With Sean Cronin missing out on Joe Schmidt's latest squad, Murray, Andy and Ryan look at the reasons for his exclusion, and how 'the undroppables' may affect the mood in the Ireland camp. 

Also featured this week:

- France attacking Irish predictability  
- Practising making mistakes
- Interview with Pau's Paddy Butler 
- World Rugby's Nations Championship explainer

The42 Rugby Weekly is brought to you by Volkswagen, a proud sponsor of Irish rugby.

If you enjoy it, please subscribe to - and rate - the show, and feel free to send your questions and thoughts to sport@the42.ie.

The 'Undroppables', Ireland's fear of mistakes and bringing back blazers

It's the most wonderful time of the year.

Gavan Casey and Murray Kinsella are joined in studio by Andy Dunne to look ahead to this year's Six Nations and the Andy Farrell era.

Murray reports on his few days at the Irish warm-weather camp in Portugal(6:00)
CJ Stander v Rhys Ruddock (7:20)
Leadership groups: the pros and cons (16:00)
Farrell's approachability and the challenge facing him(25:05)
World Cup seedings: will they even matter?(27:48)
What to hope for from Mike Catt(30:06)
Can Ireland beat England?(37:12)
Are France dark horses?(41:11)
Townsend under pressure(43:40)
Which breakthrough players should we look out for?(46:15)
Tournament predictions(50:20)


Got a question/suggestion for the lads? Email us at sport@the42.ie.
You can also now become a member of The42 to get access to extra episodes of Rugby Weekly.

Six Nations Preview: Catt's eye, Vive la France, and what's the story with leadership groups?

One week in and the Farrell era feels like all we've ever known. 

Gavan Casey and Murray Kinsella are joined in studio by Bernard Jackman to cast their eyes back to last weekend before getting stuck into what lies ahead over the coming days. 

The final Ireland v Scotland debrief(6:00)
The Irish maul(8:11)
'Change for change's sake' vs 'stability for stability's sake'(14:38)
Wales preview(25:10)
The French bandwagon and the Sean Edwards factor(35:35)
The English head North(48:25)
Mandatory yellow cards? (55:00)

Got a question/suggestion for the lads? Email us at sport@the42.ie.

You can also now become a member of The42 to get access to extra episodes of Rugby Weekly.

Ireland-Wales preview, France’s secret coaching weapon, and has Eddie had his fill of England?

Gavan Casey and Garry Doyle are joined in studio by Bernard Jackman to chat Ireland-Wales, England-Ireland and, get this, Grand Slams. Sean Farrell catches up with a very open Andrew Conway who explains why he's uncertain as to whether or not his future lies in Ireland.

The future for the English second tier (1:30)
Garry picks through Ireland's victory over Wales (7:00)
A Welsh under-performance? (12:00)
Is this Six Nations already a success for Farrell? (18:15)
Conor Murray gets his 8/10 (22:38)
Caelan Doris for Twickenham? (25:33)
Andrew Conway on meditation and where his future lies (32:20)
The lads discuss Conway's contract situation (47:05)
The challenge facing Irish women's rugby (54:50)
Bernard's players to watch in the U20s (1:04:00)

Got a question/suggestion for the lads? Email us at sport@the42.ie.

You can also now become a member of The42 to get access to extra episodes of Rugby Weekly.

Ireland turn corner, Murray ends argument (for a while), and Andrew Conway on his uncertain future

Andy Dunne and Murray Kinsella join Gavan Casey to tee you up for Sunday's big one. The lads try to figure out where the winning and losing of the game will be, field a The42 member's question as to what extent the media plays a role in Ireland's performance, and Andy explains why Henry Tuilagi haunts his dreams at night. 

- Murray and Andy's confidence levels (1:43)
- How to stop Manu Tuilagi, and why Henry haunts Andy's dreams (12:20)
- Where England will look to exploit Ireland (17:55)
- Who has the upper hand in the set piece? (22:55)
- The verdict on Tom Curry (27:13)
- Ireland's philosophy shift at the breakdown (33:50)
- The media's influence, or lack thereof, on Ireland's players (39:43)
- Why is Stuart McCall never in the frame for other big jobs? (52:15)
- England-Ireland predictions (58:05)

Got a question/suggestion for the lads? Email us at sport@the42.ie.
You can also now become a member of The42 to get access to extra episodes of Rugby Weekly.

Predictions for Twickenham, and does 'the media' have too much of an influence on this Irish team?

Unprecedented. Exceptional. Never been done before.

For the first time ever on The 42 Rugby Weekly, both Bernard Jackman and Andy Dunne are in the studio joining Murray Kinsella and Gavan Casey to field a wide-ranging selection of listeners' questions.

- Cash flow. The financial impact of postponements (4:45)
- Should Sexton be Ireland captain? (9:17)
- Who will be Ireland's out-half in 2021? (20:10)
- Five green provinces - do we need more than four teams? (25:15)
- Leinster are pulling ahead powered by the schools system, what can be done elsewhere? (30:12)
- A Rugby World Cup in Ireland? (41:08)
- James Lowe for Ireland - what will the reaction be like? (43:10)
- Best stadiums to work out, most memorable games (46:40)
- Add one law/removed one law? (53:00)

Got a question/suggestion for the lads? Email us at sport@the42.ie.
You can also now become a member of The42 to get access to extra episodes of Rugby Weekly.

Dream team assemble: The big, big mailbag with Berch, Andy and Murray

Bernard Jackman and Murray Kinsella join Gavan Casey to discuss the Champions Cup’s scheduled return and what may lie ahead, the provincial latest including Leinster’s tidy contractual business, pandemic pay disputes, and a compromise rules clash between union and league greats.

What’s next for the Champions Cup, IRFU/RPI pay dispute, and All Blacks v Kangaroos — you in?

Second Captains tribute to the late Jack Charlton.

Music from Conor Walsh and The Lucid. https://open.spotify.com/track/5pZdU8e2q1oVfXv8wO6ehA?si=YH5vffkNTEWG5Q6iz6Ai4Q

Audio from an interview with Jack Charlton and Jimmy Armfield on BBC Radio Five in 1997.

Jack Charlton In His Own Words

Bernard Jackman, Murray Kinsella and Gavan Casey sift through the wreckage of the weekend with one eye on Ireland's future, which many feel looks bleaker than it did last Friday.

What happened to Leinster?Plus:the lads address question marks over Stockdale and all of Irish rugby

***FREE PREVIEW EPISODE***

Welcome to The42 GAA Weekly with Shane Dowling and Marc Ó Sé, a brand-new podcast exclusive to The42 Members.

To listen to the rest of the series, sign up now at members.the42.ie. Use the codes SHANETHE42 or MARCTHE42 to get €5 off the first year of your annual membership.

On this week's launch episode, Shane and Marc get stuck into the weekend's biggest games as Limerick and Tipperary square off in the Munster hurling semi-finals and Donegal and Tyrone go toe-to-toe in a knockout Ulster championship clash, and plenty more.

The42 GAA Weekly with Shane Dowling & Marc Ó Sé - (The) Winter (Championship) is Coming

Murray Kinsella, Gavan Casey and Ciarán Kennedy set the scene with a preview show that kicks off the rugby weekend.

Ireland-Wales preview, France’s secret coaching weapon, and has Eddie had his fill of England?

Rugby Weekly

Related tracks