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Will Rugby World Cup Harm Gaa.

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Replying To TerribleFootwork:  "Was about to make this point myself, things like the Steve Thompson story could damage rugby down the line."
Absolutely

Pretty stark article here

Future of rugby could be incredibly troublesome, especially in its current guise of high physicality compared to previous generations

Tip of the iceberg, as I said you have prominent players across the board in both codes and at all levels at high risk, and unfortunately the damage could already be done.

Concussion is one of the most common injuries, I read a study recently that in one particular study of several hundred players it made up 25% of all reported injuries.

That's very alarming numbers


https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/sport/2022/apr/16/more-than-400-ex-rugby-players-died-early-from-brain-injuries-claim-lawyers

jimbodub (Dublin) - Posts: 20601 - 14/10/2023 12:24:37    2508313

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Works well in Dublin anyway. GAA in Spring & Summer. Rugby in Autumn & Winter. Keeps the kids playing year round. They pick up good transferable skills from both.

On the private schools stat ,its a bit misleading. Often the most talented young players in regular schools would be offered a scholorship type place in a private rugby playing school for the leaving cert.

bad.monkey (USA) - Posts: 4624 - 14/10/2023 12:28:05    2508314

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Replying To TerribleFootwork:  "Was about to make this point myself, things like the Steve Thompson story could damage rugby down the line."
It'd be interesting to get killing fields take on this issue, as he seems to be the most clued in on rugby issues here.
As the world becomes more and more health and safety conscious, how has rugby adapted? Such a hugely physical sport, not just games but training too, has to be managed very precisely for the long term well being of the players.

Galway9801 (Galway) - Posts: 1733 - 14/10/2023 12:53:08    2508317

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Replying To bad.monkey:  "Works well in Dublin anyway. GAA in Spring & Summer. Rugby in Autumn & Winter. Keeps the kids playing year round. They pick up good transferable skills from both.

On the private schools stat ,its a bit misleading. Often the most talented young players in regular schools would be offered a scholorship type place in a private rugby playing school for the leaving cert."
I very much doubt that is a factor in Dublin. How many schools play rugby? Students are not just plucked out of second level schools to do their Leaving! When do they spot them, playing rugby in primary school in Finglas :-)

By the way, anyone who has been in Finglas or any other working class area over past few days will have noticed almost no flags of bunting or people walking about in jerseys. Be more excitement if Celtic were in cup final, sad to say perhaps but there you go.

BarneyGrant (Dublin) - Posts: 2590 - 14/10/2023 13:35:35    2508320

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Replying To BarneyGrant:  "No such thing as Irish soccer. An oxymoron. A poor imitation of Seán Bhuí like most things Irish people are besotted with. Why GAA still run after them offering them venues beggars belief. FAI hosting Euros is laughable. Don't have a pot to pee in. And if they did, someone would steal it :-)"
I'm no fan of the FAI but let's not pretend it 'beggers believe' unless you one of those who still believes that the GAA shouldn't utilise their assets for monetary gain? The GAA are not stupid. A fully funded stadium in Belfast (assuming it gets built), which the GAA would struggle to finance by themselves, is not to be sniffed at.

Square_B (Leitrim) - Posts: 846 - 14/10/2023 13:40:11    2508321

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Replying To Galway9801:  "It'd be interesting to get killing fields take on this issue, as he seems to be the most clued in on rugby issues here.
As the world becomes more and more health and safety conscious, how has rugby adapted? Such a hugely physical sport, not just games but training too, has to be managed very precisely for the long term well being of the players."
On the thread title
No rugby will not harm the GAA. there is more than enough room for both. Rugby can expand hugely and it wont impact GAA

Rugby has adapted hugely to issues around safety. There is constant law changes with many solely or overwhelmingly based around the safety of players.

KillingFields (Limerick) - Posts: 3513 - 14/10/2023 13:56:43    2508325

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Replying To brianb:  "I agree on this - the split season will ultimately be a self inflicted wound reducing general interest and playing numbers over time. People are always going to watch the Rugby and Soccer internationals - they always have and this hasn't changed; the difference is less opportunity to watch top class GAA games.

In my part of Kildare the Rugby nurseries are busier than the GAA nurseries. There are more GAA clubs than Rugby clubs though so we've probably more kids playing GAA overall but Rugby participation is quickly catching up."
What are rugby nurseries? Dont know what you mean by the term?

