80+ column : June 10

Our weekly newsletter looking at the wider rugby world

Jun 09, 2026

ON THIS WEEK’S COLUMN…

WRAP OF A WRAP
WON’T PONI UP
PHILIP BROWNE RIP
BULLS HIT THE ROAD
OUI OUI BEEP BEEP!
CLICKBAIT OF THE WEEK
WORLD CUP DISTRACTION
LEINSTER SQUAD UPDATE
TROLL PATROL
COMPETITION UPDATES (incl HPL)
NEXT HARPIN’

WRAP OF A WRAP

Slightly different 80+ column this week, with no Leinster match next weekend, we’re posting a day early to take a wee break from content creating and will be back with the next column on Wednesday June 17.

Our URC semifinal wrap this week feature Cian “RugbyKino” O’Muilleoir, a long time contributor to the pod who of course now has his own excellent pod MudderRucker that focuses on Irish women’s rugby.

To be clear, when I ask a contributor to help me out with a wrap pod, I could say that “I honestly don’t expect them to waste time with preparation, sure just hop on the Zoom and have an aul chat” but that wouldn’t be strictly true. I am hoping that at least they rewatch the match in question although I do appreciate that it’s not always easy to find the time. And to a man I have to say they are all more than ready to go when it comes to our regular recording time of 8pm on a Sunday.

But a distinction needs to be made. There’s “prepared”, and there’s “Kino prepared”. He has allowed me to share his notes for the Stormers show, and below you see just the portion that covers the opening section that features in our YouTube clip. Full respect. I almost feel guilty asking him to come on now since I feel I’m imposing this much work on him! Although in my defence, we have been operating a “volunteer system” this season which has been working well. I honestly do wish I had the discipline to be this prepared for pods, it would certainly help take away all my stutters and humming and hawing!!!

In case you missed the wrap pod, click here to check it out.

Leinster vs Stormers — URC Semi-Final Pod Notes

Leinster 20–11 Stormers | Aviva Stadium | 6 June 2026

MAJOR TOPIC: Gibson-Park — The Rolls-Royce and the

Succession Problem

The performance across the 80

Early doors — announcing himself

• 6:07 — VdF would have been on the line but for a knock-on. Don’t know if it was an

over-run or an over-paced pass, but JGP certainly hitting the right tempo.

• 10:10 — Excellent clearance from the restart. Not the first of the day, not the last.

• 15:30 — The awareness at the breakdown that defines him: Stormers contest the

restart ruck hard, JGP clears. O'Brien and Deegan force the knock-on, VdF scoops it

back NFL-style. JGP spots two locks on his outside, runs around Hollie Davidson to

keep defenders blocked at the ruck, and goes from halfway to the 22 before

offloading. Reads the geometry of the defensive shape in real time.

• 26:54 — Stormers crossfield kick on advantage in the 22 — who is in the wide

channel to put on the pressure and force the knock-on? JGP. In the right place,

again.

First half — managing a messy game

• Service speed is exceptional throughout — note at 21:53: given Stormers' blitz

defence, and the possession-and-pace game Leinster were playing, were they

emulating UBB's Bilbao performance against them? The multi ruck reset game

frustrating the rush line.

• 35:30 — Quick tap, runs it crossfield up to the 22. Sam's chip over the top doesn't

quite come off (first real error from Prendergast), but JGP's initiative creates the

opportunity.

The squeeze — 13-11 and in the middle of everything

• Takes a Prendergast clearance kick directly to the head at 49:00. Keeps operating at

full capacity.

• 52:00 — JGP tackling Roos off the back of a scrum. Actively managing the biggest

carry threat on the pitch.

• 60:00 — Running the trailing line on Lowe for another half-break in the Stormers 22.

The playing chemistry between those two is something else. Roos latches on and

forces the turnover — another lost opportunity, but JGP was the one creating.

• Both sides making handling errors throughout — greasy ball, physical contest. JGP

probably contributes fewer than anyone.

The decisive try — world class

• 69:22 — From the penalty: clean Leinster lineout, maul, a few phases, then the legs

go up. JGP is all over it instantly.

• Three covering defenders are already convinced the ball is gone and moving to

where the next phase should be. The only player close enough to do anything is

Roos, but by the time he reads it, JGP is already away — not a hand laid on him.

