80+ column : January 7
Our weekly newsletter looking at the wider rugby world
ON THIS WEEK’S COLUMN…
WRAP OF A WRAP
TAKING EUROPE BY STORM
WESTERN STRUGGLE
DOPE OR NOPE?
DIS-ORIENTED
CLICKBAIT OF THE WEEK
LEINSTER’S CHAMPIONS CUP POOL
LEINSTER SQUAD UPDATE
TROLL PATROL
COMPETITION UPDATES (incl Irish Shield)
NEXT HARPIN’
WRAP OF A WRAP
The previous column was on Dec 31 so I supposed I could offer one last bout of ‘Happy New Year’ to readers even though we’re seven days in, hope 2026 is going ok for you all so far.
Our first wrap pod of the calendar year certainly went well, Leinster racking up eight tries and 50 points didn’t hurt in that cause. Conor joined me and we harped on the positives and negatives from the match and as you can see below, at least one listener appreciated the focus on the negatives.
One last thing from the win over Connacht, FWIW I might as well share this image of the view I got from my seat at the Aviva as the full moon was posing…
ICYM the wrap pod you can find it on the end of this link.
TAKING EUROPE BY STORM
“To compete in the URC and Champions Cup, you need two frontline packs. It doesn’t matter who wears the jersey – we’re going there to take them on.”
What’s fuelling Stormers’ winning run
SARugbyMag.co.za
When Leinster win 10 matches in a row to start the season, we’ve almost come to see that as a negative on these pages, which is ridiculous when you see it written down, yet sensible when you factor in the stop-start nature of the chaotic European rugby calendar, one where nothing gets decided for the clubs until May.
But when the Stormers deny us the opportunity to stay unbeaten in round 1 and go on to make it 10 on the bounce by the turn of the year, we definitely have to sit up and take notice. They were of course the first winners of this competition yet while the South African quartet have all had their moments over the four and a half years of the URC (even the Sharks, despite them punching well below their weight), they have taken a while to click when it comes the Champions Cup.
I have always thought that it had something to do with December and January being the very months South Africans are used to resting from rugby, and with those also being the very months where you must play your pool matches in the pan-European tournament, too many losses means too many quick trips north in April which has generally left us with a more “traditional” final four each season.
Could 25/26 be an exception to this trend or perhaps a complete break from it? John Dobson’s side certainly are making it look that way so far. And as you can see from our bonus chat below, they have an impact on Leinster’s fortunes in both competitions this season as they could keep us out of the top four seeds.
And their road ahead in January doesn’t exactly seem to be too challenging, with Quins and Leicester to play in the Champions Cup before home and away to the underachieving Sharks. Some suggest they could be sending a weak sauce team to the Stoop which will test their depth but I still wouldn’t be surprised if their run doesn’t continue all the way to their return date with the Bulls in Pretoria in March.
From Leinster’s POV it’s hard to know whether we’d prefer them to go on winning which would mean our only chance to retain our title will be after a return to Cape Town to end the season, or if they start losing which would mean teams above us would pick up points making it more difficult to even break the top four let alone top two. I guess all we really can do is focus on our own matches but it’s still fun to speculate.
WESTERN STRUGGLE
“It’s been a long few days, a lot of time for reflection,”
‘We’re very thin on the ground in our back three positions’
John Fallon - The42.ie
It sounds very patronizing I know, but when they’re not playing Leinster I always want Connacht to do well and I really think Stu Lancaster can be a great fit for them given time. But they can be sooooo frustrating to watch, with a pivotal moment of their season being a tap n go penalty 5m from the Ospreys line back in December where they forgot the tap part (I won’t name check the player) and the error saw them go from a BP away win to being grateful to leave Swansea with just the one point. The fifty-burger in Galway against Black Lion a week later might have helped with morale until a pasting in Newport followed by back to back interpro defeats left Stu’s first season in tatters. Sadly depth has always been their issue - when fit their first choice XV will always compete well but when the inevitable injuries hit, especially multiple ones in the same areas as shown by the quote, they’re going to struggle.
DOPE OR NOPE?
Depending on which media outlets or social soapboxes you follow, the 26-year-old could be cleared or banned for four years.
The curious case of Asenathi Ntlabakanye
Jan de Koning - Rugby365.com
I’ve harped on this before here but it remains a real head scratcher, not because of the accusation, rather the insanely slow pace at which the wheels of justice are moving. If they do find him guilty when the hearing finally does take place at the end of March (charges were initially brought in Sep 2025) then every opponent the Lions faced with him in their squad will have a legitimate beef. It seems a no-brainer that if this area is to be taken seriously, then so should allegations and a player needs to be stood down while the hearing process needs to be a matter of days not months.