KillingFields (Limerick) - Posts: 3513 - 14/10/2023 13:57:37    2508326

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Replying To jobber:  "Id agree with that we have never been stronger and just need to concentrate on developing our clubs and counties.The rugby fraternity are largely from fee paying schools and wanabies.20 countries at rugby World cup 19 sing their national anthem with pride while"OUR" supporters sing a song knocking the nations founding fathers."
You know little to nothing of ugby if you think its largely from fee paying schools and dismissing anyone else as wannabies is pathetic.

Why do you get so triggered about the national anthem.
what song do our supporters sing that knocks founding fathers?

Who cares about the anthem before the game anyway. its about 50th in my thinking before a game. i am much more concerned with the team, the players, how the players will do, how the team will do, how the team reacts to the opposition, how the team reacts/adapts to the referee. and so much more than what music/song is played for a minute just before kick off

KillingFields (Limerick) - Posts: 3513 - 14/10/2023 14:04:02    2508327

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The concussion/brain injuries in professional rugby are very scary. The game was never intended to be a professional game. It was designed as a game for a typical class of school kids that everyone could play together - short big kids front row, tall beanpoles in the second, biggest lads in the backrow, best athletes centres and skinny fast kids on the wings. With the professional players being so fast and strong, it is becoming more brutal every year. That said its still a great game for younger people to play as long they train sensibly without overdoing the collisions.

bad.monkey (USA) - Posts: 4624 - 14/10/2023 14:06:46    2508328

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A great game to watch when played well but it has got very physical. How many times has Sexton got concussion playing for Ireland
Steve Thompson the ex England player now has dementia

FoolsGold (Cavan) - Posts: 2763 - 14/10/2023 14:26:39    2508331

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Replying To bad.monkey:  "The concussion/brain injuries in professional rugby are very scary. The game was never intended to be a professional game. It was designed as a game for a typical class of school kids that everyone could play together - short big kids front row, tall beanpoles in the second, biggest lads in the backrow, best athletes centres and skinny fast kids on the wings. With the professional players being so fast and strong, it is becoming more brutal every year. That said its still a great game for younger people to play as long they train sensibly without overdoing the collisions."
Never intended to be professional? Based on what?

KillingFields (Limerick) - Posts: 3513 - 14/10/2023 14:39:39    2508332

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Replying To BarneyGrant:  "I very much doubt that is a factor in Dublin. How many schools play rugby? Students are not just plucked out of second level schools to do their Leaving! When do they spot them, playing rugby in primary school in Finglas :-)

By the way, anyone who has been in Finglas or any other working class area over past few days will have noticed almost no flags of bunting or people walking about in jerseys. Be more excitement if Celtic were in cup final, sad to say perhaps but there you go."
Hi Barney. Its usually when kids are around 15 - when they are finished their Junior Cert. The best club rugby players might be offered a place in a rugby school for 4th-6th year leaving cert cycle and they can play Senior Cup for the school. Maybe not in a Finglas primary school but playing for the BGF Ravens rugby club, they used to be the old Unidare Works factory team in Finglas. I think Josh Van der Fliers family lived in Finglas too.

bad.monkey (USA) - Posts: 4624 - 14/10/2023 14:42:13    2508333

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Replying To FoolsGold:  "A great game to watch when played well but it has got very physical. How many times has Sexton got concussion playing for Ireland
Steve Thompson the ex England player now has dementia"
And there is players who played soccer who got dementia and other issues from heading balls etc
theres been studies to show soccer players at higher risk of dementia than general population

Sexton got a run of concussions in a short time frame but hasnt had many since.

KillingFields (Limerick) - Posts: 3513 - 14/10/2023 14:46:52    2508334

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Replying To jimbodub:  "Absolutely

Pretty stark article here

Future of rugby could be incredibly troublesome, especially in its current guise of high physicality compared to previous generations

Tip of the iceberg, as I said you have prominent players across the board in both codes and at all levels at high risk, and unfortunately the damage could already be done.

Concussion is one of the most common injuries, I read a study recently that in one particular study of several hundred players it made up 25% of all reported injuries.

