The IRISH RUGBY thread

[GetOverTheBar]

What I find amazing is that in Ireland where rugby is a minority sport , a substantial number of players come from a private school background which is a tiny percentage vid the population, yet we can beat England and France and even wales who have much more resources . Fair play to Irfu for getting us punching above our weight, and marketing the game well. But where is Rugby in Ireland actually going, it’s not widening its appeal , it’s dangerous, elitist , and we are apparently getting worse at it

If the GAA doesn't get it's restart right after Covid. And Rugby does....there'll be a swell of GAA players turning to it. With the potential to actually make a few quid. This could be what propels rugby in Ireland. I play a bit of rugby myself and I've already had a few men come to me and ask about getting started when they go back to training as they won't wait for the GAA.

[seafoid]

Only country/sport in the world that make documentaries about a friendly win.

Rugby doesn't have friendly internationals

It has Test Matches

So does cricket - nobody would call the Ashes or the Boxing Day test in Melbourne "friendlies"

International football does have friendly matches however, and some of them have been extremely noteworthy

England v Ireland 1949
England v Hungary 1953
England v Argentina 1980
Ireland v Brazil 1987
Ireland v England 1995

To name a few off the top of my head

Three of those at least would make decent subjects for documentary films, if indeed they are not already the subject of them

European countries don't have soccer friendlies any longer. They have the Nations League.

[johnnycool]

What I find amazing is that in Ireland where rugby is a minority sport , a substantial number of players come from a private school background which is a tiny percentage vid the population, yet we can beat England and France and even wales who have much more resources . Fair play to Irfu for getting us punching above our weight, and marketing the game well. But where is Rugby in Ireland actually going, it’s not widening its appeal , it’s dangerous, elitist , and we are apparently getting worse at it

If the GAA doesn't get it's restart right after Covid. And Rugby does....there'll be a swell of GAA players turning to it. With the potential to actually make a few quid. This could be what propels rugby in Ireland. I play a bit of rugby myself and I've already had a few men come to me and ask about getting started when they go back to training as they won't wait for the GAA.

utter balls and this is from someone who played a bit of rugby as well.

GAA needs to indeed get it right but at zero cost and risk to public health.

Same as rugby and soccer and every other sport.

[Ed Ricketts]

What I find amazing is that in Ireland where rugby is a minority sport , a substantial number of players come from a private school background which is a tiny percentage vid the population, yet we can beat England and France and even wales who have much more resources . Fair play to Irfu for getting us punching above our weight, and marketing the game well. But where is Rugby in Ireland actually going, it’s not widening its appeal , it’s dangerous, elitist , and we are apparently getting worse at it

If the GAA doesn't get it's restart right after Covid. And Rugby does....there'll be a swell of GAA players turning to it. With the potential to actually make a few quid. This could be what propels rugby in Ireland. I play a bit of rugby myself and I've already had a few men come to me and ask about getting started when they go back to training as they won't wait for the GAA.

No there won't.

There may be a negligible number of kids who play both in some places that swing more towards rugby as a result, but there will not be any large scale switching of focus because of a month or two of differential organisation.

The war for playing resources is fought incrementally over a timescale of decades. There are generations of local tradition and not insignificant cultural barriers to wear down. No one event, not even a pandemic, will prompt a sudden, large scale shift. It's just hyperbolic nonsense to suggest so.

[GetOverTheBar]

What I find amazing is that in Ireland where rugby is a minority sport , a substantial number of players come from a private school background which is a tiny percentage vid the population, yet we can beat England and France and even wales who have much more resources . Fair play to Irfu for getting us punching above our weight, and marketing the game well. But where is Rugby in Ireland actually going, it’s not widening its appeal , it’s dangerous, elitist , and we are apparently getting worse at it

If the GAA doesn't get it's restart right after Covid. And Rugby does....there'll be a swell of GAA players turning to it. With the potential to actually make a few quid. This could be what propels rugby in Ireland. I play a bit of rugby myself and I've already had a few men come to me and ask about getting started when they go back to training as they won't wait for the GAA.

utter balls and this is from someone who played a bit of rugby as well.

GAA needs to indeed get it right but at zero cost and risk to public health.

