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Replying To WanPintWin: "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." The title of this particular forum is "Anti GAA Agenda"
Blaming rugby, or any other sport for that matter, for their ills is ridiculous. Does rugby have its issues? Of course it does. Will they try to rectify them? I've no doubt they will. In the same way that Jim Gavin rectified the dross that was called Gaelic football for the past few years.
The IRFU couldn't give two hoots about what the GAA is doing. Why would they?
The "true Gaels" are the problem. Trying to ram it down our throats that there's only one show in town will only drive people away. It doesn't work. There's ample evidence that it doesn't work. The Gaa "Gaels" should stop worrying about other sports and concentrate on fixing their own problems.
ThePowerhouse (Leitrim) - Posts: 271 - 24/11/2025 15:10:17
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Replying To Doylerwex: "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." Agreed the last four years hurling numbers seem to have exploded in Dublin from the underage competitions we have attended, but that's just my observational view, I can't back that up with data.
Past hurler (None) - Posts: 1001 - 24/11/2025 15:11:16
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Replying To supersub15: " Replying To Pope_Benedict: "[quote=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."]Probably because they were more interested in beating us up physically for the entire duration, than they were about thrashing us on the scoreboard. Another aspect is that SA aren't traditionally any good at the more silky nuances of rugby backplay. They're not typically too bothered about having 2 spare men in a backline, when they can go 8v8 in a scrum, and grind a team to submission for the duration, with almost complete domination of all setpiece play. Ireland's defence with numerical disadvantage was admirable and heroic throughout.
Pope_Benedict (Galway) - Posts: 4488 - 24/11/2025 15:17:48
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Replying To ThePowerhouse: "The title of this particular forum is "Anti GAA Agenda"
Blaming rugby, or any other sport for that matter, for their ills is ridiculous. Does rugby have its issues? Of course it does. Will they try to rectify them? I've no doubt they will. In the same way that Jim Gavin rectified the dross that was called Gaelic football for the past few years.
The IRFU couldn't give two hoots about what the GAA is doing. Why would they?
The "true Gaels" are the problem. Trying to ram it down our throats that there's only one show in town will only drive people away. It doesn't work. There's ample evidence that it doesn't work. The Gaa "Gaels" should stop worrying about other sports and concentrate on fixing their own problems." Jim Gavin didn't rectify Gaelic football. He was one of the men who brought to to where it was. Hand passing to within 21 yards from goal where the shooter couldn't miss, playing the possession game with 10 minutes to go when he was a couple of points up.
Saynothing (Tyrone) - Posts: 2494 - 24/11/2025 17:51:46
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Replying To Pope_Benedict: " Replying To supersub15: "[quote=Pope_Benedict: "[quote=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."]Probably because they were more interested in beating us up physically for the entire duration, than they were about thrashing us on the scoreboard. Another aspect is that SA aren't traditionally any good at the more silky nuances of rugby backplay. They're not typically too bothered about having 2 spare men in a backline, when they can go 8v8 in a scrum, and grind a team to submission for the duration, with almost complete domination of all setpiece play. Ireland's defence with numerical disadvantage was admirable and heroic throughout."]Likewise, your post is admirable.
supersub15 (Carlow) - Posts: 3315 - 24/11/2025 18:08:34
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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." Theres a lot of people who go to the pool occasionally some bit more but they dont compete in swimming as a sport.
I actually did as a kid up to age 18 and have went back in recent years as a masters swimmer but numbers playing rugby totally outweigh the numbers of competitive swimmers
That survey is about physical exercise not the same as competing in organised sport
KillingFields (Limerick) - Posts: 3873 - 24/11/2025 18:17:55
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Replying To WanPintWin: "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." Most certainly rugby does have its issues and ive plenty of criticisms of it. but the way people post on here about it is so flawed and blatantly false its hiiarious.
a lot of players do come from a select few schools but its changing but takes time for processes to be in place to develop players from other areas. most players from Cork/Dublin come from fee school background. the rest of country isnt really that way. these schools can fund coaches and have kids training so much more than those attending other schools or who play through clubs.
KillingFields (Limerick) - Posts: 3873 - 24/11/2025 18:29:05
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Lads there's an International Honour in Rugby called the Wooden Spoon, awarded to the team that finished last in the 4/5/6 Nations competition. Ireland are out front on their own as the "winner" of this title the most times. While some lads seem to get great pleasure running down the country's achievements in the sport this millennium it is worth bearing in mind we are a very small country in the history of the sport, and what has been achieved by the country's rugby players in the recent past has been more exceptional than in most other international sports, and achieved with mostly Irish born and raised teams at that.
Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 17608 - 24/11/2025 19:00:21
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Replying To KillingFields: "Theres a lot of people who go to the pool occasionally some bit more but they dont compete in swimming as a sport.
I actually did as a kid up to age 18 and have went back in recent years as a masters swimmer but numbers playing rugby totally outweigh the numbers of competitive swimmers
That survey is about physical exercise not the same as competing in organised sport" That's basically my point above.
If you look at the list for adults, for example, both "personal exercise" and jogging aren't even sports.
And you'd be hard-pressed to find anybody who truly believes that dancing is a more popular sport than rugby...
Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 3251 - 24/11/2025 19:59:41
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Replying To KillingFields: "Theres a lot of people who go to the pool occasionally some bit more but they dont compete in swimming as a sport.
I actually did as a kid up to age 18 and have went back in recent years as a masters swimmer but numbers playing rugby totally outweigh the numbers of competitive swimmers
That survey is about physical exercise not the same as competing in organised sport" How can you do a team sport and not compete?
Doylerwex (Wexford) - Posts: 4046 - 24/11/2025 20:52:55
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Replying To ThePowerhouse: "The title of this particular forum is "Anti GAA Agenda"
Blaming rugby, or any other sport for that matter, for their ills is ridiculous. Does rugby have its issues? Of course it does. Will they try to rectify them? I've no doubt they will. In the same way that Jim Gavin rectified the dross that was called Gaelic football for the past few years.
The IRFU couldn't give two hoots about what the GAA is doing. Why would they?
The "true Gaels" are the problem. Trying to ram it down our throats that there's only one show in town will only drive people away. It doesn't work. There's ample evidence that it doesn't work. The Gaa "Gaels" should stop worrying about other sports and concentrate on fixing their own problems." For anyone involved in a sport to say they are anti another sport shows they don't belong in sport to begin with. Saying you have zero interest in the sport, to me is ok and while there are few sports I would have on that list I am sure there are some. At the top levels in the GAA, they are well aware of what other sports are doing and how they are growing however what that knowledge allows them to do is potentially change the product they are offering and to make it more appealing to the parents and children who are the real targets. There is not one sport in this country that is running perfectly and I would say that is the same for any sport anywhere - who has the perfect model? Rugby and Soccer have an international exposure that a lot of people in the GAA envy and therefore try their best to ridicule or diminish their achievements, GAA has its unique identity tied to Irish culture and history which is something the other sports will never be able to take away from it.
Its not a zero sum game and that is why there still is a lot of cooperation between sports organizations, yes they are competitors and will always learn from each other to improve their own product at the margins but as you say the vast majority of the issues are withing their own organizations and can only be resolved by their organizations focusing on what their product is.
zinny (Wexford) - Posts: 2123 - 25/11/2025 01:41:09
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