The IRISH RUGBY thread

[Dinny Breen]

Sligo RFC are doing great stuff, even gave mighty Lansdowne a good run for it the Bateman Cup too. They should have been home and hosed in AIL 2C but hit a poor run losing to the 3 bottom teams in a row. Still you can see they are putting the work into underage (a number of Irish u20 and u18 reps as well as Connacht underage) so the basis for their success is there to see. GAA and Club Rugby seem to compliment each other well, as summer and winter sports and only at elite is there a competition for players. I would be a big fan of any club in any sport that just invests in their own underage structures and drives participation, it's the only way to sustain it and one of the reasons why the GAA is successful. The ease of transfers in rugby and soccer does not help the growth of either sport. 

[Orchard park]

how many in Sligo RFC firsts play club hurling or gaelic ?

[Syferus]

I know a New Zealand lad who was brought over to play rugby for Sligo. Is it common place that these clubs set up lads like the American GAA clubs do?

[Dinny Breen]

I know a New Zealand lad who was brought over to play rugby for Sligo. Is it common place that these clubs set up lads like the American GAA clubs do?

Very common, clubs will bring in a player, you are allowed one overseas player i.e. non-EU package would normally be flight, accommodation and assistance finding a job. Probably looking at a package cost of 5k. Pretty much every AIL club would have an overseas player and some of the bigger Junior clubs. You will see lots of Irish lads head out to Oz on the same arrangement. If you have talent and a good attitude it's a great way to see the world.

[seafoid]

If Connacht had a stadium holding 16k would it be able to fill it? The population of Connacht is about one third that of Munster and Ulster.

[manfromdelmonte]

If Connacht had a stadium holding 16k would it be able to fill it? The population of Connacht is about one third that of Munster and Ulster.

no.
I've gone to one Connacht game in Musgrave Park v Munster.
I swore never to go again.
more entertainment at a junior b football or hurling game.

[Owen Brannigan]

Major blow to Pro14 followers as BBC lost the rights to home games for next season, includes N.Ireland, Scotland and Wales.  Premier Sports, a ppv company, has bought the rights and local rugby leaves free to air viewers.

SKY have lost out to Eir and TG4 have been pushed out as well unless someone can compel an Irish language rugby broadcast, perhaps highlights.

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/full-story-behind-bbc-losing-14376276

[Hound]

Major blow to Pro14 followers as BBC lost the rights to home games for next season, includes N.Ireland, Scotland and Wales.  Premier Sports, a ppv company, has bought the rights and local rugby leaves free to air viewers.

SKY have lost out to Eir and TG4 have been pushed out as well unless someone can compel an Irish language rugby broadcast, perhaps highlights.

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/full-story-behind-bbc-losing-14376276

Short sighted of Pro14. Should be on RTE and BBC to drum up as much interest as possible, until the Pro 14 league becomes as important to fans as the English and French leagues are to their fans. Then they could sell to a highest bidder.

[Owen Brannigan]

Longer term development has been taken over by the immediate need for cash to pay higher wages and keep players from going into the english and French leagues.  A short sighted view would be that more will turn up to see what is no longer available but the opposite will be true and the TV audience will just move on.

Already this week the SKY package went up by £4-50 with nothing to show for it.  Another £10 minimum to see Pro14 would have to be for the real diehard TV fans and with previous free service there won't be many lining up to buy in.

[Milltown Row2]

Major blow to Pro14 followers as BBC lost the rights to home games for next season, includes N.Ireland, Scotland and Wales.  Premier Sports, a ppv company, has bought the rights and local rugby leaves free to air viewers.

SKY have lost out to Eir and TG4 have been pushed out as well unless someone can compel an Irish language rugby broadcast, perhaps highlights.

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/full-story-behind-bbc-losing-14376276

That's a bollix ! Easy Friday night viewing

[manfromdelmonte]

the ulster rugby crowd might have to learn some Irish

[magpie seanie]

the ulster rugby crowd might have to learn some Irish

Arlene demands an Irish Language Act now!!!!

[oakleaflad]

Team vs Scotland. Furlong and Ringrose start with Henderson back on the bench. J Murphy and J Larmour also been given places on the bench.

IRELAND: R Kearney, K Earls, G Ringrose, B Aki, J Stockdale, J Sexton, C Murray; C Healy, R Best, T Furlong, J Ryan, D Toner, P O'Mahony, D Leavy, CJ Stander. Replacements: S Cronin, J McGrath, A Porter, I Henderson, J Murphy, K Marmion, J Carbery, J Larmour.

[seafoid]

https://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/six-nations/neil-francis-i-couldnt-sleep-this-week-and-came-to-a-shocking-realisation-ireland-are-now-playing-warrenball-36682460.html

[Tony Baloney]

Ireland by at least 10 points. Would be nice if England were battered by the French.