The Leinster Listen

Mick Linnane
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  • Rugby
  • Updated Weekly

A weekly dive into all things Leinster Rugby. There'll be previews, reviews, and the odd rant when required. Two episodes a week covering the boys in blue, with a sharp eye on the URC, Europe, and whatever the Irish setup is up to. It’s straight talking, a bit of a laugh, and absolutely no pretending we don’t care as much as we do. If you follow Leinster, if you love the game, or if you just enjoy someone else doing the overthinking for you, you’re in the right place. Find our socials with the username: @the_leinster_listen

  1. 6d ago

    #76: Leinster vs Munster - Vodafone Women's Interprovincial Championship Final Review

    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.

    #76: Leinster vs Munster - Vodafone Women's Interprovincial Championship Final Review

  2. Aug 29

    #75: Leinster vs Munster - Vodafone Women's Interprovincial Championship Final Preview

    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.

    #75: Leinster vs Munster - Vodafone Women's Interprovincial Championship Final Preview

  3. Aug 26

    #74: Leinster Club Interview — Balbriggan RFC

    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

    #74: Leinster Club Interview — Balbriggan RFC

  4. Aug 24

    #73: Leinster vs Ulster (H) - Vodafone Women's Interprovincial Championship Review

    Episode 73, and Leinster delivered the statement Belfast demanded. After the Munster mauling in Cork and the six-try response against Connacht at Energia Park, Govender's side needed a bonus-point win at Affidea Stadium to reach the Dexcom Stadium decider — and they produced eleven tries in a 75-5 rout. Robyn O'Connor scored five, Katie Whelan bagged a hat-trick, and Ruth Campbell took official player-of-the-match honours. Munster meanwhile stayed unbeaten with a 47-12 win over Connacht in Galway, setting up a fourth Leinster-Munster final in four years. Here is what I'm hitting on this week's episode: 🏉 Vodafone Women's Interprovincial Championship match results; Ulster 5-75 Leinster in Belfast and Connacht 12-47 Munster in Galway — plus the final table and Finals Day fixtures. 🎯 Prediction post-mortem; My Episode 72 call of Leinster 34-14 and Alma Atagamen for POTM vs the actual 75-5 scoreline and Ruth Campbell's official award. 📋 Match analysis; Eleven Leinster tries, Ulster's lineout woes, O'Connor and Whelan's eight-try Wexford partnership, and King's sin-bin that Ulster could not punish. 📊 Championship positioning; Munster unbeaten on 15 points, Leinster through to the final on 10, and Connacht vs Ulster in the third-place play-off. 📅 Next game; Leinster face Munster in the Vodafone Women's Interprovincial Championship final at Dexcom Stadium, Galway on Saturday 29 August.

    #73: Leinster vs Ulster (H) - Vodafone Women's Interprovincial Championship Review

  5. Aug 21

    #72: Leinster vs Ulster (H) - Vodafone Women's Interprovincial Championship Preview

    Episode 72, and it's winner-takes-all in Belfast. After the Munster mauling in Cork and the six-try response against Connacht at Energia Park, Leinster travel north for the final round of the Vodafone Women's Interprovincial Championship — beat Ulster at Affidea Stadium and the Blues are in the Dexcom Stadium decider against Munster a week later. Murray Houston's side are fighting for pride and a third-place play-off after a 62-0 Cork hiding, but this is a semi-final in all but name. Here is what I'm hitting on this week's episode: 🏉 Vodafone Women's Interprovincial Championship Round 3 predictions; My calls for Ulster vs Leinster in Belfast and Connacht vs Munster in Galway — plus where the table stands after Round 2. 🏟️ Details of our game; Kick-off, Belfast weather, Spórt TG4 coverage, and John Purcell in the middle with Morgan McCartney and Glenda Mellon on the sidelines. 📋 Team lineups; Full confirmed XVs — Govender makes eight changes with O'Sullivan Sexton and Whelan at half-back, Boles captains Ulster with Daley injured and McKinley making her senior debut. 🎯 Score and POTM Prediction; Form, the semi-final stakes, recent Leinster-Ulster history, my scoreline call, and who I've gone for as player of the match. 🇮🇪 Discussion Point; What needs to change if we meet Munster in the final? — lessons from the 39-19 Round 1 loss in Cork, Buttimer's maul masterclass, why the internationals-back gamble failed, and whether Connacht answered enough of the right questions.