• Jinks to beat Stormers 11 who's left sprawling. Drags 18 over the line with him.

• That's not instinct — that's a player who processes situations (legs in the air block,

ball back, defensive shape momentarily scrambled) faster than anyone else on the

pitch. Absolutely world class.

What makes him a Rolls-Royce

• Orchestrates both sides of the ball: sets attacking shape, communicates defensive

assignments, manages tempo.

• In the right place so often it looks routine — it isn't. The Stormers 22 crossfield cover,

the breakdown awareness at 15:30, the red card try read. All the same skill set.

• Playing chemistry with Lowe repeatedly created half-breaks. Not flashy, just

relentlessly right.

• Discipline under pressure: took a kick to the head, played in a street fight, never

stopped operating.

• Stat: Player of the Match. Rated 9/10 by RugbyPass — 'Vintage JGP'.

The succession question — the real talking point

• Not getting any younger. Luke McGrath — gone at end of season. Who's next? Foley

& Gunne are promising enough, but nowhere next or near this level yet.

• Not just replacing a competent 9. Replacing someone who orchestrates both attack

and defence at this level is a categorically different problem.

• Yesterday’s performance is the clearest possible statement of what Leinster are

going to lose. Is there a young 9 in the academy who can do what he does?

• Succession planning looks thin. This is a structural question for Leo Cullen.

WON’T PONI UP

Lowe was never on an IRFU national contract, always remaining on a Leinster provincial deal.

Ireland and Leinster wing Lowe set to join Japanese club

Murray Kinsella - The42.ie

We all heard the rumours but most of us hoped there was still a chance of an extension until an official announcement was made, and it eventually happened on Monday, with an official announcement due to drop Tuesday.

I have said before on these pages that I am of course sad to see him go, he is a proven match winner, a Leinster record-breaker and also a mainstay for Ireland since he qualified. In fact it’s hard to believe he has actually been here as long as he has - I remember following him in his last season at the Tasman Makos for the final NPC season before he moved north and completed three full years in blue before donning the green.

I have also said that I can see the IRFUs POV a little bit in that a line needed to be drawn and that it could not be a case whereby there was no offer from foreign shores we wouldn’t match. He was considered a “PONI - Player of National Interest” but clearly not enough interest to force the issue based on age profiles and World Cup cycles. I absolutely don’t like the outcome, but I can have a level of respect (albeit a low one) for the decisions made FWIW. I just hope he has the same levels of understanding because we certainly don’t want to think he is leaving on bad terms.

But I will say this…Lowe’s departure take’s a lot of air out of the tires on the “Leinster get everything they want from the IRFU” bus. Next time you hear someone toeing that particular line (and it won’t be long, trust me), be sure to set them straight.

Obviously we wish James all the best at Sungoliath, who finished 4th in this season’s League One with 9 wins and 9 defeats and went out in the semifinals to the eventual winners the Kobe Steelers.

UPDATE : since I posted this column, James Lowe has uploaded a message to fans…

Man, where do I begin?

Nine years. Nine unforgettable seasons.

I find it difficult to put into words what Ireland means to me. It’s become so much more than a place of work. It’s become our home.

This country has not only shaped me, it has shaped my career, our family, and given us friendships that we will have for the rest of our lives.

When I first arrived in Ireland, I had no idea what I was getting into. I was extremely naive and full of excitement, not knowing where this journey would take me.

I just had a point to prove.

You welcomed me, you accepted me, and this journey has been nothing short of amazing.

Ireland, you’ve given us so much more than just rugby.

You gave us lifelong friendships, memories we will cherish forever, a place where our family grew, where our children were raised and where we have always felt supported and loved.

Ireland, thank you.

Thanks a million for embracing a kid from a small town in New Zealand and making me feel at home.

Thank you for the conversations, kind words, shows of support and every moment of encouragement.

The warmth, generosity and spirit of the people here is something else.

My family and I will forever be grateful.

Leinster Rugby, you took a punt on me many moons ago and I think we both got more than we bargained for.

I didn’t understand what representing this club meant, but now I get it.

It’s been some craic. The highest of highs and the lowest of lows.

It has been an honour to represent this club.

To my teammates, past and present, thank you for the friendships, the laughs, the beers and for laughing at my shite gags.

