The IRISH RUGBY thread

[bennydorano]

New Zealand always remind me of a good Kerry side, the commentators are always waxing lyrical about their great play, meanwhile half a dozen of the opposition regularly get taken out in the process.

[Rudi]

Cians Healys poor pass to Zebo in a promising attack was a bit of a turning point, Ireland pocession stats from the 15th to the 62nd minute must be off the scale. Great performance, however NZ defence was superb.

[Aaron Boone]

Australia even-money to beat a bruised Ireland next weekend is tempting.

[Walter Cronc]

Poor bomber never got the ride over the weekend....again! So he's in here. Is there not some shitty barn dance in Tyrone for you to get the check shirt and boot cut jeans on pal?

[lenny]

Superb effort by the Irish side. New Zealand physically upped their game and inflicted serious damage on the irish players. Ireland I would imagine will be well short next week.
Ireland did everything but cross the line as New Zealand seemed happy to concede penalties to prevent what looked like inevitable irish tries.

Hilarious - glory in yet another home defeat to one of their only competitors in this niche sport.

The attitude in this country to failure in such a shallow pool is probably unique in sport.

You keep saying it's a niche sport. Which suggests that there are numerous other sports which are more mainstream. Apart from soccer name me another sport which is the national sport of 6 countries (Wales, New Zealand, South Africa, France, Fiji and Samoa) and is played professionally in at least 10 countries that I know of.

[thewobbler]

There is something truly odd at play when someone from a GAA background decries rugby's reliance as a sport, due it only being prominent in a dozen countries. Surely by this rationale then Gaelic Footbal is in fact bogball.

[Il Bomber Destro]

Superb effort by the Irish side. New Zealand physically upped their game and inflicted serious damage on the irish players. Ireland I would imagine will be well short next week.
Ireland did everything but cross the line as New Zealand seemed happy to concede penalties to prevent what looked like inevitable irish tries.

Hilarious - glory in yet another home defeat to one of their only competitors in this niche sport.

The attitude in this country to failure in such a shallow pool is probably unique in sport.

You keep saying it's a niche sport. Which suggests that there are numerous other sports which are more mainstream. Apart from soccer name me another sport which is the national sport of 6 countries (Wales, New Zealand, South Africa, France, Fiji and Samoa) and is played professionally in at least 10 countries that I know of.

Rugby is the national sport of 1, yes 1, country with a population of over 1 million and that's New Zealand which has a similar population to Ireland.

Soccer is more popular in Wales, South Africa and France. Fiji has a population of under a million and Samoa has a population similar to that of Donegal.

It very much is a niche sport.

In terms of team sports, it ranks far behind the likes of soccer, basketball, cricket and baseball. There are more professional soccer players in America than their are pro rugby players on the entire planet.

[Il Bomber Destro]

There is something truly odd at play when someone from a GAA background decries rugby's reliance as a sport, due it only being prominent in a dozen countries. Surely by this rationale then Gaelic Footbal is in fact bogball.

If the Irish media were running stories about a GAA side being brave and heroes when they consistently lose to one of their only competitors for success then I'd take it to task. The media never take the side to task over their failures, on the contrasting side, they are there with the knives sharpened for the soccer lads on any little slip up, despite the fact the soccer team have a tradition of putting up credible displays at major tournaments when they are only a small fish in a big pond.

[JPGJOHNNYG]

Baseball! - behave yourself

[JPGJOHNNYG]

The one thing that amazes me is everyones surprise of NZ tactics. Am i missing something they are the masters of the dark arts and always have been. Richie mcCaw was an expert in slowing the ball. Crooked lineouts offside, blocking a kicker etc etc are the norm

[Milltown Row2]

Thought Ireland should have kicked the penalties when the yellow cards were given out, given how well defensively the All Blacks were, the losses during the game didn't help and as said already NZ play on the edge of the rules... all in all over the 3 games Ireland have played very well..

Though being in the pub 2 hours before the start has clouded my view of the match!

[Il Bomber Destro]

Baseball! - behave yourself

It's a fact - that is how low rugby is on the scale.

[lenny]

Superb effort by the Irish side. New Zealand physically upped their game and inflicted serious damage on the irish players. Ireland I would imagine will be well short next week.
Ireland did everything but cross the line as New Zealand seemed happy to concede penalties to prevent what looked like inevitable irish tries.

Hilarious - glory in yet another home defeat to one of their only competitors in this niche sport.

The attitude in this country to failure in such a shallow pool is probably unique in sport.

You keep saying it's a niche sport. Which suggests that there are numerous other sports which are more mainstream. Apart from soccer name me another sport which is the national sport of 6 countries (Wales, New Zealand, South Africa, France, Fiji and Samoa) and is played professionally in at least 10 countries that I know of.

