is the face of rugby in ireland changing?

rugalo · 14-09-2007 11:01am #1

as the title says this is the question im asking.the fact that rugby is getting more popular here with new supporters arriving all the time myself included (when i say new ive been watching six nations for a couple of years now but toward the end of last season have been going out of my way to watch more) anyway my point is without sounding like a working class hero thinking the world is against me, rugby always came across as an elitest sport now however thats changing with to my suprise and delite of course teams like clondalkin and tallaght in existance, and that can only be a good thing.i hope the schools in areas like these can have teams that way the prosperity of the sport in this country can grow giving more depth for the search for new talant and not just confining it to traditional rugby communities.so what is your opinion on this?

ollyk1 · 14-09-2007 11:26am

rugalo wrote:

as the title says this is the question im asking.the fact that rugby is getting more popular here with new supporters arriving all the time myself included (when i say new ive been watching six nations for a couple of years now but toward the end of last season have been going out of my way to watch more) anyway my point is without sounding like a working class hero thinking the world is against me, rugby always came across as an elitest sport now however thats changing with to my suprise and delite of course teams like clondalkin and tallaght in existance, and that can only be a good thing.i hope the schools in areas like these can have teams that way the prosperity of the sport in this country can grow giving more depth for the search for new talant and not just confining it to traditional rugby communities.so what is your opinion on this?

I know the irfu are working with clubs around the country to have development officers follow up on the rugby world cup by approaching local schools with no rugby playing background to try and encourage players to join the clubs or to start playing in their school.

It's going to be a slow process to build up the particpation in the sport but there is definitely a mood in favour of the game with professionals playing and based in Ireland it makes the game very accessible and attractive.

If the national team can deliver some success in France then I think the game will absolutely explode here.

EdgarAllenPoo · 14-09-2007 11:43am

I know my old school now has a rugby team, for years it only had GAA. I think I really missed out not playing in school.

There's a surprising lack of clubs or even schools with teams around my area and I hope that changes over the next few years.

I know my parents never wanted me to play, they always said that outside of Limerick it was only for people who had private health insurance or could afford not to work/live off family money if they got seriously injured.

thebaz · 14-09-2007 12:03pm

i know growing up in Leinster it would be regarded as elitist , and thats where i started , playing in private school -- but i really enjoyed it -- i also played soccer , and the facilities for football were dire in comparison -- as a few might know i do a bit of photography , and get out all over Dublin , and i've been surprised at seen kids playing rugby in the most unlikiest places .. that being said kids being kids, when ireland were doing good at the cricket world cup , i saw a few cricket bats in other ulikely places ... all good

EdgarAllenPoo · 14-09-2007 12:45pm

Indeed I have seen that site of large groups of kids who you wouldn't think would be interested in rugby playing in parks and on greens. We need more of that (especially in the forwards;)).

jameshayes · 14-09-2007 1:22pm

I was driving to college last night after work and I was driving past Kevin street, I seen 4/5 lads throwing a ball around - I was shocked! As long as blow in fans (also known as Chelsea fans in my head) don’t get too excited!

thebiggestjim · 14-09-2007 1:59pm

Ya I took up the game last year at the ripe old age of 25 having played GAA since I was a young fella. The hits take a bit of getting used to (playing second row) but I think im getting there now. Im enjoying the game a lot now, more than the GAA. Getting more injuries although.

J

Amazotheamazing · 14-09-2007 2:18pm

Apparently the next big Tallaght-type IRFU project will one based in Moyross in Limerick. North Munster in particular has seen a massive increase in people playing. Sure look at the number of players coming from Tipp at the minute.

theKramer · 14-09-2007 2:26pm

Plus, I think people are getting sick of all the s***e in soccer. I know I have been turned off soccer in the last few years. I watched the Italy - Romania RWC game on wednesday as I couldnt be arsed watching our ridiculous national soccer team going through the motions. The Italy - Romania game was pretty bad too, but at least there were some hits going in which is always more exciting than a crap game of soccer

I grew up playing GAA, but have started playing rugby in the last year. Liking it a lot. It doesnt take much to switch over from GAA. All the handling skills are there, just the set-pieces and stuff are a little tough to get used to.

Just hope rugby doesnt impact the GAA. Still love my national sports. It can impact all it wants to on soccer tho

Stev_o · 14-09-2007 3:14pm

Well iv i can honestly say there was been a huge interest in the sport. Last year year at U16 we started the season with 19 players ended it with 34 now thats a huge increases.

I know for a fact that some clubs appoint some senior players to go to schools to promote rugby which is great as a lot of people want to play the game but dont know how to get started.

As my manager says "The future of Irish rugby lies with Clubs so you'd think the IRFU would help us out more"

Theres always going to be the old club vs school rivalry

jameshayes · 14-09-2007 3:17pm

I'd love to play, but i dont have the 'physic'(spelling?) and I'd be really nervous about starting to play at 22!

theKramer · 14-09-2007 3:23pm

jameshayes wrote:

I'd love to play, but i dont have the 'physic'(spelling?) and I'd be really nervous about starting to play at 22!

I started playing rugby at 29. Granted I had been working out and keeping in shape, which helped. Just start off at a lower level club and see how it goes.

jameshayes · 14-09-2007 3:53pm

The last time I played any kind of sport was about 5/6 years ago!

il gatto · 15-09-2007 5:40am

It's been unfairly seen as an elitest game, because really, it's fifteen players a side, a pitch and a ball, which I'm sure is similar money to an O'Neills All Ireland ball.
It may have been taken up more in certain schools a century ago, but there has been no block to other schools taking it up before now.
I went to a rugby school, but didn't play much as the coach was an a$$hole (not that I couldn't get a game, just that he was an offensive twat). Regardless of him being such a gobsh**e, it didn't make me lose interest in the game. When I was younger, I used to play pretty vicious fiveaside rugby in the garden or a field.
Another school in town was very GAA and soccer orientated, but took up rugby for a while. As they were new to the sport, they took a few hammerings. Also, they fancied themselves as hard men, and being handed their ar$e afterwards time and again didn't appeal to them, so they stopped. I believe they've since taken it up again. Point is, I think alot of schools are suspect of taking up a new sport they're not familiar with, where they WILL have to explain injuries to parents and where success might be a long time coming.
Another reason for it being seen as elitest is that rugby people are generally well behaved and less partisan than soccer fans. It's part of the sport though, and little to do with anyone's backround. Let's hope it remains that way because with such a soaring popularity, I wouldn't like to see it attract the sort of people who boo Rangers players and think an Ireland shirt and a Celtic shirt are interchangable.

thirdmantackle · 15-09-2007 10:42am

rugby isn't really changing in Ireland

the argument that it has expanded out from its traditional heartlands does not really ring true

the sport at the international and provincial is getting better coverage and promotion (mainly from people in the media who like rugby) and so it is raising the profile of the game and attracted more tv and pub supporters who go out and buy the jerseys. does not mean they are into rugby. the same thing happens with soccer - ireland start doing well and suddenly everyone supports them

if you look at reports from the IRFU, you will see the number of JUNIOR adult players in the game has actually dropped since professionalism came in. mainly because so many clubs are financially constrained from developing their clubs and teams properly

ok, the tag rugby situation is great with loads of people playing and being interested in the sport. but very few of the new players will go on to play junior club rugby (which is the very heart of the sport in ireland)

is the face of rugby in ireland changing?

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