Will we now see Rugby played at grass roots?

Bren1609

In light of Irelands grand slam, will rugby be popular enough to be played at grass roots? I think the general consensus up until now would be that soccer and GAA were Irelands most popular sports. Does anyone think that this will propel Rugby into the mainstream and start getting kids playing in all schools or even at local clubs?

Not really.
Its already getting bigger but I dont think the granslam will aid it that much.The majority of players will always come from the schools where it is completely embedded with the ethos of the schools.

You might see more kids joining clubs but I doubt it will be huge.

Amazotheamazing

Rugby clubs are opening up all over Ireland, places like Nenagh now have schools playing rugby and Nenagh Ormond are going ok as a senior team, there's been new clubs established in both Clare and Limerick recently, as well as places like Westmeath and offaly, the game was growing hugely before last Saturday, it should continue to do so.

But in response to your original question as to whether it could ever be more popular than GAA or soccer, not for a very long time.

Stev_o

It's been huge for years, go around on Saturday mornings to any rugby club and you ll struggle to find parking dew to the huge numbers of underage rugby. Hell it's half a struggle to get into Barnhall for a match on those days few to the amount of young kids and parents there.

Ginja Ninja

personally(though I'm completely biased) it's a historical thing,I saw something on the news about how Peter Stringer,Ronan O'Gara and (Ithink)Paul O'Connell all played for the same school senior it's accessible (Well,not where I'm from,Two clubs in Mayo) but there will always be a certain "hierarchy" to rugby such as private schools etc. and I have been told explicitally that we're forbidden to play rugby (including league and tag) in our school and we're not big in numbers,We just want to try it out and the answer from the older generations is NO!!but nobody ever explains why

walrusgumble

Ginja Ninja wrote: »

personally(though I'm completely biased) it's a historical thing,I saw something on the news about how Peter Stringer,Ronan O'Gara and (Ithink)Paul O'Connell all played for the same school senior it's accessible (Well,not where I'm from,Two clubs in Mayo) but there will always be a certain "hierarchy" to rugby such as private schools etc. and I have been told explicitally that we're forbidden to play rugby (including league and tag) in our school and we're not big in numbers,We just want to try it out and the answer from the older generations is NO!!but nobody ever explains why

gaa cough gaa cough (in no way am i slagging the gaa, as i am a member). would the school be willing to shell out money for insurance, pitch repair, proper equipement (ok balls for a start) PROPER coaches from the Connacht council or local clubs like ballina... ? does the schools wish to get involved or are they themselves stopping it?surely teh connacht council would be only too happy to see the game (like in connamara) expanding to what is most often realiable for the gaa and soccer (mayo league)?

walrusgumble

Amazotheamazing wrote: »

Rugby clubs are opening up all over Ireland, places like Nenagh now have schools playing rugby and Nenagh Ormond are going ok as a senior team, there's been new clubs established in both Clare and Limerick recently, as well as places like Westmeath and offaly, the game was growing hugely before last Saturday, it should continue to do so.

But in response to your original question as to whether it could ever be more popular than GAA or soccer, not for a very long time.

ye that is very true, moate/ mount temple, co westmeath is a fine example considering athlone/ballinasloe/ferbane (as you will know,) have a decent - excellent set ups and bases.

Ginja Ninja

yes,we are a seriously GAA orientated school,but I mean we've been knocked out of the soccer and gaelic so just for a laugh we were going to try it for P.E and I was supplying my own ball and it was confiscated.I tried explaining we were only going to try tag-rugby for the first session and I got a NO it's too dangerous now,we're not going to be mauling each other in mid-air tackles or anything but wasn't even given the time of day to explain it and my principal has no idea about rugby in general this I can say for a fact

walrusgumble

Bren1609 wrote: »

In light of Irelands grand slam, will rugby be popular enough to be played at grass roots? I think the general consensus up until now would be that soccer and GAA were Irelands most popular sports. Does anyone think that this will propel Rugby into the mainstream and start getting kids playing in all schools or even at local clubs?

to be honest, there appears to be a huge problem with people in underage. i know not everywhere so i am not wishing to generalise. but where i am standing, i have seen way too many decent-excellent local coches and managers in underage soccer and gaa set ups leaving. some reasons include the fact that now, most coaches are NOT allowed to be alone in the dressing room with the children, another parent must be present. If anyone who has ever experienced the sometimes uneasy tension when a parent pips up believing that they too are the coach etc, one would understand why some coaches have left the scene.

money side of things does not help. I know nearly all underage teams have relied upon parents for their cars to take teams to away games etc, but the cost of actually running 10-20 teams (all underages) takes its toll (of course, not all clubs will enjoy having so many teams etc). i would imagine, all though correct me if i am wrong, running a rugby team might be more expensive?????


as for grass roots, yes the game of rugby is certainly, and finally, breaking down this mystical bol**x that rugby is for the private school posos etc. it is a great game for those who are not phycially skilled for soccer, basket ball and gaelic (well, the way the gaa rules are going lol). nothing more confident boasting than giving some soccer shapper a good but sportly knock about the pitch!!! lol

will it replace soccer completely? (by the way, soccer is very much part of irish tradition, anyone doubt it, go ask the boys from dublin city) i doubt it. soccer can be played on all surfaces and is not the hardest game to play and nearly anyone can play it safely.