Last but definitely not least, to Irish Rugby. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to represent you. I can’t put into words what this means.

All I ever wanted to do when I was a kid was play international rugby.

You trusted me, and to represent you 45 times is the greatest rugby honour of my life.

I never took it for granted.

I understood the criticism that would follow, but I want you to know that every time I pulled on that jersey it filled me with an immense amount of pride.

Thank you.

Unfortunately, not everyone gets their fairytale ending.

This decision comes with a heavy heart.

I love Ireland.

I call it home.

But sometimes rugby takes you on journeys you don’t expect.

A new chapter awaits us, and that doesn’t make saying goodbye any easier.

Ireland, you’ve given us more than we could ever repay.

Thank you for the memories.

Thank you for the friendships.

Thank you for accepting me.

Thank you for making our family feel at home.

I’ll see you again.

With love,

James Lowe

Lowey

A kid from the 03

PHILIP BROWNE RIP

He served in the role for more than 20 years through one of the most transformative periods in Irish rugby

Philip Browne, former IRFU chief executive, dies aged 66

Irish Times

Just as we’re coming to terms with the sad passing of Fergus Slattery, we learn of Philip Browne who was a decade younger. Browne will always be known as the shepherd of Irish Rugby into professionalism. It was always going to be a tough ask for the IRFU to manage the transition while competing with the English and French clubs and it has to be said that the overall framework he helped create was one that allowed for the vast majority of the on pitch success enjoyed on these shores over that time.

Obviously I’m not wild about absolutely everything our governing body has done over the years, and I’m definitely not a fan of the convoluted northern hemisphere calendar and system for which Irish Rugby must adapt, but I cannot deny that of all the Six Nations, Ireland has done the best job of adapting and this is a considerable part of Browne’s legacy.

It must of course be noted that all of the above praise is based on outcomes achieved in the men’s game, so we cannot ignore all that went wrong on the women’s side of the ledger as well. Things are definitely on the up now, but the levels and standards had dropped so low that we must at least factor it in to the discussion. Many lay that at the feet of David Nucifora but we can’t forget who appointed him.

Still, we obviously are deeply saddened as a rugby family to hear of his passing far too young. RIP.

BULLS HIT THE ROAD

…this time round, ‘home comforts’ and ‘time with their families’ are the desired recipe ahead of a trip back to Ireland.

Ackermann explains why Bulls are not staying in Ireland for Final

Jan de Koning - Rugby365.com

After playing both Leinster and Munster on Irish soil, the Lions discovered they had a two-week wait before playing at the Aviva a second time so they chose to stay north of the equator. But their counterparts from Pretoria have literally gone a different route, opting to return to familiar surroundings for a few days before knuckling down to the job of ending their losing streak in finals (in which I choose to include the Rainbow Cup final in 2021 FWIW, so there have been four). I can’t really blame them, although it does have me wondering if Pollard could have been missing those kicks on purpose so the squad could go on holiday sooner? Maybe he’ll hint at that in a book some day…

OUI OUI BEEP BEEP!

…a release to play sevens in one of Bielle-Biarrey’s stipulations in contract extension talks with his club side Bordeaux Begles.

Bielle-Biarrey considering sevens switch for LA 2028

Mike Henson - BBC.com

Hey, who am I to stop someone from chasing their dream. You go for it Billy Barry, in fact, if you REALLY want to hone your sevens skills might I suggest joining their squad now, just to maximize your chances of earning France another gold? You know it makes sense!!!! 🤪

Ronan O’Gara’s stunning late-season run with La Rochelle shows why Irish rugby needs him back here pronto

Rúaidhrí O’Connor - Irish Independent

This headline really ground my gears, especially coming as it did from ROC.

Simply put, if Leinster squeaked into the domestic league playoffs in the lowest possible qualifying position on the last day of the season, the Indo would run daily features on what’s wrong with the coaching at the province.

La Rochelle, having also won multiple Champions Cups, do exactly that and now suddenly ROG is God’s gift?

No inquiry into how they struggled in the first place? No wondering why standards were allowed to drop?

And while we’re at it…no reference to the fact that the amazing Bordeaux, who deservedly on the day retained their European crown, actually failed to even crack the top 6 at all while Leinster managed to reach both finals?

