rugby hangover

thebaz

Am I alone in struggling to get my appetite back for watching rugby post WC - after the heartache of watching Ireland (dream team) crash and perhaps not showing up for QF, and then Wales my second fav. team - gone , particularly so early in the morning - maybe the fact that leinster won the HC cup last year makes this year seam an anti-climax

I enjoy watching my son play , and enjoy playing footy myself , but my apetite for watching rugby has gone the same way , of my lack of interest in watching football - perhaps it is also the over saturation of Sports on the TV , where every Sunday is Super Sunday - and the seasons never seam to end

BBDBB

I dont want anyone to begin stoning anyone until I blow this whistle


even if they do say they their appetite for rugby has waned

braintoxic

thebaz wrote: »

Am I alone in struggling to get my appetite back for watching rugby post WC - after the heartache of watching Ireland (dream team) crash and perhaps not showing up for QF, and then Wales my second fav. team - gone , particularly so early in the morning - maybe the fact that leinster won the HC cup last year makes this year seam an anti-climax

I enjoy watching my son play , and enjoy playing footy myself , but my apetite for watching rugby has gone the same way , of my lack of interest in watching football - perhaps it is also the over saturation of Sports on the TV , where every Sunday is Super Sunday - and the seasons never seam to end

A real rugby fan would never say footie

Fireball07

I dunno...but my appetite is stronger than ever. I cannot wait for the Llanelli game at the weekend. Maybe it's been the tense nature of all Munster's games so far but I haven't wanted to watch so much rugby in a while.

Podge_irl

I've certainly missed more games this season then others. It does feel like the last 18 months has been one long season.

lologram

braintoxic wrote: »

A real rugby fan would never say footie

thebaz wrote: »

I enjoy watching my son play , and enjoy playing footy myself , but my apetite for watching rugby has gone the same way , of my lack of interest in watching football

He's comparing rugby and football, not referring to the same sport.

Although some people (eg Australians) like to say footy for rugby, and there's nothing wrong with that.

kennedmc

thebaz wrote: »

Am I alone in struggling to get my appetite back for watching rugby post WC - after the heartache of watching Ireland (dream team) crash and perhaps not showing up for QF, and then Wales my second fav. team - gone , particularly so early in the morning - maybe the fact that leinster won the HC cup last year makes this year seam an anti-climax

I enjoy watching my son play , and enjoy playing footy myself , but my apetite for watching rugby has gone the same way , of my lack of interest in watching football - perhaps it is also the over saturation of Sports on the TV , where every Sunday is Super Sunday - and the seasons never seam to end

Maybe in reality you are not such a big rugby fan? Since you have lost ineterst in the game in 2 months!!

I found the world cup a bit of a bore but really love watching the HC and Rabodirect again. Supporting Leinster, seeing how the other provinces are getting on and getingt excited (!) at the thoughts of some of the younger players who could come through for Ireland - regardless of province.

also can't wait for the 6 nations! Every match matters and none of this getting up at 6 in the morming lark....!

basillarkin

lologram wrote: »

He's comparing rugby and football, not referring to the same sport.

Although some people (eg Australians) like to say footy for rugby, and there's nothing wrong with that.

As do the New Zealanders

wixfjord

thebaz wrote: »

Am I alone in struggling to get my appetite back for watching rugby post WC - after the heartache of watching Ireland (dream team) crash and perhaps not showing up for QF, and then Wales my second fav. team - gone , particularly so early in the morning - maybe the fact that leinster won the HC cup last year makes this year seam an anti-climax

I enjoy watching my son play , and enjoy playing footy myself , but my apetite for watching rugby has gone the same way , of my lack of interest in watching football - perhaps it is also the over saturation of Sports on the TV , where every Sunday is Super Sunday - and the seasons never seam to end

I'm the exact opposite. Couldn't be bothered with many of the group games that Ireland weren't involved in, and I'm a huge HEC fan. Best rugby comp in the world for me.
Really enjoying the season so far, and SKY do an incredible job on the HEC too. I also feel far closer to Leinster than I do the national team too.

Tefral

Have to say after the nailbiting finishes that Munster have put me through the last while: im addicted. Such a rush when you do finally win!

justsomebloke

truthfully after a lack luster WC I could see how people were expecting a rugby hangover but in reality the first week of HC games were fantastic and the standard has continued since then with some gripping games and it has really has been the centrepiece that the WC should have been. So at the moment no hangover for me if anything I'm more gripped now then I was during the WC, and we still have the business end of the rabo 12 to come!!!!