but sure we shall see.

walrusgumble

Ginja Ninja wrote: »

yes,we are a seriously GAA orientated school,but I mean we've been knocked out of the soccer and gaelic so just for a laugh we were going to try it for P.E and I was supplying my own ball and it was confiscated.I tried explaining we were only going to try tag-rugby for the first session and I got a NO it's too dangerous now,we're not going to be mauling each other in mid-air tackles or anything but wasn't even given the time of day to explain it and my principal has no idea about rugby in general this I can say for a fact

in fairness, you know full well , that there will be some gobsh*&e, once the pe teacher turns there back, will think he is johu lumu and try and kill everyone, even though its tag rugby.

here's my suggestion. (you might laugh, but this is how many gaa clubs from big towns too big for one club managed to set up their club - even for just a knock about)

between the school and town itself, organise a group of like minded people: pupils, students, adults parents. see if there really is an interest for the game to be set up. go to the town council or as in the case a school and see if the likelihood of arranging a team is possible. ya would only need a small part of any pitch anyway for playing. if there is a good response, at least contact the local connacht council branch to see about possibility of arranging a member of the underdevelopment staff to come to the school / council to train / supervise the players in a SAFE environment (one could understand where authorities are coming from, unless, its tag, no point getting any auld person who knows nothing about rugby supervising ye)

either that or just find some field to play in at the weekends.

realismpol

No, it won't make much if any difference. By this time next year most people will have forgotten about it. Most will go back to supporting the sport they really love and thats the way it should be. Much like soccer in the early 90's anytime the irish team is doing well at any particular sport internationally at one particular point in history everyone jumps on the bandwagon in the immediate aftermath to join in the glory.

There will be other events between now and the next six nations which will distract people and make them want to play in that particular sport. Any time wimbledon is on out come the wannabe federrers at my local courts. After wimbledon not a sight of them. Same with soccer during euro championships, world cups etc. Thats just the nature of people.

Those that really love the sport will always stick at it and remain dedicated to it no matter how successful it is and wheither the national team is doing well or wheither its the 'in' thing. What most people fail to see is the hours and hours of tedious training excercise that soon puts them off. These are the people who really aren't interested in the sport just the drug of success. Its the high they get from watching the success of others that attracts them to the sport.

People should still play their local sports like hurling, gaa, soccer and rugby. Diversity of interest is a great thing..

Amazotheamazing

Ginja Ninja wrote: »

personally(though I'm completely biased) it's a historical thing,I saw something on the news about how Peter Stringer,Ronan O'Gara and (Ithink)Paul O'Connell all played for the same school senior it's accessible (Well,not where I'm from,Two clubs in Mayo) but there will always be a certain "hierarchy" to rugby such as private schools etc. and I have been told explicitally that we're forbidden to play rugby (including league and tag) in our school and we're not big in numbers,We just want to try it out and the answer from the older generations is NO!!but nobody ever explains why

Paul O'Connell didn't play for the same school as Stringer and O'Gara. Paul, the Pride of the Yellow Road, played for Ardscoil Ris in Limerick.

Amazotheamazing

walrusgumble wrote: »

gaa cough gaa cough (in no way am i slagging the gaa, as i am a member). would the school be willing to shell out money for insurance, pitch repair, proper equipement (ok balls for a start) PROPER coaches from the Connacht council or local clubs like ballina... ? does the schools wish to get involved or are they themselves stopping it?surely teh connacht council would be only too happy to see the game (like in connamara) expanding to what is most often realiable for the gaa and soccer (mayo league)?

In Munster, the Munster Branch helps with the cost of setting up a rugby programme in a school, presume it's the same in the other provinces.

Tim Robbins

Bren1609 wrote: »

In light of Irelands grand slam, will rugby be popular enough to be played at grass roots? I think the general consensus up until now would be that soccer and GAA were Irelands most popular sports. Does anyone think that this will propel Rugby into the mainstream and start getting kids playing in all schools or even at local clubs?

No. Clubs might get a 10% increase in youths. Schools always have a had a high supply.

The problem is that to be decent a Rugby you need a lot of technical expertise to coach and train things like scrummaging, rucking, tackling and offloading. You also need referees as most coaches don't know all the laws etc and to apply them.

It's not like Soccer where you can just have jumpers for goal posts.

anonymous_joe

Are we talking at kids level or adult?

I played as a young 'un, but gave up as I grew older, the sport required a far higher investment in time than was viable in school. Basically, as mentioned, you can play football with jumpers, rugby's too intense to play for a laugh.

Last time I played rugby for a laugh, we basically got a 5s going instead of 7s and it got seriously nasty. It's too physical.

At a youth level, there's inevitably been increased interest in the sport as people see the increasing success of the sport, but I think it'll continue to plug along merrily as a popular minority sport.