    #72: Leinster vs Ulster (H) - Vodafone Women's Interprovincial Championship Preview

  6. Aug 19

    #71: Leinster Club Interview — BGF Ravens RFC

    Episode 71, and we're back with another Leinster Club Interview on The Leinster Listen — this time with BGF Ravens RFC and Director of Rugby Paul Ng. Ballymun, Glasnevin and Finglas Ravens: a one adult men's team club founded in 1958 as Unidare RFC from the Unidare Works factory in Finglas, reborn as BGF Ravens in 2014, and playing out of Mount Temple in Glasnevin. Here is what we cover in this episode: 🏉 **Who they are**; Paul Ng, Director of Rugby, and a club founded in 1958 from the Unidare Works factory league 💚 **What makes them different**; a one adult men's team serving Ballymun, Glasnevin and Finglas — from Business Houses roots to a community club identity 👩‍🦰 **Women's rugby**; why the Ravens stayed a single men's team and how that shapes the club on and off the pitch 📜 **Club history**; Blackrock College pitches, Jamestown Road in Finglas, Suttonians and Malahide in the 1990s, DCU, and the 2014 rebrand 🤝 **Community and Leinster Rugby**; North Dublin roots, the Mount Temple partnership, and a season played entirely away while the pitch was refurbished 🎯 **Challenges and ambition**; keeping a one-team club competitive in Leinster Metro League, player retention, and where Paul wants the Ravens in five years ⭐ **Legends and grounds**; the players people still talk about, and life at Mount Temple 📍 **How to join**; training nights, grounds in Glasnevin, and how to get in touch via the BGF Ravens Teamo site

    #71: Leinster Club Interview — BGF Ravens RFC

  7. Aug 16

    #70: Leinster (H) vs Connacht - Vodafone Women's Interprovincial Championship Review

    Episode 70, and Leinster needed a response at Energia Park. After the Munster mauling in Cork, Govender's side faced a semi-final in all but name against Connacht, win or the Galway final was gone. Six tries, debut scores from Stacey Flood and Niamh Murphy, and Erin King leading from the front delivered a 36-21 bonus-point win that keeps the Blues alive. Munster meanwhile booked their final spot with a 62-0 hammering of Ulster, and the U18 Schools opened their title defence with a 33-12 win in Cork. Here is what I'm hitting on this week's episode: 🏉 Vodafone Women's Interprovincial Championship match results; Munster 62-0 Ulster in Cork and Leinster 36-21 Connacht at Energia Park, plus the Round 2 table and what it means for Belfast. 🎯 Prediction post-mortem; My must-win Leinster 31-26 call vs the actual 36-21, and why Erin King was the right player to build around. 📋 Match analysis; Nine tries, Reilly's double for Connacht, and how Leinster found their finish when it mattered at 24-21. 📊 Championship positioning; Munster through to the final, Leinster second on five points, and a winner-takes-all trip to Belfast next Saturday. 🏫 U18 Schools; Leinster's 33-12 bonus-point title-defence win over Munster at Virgin Media Park — Victor Chauvire's length-of-the-field try the pick of five touchdowns. 📅 Next game; Leinster travel to Affidea Stadium to face Ulster on Saturday 22 August, the winner reaches the final at Dexcom Stadium.

    #70: Leinster (H) vs Connacht - Vodafone Women's Interprovincial Championship Review

  8. Aug 12

    #69: Interview — Avril Kinsella; Sports Videographer @therugbygirlire

    Episode 69, and we're going behind the camera on The Leinster Listen — an interview with Avril Kinsella (@therugbygirlire), a sports videographer who covers rugby for the Leinster and Irish rugby. Here is what we cover in this episode: 🎬 Getting into the game; how Avril found videography and why sport became her focus 🏉 First rugby gig; the shoot that started it all and what she remembers from it 📍 Pitch-side life; positioning for the shot without getting flattened ✍️ Shaping the story; clear briefs from teams and coaches versus finding the angle yourself 📱 Fans and video; how content has changed engagement with club and provincial rugby 📈 Where demand is growing; highlight reels, player profiles, full match coverage 🎤 Through the camera lens; favourite interviewee, dream guest, and the project she's proudest of 🔗 Follow her work; where to find Avril Kinsella online Find Avril Kinsella on Instagram, YouTube and TikTok @therugbygirlire

    #69: Interview — Avril Kinsella; Sports Videographer @therugbygirlire
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About

A weekly dive into all things Leinster Rugby. There'll be previews, reviews, and the odd rant when required. Two episodes a week covering the boys in blue, with a sharp eye on the URC, Europe, and whatever the Irish setup is up to. It’s straight talking, a bit of a laugh, and absolutely no pretending we don’t care as much as we do. If you follow Leinster, if you love the game, or if you just enjoy someone else doing the overthinking for you, you’re in the right place. Find our socials with the username: @the_leinster_listen

Information

  • Creator
    Mick Linnane
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    75
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Mick Linnane 2025
  • Show Website
    The Leinster Listen

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