What would have happened if...

**an_ceannaire** · 10/10/2007, 1:32 PM

Scenario 1
Ireland had qualified for the RWC Semis? The match clashes with the Germany game! Seriously, do you think there would have been even 30,000 in croker?
Scenario 2
Ireland had qualified for the RWC semis and the soccer team had beaten the Czechs...? What kind of interest/Media profile would the respective games have gotten.

Right now Rugby has the bigger appeal and has usurped Soccer as the game of the people. If both we on simultaneoulsy, whilst of course people would flick, I actually think the majority would watch the rugby and check the soccer every so often.

This is what it has come to

**gustavo** · 10/10/2007, 1:50 PM

Originally Posted by an_ceannaire

Scenario 1
Ireland had qualified for the RWC Semis? The match clashes with the Germany game! Seriously, do you think there would have been even 30,000 in croker?
Scenario 2
Ireland had qualified for the RWC semis and the soccer team had beaten the Czechs...? What kind of interest/Media profile would the respective games have gotten.

Right now Rugby has the bigger appeal and has usurped Soccer as the game of the people. If both we on simultaneoulsy, whilst of course people would flick, I actually think the majority would watch the rugby and check the soccer every so often.

This is what it has come to

Really? On what basis are you making that statement?

**an_ceannaire** · 10/10/2007, 1:52 PM

basing what on?

**Armando** · 10/10/2007, 1:52 PM

Originally Posted by an_ceannaire

Scenario 1
Ireland had qualified for the RWC Semis? The match clashes with the Germany game! Seriously, do you think there would have been even 30,000 in croker?
Scenario 2
Ireland had qualified for the RWC semis and the soccer team had beaten the Czechs...? What kind of interest/Media profile would the respective games have gotten.

Right now Rugby has the bigger appeal and has usurped Soccer as the game of the people. If both we on simultaneoulsy, whilst of course people would flick, I actually think the majority would watch the rugby and check the soccer every so often.

This is what it has come to

The game of the people

...not any of the people I know.

**an_ceannaire** · 10/10/2007, 1:54 PM

gustavo the viwership figures for rugby and soccer internationals right now, rugby is kicking soccers arse, and has done for a while

**elroy** · 10/10/2007, 2:20 PM

In fairness a well performing Irish soccer side always captures the nation more than a successful rugby side. Considering how poor the rugby side were recently, if we were any good at the moment our viewing figures would be much higher, but we're both as bad as each other at this stage.

Not sure about rugby been "the game of the people" though.

**Ireland4ever** · 10/10/2007, 2:22 PM

Im sad to say an ceannaire is right, people follow a winning team and currently the ruggers are outperforming the soccer team (Well before the wc they were

). Irish soccer is at a low ebb at the moment, the general man/woman in the street has only interest in the rugby and has little regard for the boyz in green.

This would change easily though if football teams fortunes were to improve. But with our current set-up im not holding my breath!

**an_ceannaire** · 10/10/2007, 2:28 PM

I4E Precisely. Thats how it is now

**shelbourne1904** · 10/10/2007, 2:48 PM

At least when we go to a world cup ,

and i mean a real world cup, where most of the nations of the earth have entred a team( and not just 20) we perform to our ability and above it.Can this elusive man in in the street claim that about the the egg chasers!!!!

**Ireland4ever** · 10/10/2007, 2:56 PM

Originally Posted by shelbourne1904

At least when we go to a world cup ,

and i mean a real world cup, where most of the nations of the earth have entred a team( and not just 20) we perform to our ability and above it.Can this elusive man in in the street claim that about the the egg chasers!!!!

No they cant, and this is why a good run (quarter final) in a major tournament (Euros/WC) would excite the people more than us actually winning the rwc IMHO. If both teams were doing well the ruggers would be nowhere to be seen.

**an_ceannaire** · 10/10/2007, 2:56 PM

ya.........and in the process fall out with out best player and send him home in a vain pathetic attempt to show "Your the man" ..........at the expense of 5m people. But hey, you proved it.....you the boss :_

**an_ceannaire** · 10/10/2007, 3:00 PM

Originally Posted by Ireland4ever

No they cant, and this is why a good run (quarter final) in a major tournament (Euros/WC) would excite the people more than us actually winning the rwc IMHO. If both teams were doing well the ruggers would be nowhere to be seen.

Is this a joke? Man if Ireland won the RWC it would be national celebration and all round exhultation like nothing the soccer team has ever given us or probably ever will. Cop on man!!!

**Ireland4ever** · 10/10/2007, 3:08 PM

Originally Posted by an_ceannaire

Is this a joke? Man if Ireland won the RWC it would be national celebration and all round exhultation like nothing the soccer team has ever given us or probably ever will. Cop on man!!!