Skid

The Heineken Cup has been brilliant this year - some great, tight matches every single weekend.

Far more enjoyable than the World Cup, I reckon.

Big Nelly

Actually more excitied about the Rabo and HC this year. Probably more to do with the outrageous times we had to get up at to watch the rugby. The lack of been able to build an atmosphere due to watching Ireland's big match's on a Sat morning at 7 or 8 when I should be in my bed:D

I just hope there is a good atmosphere in Aviva on Saturday night. I would have loved to see Bath in RDS. You just can't beat a good HC match atmosphere in RDS!!!!!!!!

vinny chase

I love seeing Ireland succeed in rugby; I'll probably never forget the day of the Grand Slam victory in my life I imagine.

But still; I find something a little artificial about international rugby, and it has never captured my imagination the way rugby that you feel you are closer connected to will.

That started when I was young going to watch my father play AIL rugby, and continued through school where I watched the school play and represented it myself.

For me, Leinster's Heinken Cup victories are my favourite ever moments in rugby. Allied to that; I think the Heineken Cup is the best sporting competition in the world (obviously I'm biased ). I can watch pretty much any game in the tournament and the tournament is so competitive and played with such great intensity.

Definitely no rugby hangover for me. Can't get enough of it!

durkadurka

lologram wrote: »

He's comparing rugby and football, not referring to the same sport.

Although some people (eg Australians) like to say footy for rugby, and there's nothing wrong with that.

I've heard BOD say footy too.

phog

I suppose the timing of the W/C games and the manner in how we exited from the competition hasn't helped the fatigue around rugby.

I love attending games so I looked forward to the PRO12 and H/C games, mined you Munster played Ospreys on the evening of the W/C QF and they beat us in TP so the fatigue grew to anger.

When atending a game I prefer to be in the terrace as I feel so much closer to the game than being up in Row Z of a stand.

Teferi

There was more excitement in the opening weekend of the Heineken Cup then there was in the entire World Cup. Great country, great hosts, boring rugby (in the main).

HC is really the best rugby competition in the world.

onlyrocknroll

I found it hard to be enthusiastic about the Rabo immediately after the WC (but not during it strangely) but the Heineken Cup has cured me of that pretty quickly.

molloyjh

wixfjord wrote: »

I'm the exact opposite. Couldn't be bothered with many of the group games that Ireland weren't involved in, and I'm a huge HEC fan. Best rugby comp in the world for me.
Really enjoying the season so far, and SKY do an incredible job on the HEC too. I also feel far closer to Leinster than I do the national team too.

Yeah it's far easier to feel closer to the provincial thing. I've gotten fairly bored with the internationals over the last couple of years. It doesn't help that the Irish team are, at least in my eyes, under-achieving. The crowd doesn't get behind them much and the rugby is poor to watch. The RWC too was a bit of a disappointment (Oz game being the obvious exception). I missed the NZ game last autumn so the only international game I've been at with atmosphere anything like a good provincial game was the England one in the 6 Nations this year. And that's out of 7 games I've been to in the last 13/14 months. The other 3 AIs and the RWC warm-ups were incredibly dull and the France game in the 6 Ns was just frustrating.

But last weekend I spent the majority of it watching rugby. So no hangover here.

braintoxic

Here here

JustinDee

thebaz wrote: »

Am I alone in struggling to get my appetite back for watching rugby post WC - after the heartache of watching Ireland (dream team) crash and perhaps not showing up for QF, and then Wales my second fav. team - gone , particularly so early in the morning - maybe the fact that leinster won the HC cup last year makes this year seam an anti-climax

I enjoy watching my son play , and enjoy playing footy myself , but my apetite for watching rugby has gone the same way , of my lack of interest in watching football - perhaps it is also the over saturation of Sports on the TV , where every Sunday is Super Sunday - and the seasons never seam to end

I found it hard to get back into the season post-RWC myself and I work in the sport!
However from going to club games each round of the UBL, I got my feel for the game back again. Not just at one club but a different club each round. See rugby from the start again.
Try the clubs. Then on top of that get to the Intl U20s or Intl Women's games, for example. Before you know it, the Six Nations will gearing up towards kick-off on Feb 5th with the Welsh game up ahead.

