Ahead of this year's Cheltenham Festival, Johnny Ward is joined by Donn McClean and Dublin footballer John Small to discuss the biggest week in the racing calendar. 

Ballymun Kickhams star Small talks about his racing background and the influence of his late father Declan, while Donn reveals his inter-county past with the Louth minor footballers. 

Then the lads get stuck into previewing a bumper four days of racing with plenty of tips and the latest William Hill prices.

18+, always gamble responsibly. For more information, see gamblingtherapy.org

The Punt with William Hill: Episode 6, Cheltenham 2021 preview

Gavan Casey and Gavin Cooney are joined by boxing journalist Joe O'Neill to preview Katie Taylor's undisputed lightweight title defence against old rival Natasha Jonas on Saturday - with predictions and the latest William Hill odds.  

Then footballer writer David Sneyd gives his thoughts on why the game should be secondary when Man United face Liverpool this weekend. 

18+, always gamble responsibly. For more information, see gamblingtherapy.org

The Punt with William Hill: Episode 7, Taylor's title defence & United-Liverpool

We have reached our 75th episode, so this arbitrarily significant milestone gives us a chance to pause for breath and reflect on some of the highlights of the year so far. 

So, listen as Simon Kuper explains the influence of Eamon Dunphy and details what a night out with an elite footballer is really like nowadays; Stephen Jones defends himself from our listeners’ charge that he is “anti-Irish”; and ESPN’s Wright Thompson reveals why Tiger Woods and Michael Jordan have fallen out. Plus, Marcela Mora y Araujo tells an extraordinary tale of how the victims of the military junta were treated during the 1978 World Cup , and Michael Calvin reflects on the profoundly moving experience of co-writing Gareth Thomas’ autobiography.

If you want to gain access to the full 75-episode back catalogue of Behind the Lines, along with a new episode every week, then subscribe for €5 a month or €42 a year at members.the42.ie

Now That's What I Call Behind The Lines, Vol 5

A free clip from our exclusive members Rugby Weekly Extra podcast (17/05)as Eoin Toolan joins Murray Kinsella to discuss the latest inter-pros and all the action in Super Rugby, as well as the upcoming Top League final in Japan.

To hear the full podcast, and get lots more benefits, join The42 Membership today at http://members.the42.ie/#podcasts for less than 12 cent a day.

Highlights: Rugby Weekly Extra: A fiery affair in Limerick, James Ryan roars, & Trans-Tasman thrills

A free clip from our exclusive members Rugby Weekly Extra podcast(24/05)as Eoin Toolan joins Murray Kinsella to discuss the 2021 Champions Cup final and Eoin's experiences as an analyst in Japan.

To hear the full podcast, and get lots more benefits, join The42 Membership today at members.the42.ie/#podcasts for less than 12 cent a day.

Highlights: Rugby Weekly Extra: Woe for ROG, Richie Mo'unga on fire, and experiences in Japan

It has been a Lions Tour riddled with setbacks, but Saturday sees Warren Gatland's side face the reigning world champions South Africa in the first of three Tests. 

To preview the opening game in Cape Town as well as the series as a whole, The42's Gavan Casey and Ciaran Kennedy are joined by South African rugby writer Brenden Nel, who gives his take on events so far.  

18+, always gamble responsibly. For more information, see gamblingtherapy.org

The Punt with William Hill: Episode 10, Lions Tour

Gavin Cooney joins David Sneyd and Shane Keegan in the aftermath of the World Cup final as he attempts to sum up what this means to Messi and Argentina.

The Football Family: For football, for Argentina, for Messi

On The Right Wing - Neymar's backing of Bolsonaro

In the second episode of the series, Enda Coll explores the world of German football and its heterogeneous fan culture. Charting the rise of hooliganism in the country from the 1980's onwards, he looks at the clamping down on football by authorities after the World Cup in France in 1998, the rise of the Ultra scene, the role that some football hooligans played in the anti-lockdown protests during COVID and the Neo-Nazis in that group, who are training professionally in gyms.

Get the full podcast by subscribing - The42.ie/podcasts/

On the Right Wing - Ep2: Germany - The lateral thinkers

In a special edition of Behind the Lines, The Journal Editor, Sinead O'Carroll takes over hosting duties of the podcast. She's joined in studio by journalist and broadcaster Cliona Foley, by Irish Times sports writer Mary Hannigan and by The 42's Emma Duffy. They discuss their careers working in the sports media as women, the early days of covering women's sport and how it has developed, the struggles they still face fighting for proper coverage of women's sport and they look ahead to the excitement of the Women's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

Behind the Lines - Women's World Cup Special

In the third episode of the series, Enda Coll explores the world of Italian football and why the league has historically had issues with fascist showcasing inside their grounds. To do so, he goes back in time with Simon - author of 'Football and Fascism: The National Game under Mussolini' - to understand how much Italy's fascist past impacts the modern-day league.

