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Who Cares About Rugby?
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Being beaten by Wales today was a bit of a disaster! That it should have hung on an avoidable mistake made it all the more galling. They can't achieve the Grand Slam. They can't win the Triple Crown. They have little or no hope of winning the Six Nations Championship. Hardly 'all to play for', as they say...
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-- number10
05/02/12 at 23:26
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 From :
doves
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Posted : 08/02/12 at 22:09 |
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| I don't. The Irish media going about the warrior bullshit and everything rosey in the garden when they are losing every second game while they consistently portray football in a poor light. Listening to people going on about Paul O'Connell as if he is some sage and Brian O'Driscoll as if he's got a personality. I guess if there was some balance it would be bearable but Rugby rules the waves and the moment so just have to keep the head down until we knock Spain out and the worm turns.
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From :
evil_giraffe
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Posted : 08/02/12 at 22:37 |
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| Where you from?
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From :
number10
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Posted : 09/02/12 at 00:27 |
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By the snme measure, Evil, everyone cared about swimming – while Michelle Smyth was going for gold in the Olympics. I've no problem with that. People like watching Irish people, or Irish teams, win. But it doesn't equate with people caring about the sport.
Rugby has a very small number of active players compared to football or gaelic football. Why? Because there is, relatively, a small number of schools that play it. There is also a small number of countries that play it. It is a minority sport – of a relatively elite class of individuals. And that is a fact.
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From :
evil_giraffe
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Posted : 09/02/12 at 07:58 |
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So to answer the question "Who Cares About Rugby?" you're using your own special meassures that allow you disregard television ratings, match attendances, facilities available at grass roots level, and profitability.
These special meassures include presenting irrelevant untruths, and opinions grounded on prejudice, as fact?
I stand over "Nearly everyone in the country with a passing interest in sport, except for a vocal group from in and around Dublin who exhibit a weird inverse snobbery that goes back to their school days."
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From :
hydra
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Posted : 09/02/12 at 10:19 |
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number10, you're talking even more bullshit than usual. You're part of the reason I don't post about rugby on here at all anymore.
It's played in over 100 countries.
As it stands, there are 118 members of the union. Places like Russia and Georgia are putting a major emphasis on it now, massive investment going into the game. Also don't forget Sevens, countries like Portugal and Kenya have taken to it in a big way. And it's now being brought into the Olympics from 2016.
As for schools, there is a massive base outside of the schools you idiot. The fact you focus on schools says it all about you.
What about the recent explosion of tag rugby? The Pig 'n Porter Festival - Ireland's biggest sporting festival? Four thousand people coming to Limerick every July for a 3 day blitz? Bands playing? Street party by the Shannon? I'd say you've never heard of it.
Quit while you're ahead you gobshite.
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From :
hydra
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Posted : 09/02/12 at 11:23 |
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| doves - can people not like both sports?
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From :
mkiernan
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Posted : 09/02/12 at 13:19 |
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You are allowed to like more than one sport equally, right?
I get as passionate watching rugby as I do soccer. I support Leinster and Man Utd for example, I go to Leinster games on a regular basis and would go to more united games if financially viable.
I also head to Croke park if I can for Dublin games, but would be less of a GAA fan, which I think is just down to the championship format, would prefer if it was more competitive throughout a whole season instead of relying on a cup competition to be the main prize.
For Internationals I would much rather go to a rugby match, just gets the blood pumping more and I would be upset for a longer period after Ireland losing in international rugby than an international soccer match.
And to me, Ferris penalty was not deserved, still can't see it. Think wales would have got the drop goal in the end anyway, but they just walked to ball up the pitch to get in such a position which is the most disappointing thing.
A win against France would be great, especially in Paris, looking forward to it.
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From :
sweet_oblivion
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Posted : 09/02/12 at 15:41 |
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| Im a dude! But I play tag rugby and support Shamrock rovers so I am somewhat confused. EG - Who is this vocal group from Dublin you speak of? Boyzone?
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From :
rowan
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Posted : 09/02/12 at 15:52 |
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"As it stands, there are 118 members of the union. Places like Russia and Georgia are putting a major emphasis on it now, massive investment going into the game. Also don't forget Sevens, countries like Portugal and Kenya have taken to it in a big way. And it's now being brought into the Olympics from 2016."
Ah, now, it's seen as a joke in over 100 of those 118 countries... Two mates of mine who are no great shakes were offered the opportunity to play for Canada internationally, if they were prepared to pay for their flights etc. Says it all...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKnQn-8PFII
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From :
rowan
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Posted : 09/02/12 at 15:54 |
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| Furthermore, Russia's best player is just an Ireland reject
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From :
mkiernan
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Posted : 09/02/12 at 15:59 |
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| Was he a reject? Think they wanted him but some IRB rules got in the way, I could be wrong.
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From :
evil_giraffe
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Posted : 09/02/12 at 16:29 |
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| Sorry, I thought this was about something else….if I’d know it was the “Iz rubgy stoopid¿” thread I wouldn’t have posted.
