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Will Rugby World Cup Harm Gaa.

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Replying To KillingFields:  "please if you are going to criticise rugby then at least dont show yourself up as a fool"
How is a fool. After SA, NZ, Australia, England Ireland and France are there that many serious contenders?

Oldtourman (Limerick) - Posts: 4344 - 03/11/2023 08:50:01    2511373

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Reading this topic you'd think there was huge amnosity from many GAA supporters towards Rugby.
In my experience I don't think is the case at all.
Most GAA people I talk to admire the physicality of Rugby and most watch (and support) Irish six nations/ world cup matches and have at least a passing interest in the provincial teams.

I agree with people who say the Rugby World Cup was followed to a bigger degree than any previous rugby competitions Ireland was ever in but it never really got to Italia 90 levels imo.

In my experience there is, from a sizable minority of GAA people, a dislike for soccer rather than rugby. This is probably based on it being seen as more of a threat in taking potential GAA players.

bdbuddah (Meath) - Posts: 1361 - 03/11/2023 09:58:39    2511379

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Replying To Viking66:  "You said this-

"Half a million people lined Dublin to welcome back the soccer team in 1990,, hardly any comparison to the rugby team this year in fairness."

Being as the rugby lads refused the offer of a homecoming that statement is nonsense."
Comparing what a Rugby world cup home coming may have been like compared to Italia 90 is completely over the top IMO, soccer is by far the biggest sport in the world and therefor getting to the last 8 in the soccer world cup is a big achievement. Doing the same in Rugby equilivant isn't an achievement at all really as only about 9 or 10 countries play Rugby seriously.
I would have really lost respect for Irish Rugby had they thought about organising a homecoming in the circumstances.
The only people who would have turned for a homecoming like that would have had little understanding of sport.

bdbuddah (Meath) - Posts: 1361 - 03/11/2023 10:04:26    2511380

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Replying To Oldtourman:  "How is a fool. After SA, NZ, Australia, England Ireland and France are there that many serious contenders?"
Wales and Argentina have gone further than us in World Cups over the years also.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 12114 - 03/11/2023 10:14:56    2511382

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Replying To Oldtourman:  "How is a fool. After SA, NZ, Australia, England Ireland and France are there that many serious contenders?"
Wales, Argentina, could name others that you'll just dismiss but theyre just 2 morqe.
and 7 serious contenders is a lot...

KillingFields (Limerick) - Posts: 3514 - 03/11/2023 10:47:47    2511385

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Replying To bdbuddah:  "Comparing what a Rugby world cup home coming may have been like compared to Italia 90 is completely over the top IMO, soccer is by far the biggest sport in the world and therefor getting to the last 8 in the soccer world cup is a big achievement. Doing the same in Rugby equilivant isn't an achievement at all really as only about 9 or 10 countries play Rugby seriously.
I would have really lost respect for Irish Rugby had they thought about organising a homecoming in the circumstances.
The only people who would have turned for a homecoming like that would have had little understanding of sport."
Theres a lot more than 9 or 10 countries who play rugby seriously.

KillingFields (Limerick) - Posts: 3514 - 03/11/2023 10:48:24    2511387

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Replying To Viking66:  "Wales and Argentina have gone further than us in World Cups over the years also."
It's not rocket science, the number of credible sides are actually in the names of the competitions. The 6nations plus the trinations. 6 + 3 = 9. A couple of minor adjustments like remove Italy (rubbish factor), add in Argentina, and you're still at 9.

Pope_Benedict (Galway) - Posts: 3478 - 03/11/2023 10:48:32    2511388

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Only one team taking rugby 'seriously' has players from that country. They're number one.

GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 7373 - 03/11/2023 12:51:44    2511416

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Replying To KillingFields:  "Wales, Argentina, could name others that you'll just dismiss but theyre just 2 morqe.
and 7 serious contenders is a lot..."
How are there 7 serious contenders? SA and NZ have won 7 out of the 10 WC and SA have only taken part in 8, France, England and Australia have reached the final on a few occasions but 2 of those three are in crisis.

Claretandblue (Westmeath) - Posts: 1506 - 03/11/2023 13:51:52    2511427

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Replying To KillingFields:  "Theres a lot more than 9 or 10 countries who play rugby seriously."
Such as? Samoa? Fiji? Tonga? Explains why their best players transfer to NZ? Explains why they play no serious matches between World Cups.

Claretandblue (Westmeath) - Posts: 1506 - 03/11/2023 13:53:15    2511428

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Replying To Claretandblue:  "How are there 7 serious contenders? SA and NZ have won 7 out of the 10 WC and SA have only taken part in 8, France, England and Australia have reached the final on a few occasions but 2 of those three are in crisis."
So only teams whove won a cup are serious contenders?
nonsense

KillingFields (Limerick) - Posts: 3514 - 03/11/2023 14:06:44    2511432

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Replying To Claretandblue:  "Such as? Samoa? Fiji? Tonga? Explains why their best players transfer to NZ? Explains why they play no serious matches between World Cups."
You dont know much if you think the best fijians, tongans etc transfer to new zealand.
or that they play no "serious" matches between world cups

KillingFields (Limerick) - Posts: 3514 - 03/11/2023 14:07:36    2511433

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Replying To KillingFields:  "Theres a lot more than 9 or 10 countries who play rugby seriously."
There is no need for you to be so defensive every time people discuss Rugby here.

