Why is rugby/the Irish rugby team so popular?

spot555

Hi all

I’m keen to hear peoples views/opinions on this:

I’m just wondering why is rugby / the Irish rugby team so popular? I ask this because there are a number of things that just sort of put me off the game;

1. The damage being done to peoples heads. Having read and watched different news reports, articles and movies like eg Concussion, I just wonder how can people be attracted to the game when the amount of constant hits to the head (moreso at Senior/adult level) will likely affect / damage your brain - surely this is not good for current / former players health/wellbeing?
2. Looking at the mens senior Irish rugby team, the majority of players (indeed for the last twenty if not more years) seem to have come from private / fee-paying schools - (I want to state this is not a dig at anyone who has attended a private school) but I just find when this is considered especially for a ‘national’ team, it’s not really representative of the population, moreso just representing a tiny subset of the Irish population that have attended private schools?
3. When I see players from abroad that have moved to Ireland and almost immediately got playing on the Irish national team e.g CJ Stander & Bundee Aki basically moving to Ireland from their home country abroad and almost immediately (or maybe after 6months/a year) getting to play on the national team, it feels wrong imo, it would be different if they had moved to Ireland and have been living/playing/working here for like 5years etc/became a citizen or something similar, but it seems the reality is these lads just moved and after a very short while got playing for our national team, getting places ahead of people who are ACTUAL Irish citizens e.g Simon Zebo etc. This also again, in my opinion, results in the Irish national team not really being representative of the Irish nation / makes the team feel a bit fake to me. It is especially sickening imo when you see Stander’s/Aki’s faces plastered everywhere in advertising etc. (This is not to trash Stander or Aki, they are brilliant athletes)

Am keen though to hear peoples thoughts/views on rugby in general/the Irish mens rugby team!

landofthetree

The plebs think they are successful. They have won a second tier competition 4 times since 2009.

The plebs want to be upper middle class.

Interestingly horse racing was saved in Ireland by the plebs going to it from the early 90s.

enricoh

It's pretty much a given that the rugby team will be in the top 10 rugby rankings for the foreseeable.

It'd be a massive achievement for the soccer team to get to the top 10 again. Iirc we were during the jack Charlton era.

Red Alone

I often wondered this myself too. I think it's like others said above that if you're winning games people tend to be happy and lap it up.

It's not like we go around winning all kinds of things at international sporting level so Rugby is one where we have a chance. We can compete.

Days like today where we beat the best team in the world and we're all glued to it but if we were losing 50-0 would anyone really watch it at all?

The football is the same, we were awful at it for donkeys and then we very marginally scraped through to Euro '88 and the whole country went mental and suddenly we were all in love with "Jack's army" and all this stuff. But in reality the team he had actually underachieved, we just didnt care. We're happy to be winning a few games and we will celebrate and actively enjoy any sport where we're not getting hammered.

We're a small nation. Small nations like to taste some sporting joy. Rugby is a huge chance for that for us. Wales and Scotland and Us etc...

You mentioned a few things there....

(1) Head injuries - Again I'm more of a football guy than rugby but I'm sure same logic applies. We have seen several world famous people die recently where brain injury was a contributing factor or the entire factor. The England 1966 world cup winning team has lost several of its members through dementia and related/supposedly unrelated deaths/injuries.

The game is evolving and footballs are far lighter etc but I think we will eventually evolve to a game without heading. In rugby it's harder because the game relies so very much on contact.

What I would say is everyone is aware. It's just nothing happens overnight and people won't turn away from the sport they love over things like this, you can love the game and lament its faults at the same time.

(2) Again really good question. With most things in this country it's all about the being down to earth and everyone hates the guy who thinks he's above himself. But then rugby is basically an elitist sport. It's worse in Leinster to be honest but yeah I think anyone would read your question and know what you mean and not necessarily want to admit to it. It is what it is. Golf is similar, we have some great golf players and when they do well we celebrate them, we don't ask about their socio-economic background. But it does bring us back full circle to the bit about if you're winning and making people happy, everything else gets forgotton.

