The Red Hand

Ulster show true grit on a snowy night at Ravenhill.

On this week’s Red Hand Podcast, Peter Lockhart is joined by Fergus, Cal, Bill and debutant Issy to break down a dominant interpro win over Munster, delivered with real true grit in testing conditions.

We discuss the performance, the atmosphere around Ravenhill, standout players, Ulster’s improving attack and defence, and whether this team is finally clicking. There’s also listener questions, a look ahead to the Cheetahs and Stade Français, and a wider chat about what success looks like for Ulster this season.

Dan sits down with Gavin Mairs, Chief Rugby Correspondent at The Daily Telegraph, for a wide-ranging and genuinely fascinating conversation. From the big-picture issues shaping the modern game to the stories behind the headlines, Gavin brings sharp insight, decades of experience and a few surprises along the way.

And of course, there’s a healthy dose of Ulster Rugby chat woven through it all.

The Red Hand Podcast is back.
Dan’s at the helm and he’s joined by Jack and Fergus as they dive into all things Ulster Rugby.

Cardiff reviewed. The road ahead previewed.
Plenty of chat, plenty of craic.

Tune in and enjoy. 🔴✋🎙️

Welcome back to the Red Hand Podcast.
Dan takes the reins this week as the lads dive into Ulster’s huge win over Racing and look ahead to Cardiff and a busy festive stretch of inter-pro games.
Enjoy!

The Red Hand Podcast is back this week, with Dan Humphreys steering the ship and Caolán and Cal joining the panel. The lads pick over Ulster’s bonus-point win against Benetton, cast an eye towards Racing, and wander into all sorts of rugby chat along the way. Enjoy.

The Red Hand Podcast is joined by Brendan Fanning this week to discuss his new book “Touching Distance”.

Dan has a great chat with him about all things Irish rugby of course with a heavy emphasis on Ulster.

Join Dan, Fergus and Jack for your weekly dose of Ulster and Ireland rugby chat. This week, the lads dig into Rory Best’s new role and what it means for the province, break down the Lions fixture, and look at Ireland’s latest run-out through an Ulster lens.

Plenty of opinion and a healthy dose of craic.

Stick the kettle on, plug in, and enjoy! 🔴✋

THE RED HAND PODCAST IS BACK, BABY!

Peter’s handed over the reins for the next wee while and Dan’s in the hot seat, steering the ship with Nathan and Fergus as the lads chat through Ulster’s undefeated start to the season. A bit of craic, a bit of analysis, and the usual segments including two good, two bad and the look ahead to the next game…

It’s good to be back. Stick the kettle on and enjoy.

Right, let’s not sugarcoat it - Ulster Rugby’s season was… not great, but we’re gonna keep the chins up and have a chat about it anyway!

Join us for the big send-off of the Red Hand Podcast, where me and the lads, Fergus and Ian, are joined by comedian and die-hard Ulster fan Ian Thompson and Ulster Rugby legend Stevie Ferris.

We’ll be yapping away, throwing out some half-decent takes, a few dodgy ones, and some craic to make you forget Ulster’s shocker of a season and look ahead to hopefully br...

Join me on the latest episode of The Red Hand as we dissect Ulster Rugby’s gut-wrenching loss to the Sharks, unpacking where it went wrong and what it means for the rebuild. I’m joined by Dan, Ian, the insightful Caolan Scully from Munster’s Red Army Podcast, and former Ulster and Ireland star Ian Madigan, who brings his razor-sharp perspective. We dive into Richie Murphy’s young squad and preview the crucial final games against Munster and Edinburgh—make-or-break moments for Ulster’s season. Expect passion, laughs, and a hopeful look at how Ulster can rise again. Tune in on S...

The Red Hand Pod is back to chat about the loss to Leinster at the weekend and look ahead to the home straight...

The Red Hand pod gang are back and are joined by South African rugby podcaster, Harry Jones, to discuss the win over Stormers and look ahead to the tricky final run-in.

The Red Hand Podcast is back to discuss all things Ulster Rugby including the game at the weekend and where Richie Murphy's men go from here.

Ulster are back and so is the Red Hand Podcast!

Ian, Fergus, Dan and I chat about Ulster edging past Scarlets and what comes next for Richie Murphy's men.

To discuss Ulster’s hammering of the Chiefs at Fortress Ravenhill I’m joined by Ian, Nathan and Dan.

