OTB Rugby

Meghann Scully was in Belfast on Saturday as Ireland were defeated 15-27 to France in the opening round of the Six Nations. She spoke with head coach Scott Bemand as well as squad captain Edel McMahon, and players Erin King and Niamh O'Dowd following the match.Rugby on Off The Ball w/ Bank Of Ireland | #NeverStopCompeting

On Wednesday's Rugby Daily, Richie McCormack has the latest injury news ahead of the start of Ireland's Women's Six Nations campaign, and it's fair to say France have the worst of it. France men's head coach Fabien Galthié continues to moan about Ireland, despite their Six Nations title. Two more Leinster backs have extended their stays with the province. Another England winger has his Lions hopes dashed. And the RFU want a relaxation of the licensing laws around Twickenham.

On Tuesday's Rugby Daily, Richie McCormack checks in with Ireland's preparations for the start of the Women's Six Nations. Defence coach Hugh Hogan believes Ireland can ask questions of France in Belfast on Saturday. Three Leinster players have extended their stays with the province, and we hear from Jacques Nienaber ahead of their double bill in South Africa. There's also contract news from Connacht today, with assistant coach Colm Tucker providing a squad update. Georgia head coach Richard Cockerill renews calls for promotion/relegation playoff from the Six Nations.Peato Mauvaka could be in hot water following his yellow card against Scotland. And the English Premiership remains a closed shop to Ealing.

This is Tuesday's OTB Breakfast Bite, your FREE bitesize sample of this morning's full Off The Ball Breakfast. On this morning's show, we got the full Six Nations debrief from Alan Quinlan, while OTB's Dara Smith-Naughton provided his team of the tournament. Barry Murphy looked ahead to Thursday's Nations League playoff with Bulgaria, and assessed the League Of Ireland Premier Division after half a dozen games. Plus, OTB’s GAA Correspondent Tommy Rooney rounds up the weekend’s Gaelic football action. But today's Bite checks in with Alan Quinlan's 6N post-mortem, and then we take a look at the LOI with Barry Murphy. Catch Off The Ball Breakfast LIVE weekday mornings from 7:30am or just search for Off The Ball Breakfast and get the podcast on the Off The Ball app. SUBSCRIBE at OffTheBall.com/join

On Friday's Rugby Daily, Richie McCormack has the latest from the Ireland camp ahead of their Six Nations closer away to Italy tomorrow. We hear from Ronan O'Gara on the enemy of complacency, and Alan Quinlan discusses those Jack Crowley links to Leicester. The Six Nations is set to remain on free-to-air television. Connacht lock down an out-half to a new two-year deal. The World U20 Championship is going back to Italy for the first time in a decade, and the draw's been kind to Ireland. Plus, Rocky Elsom has his prison sentence in France reduced on appeal.

This is Friday's OTB Breakfast Bite - your FREE bitesize taster of this morning's full Off The Ball Breakfast. Former Republic of Ireland winger Keith Treacy was in the co-presenter's chair alongside Shane Hannon this morning, and they were joined by both Ronan O'Gara and Alan Quinlan to help look ahead to Ireland's game away to Italy. Ex-Ireland full-back Chris Hughton walked us down memory lane with the 35th anniversary of Italia 90 on the horizon. We previewed day 4 of the Cheltenham Festival with OTB's John Duggan. And we looked back at Manchester United's Europa League win over Real Sociedad with Daniel Harris. But this morning's Bite takes us first to Cagliari, Palermo, Genoa and Rome with Chris Hughton. Then we preview Italy-Ireland with Ronan O'Gara, and Alan Quinlan discusses those Jack Crowley links to Leicester. Catch Off The Ball Breakfast LIVE weekday mornings from 7:30am or just search for Off The Ball Breakfast and get the podcast on the Off The Ball app. SUBSCRIBE at OffTheBall.com/join

On Thursday's Rugby Daily, Richie McCormack brings you the final batch of team news from this year's Six Nations. Jack Crowley is back in the Ireland no.10 jersey for Saturday's game away to Italy, and we hear Simon Easterby's explanation behind the changes he's made. The interim Ireland head coach has also fired back at France boss Fabien Galthié. Matt Sherratt's made a couple of tweaks to his Wales team as they look to extinguish any lingering England hopes of the title. Plus, Gregor Townsend names the Scotland team that Ireland hope will do them a massive favour in Paris.

This is Thursday's OTB Breakfast Bite, your FREE bitesize sample of this morning's Off The Ball Breakfast. On this morning's show we looked ahead to Ireland's Six Nations game away to Italy with former Azzurri back turned truck driver, Mirco Bergamasco. Day 3 of the Cheltenham Festival was previewed from Prestbury Park by John Duggan. Leitrim senior men’s football manager Steven Poacher chats about his first season in charge of the team. And we were joined by European Indoor gold medalist Sarah Healy following her sensational 3000m victory. And that's where we take this morning's Bite, as Ger and Colm catch up with Healy. But first, Mirco Bergamasco gives his view of this Saturday's game in Rome. Catch Off The Ball Breakfast LIVE weekday mornings from 7:30am or just search for Off The Ball Breakfast and get the podcast on the Off The Ball app. SUBSCRIBE at OffTheBall.com/join

On Wednesday's Rugby Daily, Richie McCormack brings you news of Romain Ntamack pouring more petrol on the fires of last week's clash of Ireland and France at the Aviva. Andrew Porter defends himself after Fabien Galthié attempted to get him cited for his part in the injury sustained by Antoine Dupont. Rabah Slimani is among the Leinster players extending their stay at Leinster. And Ronan O'Gara's refresh of the La Rochelle squad continues.

On Tuesday's Rugby Daily, Richie McCormack brings you the latest from the Ireland camp as attentions turn to Saturday's trip to Italy. We hear from attack coach Andrew Goodman and loosehead Andrew Porter as the inquest into the defeat to France continues. There's Premiership interest in Jack Crowley. Munster and Leinster have both been signing members of their existing squads to new contracts. And New Zealand Rugby secure the services of one of their top prospects.