That's very alarming numbers


https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/sport/2022/apr/16/more-than-400-ex-rugby-players-died-early-from-brain-injuries-claim-lawyers"
Rugby is indeed very physical but it is been sanitized too with rule changes and some of the physicality taken out of it. Have been watching bits and pieces of the World Cup (only have a casual interest in the game) and was amazed to see a player red carded in one game for a clearly accidental and rather superficial upper body challenge (with all the rugby analysts saying it was deserved even if unlucky). The exact same physical challenge in GAA wouldnt even have got a yellow card!!!

GAA can't afford to be complacent re chronic later life injuries either. Look at all the GAA players who end up getting hip replacements in their 40's. There's many a top class GAA player who took lots of physical punishment during a long career and then end up with arthritis and other conditions later on in life.

PoolSturgeon (Galway) - Posts: 1907 - 14/10/2023 14:57:05    2508335

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Replying To Square_B:  "I'm no fan of the FAI but let's not pretend it 'beggers believe' unless you one of those who still believes that the GAA shouldn't utilise their assets for monetary gain? The GAA are not stupid. A fully funded stadium in Belfast (assuming it gets built), which the GAA would struggle to finance by themselves, is not to be sniffed at."
I don't believe the GAA should be renting out our stadiums to rival sports. No.

Nor do i believe that a large part of year should be set aside to rent them out for all sorts of reasons because the inter county season has been telescoped.

BarneyGrant (Dublin) - Posts: 2590 - 14/10/2023 15:09:02    2508337

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Replying To PoolSturgeon:  "Rugby is indeed very physical but it is been sanitized too with rule changes and some of the physicality taken out of it. Have been watching bits and pieces of the World Cup (only have a casual interest in the game) and was amazed to see a player red carded in one game for a clearly accidental and rather superficial upper body challenge (with all the rugby analysts saying it was deserved even if unlucky). The exact same physical challenge in GAA wouldnt even have got a yellow card!!!

GAA can't afford to be complacent re chronic later life injuries either. Look at all the GAA players who end up getting hip replacements in their 40's. There's many a top class GAA player who took lots of physical punishment during a long career and then end up with arthritis and other conditions later on in life."
Saying rugby has been sanitized isnt really true but yes its evolved.
But overall agree with lot of your post

KillingFields (Limerick) - Posts: 3513 - 14/10/2023 15:52:36    2508339

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Replying To BarneyGrant:  "I don't believe the GAA should be renting out our stadiums to rival sports. No.

Nor do i believe that a large part of year should be set aside to rent them out for all sorts of reasons because the inter county season has been telescoped."
I think thats a very prehistoric way of thinking.
most other countries share their facilities without too many issues so why shouldnt we do it here in ireland
Look at australia with rugby league. rugby union, aussies rules and cricket all sharing in many areas.

many french stadiums are municipal and shared by soccer and rugby.

KillingFields (Limerick) - Posts: 3513 - 14/10/2023 15:54:10    2508340

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Replying To KillingFields:  "I think thats a very prehistoric way of thinking.
most other countries share their facilities without too many issues so why shouldnt we do it here in ireland
Look at australia with rugby league. rugby union, aussies rules and cricket all sharing in many areas.

many french stadiums are municipal and shared by soccer and rugby."
GAA pitches are ours. They are not municipal and this is not Paris. The only reason any aspect of Irish culture survived was because those who ensured that it would survive were exclusivists. "Narrow nationalists" even.

And they will disappear unless we get some of that attitude back.

BarneyGrant (Dublin) - Posts: 2590 - 14/10/2023 16:14:13    2508343

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Replying To BarneyGrant:  "GAA pitches are ours. They are not municipal and this is not Paris. The only reason any aspect of Irish culture survived was because those who ensured that it would survive were exclusivists. "Narrow nationalists" even.

And they will disappear unless we get some of that attitude back."
And we should be moving more towards municipal grounds. clubs can put in more resources. share funding which is more likely to be awarded from the government if its a facility that caters to multiple sports and sports clubs.

KillingFields (Limerick) - Posts: 3513 - 14/10/2023 16:22:30    2508344

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Replying To BarneyGrant:  "GAA pitches are ours. They are not municipal and this is not Paris. The only reason any aspect of Irish culture survived was because those who ensured that it would survive were exclusivists. "Narrow nationalists" even.

And they will disappear unless we get some of that attitude back."
Casement Park not Windsor Park hosting Euro 2018. Both Irish teams assured qualification as they are hosting event!

Ryanteam (Cork) - Posts: 217 - 14/10/2023 16:30:09    2508345

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