We do our best to discuss everything apart from rugby but eventually do end up talking about what happened at the weekend.

Nathan, Fergus, Dan and I were delighted to be joined by Ian Whitten - European Cup winner and two time premiership winner with Exeter as well as playing for Ulster and Ireland.

On this episode of the Red Hand Podcast I'm joined by former Ireland u-20s, Ulster, Highlanders and Ospreys second row Jack Regan.

Jack took the road less travelled - from Leinster to Ulster's academy to New Zealand, Wales and Japan before taking early retirement stemming from health concerns - it's a story worth listening to.

Dan and I really enjoyed chatting to Jack and we hope you enjoy listening.

Red Handers, it's good to be back!

In this episode I'm joined by a class panel featuring Fergus, Bill, Deric and Nathan.

We chat about Ulster's festive period, look ahead to the upcoming games and give a mid-season assessment of where Ulster are at.

Enjoy!

Depending on who you ask last weekend was either full positives or the end of the world for Ulster fans.

To help you decide how to feel about Ulster at the minute I'm joined by Jack, Ian, Dan and Maz McMillan - Bordeaux fan originally from Ulster - joins us on the pod.

Enjoy!

This week's episode is a father and sons special.

We try and avoid talking about the game but inevitably end up discussing the clash with Toulouse and where Ulster go from here.

On this episode Nathan, Dan, Fergus and I are joined by rugby expert and all round legend Brett Igoe.

We talk about Ulster, Leinster, Ireland and everything else in between.

Enjoy!

The Red Hand is back.

This week we're joined by rugby expert analyst Jason Lear.

Ian makes his glorious return after following an enforced return to podcasting protocol.

Nathan explains Leinster will lose this weekend but only because they want to.

And a whole lot more... Enjoy!

Ulster and Ireland legend, Chris Henry, and comedian and host of the Cork in the North podcast and Q Radio breakfast show join us on the Red Hand Podcast to discuss all things Ulster Rugby (and some other stuff too!)

Enjoy.

In this episode I'm joined by Fergus, Dan and former Ulster player Mark Best as we discuss the win over Ospreys, look ahead to Cardiff and everything Ulster Rugby related in between.

On this week's Red Hand Podcast we discuss the Connacht clash, look forward to getting one over the Ospreys this weekend and chat all things Ulster Rugby. I'm joined by Fergus, Ian, Nathan and Dan. Enjoy.

A tough day at the office against the Bulls at the weekend, but the lads got the all important 'moral victory': a spirited performance from a young and inexperienced side against a team packed with Springboks.

Can Richie's men bounce back this weekend against Connacht?

The lads discuss this and more on the pod.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CkYXptY0fs4

We have a great episode in store for you this week.

Legendary European cup and Premiership winning out-half Gareth Steenson joins the panel to talk about what he has been up to recently and gives his take on the Ulster 10 jersey.

Always great to listen to Gareth.

The lads discuss Ulster’s game against the Lions last weekend, look ahead to the clash with the Bulls and go through the Red Hand Mailbox.

Enjoy.

We're baaack!

Richie Murphy's men pulled off the great escape against Glasgow and now face a tough tour to South Africa.

The gang discuss all things Ulster Rugby and listen to the Red Hand's first ever poem - An ode to Marty Moore.

Enjoy.

After the successful summer interview series, the gang are back and talking about the season ahead!

I'm joined by Nathan, Fergus, Dan and special guest, former Ulster player and European Cup winner, Andy Park.

We talk all things Ulster Rugby, pre-season, new signings, overall trajectory and predictions for the 24/25 campaign.

Really enjoyed chatting to Robert, David, Alan and Ian Whitten about their respective rugby careers and their time playing together in the same team for Instonians (which included a Senior Cup win and incredible unbeaten streak).

I am delighted to be joined on this episode by former Ulster and Ireland centre Kevin Maggs.

Kevin was known for his hard hitting, physical style in defence and attack, making him a fan favourite for club and country.

In this episode, Kevin charts his journey from taking up the game at a relatively late age to going from laying kerbs and playing for his local team on Saturday to playing alongside midfield partner Brian O'Driscoll.

Was an absolute pleasure to speak to Kevin and I hope you enjoy listening.

Loved chatting to former Rainey, Ulster, Dragons and Wales hooker, Bradley Roberts, a while back for this episode which is being re-released following the announcement of his recent retirement.

His story is like something from a far-fetched Hollywood script.

