The Counter Ruck

Sign up to The Counter Ruck, the new weekly rugby newsletter from the Irish Times. Led by Rugby Correspondent Gerry Thornley, this newsletter provides exclusive content on international rugby, the Champions Cup, URC and women's rugby, and also a selection of our best rugby articles from the week. Sign up now to get all the angles on Irish rugby.

Gerry Thornley: France-New Zealand could be the best match of the Autumn Nations Series

There’s something about a November clash in Paris and all the more so on a Saturday night

Fri Nov 15 2024 - 17:18

Gerry Thornley: Set-piece will be crucial if Ireland are to beat All Blacks

With Tadhg Furlong out, recalling Iain Henderson to the bench adds some horsepower

Fri Nov 08 2024 - 17:30

Gerry Thornley: All Blacks starting Beauden Barrett at outhalf brings intrigue

Irish eyes will be trailed firmly on the events at Twickenham

Fri Nov 01 2024 - 17:46

Gerry Thornley: Fans voting with their feet as Leinster stay on the front foot

The comfort of the Aviva Stadium and strong early-season selections have piqued the interest of supporters

Fri Oct 25 2024 - 17:51

Gerry Thornley: Anthony Foley’s spirit lives on eight years after his untimely death

The larger-than-life number eight was at the core of the Irish rugby renaissance

Fri Oct 18 2024 - 15:48

Painting RG Snyman into the role of villain is plain daft

Rarely can the presence of one player have prompted so much intrigue in the rich history of Leinster v Munster battles

Fri Oct 11 2024 - 16:42

Some Australians greet Joe Schmidt’s box-kicking approach like an invasive species

Former Wallaby international Matt Toomua wasn’t happy with the amount of kicking from scrumhalf in victory over Wales

Fri Jul 12 2024 - 16:18

Ireland’s last encounter against South Africa at Loftus Versfeld descended into violence

Pretoria ground’s status as a graveyard for Ireland’s ambitions has remained largely intact since that infamous 1998 game

Fri Jul 05 2024 - 16:39

Gerry Thornley: Once again the Champions Cup final rescues the tournament

Teams such as the Bulls fielding weakened sides has harmed competitive balance while the jury is still out on South Africa’s participation

Fri May 24 2024 - 17:05

Gerry Thornley: Giving the Aviva Stadium to Uefa for five weeks is patently ridiculous

As rugby competes with concert season - not to mind the Europa League final - the sport is battling to hold onto its own venues

Fri May 17 2024 - 19:44

Gerry Thornley: Fans in Croke Park next weekend will be there for the rugby, nothing else

Sold out Croke Park unlikely to field company clients and day-trippers to the same extent as Six Nations clashes at the Aviva

Fri Apr 26 2024 - 18:30

Gerry Thornley: Munster’s coffers would benefit from a rare home knockout tie

Province hasn’t hosted a playoff game in Thomond Park in either the URC or Champions Cup since the European tie two seasons ago against Exeter

Fri Apr 19 2024 - 18:59

Gerry Thornley: Champions Cup quarter-finals tend to produce best rugby and drama

Leinster-La Rochelle looking like most competitive game, with home teams heavy favourites

Fri Apr 12 2024 - 16:08

Gerry Thornley: Results can often defy logic in the Champions Cup

Up-and-down form guides make forecasting this weekend’s eight ties fiendishly difficult

Fri Apr 05 2024 - 19:35

Gerry Thornley: Man management is key for Leinster after long season for Irish players

We should never forget or underplay how much a World Cup campaign takes out of players

Fri Mar 22 2024 - 18:32

Gerry Thornley: Six Nations organisers hope to avoid nightmare end scenario

Ireland could lose to Scotland and win the championship with losing bonus point

Fri Mar 15 2024 - 15:07

Gerry Thornley: Irish stars set to follow in footsteps of Mike Gibson

At Twickenham tomorrow Ireland could equal that run of five successive wins over the auld enemy

