Episode 24: Capping It Off Right

Finals day at the Dexcom, and what a way to close out the Interpros. Caolán Scully joins Ailbhe and Cian to wrap up the tournament — this week sporting a brand new jersey, still fielding accusations of bias.Ulster produced the shock of the competition, beating Connacht to claim third place and their first win in over a decade. A different Connacht side turned up on the day, and we get into what went so wrong after a promising start to the campaign. Then it's the final — Munster back-to-back champions after grinding out a nervy, attritional win over a much-improved Leinster. Eilish Cahill handed the referee a yellow card. We still don't have it on camera. We're devastated.We talk about what makes this Munster side so relentless, why Leinster's efficiency in the 22 let them down again, and whether a certain out-half's form is becoming a genuine concern heading into the international window.Interpros are done. Eyes turn to WXV.👕 The mBan Squad kit is on sale — all proceeds to HerSport → mudder-rucker-store.myspreadshop.net📸 Instagram → @mudderruckerpodcast 🟦 Bluesky → @mudderrucker.bsky.social 🎙️ Ailbhe → @irishwomens.bsky.social 📚 Cian → @rugbykino.bsky.social ▶️ YouTube → youtube.com/@MudderRucker🎙️ Caolán → instagram.com/caolan_scully_media/ 📺 Inter-Pro Show → open.spotify.com/show/5EOPsPEyDzB63H5d5E2IZC 🎙️ Red Army Podcast → open.spotify.com/show/047VXpC70UxcV4QWxWcIHD

Round 3 of the Interpros is done, and Munster are into the final. Caolán Scully joins Ailbhe and Cian again — this week in blue, which he insists is also not a declaration of allegiance.We start with the newly announced WXV training squad. Seven new caps, some big decisions still to be made, and a proper debate about who should and shouldn't have made the cut. Then it's onto the weekend's action: Leinster put 75 points on Ulster, with Robin O'Connor grabbing a hat trick in 21 minutes, though the scoreline flatters them more than the performance did. Munster booked their spot in the final with a comfortable win over Connacht, but it's what happened at out-half that's the real story.Caitríona Finn was excellent again. So excellent that the conversation about Ireland's long-term 10 is shifting fast. We get into why she looks like the real deal, and what it means heading into the World Cup year.We also look ahead to next week's final, and the fitness worries that could shape it.👕 The mBan Squad kit is on sale — all proceeds to HerSport → mudder-rucker-store.myspreadshop.net📸 Instagram → @mudderruckerpodcast 🟦 Bluesky → @mudderrucker.bsky.social 🎙️ Ailbhe → @irishwomens.bsky.social 📚 Cian → @rugbykino.bsky.social ▶️ YouTube → youtube.com/@MudderRucker🎙️ Caolán → instagram.com/caolan_scully_media/ 📺 Inter-Pro Show → open.spotify.com/show/5EOPsPEyDzB63H5d5E2IZC 🎙️ Red Army Podcast → open.spotify.com/show/047VXpC70UxcV4QWxWcIHD

Round 2 of the Interpros is done — and Munster are making everyone look very ordinary indeed. Caolán Scully is back to join Ailbhe and Cian as they break down a weekend that raised as many questions as it answered. Munster completely shut out Ulster — 62-0 in Cork, the kind of scoreline that tells you everything about the gap between the provinces right now. Leinster grew into their win over Connacht, though not without some serious growing pains, and the question of whether Connacht can make the final is answered pretty definitively when Cian invokes meteor strikes. We also dig into the new central contracts — 31 players, a lot of youth, a lot of forwards, and one notable absence in Enya Breen that sparks a proper debate. And Dana O'Brien being outplayed by Connacht's young 10 is not something we're glossing over. Caolán will be at the Dexcom next week. He claims he'll be impartial. Certainly not wearing red. Away colours, he says. All games are live on TG4's YouTube channel — go watch. 👕 The mBan Squad kit is still on sale — all proceeds to HerSport → http://mudder-rucker-store.myspreadshop.net 🎙️ Caolán → instagram.com/caolan_scully_media/ 📺 Inter-Pro Show → open.spotify.com/show/5EOPsPEyDzB63H5d5E2IZC 🎙️ Red Army Podcast → open.spotify.com/show/047VXpC70UxcV4QWxWcIHD 📸 Instagram → @mudderruckerpodcast 🟦 Bluesky → @http://mudderrucker.bsky.social 🎙️ Ailbhe → @http://irishwomens.bsky.social 📚 Cian → @http://rugbykino.bsky.social ▶️ YouTube → youtube.com/@MudderRucker ---------------------------------------- 00:11 Caolán's back — still definitely neutral 01:02 Central contracts — 31 players, the good and the complicated 05:07 Enya Breen's exclusion — where does she fit? 09:18 The depth picture — breaking it all down 13:07 Munster v Ulster — 62-0 and it wasn't even that close 17:31 Ulster's long road — can it actually be fixed? 22:15 Leinster v Connacht — growing pains and a 747 on a driveway 32:59 Dana O'Brien outplayed — a concern or just rust? 38:50 Connacht's final hope — meteor strikes and moving parts 45:25 Round 3 predictions — can we see any shocks? 49:48 TG4 shoutout and see you next week