From club rugby, to pro rugby to international rugby in less than a calendar year. Remarkable.

This is the first re-release of some of my favourite episodes.

Sean Reidy is a very common answer when you ask Ulster fans for their favourite player of the modern era.

Sean typified the 'fight for every inch' mantra.

Despite not being born here, Sean always fought for the jersey for Ulster and Ireland and is very fondly remembered in the province.

There have definitely been times recently when we've needed players in his mould and hopefully the man himself returns to these shores at some point in the future!

After all the interviews I've done so far, this is one of my favourite episodes ever.

Neil Best is an Ulster legend, fan favourite and one of the most abrasive and physical players who has ever played for the province.

He’s a big character and I know you’ll love listening to our chat.

If, like me, you're still coming to terms with the end of Luke Marshall's playing days with Ulster, then you'll find comfort listening to this episode in which the legendary centre reflects on his time with the province.

Luke has been a massive fan favourite over the years for good reason: he has always given his all and, despite injuries getting in the way at times, has had an unbelievable career with Ulster and Ireland.

Dan and I really enjoyed chatting to Luke who, as well as being a very talented player, is also one...

What an honour to be joined by Ulster's most successful coach of the professional era, Harry Williams. Harry is the legendary coach of Ulster's 1999 European Cup winning squad who celebrated their achievement 25 years on this year. Loved speaking to Harry who is a brilliant leader, man manager and inspirational coach who will go down in history as the man who steered Ulster to their greatest day in the province's history.

Former Ulster and Wallabies second row Sam Carter reflects on his career, his time with Ulster and what he's up to now.

Loved chatting to former Ulster and Ireland scrumhalf Kieran Campbell. Few people have made a bigger contribution to Ulster Rugby. Indeed, Kieran brought through quite a few of the current Ulster senior team in his days in charge of the academy. After a spell coaching in England, Kieran is back to NI where he has taken up a new role with Coleraine Grammar School as their head of rugby. Enjoy.

The dust has settled on another season and it's time to look back, hand out the awards and look into the middle-distance to try and work out what lies ahead for Ulster.

With the rugby season now over, it’s time to pause and reflect on the season just past and look forward to a building project at Ulster Rugby. To help me and Dan do this, we’re joined by a former prop who started off his career with Ulster before going on to play for Connacht and premiership teams such as Worcester and Northampton, Conor Carey, and rugby coach, analyst and expert Nathan Moore.

It’s a big week for Ulster rugby. After a spirited performance in defeat against Munster at Thomond Park, Ulster now face a formidable task of heading down the road to face a fully-stacked Leinster team in the quarter finals. Can we complete the hat-trick over Leo Cullen’s side OR is next week’s Red Hand podcast going to be the end of season special? To discuss all things Ulster rugby, I’m joined by Dan and special guests to the pod, rugby commentator Graham Jewhurst and Jonny McCormick better known as Opta Jonny who deals in rugby statistics.

Plenty to chat about as always! Ulster’s whipping boys Leinster fall at the final hurdle in the Champions Cup Final once again  - what does this mean for Irish Rugby - does it create room for another province to rise like a phoenix from the flames to take their place? I’m maybe being a bit tongue in cheek about Leinster, but we will be talking about the ways in which the IRFU may seek to change things to level the playing field with the other provinces In other news, Ulster have secured the services of a new 10 - 22 year...

The Red Hand pod panel is joined by an unbelievable panel this week - former Leinster, Connacht, Sales Sharks and Ireland hooker and now one of the top pundits in the country, Bernard Jackman, and former Connacht, Leinster, Zebre and Ulster second-row and pundit Mick Kearney. We discuss all things Ulster Rugby including questions such as: how will the season finish up? What comes next for Richie Murphy’s young and streamlined squad? Indeed, what hopes and expectations can we hold for the province over the next number of seasons? Enjoy.

Life’s never boring as an Ulster fan. Big news this week as Richie Murphy is now permanently at the wheel after successfully getting his feet under the table during his temporary time in charge. Now, the question is whether he’ll be able to turn this ship around in choppy waters. Richie’s at the helm but a number of his crew have jumped or been pushed overboard - nine of them in fact. It will certainly lighten the load financially, but  where does that leave the squad? There’s also the small matter of the match at the weekend a...