(3) Yes I agree with you. It seems very odd to me too. Again more a football fan so I recall Jackie Charlton bringing in lads like Houghton and Aldridge and tonnes of others. If you listen to Aldridge now to this day you'd swear he was born here he's so passionate about Ireland.

It does happen a bit too fast in rugby imo but sure look at today and that NZ chap with the long hair and he looked pumped up enough to me.

Try telling him he's wrong.

theoneeyedman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118161324#Comment_118161324

There are not 10 countries who take Rugby seriously world wide, so being in the top 10 is hardly a wonderful achievement!!

The_Kew_Tour

Sure this is Rugby Country

SupplyandDemandZone

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118161324#Comment_118161324

How many decent rugby teams are there worldwide actually how many nations play it. It's not any sort of achievement to be in the top ten tbh.

Fr Tod Umptious

They really are not that popular

it's soft support.

People are into these big international games against big teams but when you filter it down there are feck all that interested in it.

But you also have a middle class Dublin based media that promote the sport far more that it's actually worth.

FrancieBrady

Probably because there is no pretty rich boy whineing, diving and playacting. People appreciate the mammoth shifts put in.

Red Alone

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118162206#Comment_118162206

Oh right. So people love it because its NOT football. Really? Thats the only reason, an absence of negatives from another sport?

Bullshit.

Blud

Nobody had any interest in the 6 nations last year when the pubs were closed.

Rugby is a drinking sport for spectators. A day out. **** all of the following actually care, attendances at pro 14 games prove that.

FrancieBrady

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118162222#Comment_118162222

No, it's an actual sport, not some game between over paid prima donna's.

Seems to provoke a fair bit of bitter jealousy too.

yaknowski

When there's a working class lad from Tallaght or Clondalkin who makes the team, maybe via Clondalkin Rugby, then I'd follow them as being representative of Ireland as a whole.

Until then it's simply an elitist, class-based sport in Ireland.

As a sport it's running with a ball in hand. It's nowhere near as skillful as Gaelic football, hurling or soccer.

A lot of it's bandwagoner growth is due to the uplift in careers and social settings where you have to be seen to be liking the right things, rugby being one of them. Mostly from people who have never or will never kick a rugby ball in their life.

Fred Astaire

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118162243#Comment_118162243

An actual sport? Yeah when the referee needs to tell you that you are commiting an offense and to stop or it will be a penalty - that's some sport right there.

Most of the fanbase don't even know the rules. Nor care about what's happening on the pitch. The stadium support is embarassing - a bunch of people who are only interested in selfies and pints.

There's no bitter jealousy - the Irish media go on for years about how rugby is the bees knees. Never even won a knockout game at a world cup in a sport where there's a handful of half decent teams.

Ticket pricing for the games, such as todays tells you who the sport is morketed at.

Underage participation has been decimated in Munster, with Limerick GAA the main benefactor, so now all that we are left with is a bunch of D4 types from private schools who we are supposed to look up to?

Again, doesn't really take much for the real character of these lads to be shown up. Pissing on someong, absolute dregs of humanity. https://www.independent.ie/regionals/herald/news/obrien-is-rapped-by-irfu-for-urinating-on-customer-in-pub-38250281.html

Red Alone

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118162243#Comment_118162243

Are they not overpaid themselves Francie? No? Oh and you seem to know where the line is drawn in the sand with what is an actual sport and what is not. Is there a diagram? Assume so. So upload that later when yer in the mood thanks.

Well that degenerated quickly.

eggy81

Rugby isn’t popular in Ireland.

FrancieBrady

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118162282#Comment_118162282

I am just telling you why it might be that rugby is popular. It is, like yours, an opinion.

Most of the people in the groups I go to matches with prefer it to soccer which has become full of prima donna like antics, playacting, diving and general whinging. A bit like the OP here. I enjoy European soccer and Internationals myself but much prefer rugby where there is nowhere to hide on a pitch and playacting, diving, ill discipline are not tolerated.

