On this week’s episode, we are joined by Leinster Schools Head Coach, MSc Sports Performance Analysis lecturer, and The Currency columnist Brett Igoe to preview the final round of the United Rugby Championship regular season and assess the current state of Irish rugby.

Maurice and Brett discuss Ireland’s depth chart, Leinster’s Champions Cup ambitions, Munster’s ongoing issues, the job Stuart Lancaster is doing at Connacht, and the next step for Ulster under Richie Murphy.

Arena, a new podcast from the Irish Examiner, offers weekly deep dives into Irish sport. Listen for free on the Irish Examiner website or wherever you get your podcasts. Get in touch with Maurice at maurice.brosnan@examiner.ie

Follow Brett on X @brettruganalyst.

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On this week’s episode, we’re joined by RTÉ Head of Sport Declan McBennett to discuss the recent announcement that the broadcaster will remain in the Irish market for Champions League coverage.

He explains why free-to-air television remains vital for sport, how decisions are made around which events are broadcast, and the challenges of balancing audience demand with commercial realities.

We also examine RTÉ’s coverage of Gaelic games, including a defence of its punditry and the role analysis plays in shaping the viewing experience.

Finally, we look to the future of live sport: should the priority be the in-stadium experience or the needs of the television audience?

Arena, a new podcast from the Irish Examiner, offers weekly deep dives into Irish sport. Listen for free on the Irish Examiner website or wherever you get your podcasts.

Get in touch with Maurice at maurice.brosnan@examiner.ie

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, we’re joined by Colin Sheridan to talk about the price of tickets for the Ryder Cup and other big sporting events currently.

Ryder Cup tickets made exclusively available to Irish fans, priced at €499 each, sold out in under an hour last Friday, while practice day (€89) and weekly tickets (€1,999) sold out in under four hours.

Colin explores the evolving relationship between fans and elite sporting events. As prices continue to rise, what alternatives exist for supporters who are priced out? And what does this shift mean for a younger generation’s connection to live sport?

Arena, a new podcast from the Irish Examiner, offers weekly deep dives into Irish sport. Listen for free on the Irish Examiner website or wherever you get your podcasts. Get in touch with Maurice on maurice.brosnan@examiner.ie.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, we’re talking funding for athletics. Gerard O’Donnell is a coach with Dublin sprint who knows what it is like as an athlete having won nine national titles in the short hurdles too. He joins us to talk about how the model currently works and where it could improve.

This week, a record €28.5 million in funding was confirmed for Sport Ireland's High Performance Unit for this year. We ask which athletes would benefit most from that support?

Arena, a new podcast from the Irish Examiner, offers weekly deep dives into Irish sport. Listen for free on the Irish Examiner website or wherever you get your podcasts.

Get in touch with Maurice on maurice.brosnan@examiner.ie

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rory McIlroy is now a back-to-back Masters champion and a six-time major winner. This week, we look back on his remarkable triumph at Augusta National and what it was like to witness it on the ground.

What McIlroy means to the sport, and to Ireland, are questions we try to answer. In a modern era where golf is competing for attention and searching for a post-Tiger Woods figurehead, McIlroy’s success feels more significant than ever.

Arena, a new podcast from the Irish Examiner, offers weekly deep dives into Irish sport. Listen for free on the Irish Examiner website or wherever you get your podcasts. Get in touch with Maurice on maurice.brosnan@examiner.ie.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, we’re reporting from Augusta National for the 90th Masters. The first of the four Majors gets underway on Thursday.

What is it about August National? What makes this tournament? We hear from Shane Lowry and Rory McIlroy before sitting down with Reach plc US Sports Editor Thomas Bristow.

Arena, a new podcast from the Irish Examiner, is a weekly feature-style reflection on Irish sport. Listen for free on the Irish Examiner website or wherever you get your podcasts.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode, we’re joined by Examiner Sport columnist and racing legend, Ruby Walsh to discuss what makes a great sports pundit. He talks about working at Cheltenham, prepping for the job and what he sees as the objective of the job.

Ireland has a proud history of outspoken and engaging punditry with a long list of big personalities who provided immense entertainment. But the world has changed. So, who are the best pundits today and what is it that makes them stand out?

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Influencers are becoming the GAA’s newest force. But why were so many social media stars invited to the All-Stars and what is the strategy behind it?

Arena is a new podcast from the Irish Examiner with a weekly feature-style reflection on Irish sport. On this episode, we’re joined by content creator Caolán Ward to unpack what this shift means for the future of the game and its audience.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.