In this special bonus episode Dan and I are joined by legendary Exeter Chiefs out-half and Ulsterman, Gareth Steenson. Gareth chats about how rejection from Ulster spurred him on to better things. The European Cup winner also discusses why he is coming back to his native Norn Iron. One of rugby's most inspirational and interesting stories. Enjoy.

The gang are joined by top rugby journalist Brendan Fanning as we attempt to tackle some of the big issues facing Ulster Rugby.

The lads chat about the win over Ulster, who might be joining us from our feeder club in Dublin and what we need to do to salvage the season. To help us in our quest to answer all the big Ulster rugby related questions, rugby analyst and expert Jason Lear joins us.

Welcome to the Red Hand Podcast It’s been another tough week to be an Ulster fan as our Challenge Cup hopes were crushed by Clermont. Richie Murphy’s men were demolished in the second half after a pretty decent first half showing leaving fans and players feeling a bit shell shocked. Richie’s still at the wheel though and he needs time. He’s been parachuted in to a difficult situation and our new head coach and his squad need the backing of supporters. Depending on who you listen to in the Ulster camp we were either wrong to have suc...

A different and somewhat special episode this week as we zoom out and consider the bigger picture at Ulster Rugby. Don’t worry, we will discuss the weekend’s action as well of course! Ulster secured a 40-17 point win over Montpellier to book their place in the quarter finals of the Challenge Cup in a game that perfectly demonstrated the old adage ‘it’s a game of two halves’. More on that in a second. The usual panel have been given a break this week in line with rugby podcasters rest protocol.  So, I’ve drafted in a couple of special gu...

Have Ulster successfully weathered the storm? Everything seems better and brighter around Ulster Rugby at the minute. The coaching team look happier, fans are more positive, the team are battling for 80 minutes. I’m keen not to get carried away and talk of a transformation is certainly premature, but I think anyone who has been paying attention to ulster has noticed green shoots of progress in the most recent performances. It’s difficult to explain but even though we lost, everyone – myself included – was pretty happy with it. We’ll dig into why with Fergus, Ian and Dan. We’ll dig into why

The lads bid farewell to Jonny Petrie and consider what's next for Ulster Rugby...

I’m joined this week by a very special guest and a name that will be familiar to all Ulster Rugby fans. A combative and abrasive second-row who played 34 times for the Wallabies, Justin’s connection to Ulster came when he joined the province in 2005 and captained the side to the Celtic league - their last piece of silverware. Justin was a key player for Australia for several seasons, famously playing in memorable fixtures such as the third Lions test in 2001 and the Rugby World Cup final in 2003. I loved chatting to the legend that is Justin Harrison. Hope you enjo...

The Ulster Rugby Soap opera continues. As we all know, following a recent plot-twist, one of the main characters was written out and the show has been revamped. New characters include understudy Dan Soper moving into the role of interim head coach and SPOILER ALERT he’s about to be reduced to a background character when Richie Murphy takes over the reins in the coming weeks. In Ulster, the script never seems to allow for a straightforward narrative, preferring to shake things up every few seasons and ‘refresh’ the ensemble cast to keep things interesting for fans. The start of the ne...

Slow news day for Ulster Rugby... After the most dramatic 24 hours this season for fans of Ulster which saw head coach Dan depart the province, ending his tenure as the longest serving Ulster coach of the professional era, the panel have plenty to talk about. Where do we go from here? Who's next? Was there a game at the weekend? Sit back, enjoy the chat and don't forget to like and subscribe!

Where to begin? The Red Hand is back to discuss Ulster crashing out of the Champions Cup and where we go from here. Consider it group therapy for Ulster fans. We will always back the players on the pitch but is it time for some new ideas to inspire this talented squad to fulfil their full potential?

Everything was in place for a famous home win… A packed Ravenhill on its 100 year anniversary, the 99 squad were watching on 25 years on from their famous European Cup win and momentum from a couple of big wins… In the end, we got absolutely minced by a team who looked to be on another level. Du Pont magic together with the quality of the players around him overwhelmed Ulster who were second best in every area of the game. On a more positive note, we finally got to see some fabulous attacking, running rugby on the plastic pitch… just unfortunate that it was...

This episode is from a while back - before Humphs was appointed head honcho of Irish Rugby.

Where to even start with David Humphreys?

Childhood hero, Ulster legend and one of the most significant figures in the history of Ulster Rugby.

This one is from the archive and I thought I would put it out there given the fact we are 25 years on from when Humphs helped Ulster get crowned Kings of Europe in '99.