Loads of rugby ahead. Anyone can be forgiven for taking a breather from time to time. Not too long a breather though . . .

thebaz

kennedmc wrote: »

Maybe in reality you are not such a big rugby fan? Since you have lost ineterst in the game in 2 months!!

!

I see myself more of a sports fan , but far prefer playing than watching - the older i get the more i watch - but since quitting the fags , i'm in ok shape , having retired early due to a bolloxed knee - sometimes watching footy (soccer) on tv just bores me - i guess live sport is the next best thing to playing, i'd be too bad tempered to coach :mad:

.ak

I admit the WC left a bad taste in my mouth.. not so much because of the Ireland situation, but simply for the lack of big, rememberable matches.

..but, certainly no hangover, I was looking forward to more club rugby and I must admit I've been rewarded so far with Leinster's progression in the League after a rough start and an excellent HEC (albeit a little wobbly due to re-jigged team sheets)

MungBean

I was feelin particularly low after the world cup I have to admit. Was excited when the players rejoined the teams for the league but it didnt shake off the feeling of woe as I thought it would.

The HEC has just blew me away though. Any residual ill feeling from the world cup went with that opening day. HEC is where its at now.

Crash

Its a long season. with the world cup, it ends up feeling like its a year and a half long, and family pressures, and wives/girlfriends/important things start to come into the mix. I've been suffering from a proper hangover this year, normally I've enjoyed every magners match and gone to every home game, but this year i've skipped a lot. The HC is finally bringing me back to where I was before, but think it'll be post new years, maybe even post-february before I start attending the majority of matches again. It happens to all of us, so I think you'll spring back.

Digifriendly

I'm a big rugby fan but have to admit the RWC left me feeling very flat. It was a big let down but as other posters have said the HEC has more than made up. Can't wait for this weekend. Some of the matches so far have been outstanding with very few onesided scorelines (Clermont vs Aironi excepted). Looks like at least half of the pools will go down to the wire and with teams looking for home QF's there's probably going to be very few 'dead rubbers' (to use a tennis term). So IMHO HEC has more than made up for the RWC.

buck65

The Irish team comes second to me and to alot of Munster fans I know. I spend most of the 6 nations hoping Munster players avoid injury.
Also we have hyped up our national team to such an extent we were surprised to lose against a superior Welsh team. Far too predictable.

JustinDee

If I had to choose it would be International for me. Always has been. Always will be.
Provincial branch teams are the feeder to the national side above all. Nothing beats the level of intensity of a crunch international. Nothing. It is true representitive rugby.

MungBean

buck65 wrote: »

The Irish team comes second to me and to alot of Munster fans I know. I spend most of the 6 nations hoping Munster players avoid injury.
Also we have hyped up our national team to such an extent we were surprised to lose against a superior Welsh team. Far too predictable.

I dont think its a case of club first or country first. I think they all compliment each other.

You have Pro12 teams (younger players), HEC teams (solid squads) and then Irish teams. Its all one big family.

I'm a Leinster man but I like to see the other provinces do well. I have an affinity for them because of the players that represent Ireland.

I feel sorry for someone who cant enjoy an Irish match for fear of how it will affect the club I honestly do.

wixfjord

JustinDee wrote: »

If I had to choose it would be International for me. Always has been. Always will be.
Provincial branch teams are the feeder to the national side above all. Nothing beats the level of intensity of a crunch international. Nothing. It is true representitive rugby.

I disagree completely, but we've been down that road before!
The parochial side of provincial, added to the fact that it's far easier to get to games, added to other factors like the team's makeup and gameplan means Leinster feel more like my team than Ireland.
As a wise man once said, I'm a Leinster man, I make no apologies for that.
Plus vast parts of the 6N generally bores the hole off me.

BBDBB

I used to think like that JD, but the HEC standard now is so high that I believe it is very close to International level for intensity and skill.

I enjoy both, and wouldnt want to choose one over the other.

Rabo/Magners I enjoy but there are some dire games

wixfjord

BBDBB wrote: »

I used to think like that JD, but the HEC standard now is so high that I believe it is very close to International level for intensity and skill.

I enjoy both, and wouldnt want to choose one over the other.

Rabo/Magners I enjoy but there are some dire games

Uh oh, Justin won't like that!

danthefan

The performance we put in against Wales was the one I was expecting against Aus. Under the current management (actually, just Kidney, let's not mince words) there is very little exciting about the national team imo. Obviously I always want Ireland to win but before the RWC I couldn't see us getting past a QF and so it transpired, so I wasn't that down about it.