Good luck, I have given this thread as much oxygen as it is getting. Find a sport you enjoy, enjoy it and stop looking jealously and bitterly over your shoulder?

Donald Trump

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118162188#Comment_118162188

5 teams ranked behind Ireland in rugby top 10 rankings:

France (47)

Scotland (8)

Argentina (44)

Wales (31)

Japan (22)

The number in brackets is the number of teams between them and Ireland in FIFA soccerball rankings.

Mr. CooL ICE

Bang pf begrudgery off this thread

Red Alone

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118162315#Comment_118162315

You'll find that it was you who gave the no diving prima donna crap that started it all Francie. We all know that rugby didnt become popular here because nobody dives. You were having a dig at another sport instead of discussing the one at hand.

Everyone else gave a fair and useful opinion.

And for what its worth I enjoy rugby and football and no chip on my shoulder at all. Not sure we can say same for you. Take care.

SupplyandDemandZone

Ireland might someday win the rugby world cup and yeah there'll be a bit of interest and celebrations in upper middle class areas and upper class areas but you won't get anything like the reaction of the population to Euro 88, Italia 90 etc...

Darc19

Realistically you have 3 main team sports in Ireland. (Apologies to cricket)

Gaa - angry young men that get into a melee over nothing. Reasonably skilled on a local level at all Ireland semi final stages.

Soccer - dad's think their son is the next Ronaldo despite it being extremely rare for a top quality player to be born in Ireland. The game is great fodder for tabloids as that's the target market.

Rugby - consistently in the top 5 in the world. Most players born and bred in Ireland Regional teams consistently top ranked too. Beating New Zealand today was almost expected. Certainly was not a big surprise. (The soccer team can't even beat a second tier Portugal and would have no chance against Brazil)

Yes, rugby is played by many "fee paying" schools, but plenty of non fee paying schools also play. You also have great clubs in clondalkin and tallaght and I suspect you will have a rugby international from there a lot sooner than a soccer international from there.

Donald Trump

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118162372#Comment_118162372

"Ole Ole Ole Ole"

peter4918

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118162250#Comment_118162250

Clueless comment really. There are plenty of working class lads who played rugby for Ireland over the years.

irishguitarlad

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118162404#Comment_118162404

Those days are gone.

_gir

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118162372#Comment_118162372

irish rugby matches always make up the majority of most viewed televised events every year so you’re talking absolute manure if you don’t think nation would go nuts at a World Cup win

The_Kew_Tour

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118162243#Comment_118162243

Why do rugby people so obsessed with the high paid players in other sports?

I presume its just pure jealousy. Maybe if the Irish core support here supported the AIL more could get paid

Blue4u

It's a sport, some people support it, some don't. Same as loads of sports, rugby, soccer, GAA, horse riding, running, swimming etc etc etc

Not sure why people have such a hang up about it. If you don't like it then don't watch it, nobody is forcing you too and very little is on the TV so I doubt it has a huge affect on your life.

chosen1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118161324#Comment_118161324

For a similar reason, we will always rank number one worldwide in GAA games.

It has very limited participation or interest worldwide and even in Ireland, participation rates are minimal compared to the two football codes and hurling.

All that said, it does provide entertainment to a large section of Irish people and they pay good money to go and see the Irish and provincial teams play. The IRFU are very well organised and good at what they do and I would love if the FAI were even a fraction as professional as them and we could compete on an even footing to similar sized European counties in our international and domestic games.

Anyway, best of luck to the team and hope the supporters enjoy their celebrations.

SupplyandDemandZone

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118162421#Comment_118162421

The nation won't go nuts. The majority of Irish people don't give a fiddlers about Rugby.

Blue4u

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118162416#Comment_118162416

Incorrect, rugby has moved out more & more from the standard schools which supplied the bulk of players, hence why you see the likes of Furlong now in the squad. Today it is more inclusive sport than it ever has been before.

Of course it still doesn't stop people who know nothing about it firing out the old stereotypes.

Donald Trump

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118162442#Comment_118162442

At least they have to be here for X years.