What a legend.

Enjoy.

It's good to be back after a short Christmas break - hope you had a good one! Ulster have enjoyed an unbeaten run so far in 2024 and in the process of beating our provincial rivals, Ulster are now the number one province in Ireland. What a difference a few weeks makes. Ulster fans - is there anything better than beating Leinster at their place? The win was far from perfect but we still got the result. It was a heroic effort from the lads and it begs the question: what has galvanised the team of late? Are Dan's men performing...

"Never in doubt" Those were the words I was repeating after Ulster's inevitable demolition of Racing at Fortress Kingspan. Christmas has come early. Ulster are class again. Having been luke-warm to tepid so far this season, have Ulster been bubbling away beneath the surface? Are they now ready to boil over following their best performance in over a year? If you missed his post match interview, Dan said that he and some senior members of the squad had been spending time conducting experiments - mostly what 'quick-tap' moves work the best. The results were released against the French side to...

Life as an Ulster fan is anything but boring and, as usual, there's plenty to discuss on the podcast this week. Let's start with the positives: Ulster Rugby have an incredibly large and loyal fanbase, a fancy new stadium and pitch and a talented squad with a number of really good prospects coming through. So, this begs the question why Dan McFarland's men are struggling on the pitch and why Ulster are in such a precarious position as an organisation. There's a saying that a fish rots from the head down.  Something to think about.... However, there's also a saying...

Welcome to the Red Hand Podcast.

Are there dark clouds gathering at Ulster? Is a storm coming for the current head-coach?

Following defeat at the weekend, Dan McFarland slammed the standards in training and, by extension, his own ability to coach the team.

I’m not sure the words went down well with Ulster supporters, many of whom seemed not best pleased by the performance or Dan’s reaction.

It’s just a game at the end of the day – a frivolous game, a bit of fun – entertainment – so there’s no point in ge...

Dan McFarland’s men started like a steam train but ran out of track as Glasgow battled their way back into the game and won 33-20.

Two tries within 11 minutes  from Tom Stewart and Cooney but Glasgow dominated the rest of the match.

Three away games and two losses for Ulster (which could have very easily been three losses)

Is it simply a case of ‘taking your lessons and moving on’ as Dan McFarland often says or are there more serious problems to be addressed?

To answer these questions and more, I’m joi...

It was a miserable night and in many ways a pretty miserable game on Friday night against the Lions, but Ulster found a way to get the win so we’re going to stay positive!

Despite being down by seven points at halftime, Dan McFarland’s men went up a gear in the second half and ultimately held on for a 24-17 victory.

In horrendous conditions at fortress Ravenhill, it was not the most entertaining of games to put it lightly.

Tries from James Hume, Stockdale and Rob Herring allowed Ulster to claw thei...

It’s two weeks after Halloween but Ulster have done the ‘Munster Mash’, defeating their provincial rivals 21-14 at Fortress Ravenhill.

Grave problems for Munster as, after the visitors drew first blood, they were guilty of coffin up the ball on too many occasions, allowing Ulster back into the game.

Dan McFarland’s men held off Munster in the dying stages with Munster pummelling their line, and secured a historic victory.

To discuss the game I’m joined by regular panelists Nathan, Jack, Patrick and Fergus and we’re delighted to be joined this evening...

If you're struggling to work out how to feel after the game at the weekend then you're not alone. We lost but... did we really win when you consider the performance exceeded all expectations? The answer, of course, is no. Your outlook on the game will depend on whether you're a glass-half-empty or glass-half-full type of person. Half of Ulster's fan-base has chosen to focus on the glass being partly full with several impressive individual performances, an early lead and a spirited effort from a heavily rotated Ulster side. The other half of Ulster's fan base is choosing to focus...

This week we're looking back at Ulster's battling win over the Bulls on Sunday and looking ahead to their clash with Connacht on Saturday. As always, there's plenty to discuss about the game which was a pretty entertaining watch (although I could have done without those nerve-racking few minutes at the end!) The new pitch is already paying for itself in terms of saving Ulster's laundry bills and, apart from that, we saw a more ambitious Ulster trying to keep the ball alive and bring our electric set of backs into the game a bit more than we're used to. ...

Welcome back to the Red Hand Podcast. It has been a while.

Now that the side-show distraction of the World Cup is over, we are back to the main event - the URC - as Ulster prepare to face Zebre away in their opening game.