I love watching Leinster and the HEC is the best tournament in the world imo.

onlyrocknroll

I typically feel more emotionally connected to Munster than I do to Ireland, but I think that that's only because Munster play for a greater portion of the year than Ireland do. The pattern of following a team almost weekly through two competitions makes me quite passionate about them, in a way that I wouldn't always feel about the national side.

Midway through an international tournament my enthusiasm for the Irish side would be rekindled though.

If I had to choose between Ireland for a Grand Slam, or Munster for a HC, I... I..., can't decide.

totallegend

onlyrocknroll wrote: »

If I had to choose between Ireland for a Grand Slam, or Munster for a HC, I... I..., can't decide.

Swap "Leinster" for "Munster" there and I'd have no problems deciding, I'd take another HC over a grand slam any day of the week. Greedy perhaps, but to be honest, I don't see a GS as that big an achievement.

The last two Six Nations have been poor from an Irish point of view and the World Cup was not a success either so I think some sort of disillusion among fans is to be expected.

Any rugby hangover I had after the World Cup has been well and truly banished by the opening rounds of the HC, white-knuckle excitement all the way. There isn't a tournament that can touch it, IMO.

nomunnnofun

I know provincial rugby in Ireland is at a very good standard and it is great to see the Irish teams in the running each year but the HEC standard does not compare to the competition at International level. If you ask every schoolboy playing rugby what their ultimate ambition is, I have no doubt it would be to play for Ireland. I am a Leinster supporter and go to games quite regularly but I will never see the day when I am hoping players do not get injured playing for Ireland just to keep Leinster in the run for HEC or Magners League.

Everyone loves the bit of banter between Munster/Leinster supporters but Ireland should always come first in a true rugby supporters thoughts.

JustinDee

wixfjord wrote: »

Uh oh, Justin won't like that!

I can guarantee you that international-level players would disagree too.

wixfjord

nomunnnofun wrote: »

I know provincial rugby in Ireland is at a very good standard and it is great to see the Irish teams in the running each year but the HEC standard does not compare to the competition at International level. If you ask every schoolboy playing rugby what their ultimate ambition is, I have no doubt it would be to play for Ireland. I am a Leinster supporter and go to games quite regularly but I will never see the day when I am hoping players do not get injured playing for Ireland just to keep Leinster in the run for HEC or Magners League.

Everyone loves the bit of banter between Munster/Leinster supporters but Ireland should always come first in a true rugby supporters thoughts.

Why?
I could just as easily say that the local club should come first in any true rugby supporters thoughts, and in fact that point has much more merit.
By the way, the point about the HEC not comparing to international level is far too broad to sum it up like that. Far too broad.

wixfjord

JustinDee wrote: »

I can guarantee you that international-level players would disagree too.

Well you're the one whose mates with all of em, so do tell?!
Again, it's a very multi faceted argument, not as black and white as "international rugby is higher intensity and better than HEC because I say so".

BBDBB

JustinDee wrote: »

I can guarantee you that international-level players would disagree too.

I have never played international or HEC rugby, so I am only speaking from having watched the game at that level for several decades from the touchline and the TV. I dont think there is much to choose between them at the moment.

danthefan

Cedric Heymans, after the Leinster/Toulouse HEC semi last season, compared it to international rugby and said you had to go to RWC knockouts to get much more intense than that. I've never played either though so wouldn't know personally.

Digifriendly

JustinDee wrote: »

If I had to choose it would be International for me. Always has been. Always will be.
Provincial branch teams are the feeder to the national side above all. Nothing beats the level of intensity of a crunch international. Nothing. It is true representitive rugby.

Intensity yes but in many other ways no. e.g value for money. Paying a lot more to watch Ireland in AIs/6nations compared to your province in HEC is IMHO not worth it except on the odd occasion. Also for those like myself who have to fork out extra to travel to Dublin and back I prefer to spend less and watch my provincial side.

durkadurka

HEC is so much more enjoyable to watch - its intense but still not as conservative as the international game.

International games are derbies, the teams have studied each other to death and cancel each other out to an extent.

HEC is a bit looser and the BP system means there's always something to play for in the game. You can be 17 points behind with 10 mins to go and still have a chance of a BP - in theory anyway.