Plus, Italian football writer Paddy Agnew explains how organised crime has infiltrated the stadiums, how they use the ultra movement to their advantage and the issues the authorities have had when trying to deal with it.

On the Right Wing - Ep3: Italy - The Phoenix of Fascism

In the fourth and penultimate episode of The42’s exclusive podcast series ‘On the Right Wing’, Enda Coll explores the role that former football hooligans played in the establishment and rise of the right-wing group The English Defence League. 

With Professor Jon Garland from the University of Surrey, they track the birth of the group, the overlap in those involved with previous football firm members, and the EDL stands out as a unique occurrence. 

Plus, Senior football news reporter with the Athletic, Matt Slater joins to discuss the improvement in fan behaviour through the 1990s and beyond, but how there was fear that antisocial behavior was on the rise in the post-COVID seasons.

On the Right Wing: The English Defence League, the Euros and the rise of cocaine use

We’re back!

Kicking off a new series run of Behind the Lines is Professor of History at UCD, Paul Rouse. Get the full episode by subscribing to The42 now!

Across a sprawling, fascinating conversation, we discuss Paul’s new book, Sport in Modern Irish Life, and how he broke new ground to give sport the academic rigour and respect it warrants. Paul explains why ‘sportswashing’ does not adequately explain the involvement of nation states in modern sport, and we also discuss how the GAA adopted convenient but false stories in its early decades to align itself with political nationalism. Why did the GAA do this, what damage did it cause, and what is the legacy of this mythmaking today? Paul also lays out the difficult questions the GAA must ask itself to make itself fit for purpose in modern-day Ireland.

Paul also defends the spectacle of modern-day Gaelic football, explains what everyone got wrong about Saipan, and runs us through his lecture series on Muhammad Ali and picks the sportsperson whose career and life could be used to explain the world today.

Writing-wise, Paul recommends:
The Pursuit of Perfection: The Life, Death and Legacy of Cormac McAnallen by Dónal McAnallen
The Hurley Maker’s Son by Patrick Deeley
The Grass Ceiling by Eimear Ryan

Behind the Lines: Paul Rouse

Eoin Toolan reflects on Australia's disastrous Rugby World Cup campaign on Wednesday's episode of Rugby Weekly Extra.

To hear the full pod, subscribe now at the42.ie/extra.

'The appointment of Eddie Jones has been an unmitigated disaster'

The Athletic reporter has made his name with a series of big stories.

Adam Crafton on why he prefers sports news to sports writing

How to change a culture in elite sport

'Different Irish team to the one Joe Schmidt coached'

'No one better than Joe Schmidt at exploiting weaknesses'

Should Sexton have played the full 80 minutes?

'There's just some things said and done which clearly are not true'

'There's going to be so much pressure on Barnes'

'Ulster need more from their middle tier players'

Gavin Cooney picks out some of his favourite moments from the recent BTL series, including interviews with Vincent Hogan, Denis Walsh and Paul Rouse.

Behind the Lines - the best of 2023

Former Ireland head coach Eddie O'Sullivan joins Murray Kinsella to preview Ireland's third game of the 2017 Six Nations Championship against France.

The Rugby Show #16: Preview of Ireland v France with Eddie O'Sullivan

Murray Kinsella is joined by Johne Murphy to look ahead to Friday night's Six Nations showdown between Wales and Ireland in Cardiff.

Theme music credit: Pitx - Found Smoke (Creative Commons licence)

The Rugby Show #18: Wales's plan of attack, unlocking Ireland's dummy loop

In the final test of the Lions 2017 tour of New Zealand, a 15-15 scoreline meant that they drew a series for the second time, with the last time being the 1955 tour of South Africa. Murray Kinsella joined Gavan Casey from New Zealand with his reaction to the match, including the late penalty that Romain Poite denied, which could have changed the result.

The Rugby Show #33: Lions draw a series for the second time in history

Former Irish centre Lynne Cantwell  joins Gavan Casey to look back at Ireland's opening match of the 2017 Women's Rugby World Cup against Australia.

The Rugby Show #35: Ireland's World Cup off to a nail-biting start

Gavan Casey is joined by boxers Jason Quigley and Eric Donovan, as well as UFC fighter Joe Duffy, who beat Conor McGregor by submission a few years ago, to preview the big fight in Vegas tomorrow night. We'll also hear from Conor's coach, John Kavanagh, about his future in the octagon/ ring.