The dust has settled on yet another disappointing campaign as Ireland yet again crashed out in the quarters. We won't dwell on this - plenty has been said by others about their early departure. Suffice to say, we would have won if more Ulster men had been on the field.<...

I am delighted to be joined by Conor Carey. We have timed this podcast perfectly because Conor has just announced his retirement from professional rugby and is ready to reflect on a great career.

Rugby fans in Ulster will know Conor as he is one who slipped through the net. He played rugby in Ulster up the age-groups and Ireland under 20s and then went on to have along and successful career - just not in Ulster (although he nearly came full circle last season...)

Conor is also uniquely positioned to talk about the Championship...

I’m joined on this episode by Andrew Maxwell.

Ulster fans will remember Andrew from his successful time with the club playing on the wing between 03/04 and 07 before joining Edinburgh.

However, Andrew’s rugby career only forms part of his story: after hanging up his boots he transitioned seamlessly into the world of business, becoming co-owner of Irish Burrito chain, Boojum and now has another exciting and innovative venture which is set to revolutionise fast food in Belfast.

I really enjoyed speaking to Andrew and I hope you enjoy listening.

Mark Best came through the ranks with Ulster and Ireland before taking the 'road less travelled' of choosing an alternative path.

I chat to Mark about his journey, what it's like to transition back into real life and now enjoying club rugby with Ballynahinch where he was recently man of the match in their Senior Cup Final victory over Queens.

I really enjoyed chatting to Mark and I hope you enjoy listening.

ps. If you have a spare few moments type 'Mark Best Highlights' into YouTube and marvel at his skills.

Ulster season came to a shuddering halt against interprovincial rivals, Connacht, on Friday night in Belfast.

Ulster's season is over. But where does that leave us?

Is Dan still the man to take us forward? Should we be concerned that 10 players (at least) are leaving and only 2 are coming in? What went wrong on Friday night?

The panel wrestle with these questions.

I’m excited to be joined by former professional rugby player and agent, John Andress.

John’s an Ulsterman with a long and successful playing career. In fact he’s played over 200 professional games with the likes of Exeter Chiefs, London Harlequins, Worcester Warriors, Edinburgh Rugby, Munster and Connacht.

There are few more well-travelled and experienced players and he has used his extensive network of contacts to forge a career as a rugby agent.

He lifts the lid on life as an agent and reflects on his journey from age-grade star at Ulster to the...

If you didn’t see the game at the weekend, Ulster beat Edinburgh 28-14 to secure home advantage in URC play-offs. Ulster got the job done but, as some have commented, maybe not in the style that some fans would have wanted.

Tries from Jacob Stockdale, Nick Timoney and John Cooney and 13 points from Cooney’s boot secured the win.

It’s an interesting time for Ulster. There is talk of trouble in the camp, but the team continue to win on the pitch. A few big names have announced they are leaving and we await...

Job done. A mixed bag of a game but Ulster go into second place for the time being and their destiny is in their own hands. 

A win this weekend will give them a home game in a prospective semi-final.

We chat about the performance and contracts as well as looking ahead to the remaining games as we continue in the business end of the season.

It’s the hope that kills you. Leinster swept Ulster aside on Saturday despite a good shift from Dan’s men.  Leinster are now the only Irish side left inthe competition after overcoming Ulster 30-15 in an incredibly wet Aviva stadium. After the game Dan said: “I can’t change the demographics. They have way more rugby players, way more money. Nothing changes that.” He also said, ‘It was a challenge” when playing Leinster. Which is a bit like a mountain climber comparing Everest to a molehill. Indeed, the gap has never looked wider as, despite a spirited effort, ulster didn’t come all...

I'm joined by the Red Hand brains trust once again as we discuss Ulster's bonus point win over the Bulls at the weekend and look ahead to the main event: the clash with interprovincial rivals Leinster in Dublin this Saturday. For fans of Star Wars, listener discretion is advised.

I'm joined by two familiar voices of Ulster Rugby: Commentators Mark Robson and Graham Jewhurst. We discuss Ireland's 6 Nations success from an Ulster perspective,look ahead to the World Cup and discuss the business end to Ulster's season including the decisive clash with Leinster in the Champions Cup.

An in depth and free-wheeling chat with one of the best personalities from Ulster Rugby. Apart from being an Ulster and Ireland legend, Trimby is now a media personality and CEO and balances all this with a busy family life and outside interests. I loved talking to him, hope you enjoy listening.

