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Replying To Doylerwex: "I actively try not to buy in to this but I'm listening to the news right now. Sports come up and it's, republic of Ireland will play Czech Republic.
Ireland prepare for massive November test against South Africa......
Seriously? Rugby is a tiny minority sport, why so much coverage?" Rugby isnt a tiny minority sport
KillingFields (Limerick) - Posts: 3870 - 24/11/2025 10:51:32
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Replying To GreenandRed: "It's a collision sport. There were no kids playing. But it's a good sport for some kids who are too big and slow to play other sports." And there's lots playing those other sports that have no place on a rugby pitch. They might have the physical attributes but they lack a key component.
ThePowerhouse (Leitrim) - Posts: 271 - 24/11/2025 10:58:04
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Replying To supersub15: "S A, the best in the world they say. They took the game on a score line of 24pts to 13 pts. So we were beaten by the best team in the world by only 11 pts.
We were dished out 4 Yellows and a Red, they still only beat us by 11 pts.
We finished the first half with only 12 players on the field, they still only beat us by 11 pts.
We started the second half with only12 players on the field, they still only beat us by 11 pts.
At the second attempt Tommy O' Brien was taken out of the game, no yellow, no red, they still only beat us by 11 pts.
All the small margins over 72 mins went to S A, they still only beat us by 11 pts.
We couldn't keep up as when Snyman ? Was sent to the sin bin but was called back before Grant Williams became the first South African player to receive a yellow card with 1 minute to go.
Of the small margins and privileged discissions all went to SA.???
I'm not totally blaming anyone, but the laws in the book should be crystal clear or at least above doubt." This is very one-eyed silly stuff. Are you saying that all of Ireland's card infringements were not infringements at all? You're ignoring any possibility that Ireland's yellow card infringements cost South Africa points too.
I think our backline needs a fresh infusion of young southern hemisphere talent to replace Bundee, Lowe and JGP, who are all getting on now. I wouldn't go looking in South Africa for backline flair, unless they can unearth a young Brian Habana type........with an Irish granny of course.
Pope_Benedict (Galway) - Posts: 4487 - 24/11/2025 11:13:07
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Replying To GreenandRed: "It's a collision sport. There were no kids playing. But it's a good sport for some kids who are too big and slow to play other sports." That was me :-D
Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 17605 - 24/11/2025 11:46:52
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Replying To KillingFields: "Rugby isnt a tiny minority sport" In terms of participation I think we've established that it is.
In terms of children's sport according to sport Ireland's data is as follows:
Gaelic football 30%
Soccer 28%
Swimming 14%
Hurling 8%
Basketball 7%
Camogie 7%
Martial arts 5%
Dancing 5%
Personal training 4%
Gymnastics 4%
Rugby is too small to feature.
For adults according to esri by popularity:
Swimming
Personal exercise
Soccer
Golf
Jogging
Cycling
Gaelic football
Hurling
Dancing
Rugby
I will say for Dublin only rugby moves up past hurling and dancing.
Doylerwex (Wexford) - Posts: 4045 - 24/11/2025 12:17:52
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Replying To supersub15: "S A, the best in the world they say. They took the game on a score line of 24pts to 13 pts. So we were beaten by the best team in the world by only 11 pts.
We were dished out 4 Yellows and a Red, they still only beat us by 11 pts.
We finished the first half with only 12 players on the field, they still only beat us by 11 pts.
We started the second half with only12 players on the field, they still only beat us by 11 pts.
At the second attempt Tommy O' Brien was taken out of the game, no yellow, no red, they still only beat us by 11 pts.
All the small margins over 72 mins went to S A, they still only beat us by 11 pts.
We couldn't keep up as when Snyman ? Was sent to the sin bin but was called back before Grant Williams became the first South African player to receive a yellow card with 1 minute to go.
Of the small margins and privileged discissions all went to SA.???
I'm not totally blaming anyone, but the laws in the book should be crystal clear or at least above doubt." They still only beat us by 11 pts, when's the DVD out?
iarmhi_an_mhaith (Westmeath) - Posts: 288 - 24/11/2025 12:40:12
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Replying To Doylerwex: "In terms of participation I think we've established that it is.
