Like many sports fans whose primary interest is soccer, I have a curious relationship with egg chasing. One can but admire the physical effort and intensity of proper rugby players, the flair of the French or the New Zealanders in their prime, the majesty of the Haka and the technical proficiency at the top level of a sport that simply has too many players on the field.
It is hard not to admire Munsters dedication and sheer will to win, the desire shown by relatively small guys like Jonny Wilkinson who goes full belt into tackles, the ball handling skills of the top backs and the tactical mastery of an out half like Hernandez from Argentina.
On the flip side they make it far too easy to laugh with faux superior derision at Leinster fans, the totally contrived make shift teams like Ospreys, the fact that every six Nations game is a rugby "weekend" - why is not a rugby hour and a half ? – the fact that women pretend to be interested in order to be seen to be a mix between the tomboy and the flirty Sorcha from the Ross books and my personal favourite – the wearing of ridiculous clothes. Why do people wear ties to rugby matches ? And, sorry, enough is enough, what is the deal with the multisex sunglasses in the hair ?
Egg chasing is not a bad sport at all and many games can be thoroughly enjoyable. But what in the Sam Hill is a “rugby person” ? Why do rugby people refer to players as great footballers ? If they are great footballers why are they playing rugby ?
Why do we drop prepositions ? Why is it "ball to hand" or "ball to ground" ?
I live in South Dublin so perhaps if I lived in Limerick, Toulouse or Wellington, I would not be exposed to the R.O.C.K. syndrome and this would not be an issue. I was at Belfield on Staurday at an AIL game and at the RDS the previous week and saw 2 very good games.
It is a terrible shame because rugby can be great fun, if we could limit the experience to the rugby....
Answers on a postcard........