My next guest is someone who has achieved something very rare – he’s played professionally in two sports.

Rugby for Ulster and Jersey Reds and cricket for Ireland (which is seriously impressive).

Ross has had a really interesting journey throughout his rugby career and has been hit with set-backs along the way. It’s a story which is quite inspiring – coming back from injury and playing high level sport again.

It was an absolute pleasure chatting to Ross.

Hope you enjoy listening.

Ulster with a bonus point win: it’s nice getting to say that two weeks in a row!

The win at the weekend means that Ulster have their sights set on 2nd place in the URC table.

Ulster currently sit third - 5 points behind the Stormers -  but the last 3 games are all at home whereas Stormers have to travel to face unbeaten Leinster  in the next round..

Finishing in the top two is of course the goal because it would secure home advantage right through to the Semi-finals of the URC playoffs.

Ulster may have turned a corner in their season with a bonus point win in South Africa in their rescheduled game against the Sharks. The score in the end was 31-24.

Granted, both sides were without certain key internationals and Sharks were missing a load of big names but credit where credit’s due for Ulster.

Two maul tries from Tom Stewart laid the foundation for the win. Stewart Moore scored a sneaky, opportunistic try and Harry Sheridan - who is quickly becoming a fan favourite – powered his way over to give Ulster the bonus poin...

I had the honour of speaking to Ilse van Staden who has been playing rugby at a high level for over 21 years and has shown no signs of slowing down.

She is a rugby player, butcher, chef, language teacher and biltong maker from South Africa and living in Northern Ireland.

Since moving to Northern Ireland in 2011 she has played for Ulster Rugby, and represented Ireland in the Six Nations as prop.

It was a great pleasure speaking to Ilse and getting to sample some Biltong which she kindly brought along.

We...

Ulster’s recent revival came to a disappointing end as Glasgow Warriors came from behind at half time to snatch victory.

It was a game that divided fan opinion.

There are those who are talking about the start of another crisis and there’s another camp who think a bonus point loss is not too bad considering Glasgow’s recent run of form.

Whatever your opinion, we’ve see Ulster throw away half-time leads too many times this season – it has become a recurring theme!

Ulster lead at the break but did not sc...

Ulster backed up their famous European win over Sale Sharks with a dominant bonus-point 35-5 win over the Stormers in the united rugby championship on Friday night in fortress Kingspan

Nathan Doak, Ben Moxham and Nick Timoney scored first-half tries and Jeff Toomaga-Allen and Mike Lowry scored in the second half.

It was a good win and certainly a performance to be happy with albeit the stormers weren’t at the races.

To discuss and dissect the game at the weekend I’m joined by regular panelists Nathan and Jack and our special gues...

Well, it’s official… Ulster are back!

Or at least they are progressing to the next stage. I think we’re definitely right to celebrate as we haven’t had much to celebrate in a while!

There wasn’t a huge amount of optimism for this winner-takes it all pool match, having won just one in our last 7 matches.

Feelings of relief were palpable at the Kingspan.

Ulster were improved but not perfect.

We are certainly now moving in the right direction but whether this squad can get back to playing...

I saw the La Rochelle Ulster game described as ‘a chess match played in a storm’ which is pretty accurate.

Ulster fell agonisingly short once again away from home to champions cup holders La Rochelle.

Ulster dominated in terms of possession but failed to capitalise in the dreadful conditions.

This makes it 6 losses in 7 matches however Dan McFarland and many Ulster fans were somewhat encouraged by the performance.

To discuss all things ulster at the minute I’m joined by an incredible panel: Nathan, Evan, Caolan, Donal and Jack.

As you may have seen, Ulster have suffered a deflating 31-29 defeat to Benetton in a dramatic game in Treviso to continue what has what has been a poor run for the province recently.

This defeat is Ulster’s fifth loss in six games and the first time the Treviso-based side have beaten an Irish province since 2017.

The panel discuss the potential causes of Ulster's loss of form and what they can do about it.

Brian Moylett is rugby's leading mindset & performance coach for young players, working with players 1:1, teams and coaching groups all over the world. He helps young players overcome setbacks, develop confidence and self belief, and play in the zone.

Brian played age grade rugby for Connacht Rugby, Leinster Rugby and Ireland, and having gone through the pathway systems himself, he saw that there is a real lack of mental and mindset support for young players.