In terms of children's sport according to sport Ireland's data is as follows:
Gaelic football 30%
Soccer 28%
Swimming 14%
Hurling 8%
Basketball 7%
Camogie 7%
Martial arts 5%
Dancing 5%
Personal training 4%
Gymnastics 4%
Rugby is too small to feature.
For adults according to esri by popularity:
Swimming
Personal exercise
Soccer
Golf
Jogging
Cycling
Gaelic football
Hurling
Dancing
Rugby
I will say for Dublin only rugby moves up past hurling and dancing." If, and its a big if, your assertion is accurate then rowing, athletics and boxing fall into the same category as rugby in terms of children participating. Three other sports where we punch above our weight.
In terms of athletics, I suspect that some posters here will denigrate our recent improvement on that front.
Plenty of rugby clubs around the country that are far removed from the lazy sterotypes perpetuated by people who are clearly insecure and uncomfortable in their own skin.
Trust me, those involved in Irish rugby are just getting on with building their game. The attitude of some self appointed "true Gaels" will be to the detriment of the Gaa.
ThePowerhouse (Leitrim) - Posts: 271 - 24/11/2025 12:44:50
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Replying To Doylerwex: "In terms of participation I think we've established that it is.
In terms of children's sport according to sport Ireland's data is as follows:
Gaelic football 30%
Soccer 28%
Swimming 14%
Hurling 8%
Basketball 7%
Camogie 7%
Martial arts 5%
Dancing 5%
Personal training 4%
Gymnastics 4%
Rugby is too small to feature.
For adults according to esri by popularity:
Swimming
Personal exercise
Soccer
Golf
Jogging
Cycling
Gaelic football
Hurling
Dancing
Rugby
I will say for Dublin only rugby moves up past hurling and dancing." The thing always about those sort of lists is that there's a difference between engaging in an activity that can also be organised as a competitive sport, and actually participating competitively in that activity on an actual competitive basis. If you know what I mean.
Take swimming, for example. I've no doubt that more people regularly go swimming than regularly play rugby. I go for a swim myself somewhere between once a week and once a fortnight, and have never played rugby in my life. But how many actually do these thing as an actual sport? -
- World Rugby in 2023 said 94.067 registered rugby players in Ireland.
- Swim Ireland, in its 2024 annual report, said "membership numbers rising towards 21,000".
I'd put forward that while swimming may be more widespread as a pastime, rugby has by far the greater involvement as an actual sport.
Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 3250 - 24/11/2025 12:54:16
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Replying To ThePowerhouse: "If, and its a big if, your assertion is accurate then rowing, athletics and boxing fall into the same category as rugby in terms of children participating. Three other sports where we punch above our weight.
In terms of athletics, I suspect that some posters here will denigrate our recent improvement on that front.
Plenty of rugby clubs around the country that are far removed from the lazy sterotypes perpetuated by people who are clearly insecure and uncomfortable in their own skin.
Trust me, those involved in Irish rugby are just getting on with building their game. The attitude of some self appointed "true Gaels" will be to the detriment of the Gaa." You need to understand that not every comment which isn't flattering about rugby comes from a place of condescension for the game.
Rugby, like every sport has its issues and chief among them in Ireland is trying to broaden the playing base.
I love watching rugby and I've supported Connacht for years and have been to Irish games. I was looking forward to Saturday's match, but I thought it was a poor game for the reasons I've already outlined. That has nothing to do with a chip on the shoulder, just an objective observation of a game which took almost two hours to play and had far too many stoppages.
As I said before, it is an issue that the vast majority of our Irish system produced players come from a private school background, when only a very small fraction of the population actually attend private schools.
This is to the detriment of the Irish rugby team. Pointing it out isn't taking a shot at rugby, it's something that's factual and has been acknowledged by many in the game as a problem.
Plenty work is being done to address it, but it will take a long time.
Fobbing everything off as 'Gaels' with a chip on their shoulder is just as disingenuous as those who seem to take pleasure in having a go at rugby all the time.
WanPintWin (Galway) - Posts: 2642 - 24/11/2025 13:17:53
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Replying To Pope_Benedict: " Replying To supersub15: "S A, the best in the world they say. They took the game on a score line of 24pts to 13 pts. So we were beaten by the best team in the world by only 11 pts.
We were dished out 4 Yellows and a Red, they still only beat us by 11 pts.