DIS-ORIENTED
World Rugby has declined to make payments to Asia Rugby since its suspension, but had a single union been as reckless, the punishment would undoubtedly be more severe.
World Rugby Issues Asia Rugby a Yellow Card – Evidence Suggests It Should be a Red
Rugby Asia 24/7
A player, club or union receiving World Rugby sanction would be headline news at least within the orbit of the sport itself, so why hasn’t the suspension of an entire continent???? Very odd story to slip through the cracks - I came across a TikTok which mentioned it and had to go digging for an article that had any kind of an explanation for what has been going on and according to this one, that has been a lot. Far from ideal from a PR standpoint for WR, especially with Japan included in the top tier for the fledgling Nations Championship set to kick off in July (Ireland play them on the 11th).
Italy win, and the debate is settled. Georgia win, and the can of worms flies open yet again.
How one World Cup group stage match could change European rugby
Will Judd - The Rugby Paper
Not the most cynical clickbait I’ve ever seen (so I’ll include the link this time), but it really does have a air of “I need to fill some column inches and nothing in the news grabs me so I have to go find something” about it.
I mean yeah, sure, if Georgia beats Italy at RWC2027 that would change things. But by the same token if Max hadn’t heard the Kate Bush song then Vecna would’ve stayed alive and that would’ve changed Stranger Things.
All too easy to make an article out of ifs buts and maybes, that’s all I’m sayin’.
LEINSTER’S CHAMPIONS CUP POOL
To show I’m not only willing to share the good comments we get, here’s a decent response to our latest bonus chat where myself and Conor may have been too cautious about our task this coming weekend, I’ll discuss this further in the preview show.
LEINSTER SQUAD UPDATE
Really tough one to select in some areas. I’m wondering if even one from Keenan, J Osborne & J O’Brien are fit, Robbie Henshaw might not even make the 23, but as it turns out we absolutely need him at 12. I am assuming that we are going for a 6/2 bench against ROGs lads and even though that often means leaving out a reserve outhalf, I think Harry is a really good option for inside centre which makes him a good 23 in my book. Also I would really love to find a way for JJ Kenny to make this lineup somehow, and I certainly wouldn’t rule out his chances of making it anyway.
HARPIN’ POSSIBLE MATCHDAY 23 V LA ROCHELLE
C Frawley, T O’Brien, R Ioane, R Henshaw, J Lowe, S Prendergast, J Gibson-Park
P McCarthy, D Sheehan, T Clarkson, J McCarthy, J Ryan, J Conan, J van der Flier, C Doris (c)
R Kelleher, J Boyle, A Porter, D Mangan, W Connors, M Deegan, L McGrath, H Byrne
caveat : I have no “ITK” a la Thornley
OFFICIAL INJURY REPORT
AVAILABLE FOR SELECTION:
Robbie Henshaw: is available for selection after recovering from a finger injury sustained against Munster.
FURTHER ASSESSMENT REQUIRED:
Rabah Slimani: is due to be further assessed and final decision will be made later in the week.
Harry Byrne: is due to be further assessed and final decision will be made later in the week.
Garry Ringrose: has returned to training and final decision will be made later in the week.
RG Snyman: has returned to training and final decision will be made later in the week.
NOT AVAILABLE FOR SELECTION:
N/A.
NO FURTHER UPDATES ON:
Hugo Keenan, Jamie Osborne, Ryan Baird, Jordan Larmour and Jimmy O’Brien.
TROLL PATROL
Now it’s time for Troll Patrol where we ‘detain’ a social media commentator and charge them with gaslightery and general online mayhem.
A rare case of a social media comment heaping praise in one direction yet still managing to troll in another. And if you can’t work out who the “other club” is in this Facebook offering post-Saturday’s match, then I really don’t think you understand how Harpin’ on Rugby works 😏
Big win for the Wolfhounds who are looking to retain their CC title, and great to see Erin King back in action, definitely could do with her for the Six Nations.
It’s a tough enough assignment for both Irish provinces in the Challenge Cup this weekend, and they could both do with a win if they are to have an easier run of it in the knockouts.
