Why is rugby/the Irish rugby team so popular?

gormdubhgorm

I would not describe myself as a Rugby supporter -

But looking at it logically there are three main sporting organations in Ireland

1) GAA

2) Football/Soccer

3) Rugby

--

Only two of those organisations have been well run since the 1960's - the odd one out is football/soccer.

The main reason for this is education and business acumen - which is viewed more in the GAA and Rugby than Football. As football is viewed as the working class sport. So there was no one there to take advantage of Football's popularity in the 1960's in club game in Ireland. Also the GAA and Rugby have supporters who are proud of their local heroes.

Rugby like the GAA have shown foresight. Also those involved in Rugby very acutely aimed at building/jazzing up the provincial Rugby game. To such an extent since the professionalisation of Rugby Provincial Rugby is now a brand. Also the old stereotypes of Rugby been just for of a certain socio-demographic are been eroded. Munster Rugby goes across all demographics and areas such as Monaghan, Kildare, And the rise of Connacht Rugby.

https://www.reddit.com/r/rugbyunion/comments/mh80ej/irish_professional_rugby_players_by_county_of/

Again, I would not class myself as Rugby supporter, but I do admire an extremely well run organisation. All I can say is fair dues to them.

And whether people like it or not Irish rugby is the sole chance of international success in a global team sport. Well done all concerned to have gotten to this point. It seems to be ready to take off.

This is why Rugby is so popular in Ireland OP - It is a very well run organisation.

Edit - Also the players by and large are very articulate and polite lads. With the ref miced up you can hear it. How would the ref been miced up fare in other sports????

Fred Astaire

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118162832#Comment_118162832

Which are the GAA schools that cost 7,000 per year out of curiosity?

corner of hells

I wonder if there's a row going on tonight in New Zealands Boards AH over today's result.

AdrianG08

The IRFU strategically target southern Hemisphere lads in specific positions with the aim of integrating them into the national team.

Stander, Van der Flier, Gibson Park, Roux, Lowe, Aki, Payne, Kleyn to name a few. Only reason these guys qualified was under residency, and they didn't move here out of their love of Ireland, the IRFU offered them the possible gig of earning a living playing rugby and playing for national team.

As committed as they are, likening them to English lads like Aldridge, Holland and Townsend isn't the same, guys that like it or not had Irish roots.

Maybe the FAI should start bringing lads over from Brazil at 17 and 18 playing them in LOI with hope of playing for national team. They would be laughed out of it.

Fred Astaire

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118162835#Comment_118162835

New Zealand scored 104 points against USA just a few weeks ago. 104 points. USA have been at every Rugby World Cup bar one since it's inception.

Imagine thinking that there's any meaningful competition in rugby.

B2021M

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118162868#Comment_118162868

Sure we already know at least 6 or 7 of the quarter finalists of all Rugby World Cups for the foreseeable future.

gormdubhgorm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118162863#Comment_118162863

That is just the rules of Rugby as they currently stand. England do the very same thing. That is not a problem Ireland created but an exploit on the current representative rules on Rugby - which is looser than Soccer. Jack Charlton was laughed out of it all those years ago when he exploited the Granny Rule. it brought success. Why begrudge it if other nations do exactly the same thing with cohorts of players from Fiji/NZ/Australia etc? The rule is the problem not the IRFU.

Also your example on the Brazilian young lads who the FAI could get to play in the LOI is gas.

1) Because if the LOI struggle to get Irish people to watch the league what hope have Brazilians to go to the LOI

2) The Brazilians have many other choices across Europe for decent money - even Eastern Europe

3) The FAI would not be able to afford to pay the Brazilians plane ticket - even if there was interest.

Captain_Crash

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118162863#Comment_118162863

Everything you say there is mostly true, can’t be denied! Except Josh Van Der Flier.. he’s Irish born and bred😉

Blue4u

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118162863#Comment_118162863

Didn't soccer fans abuse two young english kids recently because they wouldn't play for Ireland? I think it is still going on today isn't it?

Cascarino etc had no links to Ireland. Neither did the likes of McAteer, who is making video for Paddy Power recently taking the piss out of his "Irish" links.....I can't remember who else was in that video but I know Aldridge was one of them.

Blue4u

Waterford Whispers is already discussing it

https://waterfordwhispersnews.com/2018/11/17/common-person-under-impression-he-can-like-rugby-too/

Larbre34

Going to the rugby is a chance to relax and enjoy the pleasant company of people who look like me and act like me and whose kids are like mine and who have a common life experience to me.

There's an easy affluence to it, whether your coat is Barbour or Boss or even Helly Hansen, everyone is welcome and great conversations about ski destinations are struck up in the queue for the hot Bushmills stand or at the post-match Price Waterhouse Cooper's buffet, waiting for the special guest player to arrive and perform like a dancing monkey for those present, who got their tickets for free.