Season 4 is here — and we're kicking it off with a collab. Caolán Scully of the Inter-Pro Show joins Ailbhe and Cian for the first ever MudderRucker x Inter-Pro Show episode, as the Women's Interprovincial Championship gets underway. Caolán is deputising for Chloe Pearse. He arrived in a red shirt and claimed to be neutral. We'll let you decide. Munster put on a clinic against Leinster — 12 of their 23 from UL Bohemians, a system that just keeps producing. Connacht edged Ulster in the other game, and we get into what it all means for the provinces heading into a competition that finally feels like it has a purpose, perfectly timed before WXV. We also get into the international players back in provincial colours for the first time, Grace Moore putting herself in the shop window, and Ailbhe makes a very bold claim about the future of the Irish 10 shirt. Eilish Cahill is mentioned. Obviously. All games are live on TG4's YouTube channel — go watch. Caolán @ 📺 Inter-Pro Show → open.spotify.com/show/5EOPsPEyDzB63H5d5E2IZC 🎙️ Red Army Podcast → open.spotify.com/show/047VXpC70UxcV4QWxWcIHD 📸 Caolán → instagram.com/caolan_scully_media/ MudderRucker @ 📸 Instagram → @mudderruckerpodcast 🟦 Bluesky → @mudderrucker.bsky.social 🎙️ Ailbhe → @irishwomens.bsky.social 📚 Cian → @rugbykino.bsky.social ▶️ YouTube → youtube.com/@MudderRucker 00:00 Season Four Kickoff 01:06 Caolán’s Women’s Rugby Passion 04:28 Personality vs Media Training 05:57 Interpros Purpose and WXV Timing 08:24 Star Power and Growing Crowds 10:00 Contracts and Player Release Issues 12:15 Provincial Player Movement Debate 16:35 Munster vs Leinster Breakdown 19:43 Maeve Óg Leadership Spotlight 21:42 Why Munster Look So Slick 24:01 Leinster Under Pressure 25:04 Connacht Upset Potential 25:37 Munster Flyhalf Depth 27:16 Leinster Breakdown Points 31:01 Round Two Preview 31:24 Finn Future Ireland Ten 32:46 Ulster vs Connacht Reality 38:00 Round One Standouts 42:44 Wrap Up and Where to Watch

That's a wrap on the 2026 Women's Six Nations — and what a way to finish it.31,294 people at the Aviva for a first ever standalone fixture. A heritage caps ceremony honouring 30 years of Irish women's rugby. And Ireland putting in arguably their most complete performance of the tournament to send Scotland home empty-handed.Chloe Pearse is back — cap 206, AIL Player of the Year, and now apparently the person most responsible for Beatrice Rigoni going missing from the Italian squad. We're saying nothing.We do a full tournament report card — England's cracks, France's rebuild, Italy's rise, and the uncomfortable question of whether Wales and Scotland are being left behind. Cian has the numbers. Chloe has opinions. Ailbhe has ponchos, apparently, and a new nickname she didn't ask for.Roll on the interpros. Roll on WXV. Roll on Australia.👕 The mBan Squad kit is on sale — all proceeds to HerSport → mudder-rucker-store.myspreadshop.net📸 Instagram → @mudderruckerpodcast 🟦 Bluesky → @mudderrucker.bsky.social 🎙️ Ailbhe → @irishwomens.bsky.social 📚 Cian → @rugbykino.bsky.social ▶️ YouTube → youtube.com/@MudderRucker00:00 Welcome back — and Chloe's post-AIL confession00:52 Heritage caps unveiled at the Aviva03:52 Legends in the room — the women who built Irish rugby05:33 31,294 people and the vibes were immaculate08:47 Can Ireland keep this momentum going?11:30 Ireland v Scotland — the most complete performance of the tournament14:59 Rivalry history and why the SRU should know better18:11 Six Nations trends — who's growing, who's not22:12 England's attack is genuinely terrifying23:20 England's defensive cracks — and why they probably don't care24:28 France found their flow — and it's only going to get scarier26:10 France's set piece wobbles — the thing to fix before Australia27:56 Italy: attack up, defence down, Rigatoni still sulking somewhere30:28 When the stats don't tell the full story32:59 Ireland's growth is real — but is it fast enough?36:18 Erin King: 80 tackles, 243 ruck entries, perfect intent38:47 Interpros, WXV, and the road to Australia41:38 Favourite moments of the Six Nations — and that's a wrap