Close Calls #3: McGregor v Mayweather preview

Former Kildare captain Johnny Doyle joins Gavan Casey and Kevin O'Brien to look back at Sunday's historic win for Dublin and to look at what's next for a disappointed Mayo team.

The GAA Show #6: All-Ireland reaction with Johnny Doyle

The Independent's chief football writer, Miguel Delaney, joined Gavan Casey and Ben Blake ahead of Liverpool and Manchester United's huge game this weekend. The lads look at the key match-ups in the game, as well as casting a quick eye back to Ireland's win in Cardiff on Monday. We also have some input from Colm 'Gooch' Cooper, an avid Liverpool fan, on how he thinks the game will go. With thanks to EirSport.

Close Calls #9: Miguel Delaney on Liverpool's defence, United's big men and Hodgson hating 007

Mayo star and GWS Giant Cora Staunton joins Emma Duffy and Jackie Cahill from Sydney to chat about her new life and look at the first few games of the ladies football league.

The Ladies Football Show #1 with Cora Staunton

Emma Duffy is joined by Clare and UL's Laurie Ryan and Galway and UCD's Nicola Ward, who will both be taking part in the O'Connor Cup this weekend.

The Ladies Football Show #2: O'Connor Cup preview with Laurie Ryan and Nicola Ward

Tyrone's Neamh Woods and Armagh's Caroline O'Hanlon, two members of Northern Ireland's netball team at this year's Commonwealth Games, join Emma Duffy to chat about their inter-county and international careers.

The Ladies Football Show #6: Live from the Commonwealth Games with Neamh Woods and Caroline O'Hanlon

Tipp manager Shane Ronayne and Meath captain Niamh O'Sullivan join Emma Duffy to preview a big weekend in football, with the league finals taking place this weekend.

The Ladies Football Show #8: Tipperary's Shane Ronayne and Meath's Niamh O'Sullivan

Murray Kinsella joined Gavan Casey following the post-match press conferences in Suncorp Stadium after Ireland's loss to Australia.

The Rugby Show #50: Reaction from Brisbane as Ireland suffer first loss in 15 months

Former Manchester United captain Gary Neville chats to Ryan Bailey about the upcoming Liam Miller tribute match, his World Cup punditry and how he sees the new Premier League season shaping up.

Gary Neville on Liam Miller, Roy Keane versus Ian Wright, the new season and much more

'We don't really want to take the medals off because then you're back to reality'

When the Irish women's hockey team reached the World Cup final in London, it was a first for an Irish team. Chloe Watkins, who scored the penalty that put them through to the semi-final, called in to the office to talk about how special an experience it was.

Irish hockey's Chloe Watkins reflects on reaching the World Cup final and making her 200th cap

Fresh off their victory at the World Rowing Championships, Skibbereen's Gary and Paul O'Donovan join Ryan Bailey to chat about their gold medal race, life after rowing and the upcoming Olympic cycle.

One on One: Gary and Paul O'Donovan on life after rowing, being world champions and Tokyo 2020

This week’s Behind The Lines is a special episode as part of The42’s Genius Week, in which we celebrate the genius of the late Hugh McIlvanney. We’re delighted to be joined by Gary Lineker to do so, who became a friend of McIlvanney’s, and delivered a eulogy at his funeral.

Gary also shares his memories of McIlvanney, and his opinions on what made him the best sportswriter of them all. 

(We also learn a bit about Lineker’s fledgling sportswriting career before he got on with the business of being one of the greatest goalscorers in English football history.)

McIlvanney is the most-cited writer across our 29 episodes to date, and this episode also features contributions from Donald McRae, Alan English, Miguel Delaney and Danny Kelly. 

Behind the Lines is available exclusively to members of the42. To sign up and gain access to a host of podcast series, special offers and exclusive newsletters, insights and stories, head over to members.the42.ie. 

Get in touch with the show - email behindthelines@the42.ie, or tweet @gcooney93.

Behind The Lines: The genius of Hugh McIlvanney

NFL analyst Sam Monson of PFF and Steve O'Rourke, formerly of this parish, join The42's Gavan Casey to preview this weekend's Super Bowl LV between Tom Brady's Tampa Bay Buccaneers and defending champions the Kansas City Chiefs, with predictions, tips and the latest William Hill prices. 

Then Andy Dunne stops by to look ahead to the Six Nations tournament, with a particular focus on Ireland, England and his beloved French.

18+, always gamble responsibly. For more information, see BeGambleAware.org

The Punt with William Hill: Episode 4, Super Bowl LV and Six Nations preview

Highlights from your favourite podcasts from the award-winning team at The 42. To listen to all of our podcasts in full, subscribe now at the42.ie/subscribe

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