Same as rugby and soccer and every other sport.

If Rugby / Soccer opens for business in May and club GAA shows no sign of doing so.

You know what happens.

[Fear Bun Na Sceilpe]

What I find amazing is that in Ireland where rugby is a minority sport , a substantial number of players come from a private school background which is a tiny percentage vid the population, yet we can beat England and France and even wales who have much more resources . Fair play to Irfu for getting us punching above our weight, and marketing the game well. But where is Rugby in Ireland actually going, it’s not widening its appeal , it’s dangerous, elitist , and we are apparently getting worse at it

If the GAA doesn't get it's restart right after Covid. And Rugby does....there'll be a swell of GAA players turning to it. With the potential to actually make a few quid. This could be what propels rugby in Ireland. I play a bit of rugby myself and I've already had a few men come to me and ask about getting started when they go back to training as they won't wait for the GAA.

utter balls and this is from someone who played a bit of rugby as well.

GAA needs to indeed get it right but at zero cost and risk to public health.

Same as rugby and soccer and every other sport.

If Rugby / Soccer opens for business in May and club GAA shows no sign of doing so.

You know what happens.

Id say we all  have lost big % of 16-19 year olds already as result of COVID, hope to be wrong on this

[Louther]

I can’t see rugby or soccer been back before GAA. And would struggle to see many been lost across the sports that wouldn’t return fairly quick. Rugby so technical, physical and other factors like travel etc, it not be as appealing to many.

The biggest risk to GAA in the 16-19 category is the new age structures and doing away it with u-18 minor. That’s totally self inflicted and for life of me I can’t see the benefits of it bar some high level elite players nor have I seen many actually talking in favour of it. This change and with covid will certainly risk losing players.

[Fear Bun Na Sceilpe]

I can’t see rugby or soccer been back before GAA. And would struggle to see many been lost across the sports that wouldn’t return fairly quick. Rugby so technical, physical and other factors like travel etc, it not be as appealing to many.

The biggest risk to GAA in the 16-19 category is the new age structures and doing away it with u-18 minor. That’s totally self inflicted and for life of me I can’t see the benefits of it bar some high level elite players nor have I seen many actually talking in favour of it. This change and with covid will certainly risk losing players.

100%

[michaelg]

What I find amazing is that in Ireland where rugby is a minority sport , a substantial number of players come from a private school background which is a tiny percentage vid the population, yet we can beat England and France and even wales who have much more resources . Fair play to Irfu for getting us punching above our weight, and marketing the game well. But where is Rugby in Ireland actually going, it’s not widening its appeal , it’s dangerous, elitist , and we are apparently getting worse at it

If the GAA doesn't get it's restart right after Covid. And Rugby does....there'll be a swell of GAA players turning to it. With the potential to actually make a few quid. This could be what propels rugby in Ireland. I play a bit of rugby myself and I've already had a few men come to me and ask about getting started when they go back to training as they won't wait for the GAA.

utter balls and this is from someone who played a bit of rugby as well.

GAA needs to indeed get it right but at zero cost and risk to public health.

Same as rugby and soccer and every other sport.

If Rugby / Soccer opens for business in May and club GAA shows no sign of doing so.

You know what happens.

Id say we all  have lost big % of 16-19 year olds already as result of COVID, hope to be wrong on this

I fear that participation in amateur sports is going to fall off a cliff post Covid i.e. Not just younger people.  People will  have got out of the habit of playing organised amateur sport and may not return to it.  This is likely to be particularly the case for guys with young families who are often the guys who struggled to get away to play every Saturday or Sunday pre Covid.

[sid waddell]

No trophies=challenge or friendly to me, just my opinion, cricket isn't a sport really is it? Its more like a day out with scones and tea.

