Is rugby now Ireland's second sport?

[SaintMel]

A few years ago some rugby pundit caused a storm by claiming that rugby was now the "national sport". Obviously this wasn't and isn't true, rugby will never overtake football here. But the buzz about the six nations lately got me thinking, has rugby now overtaken gaa? Seems to me that there's a lot more interest in international and club rugby than in gaa. The world cup later in the year will only continue this trend. What does everyone else think?

[CraftyToePoke]

A few years ago some rugby pundit caused a storm by claiming that rugby was now the "national sport". Obviously this wasn't and isn't true, rugby will never overtake football here. But the buzz about the six nations lately got me thinking, has rugby now overtaken gaa? Seems to me that there's a lot more interest in international and club rugby than in gaa. The world cup later in the year will only continue this trend. What does everyone else think?

I don't think so but am UK based so maybe the wrong angle here. For me, it has recently gone back the other way, rugby's self bestowed halo taken a few knocks, all self inflicted too in recent years and I have found myself watching more GAA than in previous times. & no not just because Limerick are all conquering superior hurling monsters and even had two promotions in the football, I mean GAA game broadcasts generally.

Also, when Limerick FC were in Thomond there was a row of ' Brand Munster ' lads behind me one night and the way they spoke about life and people, & the other people at the match was fairly narrow to understate it. Like if it was translated into northern speak, it would have been classed as bigoted raw sectarianism.

GAA is in the DNA of the island the way rugby wouldn't ever be, it might have its day in the sun but what would peak respective seasons weekly attendances be at GAA games in Ireland, in total, compared to attendances at all rugby games ? I think it'd be a mismatch.

Also three of my friends, in Limerick have taken their sons away from rugby training because of this concussion thing, but are grand with them playing hurling and football. If this is mirrored across society, and these player lawsuits continue to come, where is the sport in say 20 years ?

[Razors left peg]

I think in parts of Ireland, the bigger cities, Soccer and Rugby are probably the 1 and 2 sports. But when you go outside of the high density population areas nothing will ever replace the GAA. Its is deeply engrained in the workings and culture of villages and towns throughout the whole country.

[seanfhear]

I think in parts of Ireland, the bigger cities, Soccer and Rugby are probably the 1 and 2 sports. But when you go outside of the high density population areas nothing will ever replace the GAA. Its is deeply engrained in the workings and culture of villages and towns throughout the whole country.

Like rugby is in New Zealand ~ ~ As there is a GAA pitch in pretty much every parish in Ireland ( maybe not every one in the 6 counties ~ I don't know ) ~ ~ There is a rugby pitch in every parish in New Zealand.

[seanfhear]

I don't think so but am UK based so maybe the wrong angle here. For me, it has recently gone back the other way, rugby's self bestowed halo taken a few knocks, all self inflicted too in recent years and I have found myself watching more GAA than in previous times. & no not just because Limerick are all conquering superior hurling monsters and even had two promotions in the football, I mean GAA game broadcasts generally.

Also, when Limerick FC were in Thomond there was a row of ' Brand Munster ' lads behind me one night and the way they spoke about life and people, & the other people at the match was fairly narrow to understate it. Like if it was translated into northern speak, it would have been classed as bigoted raw sectarianism.

GAA is in the DNA of the island the way rugby wouldn't ever be, it might have its day in the sun but what would peak respective seasons weekly attendances be at GAA games in Ireland, in total, compared to attendances at all rugby games ? I think it'd be a mismatch.

Also three of my friends, in Limerick have taken their sons away from rugby training because of this concussion thing, but are grand with them playing hurling and football. If this is mirrored across society, and these player lawsuits continue to come, where is the sport in say 20 years ?

Good post.

[OwlsFan]

Well that caught most of the pundits by surprise. Donal Lenihan and others were acting as if we had only to turn up at Twickenham to win. Perhaps the Irish team isn't quite as good as they make out after all they're competing with the worst English, Welsh, New Zealand, Australian and to a certain extent Scottish teams of a generation. France can be hit and miss. Ireland are very well coached but when the going gets tough (e.g. New Zealand in the WC and yesterday England) they don't have the likes of Brian O'Driscoll to pull the rabbit out of the hat. Mind you, if Bradley had shown some common sense with 90 seconds to go and keep the ball among the forwards instead of kicking to touch and giving possession back to England, we might still be talking of a grand slam.

[seanfhear]

Choked again.

[Stuttgart88]

Was at the game. Enjoyable despite result. In fairness, most people I was with realised it wasn't a gimme. England can be very erratic.

[seanfhear]

Was at the game. Enjoyable despite result. In fairness, most people I was with realised it wasn't a gimme. England can be very erratic.

Two Chokes in two games ( pretty close together ) ~ Quarter-final against New Zealand and this one against England ~ Why do the media end up blowing so much smoke up the rugby-team when they choke so often ? !

[SkStu]

They don't. They are extremely critical of them; they were after the WC and they have been this week too. And they do so precisely because they are an exceptional team of professionals, of winners who are deserving of achieving even more than they already have.

[seanfhear]

They don't. They are extremely critical of them; they were after the WC and they have been this week too. And they do so precisely because they are an exceptional team of professionals, of winners who are deserving of achieving even more than they already have.