You could meet your lawyer, your dentist or even your wealth manager from the Private Banking division, the branch with no signs and no queues.

The sport itself is rough, but not too rough. Competitive, but not hostile. Fans of both sides mix easily and exchange good humoured joshing and swigs of different types of small-batch whiskey from silver flasks. It pays to keep your ears peeled, you'll never know when you might overhear the best kept secret in Costa Rican Airbnb's or the scoop on when the new BMW will be available to order for priority customers.

You can drink out of glass on the street, you won't have to worry about pickpockets on the DART as its too full of bearskin hats, or you can just park for free at that Garda station where your Golf Club friend is the Chief Super and, of course, not have to be worried about drink driving.

Rugby is the middle class at play, the Elite looking for recruits, the comfortably off enjoying the fruits of their 33 hour civil service week without any discretion and of course the biggest refuge for white male privilege this side of Augusta National.

I 💚 it.

sydthebeat

Love this thread.

Keeps the begrudgers away from the actual rugby forum

augustus gloop

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118162810#Comment_118162810

I know, his mother is from Cork. While playing for the Gungahlin Eagles and going to school at Daramarlan he dreamed of pulling on the Irish jersey??

Fr Tod Umptious

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118162887#Comment_118162887

You are wrong about Cascarino.

His mother was adopted by an Irish family, so she and Tony had multiple links to Ireland.

Just because she was adopted and Tony's maternal grandfather was not Irish did not mean he did not have links to Ireland.

The English born Irish players, especially the older ones had far more connection with Ireland than any New Zelander of Samoan heritage or Afrikaner that came over on the equivalent of a work permit because they could not get a job in their own country.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118161277#Comment_118161277

I think your definition of pleb isn’t anybody else’s definition of pleb

Jayno66

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118162863#Comment_118162863

Van Der Flier... tell me what part of the southern hemisphere is Wicklow in to you Adrian? An island beside Tonga is it?

tupenny

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118162277#Comment_118162277

Dirtbag

Ash.J.Williams

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118162727#Comment_118162727

Casual sports fans pay the bills

Blue4u

Josh's grandparent moved to Ireland in the 50's

Some people really haven't a breeze and see a name and automatically think they are not Irish. Even my wife was laughing when I told her Caelan Doris is from Mayo.

Blue4u

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118163395#Comment_118163395

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQj1fFHl3_o

Blud

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118162767#Comment_118162767

There is no difference between tests in rugby and friendlies in football.

Tests count to world ranking points which ultimately decide seedings for the world cup group draw.

Friendlies count to world ranking points which ultimately decide seedings for the qualification group stages for both world cups and European championships.

So no real difference, other than rugby's sense of self importance that is pressed home by aggressive marketing.

Blud

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

You talk about general whinging... has any Irish sportsperson ever whinged more in one day than Jonny Sexton yesterday?

Fr Tod Umptious

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118163636#Comment_118163636

Yeah Doris is from Mayo.

But here's the thing, he went to school iin Blackrock, that famous rugby establishment.

Again, regardless of where you are from you can play international rugby, but you have a much, much, much better chance if you go to one of the right schools.

Fr Tod Umptious

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118163795#Comment_118163795

Even though I hate rugby I'll concede the point that tests are more than just friendlies.

It's about the way rugby evolved.

For the vast majority of the history of rugby, 100 odd years, there was no single world tournament.

The RWC only came about in 1987.

So in order for teams to play against other teams from outside their geographical area they had to go on tours and "test" themselves against those other teams.

So those games became test matches and held far more weight than just being friendlies, and still do.

Blud

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118163854#Comment_118163854

I disagree with the last 3 words. They no longer mean nearly as much, especially when the same few teams play each other every year.

Blud

Blud

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118162832#Comment_118162832

Eh, what? GAA schools in every county?

Indulge me, and take Mayo as an example where there is no sport other than GAA to speak of. What is/are the GAA school/s in Mayo?

TheW1zard

Yeah I prefer the League of Ireland scumbag knacker Northside vibe myself, stick and bog ball is okay I guess

griffin100

Ireland played Portugal this week in soccer ball and the mouth breathers who attended that mind numbingly boring match spent their time booing probably the best player in the world every time he got the ball. Compare that to yesterday’s fan behaviour for opposition kicks.

There is a referees strike in Dublin soccer due to the behaviour of players and fans.

Rugby might be inclined towards the middle classes in the cities, but I can live with that if it keeps the plebs away. They can spend their weekends squeezing replica premier league jerseys over their ample guts as they roar and shout abuse at English clubs with mainly foreign players in the pub.

Fr Tod Umptious

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118163863#Comment_118163863

In the mind of the rugby fan they do though.

I think the is it tests or is it friendlies argument is up there with the is it soccer or is it football argument in stupidity.

People need to get over it, see it as whatever you want to see it as yourself.