The Leinster Listen

Episode 78, and we're back with another Leinster Club Interview on The Leinster Listen, this time with Tullow RFC being represented by Paddy Browne. A Carlow club founded in 1928 and reborn in 1971 at John Browne Park in the Blackgates, now in Leinster League Division 1A with three Towns Cup wins (2017, 2023, and 2024), a clubhouse Bernard Jackman once called home, and the same Browne, Roche, Dawson, and Kenny families still woven through the place.🏉 Who they are; Paddy Browne on his name, role, and a club with roots back to 1928💚 What makes them different; rural Carlow identity, community depth, and life at the Blackgates👩‍🦰 Women's rugby; how the women's game fits Tullow today📜 Club history; the stop-start early years, the 1971 relaunch, and Towns Cup glory🎯 Challenges and ambition; retaining players, competing at 1A level⭐ Legends and grounds; the players people still mention📍 How to join; training nights, the Blackgates, and how to get in touch via tullowrfc.com

Episode 77, and we're back on the men's side — Leinster's first game at the redeveloped Laya Arena in over two years. Zebre Parma visit Donnybrook on Saturday for a pre-season test event before the URC title defence kicks off against Cardiff on the 23rd. Here is what I'm hitting on this week's episode:🏉 Pre-season context; Zebre's 21-21 draw with Benetton, Leinster's 31-29 loss at LOU Lyon, and what to expect from a capped-attendance friendly at the RDS📋 Match details; kick-off, venue, weather, tickets, and the Laya Arena return after two seasons at the Aviva👕 Team lineups; Zebre were too afraid to release theirs🔮 Score prediction; Leinster 47-22, MOTM Caspar Gabriel

Episode 76, and the women's interpro season ends where Episode 75 feared it might — with Beth Buttimer and the Munster maul writing the script again. After the 39-19 Cork loss, the Connacht response, and an eleven-try rout of Ulster in Belfast, Sarah Delaney's Leinster side met Matt Brown's unbeaten champions at Dexcom Stadium for the Vodafone Women's Interprovincial Championship final. Munster won 14-5, claimed their 17th title, and completed a second successive clean sweep. Ruth Campbell's injury and Leinster's red-zone wastefulness will sting long after Galway. Here is what I'm hitting on this week's episode:🏉 Vodafone Women's Interprovincial Championship match results; Connacht vs Ulster in the third-place play-off and Leinster vs Munster in the championship final — plus the final standings after Finals Day.📊 Overall opinion of the game; Prediction check from Episode 75, the maul question answered, Campbell's injury, and why Leinster could not turn territory into points.🔍 Analysis of the game events; Scrums, lineouts, defence, and attack — with a full match timeline from Breen's early yellow to Buttimer's title-sealing maul try.🏆 Vodafone Women's Interprovincial Championship positioning after this weekend; Munster's back-to-back titles, Ulster's play-off revenge, and what the 2026 table looks like now the competition is complete.🎙️ Discussion Point; Leinster's preseason friendly with Lyon — quick opinion on the men's 31-29 loss at Gerland the night before Finals Day, the fringe-player runout, and whether the leaky edge defence is a concern before the URC.

Episode 75, and it's the one we've been building towards all month. After the Munster mauling in Cork, the Connacht response at Energia Park, and an eleven-try demolition of Ulster in Belfast, Sarah Delaney's Leinster side meet Matt Brown's unbeaten champions at Dexcom Stadium for the Vodafone Women's Interprovincial Championship final. Fourth Leinster-Munster decider in four years — revenge for the 39-19 Round 1 loss and last year's 50-15 hammering, or another Munster coronation on the west coast. Here is what I'm hitting on this week's episode:🏉 Vodafone Women's Interprovincial Championship Finals Day predictions; My calls for Connacht vs Ulster in the third-place play-off and Leinster vs Munster in the championship final — plus the final table after Round 3.🏟️ Details of our game; Kick-off, Galway weather, Spórt TG4 coverage, and Finals Day referee appointments.📋 Team lineups; Full confirmed XVs — Govender brings O'Brien and Jordan back with a 6:2 bench, Brown restores O'Leary and Cahill as Clohessy misses out.🎯 Score and POTM Prediction; Form, the fourth final in four years, recent Leinster-Munster history, my scoreline call, and who I've gone for as player of the match.

Episode 74, and we're back with another Leinster Club Interview on The Leinster Listen — this time with Balbriggan RFC. A North Dublin junior club founded in 1925 at Bowhill in Balrothery, with men's sides in Leinster League Division 2A, women's teams in Division 1 and Division 6, thriving minis and youths, and a Stingers disability tag team, plus a history that runs from the 1928 Towns Cup to Alma Atagamen in the Ireland women's squad. Here is what we cover in this episode:🏉 **Who they are**; name, role, and a club founded in 1925 on the Rope Walk and reborn through youths rugby in 1967💚 **What makes them different**; green and white identity, North Dublin roots, and a club that helped pioneer youths rugby in Leinster👩‍🦰 **Women's rugby**; Division 1 and 2XV sides, the 1990s team, the 2014 revival, and players like Alma Atagamen on the provincial and international stage🤝 **Community and Leinster Rugby**; volunteers, minis and youths, the out reach and all the things Balbriggan do to bring Rugby to the area🎯 **Challenges and ambition**; retaining players, competing for young talent, and where Balbriggan want to be in five years📍 **How to join**; training on Tuesday and Thursday nights, youth and mini schedules, and how to get in touch via balbrigganrfc.com