Now ye're talking - to a Rugby Journalist

Boards.ie: Niamh · 04-03-2019 1:41pm #1

With the Six Nations final coming up in less than two weeks, we thought we'd ask one of the journalists from The42.ie in to answer all of your Six Nations related questions.

Please welcome Sean Farrell to the AMA forum. Sean has been writing rugby-related articles for The42.ie for a number of years now so he has lots of knowledge and insights to share.

Squidgy Black · 04-03-2019 3:52pm

What are your personal thoughts on the new proposal from World Rugby for the new 12 team World League?

Also, do you think the gap between the North and Southern Hemisphere has closed significantly compared to 10 years ago?

Baggly · 04-03-2019 3:55pm

Are you sick of going to matches at this stage?

You know, when you do something for fun, its great; when you do something for work, it can get a bit boring.

Buer · 04-03-2019 3:58pm

I'm sure there is pressure within the industry to be the first person with the big story or breaking news. We've seen a number of times now where there has been misinformation being purported as accurate only to be contradicted thereafter most recently with Joey Carbery being reported as out for the entire 6N (and possibly the European quarter final) only for Joe Schmidt to inform all that he's due back full training this week.

To your knowledge, do journalists deliberately take liberties by making assumptions in their efforts to get the scoop or are they being fed red herrings by those within the game?

Also, following the bizarre stand off last year between the Irish coaching team and the RWI journalists, has there been any long term damage to the relationship between the two sides? Do you feel the actions of Joe Schmidt were justified to cancel the media huddle at that point?

razorblunt · 04-03-2019 4:00pm

What's your opinion on PEDs and do you think there's a cause for concern in rugby regarding them?

LuckyGent88 · 04-03-2019 4:10pm

Do you think there are serious questions to be asked about Felix Jones’s performance as attack coach with Munster?

We are extremely poor in this part of the game. Constantly fail to turn possession/territory into points. Last weekend being a prime example.

Zzippy · 04-03-2019 4:49pm

ROG or Sexton?

sydthebeat · 04-03-2019 4:50pm

is murray kinsella so anal with everything in life?

Mike Oxlong · 04-03-2019 4:56pm

Do you think the stance by the IRFU to not select players playing abroad is slightly detrimental to the team.
Should this unofficial rule be abandoned now?
With the World League comeing into effect, all the power will be with the national sides......possibly less club games, more central contracts wanted by provinces...
Selection of non Ireland based players won't lead to floods of players leaving as before thought as it won't be financially beneficial anymore?

Gloomtastic! · 04-03-2019 5:10pm

You’re at an IRFU press conference. All the great and the good from the sports press are there. What’s the stupidest question anyone has asked? (No need to name names). :P

callaway92 · 04-03-2019 5:18pm

What’s your opinion on drug testing at Senior club level and International level.

Personally, I think the blinkers that people have on in regards to juicing in rugby is beyond a joke.

razorblunt · 04-03-2019 5:21pm

Zzippy wrote: »

ROG or Sexton?

BANNED

razorblunt · 04-03-2019 5:23pm

Is it frustrating when you work like mad to get a reputation and experience and have the likes of Neil Francis (and to a lesser extent Luke Fitzgerald) click baiting for the sake of it?

Tom Mann Centuria · 04-03-2019 5:25pm

Don't you think Rugby would be a better sport with 13 a side, and set of six tackles, no line outs, much quicker game etc etc.

Perifect · 04-03-2019 5:25pm

Journalists don't have a great reputation. Mostly not in the sports area in fairness. How low would you sink to get a story? Are there any areas you'd consider off limits?

troyzer · 04-03-2019 5:36pm

Tom Mann Centuria wrote: »

Don't you think Rugby would be a better sport with 13 a side, and set of six tackles, no line outs, much quicker game etc etc.

Be gone foul league demon.

kuang1 · 04-03-2019 5:41pm

If you're interviewing someone and they ask you to not include something in your article that they've just revealed to you, what do you do?

e.g. You're in a sit down with Schmidt and he says "Yeah our squad has a good make up from the 4 provinces, it's a good balance.

Although I'll always prefer the Leinster lads over the rest coz they shower more often.

Eh you might leave that last part out Sean!"

Mr.Maroon · 04-03-2019 5:42pm

With such low participation figures and poor grassroots support - while the provinces and national team get big crowds.

Is rugby the ultimate bandwagon sport in Ireland?

The42.ie: Sean · 04-03-2019 5:48pm

Squidgy Black wrote: »

What are your personal thoughts on the new proposal from World Rugby for the new 12 team World League?

Also, do you think the gap between the North and Southern Hemisphere has closed significantly compared to 10 years ago?

I think it's riddled with pitfalls, unfortunately.

The problem of shutting Georgia and the Pacific nations out of the top tournaments in their hemisphere was already a serious problem. For that then to be (nearly) rubber-stamped with USA and Japan lumped in for their potential TV markets was borderline farcical.