Round 4 is done — and this week Ailbhe and Cian are joined by not one but two guests. Chloe Pearse is back as ever, and making his MudderRucker debut is Huw Griffin of HG Rugby — Welsh rugby analyst, stats obsessive, and self-declared England hater. He fits right in.Huw takes us inside the chaos engulfing Welsh rugby and what it actually means for the women's game, while we try to work out if Sean Lynn's rebuild is finally starting to take shape. England are still winning but something is shifting — Italy put three tries past them before half time, and suddenly the grand slam decider against France in Bordeaux feels a lot more interesting.Ireland beat Wales in Belfast in front of a sell-out crowd, and the back row did what the back row does. Hogan, Wafer, King — we're running out of superlatives. And Cliodhna Maloney McDonald is firmly team niggle, for better or worse.Next up: 27,000 tickets sold for the Aviva. Scotland in round 5. No pressure.Also — the mBan Squad t-shirts are selling. Cian explains how it all started.👕 The mBan Squad kit is on sale — all proceeds to HerSport → mudder-rucker-store.myspreadshop.net📸 Instagram → @mudderruckerpodcast🟦 Bluesky → @mudderrucker.bsky.social🎙️ Ailbhe → @irishwomens.bsky.social📚 Cian → @rugbykino.bsky.social▶️ YouTube → youtube.com/@MudderRucker00:00 Podcast Introductions01:14 Welsh Rugby Resurgence03:48 Sean Lynn Vision06:41 England Leakier Defence10:47 Injuries And Leadership14:21 Why England Concede17:48 Italy Third Place Race19:28 France Clicking Early23:24 Scotland Defensive Crisis25:27 Tackling And Athletic Gap26:10 Scotland Attack Sparks28:06 Ireland Pack Dominance28:47 Back Row Breakdown31:15 Eve Higgins And Kicking33:31 Flashpoint Yellow Card35:45 Team Niggle Debate38:06 Scotland Threats Next Week41:29 England France Prediction43:09 Ireland U20s Pipeline45:47 Mban Squad Merch Story47:50 Round Four Wrap Up

Round 3 is done — and Chloe Pearse is back, somehow vertical after UL Bohemian's AIL title win, to help us make sense of it all.England did England things against Wales. Italy absolutely shocked Scotland in a result nobody saw coming. And Ireland went to Clermont, matched France for long stretches, created chances, and came home empty-handed. Again.The margins are getting smaller. The performances are getting better. The results just aren't following yet. Cian has done something slightly unhinged with statistics that we're not going to spoil here. Let's just say the number is one in four thousand, and leave it at that.We also get into the bench decisions that had us shouting at the screen, the art of managing a referee without getting binned, and what Ireland need to do differently when Wales come to Belfast on the 9th of May.👕 The mBan Squad kit is now on sale — all proceeds to HerSport → mudder-rucker-store.myspreadshop.net📸 Instagram → @mudderruckerpodcast 🟦 Bluesky → @mudderrucker.bsky.social 🎙️ Ailbhe → @irishwomens.bsky.social 📚 Cian → @rugbykino.bsky.social ▶️ YouTube → youtube.com/@MudderRucker00:11 Chloe returns — held together with adrenaline and goodwill01:05 Three AIL titles in a row — how did it happen?07:32 England v Wales — more of the same, but Wales showed heart10:34 Zoe Harrison and the one in four thousand16:36 Italy shock Scotland — discipline, yellow cards, and a record bonus point21:16 The table — what it means for Ireland, Italy and Scotland25:05 Ireland v France — so close, so frustrating29:03 Erin King, Aoife Wafer and the performances that gave us hope34:27 The bench decisions that had us shouting at the screen38:12 Do Ireland need to be in the referee's ear more?43:11 The art of managing a referee — Chloe's masterclass43:40 Belfast on the 9th of May — get your tickets