The RWC had a good few high intensity games but frankly it wasnt a spectators dream.

profitius

buck65 wrote: »

The Irish team comes second to me and to alot of Munster fans I know. I spend most of the 6 nations hoping Munster players avoid injury.
Also we have hyped up our national team to such an extent we were surprised to lose against a superior Welsh team. Far too predictable.

The Welsh team was no way superior to the Ireland team. It was just one of those days for both teams, great for Wales while nothing went right for Ireland due to many factors.

thebaz

profitius wrote: »

The Welsh team was no way superior to the Ireland team. It was just one of those days for both teams, great for Wales while nothing went right for Ireland due to many factors.

I'd love to agree with you, but sadly the Welsh team were far superior to the Irish - the WC came at least a season to late for BOD, D'Arcy - so we lacked a serious midfield threat - and dont get me started on Kidneys one dimensional tactics

justsomebloke

wixfjord wrote: »

Why?

probably due to the money it brings into the game.

Truthfully being from a non traditional rugby area of the northside I would have to say that the IRFU have done nothing to try and make an attachment between me and the international game where as Leinster Rugby and the OLSC have at least tried in my area (yes it was years after I started going to Leinster games but at least they have tried). So for me HEC rugby is the pinnacle of the rugby calendar and this years so far has been fantastic

wixfjord

justsomebloke wrote: »

probably due to the money it brings into the game.

Truthfully being from a non traditional rugby area of the northside I would have to say that the IRFU have done nothing to try and make an attachment between me and the international game where as Leinster Rugby and the OLSC have at least tried in my area (yes it was years after I started going to Leinster games but at least they have tried). So for me HEC rugby is the pinnacle of the rugby calendar and this years so far has been fantastic

But if there was nobody running local clubs then there'd be no need for international. A sweeping statement like "any true rugby fan should put international first" is disingenuous to me tbh.

BBDBB

wixfjord wrote: »

But if there was nobody running local clubs then there'd be no need for international. A sweeping statement like "any true rugby fan should put international first" is disingenuous to me tbh.

I think any "true rugby fan" loves the game in all its forms and levels and welcomes the intense competition and rivalry on the field and the good natured banter and welcome you get off the pitch (usually in a bar, and sometimes on an internet site )

bamboozle

justsomebloke wrote: »

probably due to the money it brings into the game.

Truthfully being from a non traditional rugby area of the northside I would have to say that the IRFU have done nothing to try and make an attachment between me and the international game where as Leinster Rugby and the OLSC have at least tried in my area (yes it was years after I started going to Leinster games but at least they have tried). So for me HEC rugby is the pinnacle of the rugby calendar and this years so far has been fantastic

you should head to watch Clontarf, Suttonians or Skerries play, great set ups all 3 quite unique for dublin clubs in that they're very community based.

Club rugby first and foremost for me, its happened a few times over the last few years where 6 nations games have clashed with AIL games, the int. match gets sky plussed.

profitius

thebaz wrote: »

I'd love to agree with you, but sadly the Welsh team were far superior to the Irish - the WC came at least a season to late for BOD, D'Arcy - so we lacked a serious midfield threat - and dont get me started on Kidneys one dimensional tactics

How were they? Who did they beat besides Ireland?

JustinDee

justsomebloke wrote: »

probably due to the money it brings into the game.

Truthfully being from a non traditional rugby area of the northside I would have to say that the IRFU have done nothing to try and make an attachment between me and the international game where as Leinster Rugby and the OLSC have at least tried in my area (yes it was years after I started going to Leinster games but at least they have tried). So for me HEC rugby is the pinnacle of the rugby calendar and this years so far has been fantastic

What do you think the IRFU itself should do with the Northside to attract you to the international game or team? Genuine question.

The team have trained in Castleknock, Malahide, Portmarnock before with open sessions for example. Player appearances at stores/public centres take place around each international tournament/series. The Six Nations trophies (not replicas unlike other trophies) were toured around the clubs, as they were with clubs all over Ireland. When Wales won them in 2008, the trophies remained in the trophy cabinet at WRU HQ. I myself took them on many a jaunt in 2009/2010 all over the place. Development projects funded by IRFU are still in full swing. The Play Rugby programme still continues.

Don't forget that the Leinster branch is a part of the union. It is not a seperate entity, is funded by the IRFU, sharing the same purpose but in a regional capacity.