Rugby now more popular than football AND GAA?!

[Stuttgart88]

Thius could be interesting

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/67070361

The past 12 months have been a sobering time for domestic professional rugby union in England.

Just under a year ago, the English Premiership had 13 teams. Now, there are 10.

London Irish,Wasps and Worcester have all gone into administration, and last month Championship title-holders Jersey Reds ceased trading.

Why are so many clubs failing? Is this rock bottom? Or is there more to come?

In iPlayer documentary Rucks and Riches, which will be broadcast this weekend, BBC Sport takes a closer look.

[EalingGreen]

I find that a lot in rugby. The same way I constantly see foul throws in professional soccer.
They just get away with it

There is a difference, though. In football, if you steal a few yards to take the throw, or don't fully use both hands, or have both feet over the line etc, the advantage gained is usually only marginal. Which is why (imo) referees often ignore these infringements in their greater desire to keep the game flowing.

Whereas in rugby, a final, forward pass to the winger which directly allows him to evade his marker and dive over the try line, can make the difference between winning and losing.

[seanfhear]

" " It's only illegal, if you are caught " "

Ask Thierry Henry ? !

[Fixer82]

There is a difference, though. In football, if you steal a few yards to take the throw, or don't fully use both hands, or have both feet over the line etc, the advantage gained is usually only marginal. Which is why (imo) referees often ignore these infringements in their greater desire to keep the game flowing.

Whereas in rugby, a final, forward pass to the winger which directly allows him to evade his marker and dive over the try line, can make the difference between winning and losing.

yes agreed. still irks me when I see a crappy foul throw ignored by a ref

[Razors left peg]

The amount of memes and jokes I seen flying around this weekend laughing at England losing to South Africa is mind blowing to me. Lets all laugh at a team who got further than us, again!

I think it shows the psyche of the Irish sporting public. We are great at jumping on a band wagon, no matter what the sport, but the vast majority of "fans" are just looking for entertainment. When we qualify for a football tournament the same lads who were saying that "we dont have the players" or "shure we're sh1te anyway", will be all out in force getting p1ssed and singing Ole Ole.

It goes back to the title of this thread, Rugby more popular than football (I'll leave out the GAA part). Rugby is popular for a few weeks every year, and football gets popular from an International perpective whenever we are any way good. Its not about which is the most popular, its which will the idiots jump on board with at any given time... and when we lose we go back to making jokes about England losing!

[Fixer82]

If you really want to know which is the most popular just ask yourself, ‘how many people understand the rules of rugby better than soccer?!’

[NeverFeltBetter]

World Cup moving to 24 teams, finally: https://www.rte.ie/sport/rugby-world...d-to-24-teams/

About the only way Ireland will win a knock-out game.

[EalingGreen]

If you really want to know which is the most popular just ask yourself, ‘how many people understand the rules of rugby better than soccer?!’

Never mind "many people", just ask rugby fans whether they understand rugby's rules!

[EalingGreen]

World Cup moving to 24 teams, finally: https://www.rte.ie/sport/rugby-world...d-to-24-teams/

About the only way Ireland will win a knock-out game.

Aye, but with the extra Round of 16 being added, they may still not get past the Quarter Finals!

[Razors left peg]

Never mind "many people", just ask rugby fans whether they understand rugby's rules!

Could also ask the question whether football officials using VAR understand football rules

[EalingGreen]

Could also ask the question whether football officials using VAR understand football rules

True enough.

Though they do understand the benefit of having a well paid, post-refereeing sinecure, conducted in a warm studio, where they don't have 30,000 angry fans shouting at them whenever they make another howler!

[tetsujin1979]

Four of the top five most watched tv shows in Ireland last year were rugby games
https://www.tamireland.ie/top-50-tv-programmes-2023/

[John83]

Four of the top five most watched tv shows in Ireland last year were rugby games
https://www.tamireland.ie/top-50-tv-programmes-2023/

The rugby world cup is a big factor, but there's a lot of rugby and gaa on that list before the first instance of football.

The women's world cup games are second only to the men's qualifer vs France. I'm not sure whether that says more about the success of the women or the lie about how popular Kenny's team was because the stadium attendances were good.

[Eirambler]

The wider public had well and truly tuned out of the Kenny project by 2023. By autumn 2022, particularly the Armenia game and the subsequent friendlies, it was clear it was only going one way unfortunately.

[ifk101]

The wider public had well and truly tuned out of the Kenny project by 2023. By autumn 2022, particularly the Armenia game and the subsequent friendlies, it was clear it was only going one way unfortunately.

2023 viewing figures are (unfortunately) similar to 2019.
649,000 watched Ireland v Denmark, 524,000 Switzerland v Ireland, 461,000 Ireland v Switzerland, 450,000 Denmark v Ireland ......
https://www.tamireland.ie/top-50-tv-programmes-2019/

[NeverFeltBetter]

Interesting article on RTE today, on lack of atmosphere in Aviva for rugby games: https://www.rte.ie/sport/rugby/2024/...phere-v-italy/

Too many bandwagonners?

[culloty82]

As mentioned in the Independent Sports section this Sunday, the cheapest stand ticket for the Italy game was €55, the dearest was €140 and the writer estimated that €100 was probably the average, so definitely in "prawn sandwich" territory!

https://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/six-nations/irish-rugby-uses-the-slogan-the-team-of-us-but-irfu-ticket-pricing-creating-the-team-of-them-and-us-instead/a480483190.htm

lhttps://archive.is/YHDwx

[jbyrne]

i used to go to every 6N game but stopped around 10 years ago and don't miss it a bit. its a cliche at this stage but very true that too many are there purely to be at a social occasion. very few younger fans attending who are the ones most likely to create an atmosphere

[Stuttgart88]

Problems at HQ too

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/20...nion-breakdown

And apparently some fans want ticket refunds after they weren’t told their seats were in an alcohol-free zone being trialled.

[tetsujin1979]

As mentioned in the Independent Sports section this Sunday, the cheapest stand ticket for the Italy game was €55, the dearest was €140 and the writer estimated that €100 was probably the average, so definitely in "prawn sandwich" territory!

https://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/six-nations/irish-rugby-uses-the-slogan-the-team-of-us-but-irfu-ticket-pricing-creating-the-team-of-them-and-us-instead/a480483190.htm

lhttps://archive.is/YHDwx

All prices are here: https://www.irishrugby.ie/ireland/tickets/
There were restricted view seats for less than €55. I've gotten them before, and all you really can't see is one corner of the try area

I haven't been to a 6N game in two years, last time was when we hammered Wales in 2022. Where I was sitting, there was loads getting up and going to the bar, all through the game. Was sick of standing up to let someone in/out every five minutes.