Even if there is promotion-relegation, I think the annual tournament would massively detract from the World Cup too, because I'm not sure we'd be salivating at the prospect of seeing how a leading nation can deal with weakened tier 2 nations after seeing them regularly contest a best-in-the-world title for the three years previously.

As for a gap between north and south, I'd say yes, but it's hard to measure these things... the top four from each would give one another a good game at least.

artanevilla · 04-03-2019 5:50pm

Is Rugby now the peoples sport?

The42.ie: Sean · 04-03-2019 5:57pm

razorblunt wrote: »

What's your opinion on PEDs and do you think there's a cause for concern in rugby regarding them?

I'd say every sport should be concerned, because whether the goal people are chasing is a contract, funding or just acclaim for being the pride of the parish there must be a temptation to cut corners when trying to get bigger-stronger-faster.

In rugby terms in Ireland, there is so much centralised control with the IRFU and the provinces that I feel they are really well-placed to have a tight control on supplements and nutrition for players - from sub-academy schoolboys through to senior pros.

callaway92 · 04-03-2019 6:00pm

The42.ie: Sean wrote: »

I'd say every sport should be concerned, because whether the goal people are chasing is a contract, funding or just acclaim for being the pride of the parish there must be a temptation to cut corners when trying to get bigger-stronger-faster.

In rugby terms in Ireland, there is so much centralised control with the IRFU and the provinces that I feel they are really well-placed to have a tight control on supplements and nutrition for players - from sub-academy schoolboys through to senior pros.

In Johnny Holland’s AMA he said he was never once tested whilst playing for Munster or wasn’t aware of anyone else being tested at the club.

troyzer · 04-03-2019 6:02pm

Assuming this World League doesn't go ahead (it won't, spoilers), how long until SANZAAR breaks?

Argentina are broke, so is Australia where the sport is dying with no grassroots, South Africa's ongoing economic crisis and resulting player exodus will be made worse by SARU's recent selection ruling. New Zealand are fine on the surface, but soon they might have nobody to play and they are losing young All Blacks with higher and higher profiles every year.

So, when is the reckoning? By the 2027 world cup? Shall the North inherit the Earth?

The42.ie: Sean · 04-03-2019 6:03pm

Tom Mann Centuria wrote: »

Don't you think Rugby would be a better sport with 13 a side, and set of six tackles, no line outs, much quicker game etc etc.

Doesn't sound like that would ever catch on :cool:

Akrasia · 04-03-2019 6:06pm

What do you think of the standard of refereeing in world rugby at present?

Sabre0001 · 04-03-2019 6:22pm

Hi Sean,

Thanks for doing this AMA. Have a few (sorry, quite a few!) questions for you:

What do you think of the Pro 14 conference system? Do you think the fixture lists are balanced, particularly looking at the Irish derbies compared to other national derbies? And is further expansion feasible?

Does the player welfare system do a disservice to the league as teams send second string sides? We've seen some absolute thumpings (early rounds this season, particularly Munster's flip-flopping form, and the only team capable of doing so and getting wins is Leinster's U8s), and then facts like Sexton playing in Thomond for the first time in five (?) years this year!

On the subject of player welfare, we've heard that some Irish players haven't played enough rugby recently. We're also seeing an injury crisis in certain key positions. Is it just bad luck that players are getting injured in a Murphy's Law type scenario (I know rugby is a physical sport) and bad timing that a couple of players are not hitting the same highs. Have we gotten the balancing act wrong? Should players actually be playing more?

Do you think New Zealand used the November series to gather data - they played the blitz defence, played a much narrower game against Ireland than they would have typically up to the 60/70min mark - with one eye on the World Cup regardless of results?

jay0109 · 04-03-2019 10:17pm

Rugby in Ireland in the past 15 or so years...the triumph of marketing over reason. Discuss.

Gonad · 04-03-2019 10:27pm

Are there any great comments that you remember stand out from the The 42 comments section ?

IAMAMORON · 04-03-2019 11:57pm

Are you going to Japan ? If so, will you take the opportunity to go Sumo Wrestling and maybe sing some Karaoke?

Eoin · 05-03-2019 12:04am

kuang1 wrote: »

If you're interviewing someone and they ask you to not include something in your article that they've just revealed to you, what do you do?

Or is it the reverse and it's hard to get anything of interest, given that they seem to be media trained to the point of blandness? e.g. how many times are you told they're "taking it one match at a time"?

Sabre0001 · 05-03-2019 10:19am

Eoin wrote: »

Or is it the reverse and it's hard to get anything of interest, given that they seem to be media trained to the point of blandness? e.g. how many times are you told they're "taking it one match at a time"?

And to build on this, is this why we're seeing broadcasters attempt to catch players/management at times (immediately at half time for players, while game is in progress for coaches) when their guard may be lower?

Now ye're talking - to a Rugby Journalist

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