We finished the first half with only 12 players on the field, they still only beat us by 11 pts.
We started the second half with only12 players on the field, they still only beat us by 11 pts.
At the second attempt Tommy O' Brien was taken out of the game, no yellow, no red, they still only beat us by 11 pts.
All the small margins over 72 mins went to S A, they still only beat us by 11 pts.
We couldn't keep up as when Snyman ? Was sent to the sin bin but was called back before <b>Grant Williams became the first South African player to receive a yellow card with 1 minute to go. </b>
Of the small margins and privileged discissions all went to SA.???
I'm not totally blaming anyone, but the laws in the book should be crystal clear or at least above doubt."</div>This is very one-eyed silly stuff. Are you saying that all of Ireland's card infringements were not infringements at all? You're ignoring any possibility that Ireland's yellow card infringements cost South Africa points too.
I think our backline needs a fresh infusion of young southern hemisphere talent to replace Bundee, Lowe and JGP, who are all getting on now. I wouldn't go looking in South Africa for backline flair, unless they can unearth a young Brian Habana type........with an Irish granny of course." If you read my post again, what I'm saying is if SA are the best team in the world by a country mile how come they couldn't capitalize on the numerical advantage they had over us when we were down to 12 players in the first and second half. 9 mins from full time we were still in with a decent chance.
supersub15 (Carlow) - Posts: 3314 - 24/11/2025 13:23:17
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Replying To iarmhi_an_mhaith: " Replying To supersub15: "S A, the best in the world they say. They took the game on a score line of 24pts to 13 pts. So we were beaten by the best team in the world by only 11 pts.
We were dished out 4 Yellows and a Red, they still only beat us by 11 pts.
We finished the first half with only 12 players on the field, they still only beat us by 11 pts.
We started the second half with only12 players on the field, they still only beat us by 11 pts.
At the second attempt Tommy O' Brien was taken out of the game, no yellow, no red, they still only beat us by 11 pts.
All the small margins over 72 mins went to S A, they still only beat us by 11 pts.
We couldn't keep up as when Snyman ? Was sent to the sin bin but was called back before <b>Grant Williams became the first South African player to receive a yellow card with 1 minute to go. </b>
Of the small margins and privileged discissions all went to SA.???
I'm not totally blaming anyone, but the laws in the book should be crystal clear or at least above doubt."</div>They still only beat us by 11 pts, when's the DVD out?" With emotional interviews from former Presidents of Ireland and a pome by Imelda May. One of the best days in the Life of the Nation, for sure.
BarneyGrant (Dublin) - Posts: 3838 - 24/11/2025 13:24:11
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Replying To ThePowerhouse: "And there's lots playing those other sports that have no place on a rugby pitch. They might have the physical attributes but they lack a key component." Didn't go to private schools?
Bon (Kildare) - Posts: 2608 - 24/11/2025 13:26:01
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Replying To KillingFields: "Rugby isnt a tiny minority sport" Spot on. Its the Team Of Us after all.
Bon (Kildare) - Posts: 2608 - 24/11/2025 13:27:04
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Replying To Doylerwex: "In terms of participation I think we've established that it is.
In terms of children's sport according to sport Ireland's data is as follows:
Gaelic football 30%
Soccer 28%
Swimming 14%
Hurling 8%
Basketball 7%
Camogie 7%
Martial arts 5%
Dancing 5%
Personal training 4%
Gymnastics 4%
Rugby is too small to feature.
For adults according to esri by popularity:
Swimming
Personal exercise
Soccer
Golf
Jogging
Cycling
Gaelic football
Hurling
Dancing
Rugby
I will say for Dublin only rugby moves up past hurling and dancing." https://www.esri.ie/news/more-children-and-adults-are-playing-rugby-the-challenge-is-to-keep-them-playing
According to the ESRI over 10% of children u13 play rugby
Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 17605 - 24/11/2025 13:27:43
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Replying To Doylerwex: "In terms of participation I think we've established that it is.
In terms of children's sport according to sport Ireland's data is as follows:
Gaelic football 30%
Soccer 28%
Swimming 14%
Hurling 8%
Basketball 7%
Camogie 7%
Martial arts 5%
Dancing 5%
Personal training 4%
Gymnastics 4%
Rugby is too small to feature.
