Joining a local rugby club or Irish Supporters club?

tyson_sapen

Hi Guys,

I am new to the forum and I have a question regarding Ireland tickets.
I am interested in trying to get tickets for Irish international games next season, both autumn internationals and six nations. I hear that you can get tickets through local rugby clubs and the Irish Rugby Supporters Club.

So I was wondering what is the best option.
I see that rugby clubs have a membership fee so if I pay that can I access tickets or do I have to actively participate for that privilege? Also how do clubs react to people who become a member and pay their membership fee just to be able to buy tickets?

There is also the IRSC which is cheaper than joining a rugby club but I don't spending the extra money if it is going into the local game even though I am not actively participating.

Anybody's advice or personal experience on this topic would be greatly appreciated.

The Lost Sheep

Tickets for local clubs will go first and foremost to volunteer coaches, players, committee members and club members/supporters.
It will vary significantly from club to club but in the main just joining to get tickets you wont be that successful in obtaining tickets just to get games.
If you joined a club would you have any interest in taking part in the club, even just attending club games, supporting club events to get a ticket. That may help.
How many tickets are you interested in for the games and which games are you referring to? That will be a factor in you maybe getting tickets through a club
If you have no interest in actively supporting your local club(where are you based btw) then may be you should just join the supporters club though getting tickets from there can be difficult enough from what i know

Losty Dublin

If it's purely tickets than you want then go for the supporters clubs as it's cheaper for the man on the street. If you are a new face in the door and not active in circles then you are wasting your time and money joining your local team (Club fees are generally in the €200PA range) unless you have a grá for the game and want to get stuck in. This means playing or fundraising or marking the pitch or coaching the youths or whatever it take, all of which is a lot to do if you aren't into the game at the base.

Even then, most clubs then have a lot of people chasing not a lot of tickets so most clubs have a pecking order of sorts so tickets are by no means certain; club officers, ex-presidents, team sponsors, captains and then players get their dibs. Some clubs hive off their tickets to corporate parties so even their over members don't get a chance of any.

A word of interest for you here. Tickets for the Autumn games are generally easier to come by than 6N, the New Zealand game being a perennial exception.

icdg

Nearly all the Autumn International games have gone on public sale in recent years - New Zealand perhaps being an exception. As the economy picks up this might change but I still couldn't see there being a problem getting tickets to the Canada game, for instance.

Six Nations games are a completely different kettle of fish though, particularly when France and England are visiting, as will be the case in 2017 - practically no tickets go on sale for those.

tyson_sapen

Thanks for the responses.
I am based in Limerick but I have not played a game of rugby in my life so I don't know if I would much help around a club with grass roots activities. I would be interested in all the autumn internationals and the home 6 Nations games. I know I have chosen a tough season for tickets considering England and New Zealand are coming to town. From what all you guys have said it seems that the Irish supporters club is probably my best (and cheapest) bet. Thanks again for the help.