On this week's episode of The Left Wing, Will Slattery and Luke Fitzgerald are joined by Cian Tracey to discuss all the latest rugby news. The lads kick off by discussing Johnny Sexton's comments about Ireland's fresh approach to the World Cup, with the team now actively speaking about the tournament two years in advance. Is it a good idea or is there a danger that the pressure to finally deliver a World Cup semi-final place will build even more? The chat then moves onto Connacht's big win over Ulster, with Jack Carty once again outplaying an out-half rival - but there's still no place for him in the Ireland squad. Munster's disappointing defeat to the Ospreys, the hooker battle at Leinster and Greg McWilliams' appointment as the head coach of the Ireland women's team are all up for discussion too. For more Left Wing episodes and rugby stories visit the show page at: www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/the-left-wing/

On this week's episode of The Left Wing, Will Slattery and Luke Fitzgerald are joined by Ruaidhrí O'Connor to pick through Andy Farrell's Ireland squad for the autumn series. Dan Sheehan and Ciaran Frawley are the two uncapped players named while there is a return for Simon Zebo after 4.5 years in international exile. Although Farrell has named a strong squad, will Ireland be undercooked with no big European games to prime the players for November? The lads also discuss the out-half selection - a position that they agree is a 'problem area' for the team'. Ireland's exciting front row, the back three battle and the standard of officiating in the URC are all up for discussion too. For more Left Wing episodes and rugby stories visit the show page at: www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/the-left-wing/

On this week's episode of The Left Wing, Will Slattery and Luke Fitzgerald are joined by Jonathan Bradley of The Belfast Telegraph to discuss all the latest rugby news. The lads kick off by asking Jonathan about the state of Ulster rugby as the province moves into their fourth year under head coach Dan McFarland. The signing of Duane Vermeulen, John Cooney's uncertain future and the emergence of Nathan Doak are all up for discussion. The chat then moves onto Munster and the rotten injury luck suffered by the team and their Springbok signing RG Snyman, who has suffered an ACL injury for the second straight season. However, there are some positives with the performance of the province's young guns. The lads finish up by taking a look at the out-half landscape in Ireland and debating whether a Club World Cup is worth pursuing at the expense of the Champions Cup. For more Left Wing episodes and rugby stories visit the show page at: www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/the-left-wing/

On the latest episode of The Left Wing, Will Slattery and Luke Fitzgerald are joined by Cian Tracey to discuss all the latest rugby news. The lads kick off with a look at how the South African sides have fared over the opening two weekends of the URC. With seven defeats from eight, it has been a tough opening for the four new franchises and the lads discuss the challenges facing the quartet as they look to make their mark. It was a good weekend for the provinces with four wins from four, but while Connacht and Munster will be particularly happy with two big wins over South African opposition, Leinster won't be pleased with their laboured win over Dragons. Finally, the lads look back at the titanic clash between the All Blacks and the Springboks, and assess which country is the best in the world at the moment. For more Left Wing episodes and rugby stories visit the show page at: www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/the-left-wing/

The Left Wing is back for another season and Will Slattery and Luke Fitzgerald are joined for the first episode by Ruaidhrí O'Connor and former Ireland international Alison Miller. The panel kick things off with a post-mortem of Ireland's failure to qualify for the Women's World Cup after a disastrous defeat to Scotland last weekend. Alison says that change is needed at the top of the sport to ensure women's rugby in Ireland can get back on its feet. The discussion then turns to the United Rugby Championship, which kicked off over the weekend. Will the arrival of four new South African teams provide a much-needed boost for the league? Munster are the team that are most interesting heading into the new campaign, with question marks over the future of their coaching staff as well as the return of Simon Zebo to Thomond Park. For more Left Wing episodes and rugby stories visit the show page at: https://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/the-left-wing/

On this week's episode of The Left Wing, Will Slattery and Luke Fitzgerald are joined by Ruaidhri O'Connor to discuss the Lions test team and look ahead to Saturday's clash with the Springboks. Warren Gatland has once again sprung a number of selection surprises, with Conor Murray forced to settle for a place on the bench after the head coach opted to start Scotland's Ali Price. The lads discuss all the key Irish selection decisions, with Tadhg Furlong, Jack Conan and Robbie Henshaw named to start while Tadhg Beirne joins Murray on the bench. The bench make-up and South Africa's formidable starting team are also discussed while Luke and Ruaidhri also give their predictions for the first test - and they both think the Springboks will come out on top.

On tonight's episode of The Left Wing, Will Slattery and Luke Fitzgerald are joined by Neil Francis to discuss the Lions' defeat to South Africa A and look ahead to the test series. Warren Gatland's side were beaten by Rassie Erasmus' shadow-Springbok selection in a game that saw the tour really kick into gear. Luke and Neil give their thoughts on the Lions' tactics in attack, as well as weighing in on some of the key selection decisions at out-half and in the centre. Warren Gatland's decision to bring out Marcus Smith instead of Johnny Sexton is also up for discussion too, while the lads also touch on Alun Wyn Jones' remarkable injury recovery that saw him fly to South Africa 18 days after dislocating his shoulder.

On the latest episode of The Left Wing, Will Slattery and Luke Fitzgerald are joined by Cian Tracey to discuss a crazy day on the Lions Tour. Two positive Covid cases - one in the coaching group and one in the playing squad - left the game against the Sharks in doubt, and although it ultimately went ahead, Warren Gatland was forced to rejig his team. With uncertainty surrounding the players who are currently isolating, the lads discuss the viability of the tour. Luke thinks that it should still go ahead while Cian is concerned that the integrity of the test series could be compromised if key men are ruled out for Covid reasons. The chat then moves on to the players who have impressed, with everyone in agreement that Iain Henderson is in with a great chance of starting the test series while Luke thinks that Elliot Daly could make a charge at 13. The lads finish up by looking back at Ireland's win over Japan and discuss whether Andy Farrell should have given his young guns more game time.

On this week's episode of The Left Wing, Will Slattery and Luke Fitzgerald are joined by former Scotland international Jim Hamilton to discuss all the latest Lions news. The show kicks off with a discussion on whether the Lions should be travelling to South Africa at all given the Covid situation there, with the lads saying that sport can be an important tool to give people enjoyment during tough times. Then they move onto Warren Gatland's surprise decision to make Conor Murray the Lions captain, with Luke and Jim both surprised that the Ireland scrum-half was given the honour. What does it say about the form of Owen Farrell and Maro Itoje? After a poor season for club and country, Jim says that the Saracens contingent in the Lions squad are under pressure to perform. Luke and Will also look ahead to Ireland's game against Japan this weekend, with the visitors looking sharp in attack in their game against the Lions.

On this week's episode of The Left Wing, Will Slattery and Luke Fitzgerald discuss Warren Gatland's first Lions selection and are joined by Sevens stars Billy Dardis and Harry McNulty to discuss Ireland's historic Olympic qualification. The lads kick off the podcast by talking about what a good performance against Japan this weekend could mean for the Lions' Irish contingent, and about how important it is to get off to a strong start on tour. Will and Luke are then joined by Billy and Harry, who over the weekend played a huge part as Ireland booked their place in Tokyo. They tell the lads about the long six-year journey from a third-division tournament in Bosnia to reaching the biggest tournament in the sport. The two lads talk about all the ups and downs, as well as giving an insight into the day-to-day and week-to-week life of a professional Sevens player.