World cups aside Irish rugby has been very successful in the professional era and only someone with an agenda would say otherwise. Irish sports fans should enjoy this.

But we shouldn't over do the self congratulations of what a huge mark we've made in world sport because we have improved at rugby.

Most of the population of the world have never heard of Rugby let alone seeing it being played

There are only 9 or 10 serious Rugby playing nations.

Basically you have the 4 countries of the southern hemisphere Rugby championship and the 6 countries of the six nations.

Italy are in the six nations for over 20 years but don't seem to be progressing (at adult level anyway, tbh I've no idea are they making any progress at underage level). They probably shouldn't even be considered a serious Rugby country.

Of the 10 countries above in 2 (Argentina and Italy) Rugby's profile would be minute.
In Japan, who don't play on any major annual competition Rugby's profile would be small and improvements made are largely due to foreigners playing on their team.
New Zeland is probably the only country where Rugby is the popular sport in the country.

What other countries play it to a serious level?, the Pacific Island nations, can you consider them as being serious Rugby playing nations when they have such small populations (and Fiji mainly seem to concentrate on 7s Rugby).

If someone wanted to be pedantic about it you could argue the number is less as in reality as Scotland or Wales are not independent countries and are no more countries than the Basque country or Catalonia are in Spain.

bdbuddah (Meath) - Posts: 1361 - 03/11/2023 14:27:00    2511436

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Replying To Pope_Benedict:  "It's not rocket science, the number of credible sides are actually in the names of the competitions. The 6nations plus the trinations. 6 + 3 = 9. A couple of minor adjustments like remove Italy (rubbish factor), add in Argentina, and you're still at 9."
Lots of counties can be regarded as not taking gaelic football seriously then because they are rubbish. ireland must only have a tiny number of credible sides playing gaelic football because of the rubbish factor

theres lot more than 9 teams in rugby world cup who're competitive....

KillingFields (Limerick) - Posts: 3514 - 03/11/2023 14:27:58    2511437

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Replying To Claretandblue:  "Such as? Samoa? Fiji? Tonga? Explains why their best players transfer to NZ? Explains why they play no serious matches between World Cups."
name all these players from these countries whove transfered to new zealand over the years.
they play plenty of serious matches between world cups.

KillingFields (Limerick) - Posts: 3514 - 03/11/2023 14:28:39    2511438

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Replying To KillingFields:  "Lots of counties can be regarded as not taking gaelic football seriously then because they are rubbish. ireland must only have a tiny number of credible sides playing gaelic football because of the rubbish factor

theres lot more than 9 teams in rugby world cup who're competitive...."
Over the years there has been plenty of different teams which have won All Ireland football titles. Whether you like it or not Gaelic football is widely played all over Ireland.

Rugby is very much a minority sport in Ireland yet we are one of the main rugby playing nations, how is this the case?- in part the reason is there are few playing the sport on a world wide basis.

bdbuddah (Meath) - Posts: 1361 - 03/11/2023 15:11:16    2511447

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Eddie Jones.

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GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 7373 - 03/11/2023 16:04:51    2511452

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Replying To KillingFields:  "Lots of counties can be regarded as not taking gaelic football seriously then because they are rubbish. ireland must only have a tiny number of credible sides playing gaelic football because of the rubbish factor

theres lot more than 9 teams in rugby world cup who're competitive...."
That's true. I've never seen a game of football between Louth v Longford, or Waterford v Antrim, or numerous other pairings of that ilk, and I wouldn't cross the road to watch any of these sides for free either, unless their standard improved, and they were contesting for silverware.

Similarly, I've missed Uruguay, Portugal, Georgia etc etc etc at the rugby, and would usually avoid an Italy game too, except to check in on them every few years, and likely confirm that they're still not worth watching.

Pope_Benedict (Galway) - Posts: 3478 - 03/11/2023 17:08:34    2511455

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Replying To bdbuddah:  "Over the years there has been plenty of different teams which have won All Ireland football titles. Whether you like it or not Gaelic football is widely played all over Ireland.

Rugby is very much a minority sport in Ireland yet we are one of the main rugby playing nations, how is this the case?- in part the reason is there are few playing the sport on a world wide basis."
Only 10 different counties have won the AI Football title since the first RWC in 1987. Only 11 have won it since 1958. In 65 years. And currently only a handful might win it next year. Pessimists might even say only 1 of 2 counties might win it next year. Gaelic Football is no more competitive at the top than Rugby or Hurling really.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 12114 - 03/11/2023 17:54:14    2511456

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Replying To bdbuddah:  "Over the years there has been plenty of different teams which have won All Ireland football titles. Whether you like it or not Gaelic football is widely played all over Ireland.

Rugby is very much a minority sport in Ireland yet we are one of the main rugby playing nations, how is this the case?- in part the reason is there are few playing the sport on a world wide basis."
Over how many years are you counting? And is it fair to compare a yearly event to an event geld once every 4 years?
Rugby is played widely over Ireland ss well and rugby is a minority sport in Ireland as are all sports bar the biggest 2.
No Ireland is a top team in international rugby because of the systems in place from academies to the provinces to the national team

KillingFields (Limerick) - Posts: 3514 - 03/11/2023 17:55:04    2511457

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