They Choke every World Cup ~ They Choked on Saturday ~ They are Chokers.

[OwlsFan]

They Choke every World Cup ~ They Choked on Saturday ~ They are Chokers.

Thats a bit harsh. They have won a grand slam after all and will probably win the Championship again (although the Scottish game is not a gimme - they'll be looking for revenge for the WC humiliation).

[seanfhear]

Thats a bit harsh. They have won a grand slam after all and will probably win the Championship again (although the Scottish game is not a gimme - they'll be looking for revenge for the WC humiliation).

We in Ireland are too easy on our teams ~ ~ Especially the Rugby crowd / team.

Signs is on ~ The Rugby team are serial choke-ers !

[Real ale Madrid]

Choked again.

Two Chokes in two games ( pretty close together ) ~ Quarter-final against New Zealand and this one against England ~ Why do the media end up blowing so much smoke up the rugby-team when they choke so often ? !

They Choke every World Cup ~ They Choked on Saturday ~ They are Chokers.

Signs is on ~ The Rugby team are serial choke-ers !

Not sure what you are getting at here?

[SkStu]

They Choke every World Cup ~ They Choked on Saturday ~ They are Chokers.

I’m actually not disputing that if you read what I wrote. I’m disputing your assertion that they don’t get called out on it by the media…they do. A lot. Because they haven’t achieved all of what they deserve to.

[NeverFeltBetter]

I said before after the World Cup that I thought there was a bit of mental weakness in the side, and I think that came into it on Saturday. I don't think they react well when the opposition are really putting it up to them, and it felt like they let England bully them around the field from the off. I'm not an enormous rugby fan, very fairweather I'll admit, but it seemed like they overly-happy to just keep kicking the ball back into English hands all throughout the game, and not even just in that disastrous last 90 seconds. There was a big difference in mentality, like when we got a penalty and went for the posts, and England got a penalty and went for the corner a short while later (they didn't even get the try, but that's not the point).

This seems like a fairly enormous failure really. A poor England by most accounts, Wales in the doldrums, France blowing hot-and-cold without key players, Italy being only slightly better than normal and an average Scottish side: not winning the grand slam in those circumstances seems a poor return.

[Stuttgart88]

I’m actually not disputing that if you read what I wrote. I’m disputing your assertion that they don’t get called out on it by the media…they do. A lot. Because they haven’t achieved all of what they deserve to.

I think they got a continuously free ride for a long time until a few years ago. I think the latest RWC failure - albeit by the narrowest of margins - led to widespread acknowledgement that their achievements have been good but ultimately not good enough.

[ifk101]

Don’t think Saturday was choking – granted there was a Grand Slam for the taking but it’s also the first year in a 4-year WC cycle (i.e. there is a longer-term view towards the next WC in the background). If they manage to lose the Championship from here, then ok – they choked. The quarter final against NZ was a choke though – Sexton had a very kickable penalty that could have resulted in the game playing out the same way as England’s victory on Saturday. As great as Sexton was, he choked on a few occasions (thinking also of a missed penalty in a home test late on against NZ - would have been the first win against NZ at the time). NZ went on to subsequently score a try in the corner to finish the game if I remember correctly.

[seanfhear]

Don’t think Saturday was choking – granted there was a Grand Slam for the taking but it’s also the first year in a 4-year WC cycle (i.e. there is a longer-term view towards the next WC in the background). If they manage to lose the Championship from here, then ok – they choked. The quarter final against NZ was a choke though – Sexton had a very kickable penalty that could have resulted in the game playing out the same way as England’s victory on Saturday. As great as Sexton was, he choked on a few occasions (thinking also of a missed penalty in a home test late on against NZ - would have been the first win against NZ at the time). NZ went on to subsequently score a try in the corner to finish the game if I remember correctly.

It turns out that Farrell was wrong to persist with O'Mahoney ( due to his age and wane-ing ability ) ~ His gamble on only two backs in the subs failed disastrously and he has failed to acknowledge this ~ Farrell has never been a head-coach before and perhaps that is beginning to show ~ Is he ruthless enough ?

Another big failure, after the World Cup, where the Irish team did Not perform ( no where near their ability ) against New Zealand ~ Farrell has questions to answer ~ The honey-moon should be over !

[seanfhear]

Don’t think Saturday was choking – granted there was a Grand Slam for the taking but it’s also the first year in a 4-year WC cycle (i.e. there is a longer-term view towards the next WC in the background). If they manage to lose the Championship from here, then ok – they choked. The quarter final against NZ was a choke though – Sexton had a very kickable penalty that could have resulted in the game playing out the same way as England’s victory on Saturday. As great as Sexton was, he choked on a few occasions (thinking also of a missed penalty in a home test late on against NZ - would have been the first win against NZ at the time). NZ went on to subsequently score a try in the corner to finish the game if I remember correctly.

Even the whole Sexton getting that long ban for mouthing at the referee ( after the La Rochelle defeat ) was another minus point against Sexton ~ ~ Had Sexton just disappeared up his own back-side too much ~ Also, Sexton should obviously have been taken off with 20 minutes to go against New Zealand whether it was his last game or not. Sexton did not perform in that match and Farrell did not act on that.