To you

But not to anybody who matters

Cricket is a wonderful sport

To many in Tipperary, hurling is a just a day out with hang sangwidges and tinfoil

[GetOverTheBar]

What I find amazing is that in Ireland where rugby is a minority sport , a substantial number of players come from a private school background which is a tiny percentage vid the population, yet we can beat England and France and even wales who have much more resources . Fair play to Irfu for getting us punching above our weight, and marketing the game well. But where is Rugby in Ireland actually going, it’s not widening its appeal , it’s dangerous, elitist , and we are apparently getting worse at it

If the GAA doesn't get it's restart right after Covid. And Rugby does....there'll be a swell of GAA players turning to it. With the potential to actually make a few quid. This could be what propels rugby in Ireland. I play a bit of rugby myself and I've already had a few men come to me and ask about getting started when they go back to training as they won't wait for the GAA.

utter balls and this is from someone who played a bit of rugby as well.

GAA needs to indeed get it right but at zero cost and risk to public health.

Same as rugby and soccer and every other sport.

If Rugby / Soccer opens for business in May and club GAA shows no sign of doing so.

You know what happens.

Id say we all  have lost big % of 16-19 year olds already as result of COVID, hope to be wrong on this

I fear that participation in amateur sports is going to fall off a cliff post Covid i.e. Not just younger people.  People will  have got out of the habit of playing organised amateur sport and may not return to it.  This is likely to be particularly the case for guys with young families who are often the guys who struggled to get away to play every Saturday or Sunday pre Covid.

There will also be the social issue....training on a Sunday morning for the GAA or Saturday night out?

I hope I am wrong. But for the GAA I see a disaster on return to play personally.

[Louther]

Will be many issues post covid for sports to content with, all sports but particularly GAA.

Juvenile level should be least affected. Parents will still see value in the games and physical/social activity, they may be more willing to miss training and games for personal times.

In older age groups and young adults it will be more difficult. There will be a lot feeling release or catch up on social life, parties, travel, holidays, weekends etc and you wouldn’t blame them for doing so with no restrictions on place.

It’s paramount that the GAA set their stall out and plan strategically for this. The split season offers one way of doing this - a clear planned club and county season would at least offer a clear plan for all. However I have little faith in them doing so and it’ll left to the traditional draw to the games and community etc to hold onto players.
When I see a motion going to congress that teams must only appoint one captain for lifting trophies and it doesn’t seem to be driven by Covid, then you have to wonder if they have finger on the pulse at all at HQ or higher committee level.

[Fear Bun Na Sceilpe]

No trophies=challenge or friendly to me, just my opinion, cricket isn't a sport really is it? Its more like a day out with scones and tea.

To you

But not to anybody who matters

Cricket is a wonderful sport

To many in Tipperary, hurling is a just a day out with hang sangwidges and tinfoil

Ouch, I matter in my own wee head, that's most important

[johnnycool]

I can’t see rugby or soccer been back before GAA. And would struggle to see many been lost across the sports that wouldn’t return fairly quick. Rugby so technical, physical and other factors like travel etc, it not be as appealing to many.

The biggest risk to GAA in the 16-19 category is the new age structures and doing away it with u-18 minor. That’s totally self inflicted and for life of me I can’t see the benefits of it bar some high level elite players nor have I seen many actually talking in favour of it. This change and with covid will certainly risk losing players.

100%

I think the logic used by the GAA was dubious in changing the age groups but minor was meant to be pushed out to U19 club wise but for some unknown reason they called U17 minor, club and county meaning kids are inclined to drop off at 17 rather than 18 using the other categories.
Not sure how many counties will be running a full U19 league and championship but we'll wait and see.

[Fear Bun Na Sceilpe]

I can’t see rugby or soccer been back before GAA. And would struggle to see many been lost across the sports that wouldn’t return fairly quick. Rugby so technical, physical and other factors like travel etc, it not be as appealing to many.

The biggest risk to GAA in the 16-19 category is the new age structures and doing away it with u-18 minor. That’s totally self inflicted and for life of me I can’t see the benefits of it bar some high level elite players nor have I seen many actually talking in favour of it. This change and with covid will certainly risk losing players.

100%

I think the logic used by the GAA was dubious in changing the age groups but minor was meant to be pushed out to U19 club wise but for some unknown reason they called U17 minor, club and county meaning kids are inclined to drop off at 17 rather than 18 using the other categories.
Not sure how many counties will be running a full U19 league and championship but we'll wait and see.

Football maybe, hurling probably not in Derry anyhow