No, i truly believe that even if ireland won the RWC the celebrations would not eclipse that of the scenes witnessed during world cup 90 where the country came to a standstill.

**an_ceannaire** · 10/10/2007, 3:12 PM

Italia 90 was a one off cos it was a first
seriously man
ireland win the RWC
Ireland get to 1/4 finals and lose in the Football WC or EC
and ure tellimg me the nation would embrace the football "success" more?
I know why u think so and I can see it to a point, but I think ure wrong. if we WON the RWC....ure defo wrong
I honestly dont think we have ever recovered from Saipan. i think it still haunts us in one way or another and will do so long as stan is in charge and many people still feel total apathy for football and rugby has replaced their passion

**elroy** · 10/10/2007, 3:18 PM

Originally Posted by an_ceannaire

Italia 90 was a one off cos it was a first
seriously man
ireland win the RWC
Ireland get to 1/4 finals and lose in the Football WC or EC
and ure tellimg me the nation would embrace the football "success" more?
I know why u think so and I can see it to a point, but I think ure wrong. if we WON the RWC....ure defo wrong
I honestly dont think we have ever recovered from Saipan. i think it still haunts us in one way or another and will do so long as stan is in charge and many people still feel total apathy for football and rugby has replaced their passion

I dont think any Irish rugby game to date has gripped the nation like the world cups did, even for the group games in the WCs. I remember in particular for all the games in 1990, the Italy and Holland games in 94 and the Spain game in 2002, the country literally stood still for 90/120 mins.

It would take the rugby team reaching the WC semi final to generate the same degree of hysteria/hype etc to match the soccer team imo.

**paul_oshea** · 10/10/2007, 3:23 PM

i agree with an_ceannaire, the average Irish person now lies towards rugby over soccer.

**Stuttgart88** · 10/10/2007, 3:24 PM

I agree with I4E. I think even qualification for another world cup would attract more interest than any 6 nations win or WC pool stage success. Of course there'd be national adulation if we won a RWC, but there'd be something similar with a good football WC or EC run.

The football team's fortunes have been in decline since 2002, hopefully reaching its trough around now (God, you'd hope it can't get worse). The rugby team has been on the rise since then, probably having hit its peak against England in February. Of course Rugby is in the ascendancy at the moment.

The Irish mid-market public just want to back a winner. I think the soccer team has more latent support than the rugby team, and like many of us here, the two aren't mutually exclusive. There are many in Ireland who love watching both but can take it or leave it if we're not doing well. That's how I've always felt about the rugby but I'm sick to the core when we do what we did in Bratislava etc.

**an_ceannaire** · 10/10/2007, 3:27 PM

Elroy prob has a lot to do with your personal geographical location, but i get all the Irish papers over here and I am home a lot and to be honest, In some bar in Galway, Busker Browns 2 years ago for Ireland England in Twickenham and in The Sin Bin in Limerick this year for Ireland England in Croker....that matched anything I have ever seen hysteria wise with soccer. But I will give you this.....if Saipan had happened in rugby not soccer and BOD had been sent home from france.....it wouldnt have been the same. Altho that may be more to do with the icon of Keane as much as football over rugby

**OwlsFan** · 10/10/2007, 3:32 PM

If my aunty had balls she'd be my uncle. Boy, you love your hypotheticals, an_ceannaire

Rugby is a game played in only a few parts of the world. It has neither the national nor global appeal of soccer and in Ireland it is primarily a middle class sport to add insult to injury. I only saw one of the Irish rugby games. Watched the soccer on SKy instead and if we were bottom of the group playing the Faroes, I'd still go to that game instead of watching ireland play rugby in a WC semi-final.

**elroy** · 10/10/2007, 3:34 PM

Originally Posted by an_ceannaire

Elroy prob has a lot to do with your personal geographical location, but i get all the Irish papers over here and I am home a lot and to be honest, In some bar in Galway, Busker Browns 2 years ago for Ireland England in Twickenham and in The Sin Bin in Limerick this year for Ireland England in Croker....that matched anything I have ever seen hysteria wise with soccer. But I will give you this.....if Saipan had happened in rugby not soccer and BOD had been sent home from france.....it wouldnt have been the same. Altho that may be more to do with the icon of Keane as much as football over rugby

Perhaps, although I dont think an Ireland England game is representative, that game always will draw the most attraction each year, Im not sure the same could be said about either French game this year or any of the other WC games. Limerick aside I dont think the same level of general public following is maintained.

Having said all that, on current standing, I dont think the rating for the Germany game will beat the viewing ratings for either the French or Argentina rugby games. As mentioned above, alot of Irish 'sporting' public are bandwagon supporters and will follow success, I think we will see a perfect illustration of this on Wed against Cyprus.