Both Leinster & Munster’s opponents faced each other in the 🔝🐱🐴 and as you can see ROG’s lads were rampant. Of course as ever it’s tough to judge French clubs’ form in particular and we’ll have to see what kind of lineups they both name during the week and how they compare.
In the Harpin’ Prediction League, Hugo remains top although there’s just 5 points separating him to me in lowly 6th, so I’m not ruling out my chances just yet, we’re only at the halfway stage. At the foot of the table it seems a straight fight between Kristian & Conor to avoid The Jersey of Shame, while in the Mug’s Clash of Titans, reigning league champ Tom defeated Kino.
BTW don’t worry if none of that last paragraph made any sense. I’m not altogether sure if it was meant to.
CELTIC CHALLENGE
ROUND TWO
CLOVERS 7-24 WOLFHOUNDS
ROUND THREE
SAT JAN 10
GLASGOW WARRIORS V GWALIA LIGHTNING
EDINBURGH V WOLFHOUNDS
SUN JAN 11
BRYTHON THUNDER V CLOVERS
URC IRISH SHIELD
Leinster 14-31 Munster
Munster 17-15 Connacht
Leinster 24-20 Ulster
Munster 8-13 Leinster
Connacht 24-29 Ulster
Ulster 28-3 Munster
Leinster 52-17 Connacht
Jan 24 Connacht v Leinster
Mar 20 Ulster v Connacht
Apr 17 Ulster v Leinster
Apr 25 Munster v Ulster
May 9 Connacht v Munster
ALL IRELAND LEAGUES
WOMEN’S
MEN’S 1A
LEINSTER SCHOOLS SENIOR CUP
FIRST ROUND
Mon Jan 19
Terenure College v Kilkenny College
Wed Jan 21
Clongowes Wood College v St Mary’s College
Fri Jan 23
Newbridge College v Wesley College
Mon Jan 26
Belvedere College v Cistercian College Roscrea
Tue Jan 27
Gonzaga College v Vinnie Murray Cup Q2
Wed Jan 28
St Gerard’s School v Vinnie Murray Cup Q4
Thu Jan 29
Vinnie Murray Cup Q3 v St Michael’s College
Fri Jan 30
Blackrock College v Vinnie Murray Cup Q1
EPCR CHALLENGE CUP
Round 3
Saturday, 10 January 2026
Stade Français Paris vs Exeter Chiefs
US Montauban vs Black Lion
Newcastle Red Bulls vs USAP (Perpignan)
Lions vs Lyon
Cardiff Rugby vs Racing 92
Benetton Rugby vs Dragons RFC
Sunday, 11 January 2026
Montpellier Hérault Rugby vs Connacht Rugby
Zebre Parma vs Ospreys
Toyota Cheetahs vs Ulster Rugby
RUGBY EUROPE SUPER CUP
SEMIFINALS
SAT JAN 17
IBERIANS V DELTA
LUSITANOS V BRUSSELS DEVILS
SVNS
PREMIERSHIP
ROUND 9
NEWCASTLE 25-19 GLOUCESTER
BRISTOL 19-17 SALE SHARKS
BATH 33-26 EXETER CHIEFS
NORTHAMPTON 66-21 HARLEQUINS
LEICESTER 36-28 SARACENS
ROUND 10
SAT JAN 24
HARLEQUINS V LEICESTER TIGERS
GLOUCESTER V BATH
EXETER CHIEFS V BRISTOL
SARACENS V NEWCASTLE RB
SALE SHARKS V NORTHAMPTON
🔝🐱🐴
PROD2
JAPAN LEAGUE ONE
ROUND 4
Saturday, 10 January 2026
Urayasu D‑Rocks v Yokohama Canon Eagles
Brave Lupus Tokyo v Mitsubishi Sagamihara Dynaboars
Saitama Wild Knights v Shizuoka BlueRevs
Kobelco Kobe Steelers v Toyota Verblitz
BlackRams Tokyo v Mie Honda Heat
Sunday, 11 January 2026
Tokyo Sungoliath v Kubota Spears
Next match : HUGO v JAY (URC Round 10)
The Harpin Mug is a knockout comp using each player’s score in a given Superbru round.
NEXT BATCH OF HARPIN’
Thursday
Throwback Thursday (Substack)
Friday
Leinster v La Rochelle preview show (YouTube)
Saturday
Leave your thoughts after full time whistle on our Facebook page
Sunday
Leinster v La Rochelle wrap pod recording
In the meantime be sure to enjoy your rugby wherever you are. JLP