His passion for motivating players and helping them overcome their limiting beliefs has received praise from people across the international landscape...

Welcome to the Red Hand Podcast and happy new year!

I want to take this opportunity to thank all of you who listen, read, contribute and join in the chat and debate about all things Ulster Rugby. It is hugely appreciated.

The Red Hand is the most popular and, in my humble opinion, the best Ulster Rugby podcast out there. We have another big year ahead so please join us!

Anyway, The Red Hand’s trajectory is an arrow pointing upwards but Ulster’s trajectory is currently uncertain to put it kindly… it has be...

My next guest is Ulster, Ireland and Northampton hooker Paul Shields.

Ulster fans will remember Paul well. He got over 100 caps for Ulster and won the Celtic league before moving on to Northampton where he finished his playing career.

This is a special podcast for me because Paul was my favourite Ulster player growing up! 

It was great to meet a childhood hero and he didn't disappoint - really nice guy and great chat.

Hope you enjoy listening!

It felt like we had been flung back two years into the past as Ulster and La Rochelle took to the Aviva, completely devoid of a crowd save for an “official delegation” from La Rochelle.

The decision to move the game from Belfast to Dublin was contentious at best. The freezing of Ravenhill not only cost Ulster a critical home advantage against the European champions, but by Jonny Petrie’s estimation, will cost the organisation itself roughly £700,000.

Understandably, waves of frustration crashed over social media from Ulster supporters at EPCR’s handling of the fixture, compounde...

This is a very special episode of the podcast for a number of reasons. First of all, for the first time, I am joined by 3 great guests at the same time: former Ulster player Paddy McAllister, Pamela Gilpin of Rugby Players Ireland and Hannah Murtagh, owner and lead trainer/educator with Fithead.

We talk about personal and professional development for rugby players and how this has a broader application even to those outside the world of professional sport.

Fascinating insights from these three!

Hannah at Fithead supports the podcast. Here is a bit...

We’re finally ready to talk about what happened at the weekend...

That was a difficult watch. However, on the Red Hand podcast, we try and stay positive.

In brief summary, six tries and a clean sheet for sale and one of Ulster’s worst performances in recent memory.

Ulster looked jet-lagged in defence and attack. Indeed, preparation for the game was disrupted by the cold weather which meant the squad had to travel on the morning of the game after their flight on Saturday was cancelled.

Ulster arrived in England on t...

Fourteen-man Leinster produced an outstanding comeback to beat Ulster 38-29 in Dublin,

Cian Healy was shown a red card on 21 minutes and Ulster were up 22-3 after a good start with tries from Rob Herring, Kieran Treadwell and Ethan McIlroy.

Everything seemed to be going Ulster’s way and we #daredtodream as we approached the break.

The second half was a different story:

Leinster hit back with five tries and our dreams were dashed.

Ulster went down to 13 men in the second half when James Hume and Nick Timoney we...

I'm joined by Ulster super-fans Ross Barnett and Jack Fogarty as we discuss Ulster's bonus point win over Zebre.

After a short break, welcome back to the Red Hand Podcast.

I’m joined by Irish Times Journalist, Nathan Johns and rugby writer Caolan Scully.

We’re here to discuss Ireland’s autumn internationals and look ahead to Ulster’s game against Zebre this Friday Night.

My next guest on the podcast is former Ulster Rugby player Mike McComish.

You’ll remember Mike from his playing days – starting off on a development contract with Ulster then playing in England for Rotheram and Otley before coming back to Ireland to join Connacht and eventually found his way back to Ulster.

The episode title is derived from the fact we could all benefit from being a bit more like Mike: pursue your passions, find balance in your life and take your health and longevity seriously because, without it, there's nothing left.

You...

I'm joined by rugby writer and Munster fan, Caolan Scully, and Ulster fan, Ross Barnett, as we discuss Ulster's first win in Thomond Park in over 8 years.

We also look ahead to a weekend of rugby featuring number one in the world, Ireland, take on the current World Cup holders, South Africa.

Welcome to a very special episode of the Red Hand Podcast.

Ian McKinley was an international out-half who played rugby at the top level in Ireland and then continued his career in Italy after a transformative experience which threatened to end his career before it had really got going.

His path has not been a straightforward one.

His story is among the most inspiring I’ve ever heard and was am lucky to be speaking to Ian just ahead of the launch of his book, Second Sight which is now out.

I...