Round 2 is in the books — and Ireland finally made it to Galway. The Dexcom delivered, the crowd delivered, and by God did the team deliver. Ailbhe and Cian are joined once again by Chloe Pearse — now preparing for an AIL final at the Aviva, no big deal — to break down a weekend that had everything. Scotland hosted England in front of 30,000 at Murrayfield and were absolutely, comprehensively, historically annihilated. France stuttered and scraped past Wales in a game that raised serious questions about their discipline. And Ireland put on a show in Galway that felt like something shifting. Aoife Wafer was back to her brilliant best. Erin King was everywhere — 14 carries, 16 tackles, leading from the front. And then there's Dorothy Parsons. We'll leave it at that. Eyes turn to Clermont-Ferrand next — France away. Chloe has a very specific prediction involving a scoreline, a penalty and a red card. She's confident. We'll see. 📸 Instagram → @mudderruckerpodcast 🟦 Bluesky → @mudderrucker.bsky.social 🎙️ Ailbhe → @irishwomens.bsky.social 📚 Cian → @rugbykino.bsky.social ▶️ YouTube → youtube.com/@MudderRucker

Round 1 is done and dusted — and Chloe Pearse is back, fresh off an AIL semi-final POTM, to help us make sense of it all. France beat Italy, but don't let the scoreline fool you — their breakdown was an absolute shambles and Italy had them rattled for long stretches. Chloe still thinks France are beatable, and honestly, after watching that, it's hard to argue. Wales and Scotland served up the kind of thriller that reminds you why you love this sport, and then there was Twickenham. 77,120 people. The biggest crowd in the history of women's rugby. Ireland were 21-0 down at half time, came out for the second half, and matched the world champions score for score. It's not a win. But something is very much happening here, and we're not done talking about it. Butter wouldn't melt. But it might get cut right up. 📸 Instagram → @mudderruckerpodcast 🟦 Bluesky → @mudderrucker.bsky.social 🎙️ Ailbhe → @irishwomens.bsky.social 📚 Cian → @rugbykino.bsky.social ▶️ YouTube → youtube.com/@MudderRucker 00:00 Episode 20 — we're still here 00:56 France v Italy: messy breakdown, ruthless finish 10:44 Is France actually beatable? Chloe still thinks so 12:51 Wales v Scotland: the thriller no one expected 20:14 England v Ireland: the first half we'd rather forget 28:30 The breakdown battle — and what it means for France away 33:10 21 missed tackles and the stats that hurt 37:15 78 → 44 → 21: is this serious progress? 39:30 77,120 people. Let that sink in. 41:05 Eilish Cahill arrives and immediately terrorises everyone 44:30 Changes for Italy — Chloe's teamsheet 48:15 Predictions for Galway

We're BACK! Season 3 of MudderRucker kicks off with a bang — Ailbhe and Cian are joined by the brilliant Chloe Pearse (calling in live from her sun lounger, can of Dorado in hand) to preview the 2026 Women's Six Nations. We get into Erin King's appointment as Ireland captain, what it means for the team, and why Ailbhe reckons she's been a leader in the making since she was 16. We break down England's unprecedented squad upheaval — pregnancies, injuries, and 8 uncapped players — and ask the question everyone's thinking: is there finally blood in the water? Then it's France's bold generational gamble, Italy's experience-heavy squad, and the burning question of who's going to lift the trophy. Oh, and Ailbhe makes a prediction so brave it borders on unhinged. You'll want to hear it. We also get into the PWR's very public expressions of interest in Irish clubs and provinces — stunt or genuine offer? — and what it could mean for the future of the women's domestic game in Ireland. And the Aviva. 16,300 tickets already sold for Ireland v Scotland. Let that sink in. 📸 Instagram → @mudderruckerpodcast 🟦 Bluesky → @mudderrucker.bsky.social 🎙️ Ailbhe → @irishwomens.bsky.social 📚 Cian → @rugbykino.bsky.social ▶️ YouTube → youtube.com/@MudderRucker 00:00 We're back, baby — Season 3 begins 00:58 Six Nations preview: squads, form, who's pregnant 02:14 England's new-look squad (and new captain Meg Jones) 06:33 Injuries, uncapped players, and is there actually blood in the water? 12:51 Twickenham already sold out — 70,000 for the opener 15:17 Scotland & Wales: new coaches, same questions 28:30 France's bold rebuild — 16 uncapped players and a gamble 34:19 Italy: the other extreme (nearly 100 caps between two players) 36:26 Erin King as Ireland captain — inspired or risky? 42:41 The players Ireland need to cap this Six Nations 45:40 Niamh Gallagher: the most exciting Irish player you haven't seen yet 48:28 The Aviva, the tickets, and why this feels different 51:40 Should an Irish team join the PWR? Chloe has thoughts 57:31 Predictions — one of us goes full chaos mode