Fri Mar 08 2024 - 17:19

Gerry Thornley: France’s decline has damaged the Six Nations spectacle

The joie de vivre the French club players have been playing has been replaced by joylessness for the national team

Fri Mar 01 2024 - 16:10

Gerry Thornley: Confident Gatland comes to Dublin ‘with belief, not hope’

Never shy of stoking a few pre-match embers, the Wales coach has pointedly referenced Ireland’s World Cup quarter-final defeat to the All Blacks

Fri Feb 23 2024 - 17:26

Gerry Thornley: Sport is inconsistent, so referee decisions will be too

By reducing TMO’s scope to overturn an onfield decision, reviews can fly in the face of technology

Fri Feb 16 2024 - 17:21

Gerry Thornley: Top 14 and All-Ireland League have chance to shine outside of Six Nations

Full houses across France last weekend could give the URC pause for thought about postponing matches during the tournament

Fri Feb 09 2024 - 18:28

Gerry Thornley: From the Algarve to France, it’s hard to ignore the World Cup memories

It was a familiar week for Ireland with a pre-tournament training camp in the Algarve followed by a trip to Marseille

Fri Feb 02 2024 - 09:20

Who is Maxime Lucu, the man set to replace Antoine Dupont?

‘It will be different with Maxime, I don’t think he will try and be Dupont, he will play his own game but he does have some similar strengths’

Mon Jan 29 2024 - 16:51

Gerry Thornley: Joe Schmidt taking Australia job adds intrigue to the Lions tour

Former Ireland coach had his imprint all over New Zealand’s victory against his former team in the Rugby World Cup

Fri Jan 19 2024 - 15:11

Gerry Thornley: Nienaber’s influence all over Leinster’s interest in RG Snyman

Munster will now fear that history will repeat itself after Snyman’s injuries

Fri Dec 15 2023 - 18:00

Gerry Thornley: How long will the concept of the Lions stay relevant?

The tour has become more of a corporate venture while player welfare concerns continue to be prevalent

Fri Dec 08 2023 - 17:15

Gerry Thornley: High-class French sides loom into view ahead of Champions Cup

Stuart Lancaster is already having a big impact at Racing 92, with a game against Ulster coming up this month

Fri Dec 01 2023 - 16:15

Gerry Thornley: Antoine Dupont’s switch to Sevens has political implications

FFR’s Florian Grill’s sanction of Dupont to play Olympics over Six Nations must play well with the French government

Fri Nov 17 2023 - 17:42

Gerry Thornley: Extending Bundee Aki’s contract is good business from IRFU

Ireland centre is playing some of the best rugby of his life and was nominated for World Player of the Year

Fri Oct 27 2023 - 17:58

Gerry Thornley: Unpopular Borthwick has free shot to upset favourites South Africa

Rugby World Cup semi-final build-up felt anticlimactic with hosts and best supported visiting side out of the tournament

Fri Oct 20 2023 - 13:44

Gerry Thornley: Gone are the days that the All Blacks could name only one Ireland player

Ireland v New Zealand countdown: There was a time when it was Brian O’Driscoll and 14 others in green jerseys . . . now all has changed, changed utterly

Fri Oct 13 2023 - 15:41

Gerry Thornley: Streets of Tours echo with Irish laughter as Ireland relax ahead of crucial Scotland match

Rugby World Cup base in Tours was perfect for Andy Farrell’s men for reasons ranging from practical to historical

Fri Oct 06 2023 - 15:46

Gerry Thornley: Rugby doesn’t have the depth of quality to justify an expanded World Cup

Reports that the 2027 and 2031 Rugby World Cups are to be expanded from 20 to 24 teams come as no surprise

Fri Sept 29 2023 - 17:10

Gerry Thornley: Antoine Dupont’s injury again highlights the toll on modern-day rugby players

Any World Cup which loses the world’s best player is simply the poorer for his absence

Fri Sept 22 2023 - 15:07