Rugby is the national sport of 1, yes 1, country with a population of over 1 million and that's New Zealand which has a similar population to Ireland.

Soccer is more popular in Wales, South Africa and France. Fiji has a population of under a million and Samoa has a population similar to that of Donegal.

It very much is a niche sport.

In terms of team sports, it ranks far behind the likes of soccer, basketball, cricket and baseball. There are more professional soccer players in America than their are pro rugby players on the entire planet.

Complete rubbish. Soccer I already said is definitely the most popular team sport worldwide. Basketball might possibly be next with rugby and cricket enjoying similar popularity in terms of being played in roughly the same number of countries. Baseball is really only played seriously in the USA. Even if you were correct you were only able to name 4 sports which means it is hardly niche. Also rugby is far more popular in Wales than soccer. Wales has more professional rugby teams than soccer and when the international team plays rugby is by far the best supported. In France also the rugby team enjoys far greater and more passionate support.

[Walter Cronc]

Lol he's in fine fettle this morning lads. I can see him now. Sat in the council house drinking bucky or white lightning in a trashy celtic shirt. Damm those foreign games eh...those super privileged kids playing rugby in places like Marafelt, Armagh, Clogher Valley and the likes.

No one gives a f**k what you think bomber. You obviously take the time to at least listen to the match reports which proves you are either: a) A sad lonely loser with no life or b) you secretly like rugby.... I'm gona go for a combo of both.

Delighted that irish team of yours won at the weekend beating Kilmarnock. With all those irish nationals in their side. They truely are a credit to our nation!!!!

[Il Bomber Destro]

Superb effort by the Irish side. New Zealand physically upped their game and inflicted serious damage on the irish players. Ireland I would imagine will be well short next week.
Ireland did everything but cross the line as New Zealand seemed happy to concede penalties to prevent what looked like inevitable irish tries.

Hilarious - glory in yet another home defeat to one of their only competitors in this niche sport.

The attitude in this country to failure in such a shallow pool is probably unique in sport.

You keep saying it's a niche sport. Which suggests that there are numerous other sports which are more mainstream. Apart from soccer name me another sport which is the national sport of 6 countries (Wales, New Zealand, South Africa, France, Fiji and Samoa) and is played professionally in at least 10 countries that I know of.

Rugby is the national sport of 1, yes 1, country with a population of over 1 million and that's New Zealand which has a similar population to Ireland.

Soccer is more popular in Wales, South Africa and France. Fiji has a population of under a million and Samoa has a population similar to that of Donegal.

It very much is a niche sport.

In terms of team sports, it ranks far behind the likes of soccer, basketball, cricket and baseball. There are more professional soccer players in America than their are pro rugby players on the entire planet.

Complete rubbish. Soccer I already said is definitely the most popular team sport worldwide. Basketball might possibly be next with rugby and cricket enjoying similar popularity in terms of being played in roughly the same number of countries. Baseball is really only played seriously in the USA. Even if you were correct you were only able to name 4 sports which means it is hardly niche. Also rugby is far more popular in Wales than soccer. Wales has more professional rugby teams than soccer and when the international team plays rugby is by far the best supported. In France also the rugby team enjoys far greater and more passionate support.

You're lying and I will destroy you on facts here.

Baseball is the most popular sports in countries like Venezuela (population of 30m), Dominican Republic (population of 10m) and a few other central American countries. You're lying

As outlined already New Zealand is the only country in the world with a population of over 1m where rugby is more popular. You're lying

On Wales, once again you are lying. Soccer dominates rugby in participation of adults (210,000) play soccer in Wales compared to rugby (70,000). That's 3:1 in any man's language. You're lying

As for professional teams, rugby has 4 professional sides - the same as soccer has - Swansea, Cardiff, Newport, Wrexham are all professional sides from Wales playing in the English football league. Attendances from these Welsh football sides also dwarf that of their rugby counterparts. Again, you're lying.

The only place where Wales can claim a more popular source in rugby is the popularity of their national team, but like Ireland this is heavily reliant on their rugby side being a big fish in small pond and the chance of success seems to draw people in. In terms of interest with the actual sport, football far outweighs rugby for the reasons listed above.

Cricket is absolutely huge over in the middle east with enormous countries like India, Pakistan, Bangladesh being cricket mad and it is definitely the number one sport in those countries.

Basketball is the biggest sport in the US and also in quite a few Eastern European countries, it has a very big following in Spain and far eastern countries.

In France, football is the game of the people by an absolute mile. Rugby only has popularity in southern region of the country with absolutely no impact across the rest of the country.

I would like to thank you for showcasing the depths of lying and manipulating the truth that rugby fans will go in order to justify their bizarre placing on the game in a world spectrum.

Now, getting back to my initials question, can you name me another country with a population of over 1m apart from New Zealand (pop 4m) where rugby is the most popular sport in that country?