In other sports, I think some of the players make their first trip to Ireland to make their debut.........

Jayno66

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058217794/why-is-rugby-the-irish-rugby-team-so-popular

At least get your facts right. Aki and Stander both had to live and play in Ireland for 3 years before becoming eligible for the national team. World Rugby has since changed the rule and you have to live in a country for 5 years now before you can play internationally. Aki has been in Ireland for 7 years now and I'd be very surprised if he isn't a citizen.... or an ACTUAL citizen as you put it. Do you apply the same logic to the football team when so many of them have been born and bred in England?

straight

People prefer supporting winners I guess. Less scumbags in the rugby and GAA crowds too which is always a plus. Great win today against the best team in the world. I'd sooner watch paint draw than watch another 90+ minutes of a scoreless draw.

Donald Trump

Actually, scrap my post above. You can get a green jersey in some sports without ever having to have stepped foot in the country. Remember the Yank - Joe Lapira - who got an Irish soccerball jersey when the team was touring the US.

The_Kew_Tour

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118162474#Comment_118162474

Winners? We won friendly match not the rugby World Cup

ofcork

A lot of bandwagon jumpers especially in the celtic tiger years,a guy i knew involved with rugby all his life was going to munster matches with only a few 100 there.

Blue4u

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118162492#Comment_118162492

Leinster & Munster have won Heineken Cup multiple times over the last 15 years. That is rugby's equivalent of the Champions League

Leinster are 5 in a row for the Pro14/URC. A combined league of Wales/Scotland/Italy & now South Africa

Ireland has won multiple 6 nations over the last 10 years, including a Grand Slam. That's the equivalent of the European Championships

The World Cup is one tournament which they have failed in, but it is only one tournament.

straight

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118162492#Comment_118162492

Won last week too. If you think hard about it you will find that the Irish rugby team have a fairly high win ratio compared to our soccer team for example.

Captain_Crash

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118162492#Comment_118162492

It was a test match. There are no friendlies in international rugby. All games carry world ranking points which go towards World Cup qualification and seedings!

Blue4u

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118162520#Comment_118162520

Joe Schmidt had a 70%+ win ratio when he was manager. It would be interesting to see what Leinsters is in Club Rugby :-) 80-90%??

The_Kew_Tour

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118162519#Comment_118162519

Its only 1 tournament? Its only one most take seriously.

Munster and lenister are franchises. Its not like Champions league which is for clubs

Blue4u

I was at rugby training this morning with the kids. I was talking to one of the coachs and can't remember how it came about but he was talking about people in Dublin flying Liverpool flags outside their houses when Liverpool won the Premiership. As I said each to their own

But how nuts is that? flying the flag of a English club outside your home in Ireland. Not a single Irish player in the team and I think maybe 1 Irish kid at the club. Yet we have threads on here with people complaining about a team with 98+% Irish born and bred players do not represent the country.

The_Kew_Tour

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118162527#Comment_118162527

Hate to be the spoiler of bad news but the draw has already taken place for next world cup

The_Kew_Tour

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118162520#Comment_118162520

Beating those mighty Fiji islands and Western Samoa helps.

Freddie Mcinerney

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058217794/why-is-rugby-the-irish-rugby-team-so-popular

Your number 3 point needs to be challenged. Track and Field don't have that short time frame to switch from one country to the next.

Blue4u

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118162536#Comment_118162536

The 6 nations is a huge Worldwide tournament and the revenue from it is huge. Hence why you have the team like South Africa etc trying to get into it. It's the second biggest tournament in the World and the biggest yearly competition in Rugby. Watched by fans all over the World

Munster & Leinster are clubs. They play against the top clubs in Europe, France, England etc, It is exactly like the Champions League.

Freddie Mcinerney

Ecoeye was on the other channel.

Captain_Crash

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118162541#Comment_118162541

Yup it has for 2023, and that draw was based on games just like this having been played in the preceding years! This result will impact our seeding at the 2027 World Cup!

Its popularity does appear to annoy the right type of people, which is a bonus.