I can’t argue that the 🔝🐱🐴 is stronger than the URC so comparisons are tricky, but that doesn’t negate the contrast between the standards being applied to La Rochelle and Leinster in recent offerings from this author in particular.

As you can see, the headline got me a tad miffed, enough to click the link myself even though I don’t have a subscription, so it wins COTW.

WORLD CUP DISTRACTION

I’ve never kept it secret that I have never been one of those rugby fans who looks down his nose at football, I enjoy both, just Leinster & Irish Rugby that much more. So I’m not going to pretend that the World Cup won’t be on my radar over the coming weeks, although never enough to stay up in the wee small hours.

Actually the URC final on Friday week will come into direct conflict with USA v Australia, and also a local game for me from the League of Ireland, Pat’s v Sligo Rovers. Obviously I’m not saying those would come close to stop ME from going, but I do wonder will the global round ball comp draw a fair chunk of “casual fan” eyes away from events at Croker.

LEINSTER SQUAD UPDATE

With no injury update up to time of posting, I’m going to assume “no news is good news” and that Leinster will make the most of the week off to allow players to recover in time for the final and we can have a stab at predicting a strong team for Croke Park on next week’s 80+ column.

If the update does drop before EOB Tuesday I’ll add it here, but I won’t have a go at picking my 23 for the final until next week’s column.

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.

We combined Troll Patrol with the bonus chat this week, just ‘cos…

Since recording the above video, this absolute beaut of a troll that falls into the same category came across my desk…

Obviously we save the best for last on our weekly Comp Update, just to keep the millions of readers who are dying to know the latest news from the Harpin Prediction League in suspense. With Rich & Ciarán both correctly gambling on a Bulls semifinal win, there is now just two points separating the top 5 with just one match left to predict, it could all come down to who is willing to take a punt on the URC final.

In Super Rugby, I see people are still moaning about their playoff format, which sees the highest-ranked loser from the first round geta second chance, meaning the Blues this season. I don’t understand what the problem is. Their “reward” is a trip to the first-ranked Hurricanes in the semifinal. Strangely the two NZ franchises have never met in knockout rugby before, but I can only see a home win there, although the Chiefs v Crusaders match up in the other SF could be a lot closer. Yet again, it’s an all-Kiwi final four.

The winners of the ProD2 title did not surprise me, but the scoreline in the final definitely did, Vannes 18-14 Provence was a lot closer than I thought it would be given Vannes’ dominance throughout the season. Provence now play Perpignan next week in the “Match d’Accession” that will determine the league Luke McGrath will play in next season, something I have been harping on for several weeks. Here’s a brief report of the ProD2 final…

Vannes claimed the 2026 Pro D2 title with an 18–14 victory over Provence Rugby, sealing an immediate return to the Top 14 after just one season away. Early control and strong territorial pressure delivered tries for Robin Taccola and later Ben Stevenson, while Maxime Lafage’s penalties kept the Bretons ahead. Provence rallied through Paul Cellio‑Zwiler and a late Joris Cazenave score, but Vannes’ scrum depth and bench impact proved decisive in a tense, tactical final.

WOMEN’S INTERPROVINCIALS

Round 1

Saturday, 8 August

Munster v Leinster

Ulster v Connacht

Round 2

Saturday, 15 August

Leinster v Connacht

Munster v Ulster

Round 3

Saturday, 22 August

Connacht v Munster

Ulster v Leinster

Finals Day

Saturday, 29 August

Dexcom Stadium

URC IRISH SHIELD

2026/27 fixtures

10 October

Ulster v Munster

24 October

Leinster v Munster

30 October

Connacht v Leinster

27 December

Ulster v Connacht

Munster v Leinster

2 January

Connacht v Munster

Leinster v Ulster

23 January

Munster v Connacht

30 January

Connacht v Ulster

17 April

Leinster v Connacht

23 April

Ulster v Leinster

8 May

Munster v Ulster

JUNIOR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

Pool A: South Africa, Wales, Georgia, Uruguay
Pool B: New Zealand, Italy, Scotland, Japan
Pool C: Argentina, England, Ireland, USA
Pool D: France, Australia, Spain, Fiji

Sat June 27 : Ireland v England

Thu July 2 : Ireland v Argentina

Tue July 7 : Ireland v USA