For adults according to esri by popularity:
Swimming
Personal exercise
Soccer
Golf
Jogging
Cycling
Gaelic football
Hurling
Dancing
Rugby
I will say for Dublin only rugby moves up past hurling and dancing." I would be very surprised if there are more people playing rugby in Dublin than are playing hurling.
MesAmis (Dublin) - Posts: 13844 - 24/11/2025 13:30:27
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Replying To supersub15: "S A, the best in the world they say. They took the game on a score line of 24pts to 13 pts. So we were beaten by the best team in the world by only 11 pts.
We were dished out 4 Yellows and a Red, they still only beat us by 11 pts.
We finished the first half with only 12 players on the field, they still only beat us by 11 pts.
We started the second half with only12 players on the field, they still only beat us by 11 pts.
At the second attempt Tommy O' Brien was taken out of the game, no yellow, no red, they still only beat us by 11 pts.
All the small margins over 72 mins went to S A, they still only beat us by 11 pts.
We couldn't keep up as when Snyman ? Was sent to the sin bin but was called back before Grant Williams became the first South African player to receive a yellow card with 1 minute to go.
Of the small margins and privileged discissions all went to SA.???
I'm not totally blaming anyone, but the laws in the book should be crystal clear or at least above doubt." Small margins? Ryan's was a red card all day, it's the first time I've ever seen a penalty try given and no player yellow carded.
Claretandblue (Westmeath) - Posts: 2474 - 24/11/2025 13:43:39
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Replying To TheFlaker: " Replying To supersub15: "S A, the best in the world they say. They took the game on a score line of 24pts to 13 pts. So we were beaten by the best team in the world by only 11 pts.
We were dished out 4 Yellows and a Red, they still only beat us by 11 pts.
We finished the first half with only 12 players on the field, they still only beat us by 11 pts.
We started the second half with only12 players on the field, they still only beat us by 11 pts.
At the second attempt Tommy O' Brien was taken out of the game, no yellow, no red, they still only beat us by 11 pts.
All the small margins over 72 mins went to S A, they still only beat us by 11 pts.
We couldn't keep up as when Snyman ? Was sent to the sin bin but was called back before <b>Grant Williams became the first South African player to receive a yellow card with 1 minute to go. </b>
Of the small margins and privileged discissions all went to SA.???
I'm not totally blaming anyone, but the laws in the book should be crystal clear or at least above doubt."</div>As someone who grew up playing rugby until adult level and as someone who has defended rugby on here and the Irish team when required this kind of post is totally green tinted. We are miles behind South Africa and this Irish team has no chance at the next WC. On a downward trajectory with a frightening lack of pace. South Africa chose to pummel us in the scrum and for some reason decided not to go wide at various times. I never felt we were in the game. We couldn't get out of our own 22 in the second half." In a nutshell, I would argue about a place for us as a close second to SA for now. I agree that Andy Farrell and his management team have work to do so as they can seriously challenge the upcoming world cup. I take positives from the fact that we were only 19 pts to 7 pts down at half time when we finished the half with 12 players. I take more positives from the fact when we finished the second half scoring 6 pts to 5 pts for SA, keeping in mind we started the second half with 12 players. 9 mins from full time we were still in with a sporting chance. I refuse to accept defeat,
supersub15 (Carlow) - Posts: 3314 - 24/11/2025 13:52:01
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Replying To Viking66: "https://www.esri.ie/news/more-children-and-adults-are-playing-rugby-the-challenge-is-to-keep-them-playing
According to the ESRI over 10% of children u13 play rugby" That seems to be from 2019 Viking. The stats I gave are 2023 and there's no mention of underage rugby from sport Ireland which is why I sought out the esri one to be objective.
Doylerwex (Wexford) - Posts: 4045 - 24/11/2025 13:54:59
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Replying To MesAmis: "I would be very surprised if there are more people playing rugby in Dublin than are playing hurling." That's an odd one to be honest. The lads I coach have had Blitz's in Dublin before senior hurling games the last few years and the Dublin clubs we work with have enormous numbers. We're the largest club in Wexford at that age and we're smaller than all the Dublin clubs we've been to.
Doylerwex (Wexford) - Posts: 4045 - 24/11/2025 14:21:13
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