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From :
skennedy
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Posted : 09/02/12 at 16:33 |
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"Im a dude!"
Fuck! Now you tell me! After a meal, a show, and six pints of Guinness! Jesus wept, did I learn nothing from The Crying Game?
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From :
sweet_oblivion
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Posted : 09/02/12 at 16:58 |
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| now now skennedy, no regrets we were both on holiday...
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From :
rowan
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Posted : 09/02/12 at 17:45 |
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as far as i'm aware, you don't need to hold an irish passport to play for ireland - you just need you're parents to be living in ireland but he was a border at blackrock and his parents still lived in russia
vaz was never offered a contract by leinster. had he been offered one, he would have been entitled to irish citizenship from any point 2007 onwards and could then have represented ireland. by 2008, he still hadn't been offered one. he then decided that his chances of ever representing ireland were slim and he moved home to present russia instead...
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From :
doves
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Posted : 09/02/12 at 22:53 |
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Not sure if you were asking me but I'm from Clare, not from Dublin.
From where I'm sitting it has been an easy transition for GAA supporters to follow the Rugby now that its successful, gives them an international dimension albeit in a tiny section of European and a couple of countries near the South Pole. There is still a hangover from the 'foreign sport' mentality which somehow the rugger has avoided been labelled as. I'm not being nasty, it is just the way I see it. It all rings a bit hollow to me and I wouldn't give a flying if it weren't for the fact the rugby media and a vocal minority of its fans use every opportunity to have a dig at every aspect of football. Guess it's one of the downsides of being popular, all the ugly kids try to knock you.
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From :
number10
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Posted : 10/02/12 at 00:14 |
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Tag rugby is an entirely different game to rugby...
One allows you to maul and brutalize people. The other forbids thou to do more than touch them.
It's like comparing tidily winks to American 'football'...
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From :
hydra
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Posted : 10/02/12 at 10:55 |
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Rowan - it's still developing in many of those countries though. Bear in mind the game only went professional 17 years ago. Much like the many poorer African, South American nations can be considered 'jokeshops', the level of investment by the governing bodies has a direct influence. That said, the IRB are improving things. A lot of the poorer countries like Kenya are focused on Sevens. Sevens is where the likes of Jonah Lomu, Christian Cullen etc. made their name. Unreal fitness and skill levels needed. It's something we should be investing heavily in, we rarely produce world class backs.
As I said, it's taken off in a big way in Eastern Europe - Romania (traditionally a strong team, especially back in the 80s, had some amazing results, beat the Scottish Grand Slam team), Georgia and Russia as I said, where the game is gone professional and the sport is part of the school curriculum. Interestingly, Russia is the ONLY country in the world making Olympic sports part of its school curriculum.
As for "Russia's best player is just an Ireland reject" - how quickly people forget the likes of our beloved Italia 90 team. Hell you could argue the success of the Irish football team was built on England rejects. Joey Barton tweeted on that very subject recently when on about Matt Holland (not that I agree with him). Anyway, that's neither here nor there - Vasily wasn't good enough, didn't make the grade. Lightning quick but can't defend, Munster tore him asunder in their two games. Russia do have other players in the Premiership. They have their own professional league so that's where a lot of their players stay.
Canada isin't quite the jokeshop you're saying by any means either. They're 13th in the world, just behind the Six Nations, Four Nations and Pacific Nations. Hell they beat Tonga at the World Cup, that's a major scalp for a developing nation. Some of their players play for the likes of Clermont Auverge, Glasgow and English Premiership and First Division sides. I'll take your word that your mates aren't any great shakes but I wouldn't criticise a coach for wanting a look at any players.
You laugh at the Brazil ads - Argentina is an equally as football-mad country and rugby has a reasonable foothold there now? The fact they're joining the Tri Nations should see the sport grow even more. Italy, football mad, sold out the San Siro for the All Blacks, beat France in the last Six Nations. I've been to matches in Italy and the turnout is good. That's been developed in about 12-14 years.
The thing I'd like to see is relegation and promotion from the Six Nations to the second level Six nations. It'd be great to see the likes of Georgia take Scotland's place for a season. Or god forbid, ours.
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From :
evil_giraffe
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Posted : 10/02/12 at 10:57 |
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So you're saying rugby is better than soccer then?
Jesus lads, I wouldn't take that.
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From :
hydra
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Posted : 10/02/12 at 11:02 |
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Doves - remember the brou-ha-ha before rugby was left into Croke Park?
number10 - shut up you troll. 'Maul and brutalize' - fuck off. What about shake your opponents hand and have a pint after the game, no segregation of supporters, clap the other team off, respect for referees etc.
I could tell you the reasons why tag rugby was invented or how it serves as an introduction for people, especially children, into the sport - or how it's far more inclusive towards women that many other sports - or how etc. but I'd be wasting my time on a keyboard warrior like yourself.
I wish this forum had an ignore function.
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