Rugby now more popular than football AND GAA?!

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Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin

the Italian stereotype of Ireland was "rugby"

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I know we didn't play too well against them in the Euros, but there's hardly any call for that...

Maybe he meant the passion and number of fans at domestic rugby games (all 4 provinces) as opposed to the approximately 16000 fans of domestic football?

Which would be a fair point if you think he even knew about our provincial rugby teams!

I'm sure himself and Marco would have popped along. They spent so many weeks on end being with and getting to understand the natives... :D (my OP was just a mini grenade I wanted to throw into the mix after being away a few days/weeks)

http://www.rte.ie/sport/rugby/intern...gby-world-cup/

Ireland are in with a good shout to get this. Expect interest in rugby to go stratospheric if it happens.
I must say I would like to see it happen, I like especially the all Ireland aspect.

Aye, why not?

We may have a few eejit fans, but the AI concept is a good one. Even a Mr.P.Robinson acknowleged such earlier! Surprisingly enough.

It'd be great for the GAA too. Hopefully the football team will win Euro 2020 and we'll be the best small sporting country on earth. I think it has a good chance of succeeding. Good luck.

Enda Kenny shouldn't be let anywhere near sport. He has no understanding of it whatsoever.

Anyway I'm looking forward to the game against Quins on Sunday - just down the road!

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Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

Enda Kenny shouldn't be let anywhere near sport.

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Or politics!

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Originally Posted by DannyInvincible

Or politics!

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See Danny, that just goes to prove that your 2 words can be mightier than your 2 hundred.

Harsh. But fair.

Maybe Danny is learning about the economy of words from our master - AB!:D

Too true!

Not everyone is keen on the bid: http://balls.ie/rugby/hardline-union...world-cup-bid/

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Originally Posted by Jim Allister

Telling to watch Martin McGuinness talk about “this Island nation” without a whimper of protest from Peter Robinson standing beside him!

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Originally Posted by Balls.ie

TUV parliamentary candidate for East Antrim, Sammy Morrison, shares his leaders misgivings about the enterprise.

Morrison says there is unanimity within the party that,

…while the anthem of the Irish Republic is often played at rugby events that they don’t recognise the fact that part of the island of Ireland is in the United Kingdom.

He laments that one doesn’t hear ‘God Save The Queen’ at Ireland matches and there is no place for the cross of St. Patrick or the Union flag at rugby matches. The ‘All-Ireland’ aspect of the bid also has caused disquiet within the ranks.

I took exception to Martin McGuinness talking about the nation of the island of Ireland. I also take exception to the contrived political links that Northern Ireland has with the Irish Republic because of the Belfast Agreement.

He did allow that there would be people in Northern Ireland who would be happy to ‘see international rugby come to local stadia’ but he is indifferent to it.

Asked if he and his party colleagues, support the Irish rugby team, he said he’s aware of party colleagues who do, but he ‘personally does not.’ He prefers to support the British teams.

What I see in predominance when it comes to events at the Six Nations in Dublin is the tricolour and I don’t see any recognition that there are people from Northern Ireland who don’t feel any allegiance to that flag, and in fact, associate that flag, and I’m conscious that someone in the south would not associate it with this, but this is the reality in Northern Ireland, associate it with a thirty year campaign of terror to force use into somewhere we didn’t want to go politically.

Ireland has long been represented at international level by members of the Unionist community. Indeed, two former Irish wingers went on to become Unionist politicians – albeit as part of the most moderate strand of Unionism , the now almost irrelevant Ulster Unionist party.

Trevor Ringland, the hero of the 1985 Triple Crown win, ran for the UUP in East Antrim at the last UK General Election. He quit the party over it’s then leader Tom Elliot’s refusal to countenance attending an All-Ireland final if an Ulster team made it. He subsequently joined the NI Conservatives.

And Tyrone Howe served as an Ulster Unionist councillor in Banbridge during the mid-noughties.

The TUV even had an ex-Irish international within it’s ranks. Davy Tweed, currently serving a prison sentence for indecent assault, played four times for Ireland in 1995.

His first game was against France at Lansdowne Road. At 35, he was an aged debutant and his politics were well known at the time. Many eyes were fixed on him during the national anthem, but, according to Brendan Fanning, he didn’t move a muscle – a myth has grown that he belted out God Save The Queen while everyone else was singing ‘Amhrainn Na bhFiann’ but there appears to be no evidence for this. Afterwards, he was reputed to have said ‘After 30 caps for my country, I’ve been selected to play for Ireland!’

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The usual ballix from the usual suspects...

If the URFU reckon it's Ok, they should just put up.

I particularly liked this bit ".. I’m conscious that someone in the south would not associate it..."

Sammy Morrison and TUV are opposed to the bid, as a bit of party opportunism. If they were really indifferent they'd ignore the issue. Peter Robinson's hypocrisy is hard not to challenge.

Is there a chance of Windsor as a venue if the bid succeeds? Greater chance of it being fully developed than Casement.

What other NI venues are likely?

The UUP has never been the most moderate strand of Unionism.

Casement redevelopment was being planned before this bid was launched right?

You need to read the links oh Great Rotund One...
:rolleyes:

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Originally Posted by NeverFeltBetter

Casement redevelopment was being planned before this bid was launched right?

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Yes. Now threatened by local resident objections in Andytown.