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Well I didn't see that Ireland performance coming. Awesome display. At Twickenham too. Unreal.

SouthGalway (Galway) - Posts: 214 - 21/02/2026 16:12:12    2657650

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Replying To TheFlaker:  "The system doesn't work. There's less playing rugby not more."
Be more playing it after today

Freethinker (Wicklow) - Posts: 2087 - 21/02/2026 16:27:34    2657654

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Phenomenal weekend for Irish rugby starting with u20 last night.

I wonder if that Josh neill could be fast tracked for 2027 looks a super player

jm25 (Galway) - Posts: 1956 - 21/02/2026 16:29:31    2657655

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Replying To jm25:  "Have you any evidence for this rugby is far more popular and taken seriously in north Galway south mayo than 15 years ago"
Playing numbers at all levels especially adult teams. Certainly in Mayo, Sligo and Donegal. Increase in training days at underage level in GAA means kids are not even playing rugby casually anymore. The kids who are good at GAA and soccer don't have time for it. Athletics far more popular than Rugby in Connacht and Ulster. Participation numbers show this. Any parents on here who have kids involved in multi sports will tell you this also.

TheFlaker (Mayo) - Posts: 8763 - 21/02/2026 16:33:45    2657656

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Super performance from Ireland today, beating England in their own back yard 42 pts to 21 double scores, but sure you can only play what's in front of you.

A win like that is something great but on their home ground and that being Twickenham makes it something special.

There is a greater awareness about the game of rugby now by male and females than that of up to 10 years ago, club numbers may not be growing a lot but club members and supporters certainly is.
What makes it sweeter still is our u 20's beating the same opposition last night, so there is evidence to suggest that young lads are playing it.

supersub15 (Carlow) - Posts: 3367 - 21/02/2026 17:44:14    2657664

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Some of the posts here are ridiculous. I played Rugby from the age of 5 to 18 and love the game. I'm not suggesting nobody is playing it i am stating the pool is so narrow it doesn't make a dent in the more popular sports.

TheFlaker (Mayo) - Posts: 8763 - 21/02/2026 18:33:02    2657670

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Replying To TheFlaker:  "Some of the posts here are ridiculous. I played Rugby from the age of 5 to 18 and love the game. I'm not suggesting nobody is playing it i am stating the pool is so narrow it doesn't make a dent in the more popular sports."
I think the big issue rugby, or any less popular sport, faces outside the big urban populated areas is player pool. Take even a town of Athlones size. Numbers are decent up to u14/15 in the club game. There is only one club for the town and its hinterland. However it falls away after that.


TMy own lad was a handy 12 and back up 10 at u14. He came back for u15 and the 2 flankers from u14 were picked in the centre. He didnt come back for u16 as he's a gaa player first and foremost and the collisions were getting heavier. He didnt want to risk the injury exposure. By u18 that same rugby team were down to 15 players and had to pull lads up to field a bench. One of my sons friends was coaxed back due to the short numbers and ended up having to sit out his 6th year gaa season due to a significant bang to the head he received in that game.
There is also only one school playing the game in Athlone. Its primarily a gaa school( istrangely it plays gaa in leinster and rugby in Connacht) and there are a lot of dual players. The injuries the rugby lads pick up is an issue that the football team have to contend with. I know that can work both ways but it doesnt feel that way.
Jonnie Sexton and his celebrity highlighted head injuries and parents are more aware of that issue now. It does hinder rugby participation in my opinion as does the injury exposure in general. Of course the lure of " making it " will always be an attraction and what young boy doesnt want to be a professional sportsman and play for his country. However, in my experience, both parents and young lads are making a call on that ambition around the 14 to 16 mark and walking away if they dont believe its a realistic proposition.

Tadhg2020 (Limerick) - Posts: 33 - 21/02/2026 19:53:41    2657683

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Replying To Tadhg2020:  "I think the big issue rugby, or any less popular sport, faces outside the big urban populated areas is player pool. Take even a town of Athlones size. Numbers are decent up to u14/15 in the club game. There is only one club for the town and its hinterland. However it falls away after that.


TMy own lad was a handy 12 and back up 10 at u14. He came back for u15 and the 2 flankers from u14 were picked in the centre. He didnt come back for u16 as he's a gaa player first and foremost and the collisions were getting heavier. He didnt want to risk the injury exposure. By u18 that same rugby team were down to 15 players and had to pull lads up to field a bench. One of my sons friends was coaxed back due to the short numbers and ended up having to sit out his 6th year gaa season due to a significant bang to the head he received in that game.
There is also only one school playing the game in Athlone. Its primarily a gaa school( istrangely it plays gaa in leinster and rugby in Connacht) and there are a lot of dual players. The injuries the rugby lads pick up is an issue that the football team have to contend with. I know that can work both ways but it doesnt feel that way.
Jonnie Sexton and his celebrity highlighted head injuries and parents are more aware of that issue now. It does hinder rugby participation in my opinion as does the injury exposure in general. Of course the lure of " making it " will always be an attraction and what young boy doesnt want to be a professional sportsman and play for his country. However, in my experience, both parents and young lads are making a call on that ambition around the 14 to 16 mark and walking away if they dont believe its a realistic proposition."
Athlone would be far stronger rugby wise than most places outside of Connacht. Small pockets in Mayo, Sligo etc but they don't make a mark and underage GAA teams and soccer teams are now going twice a week so when teenagers choose they always drop rugby.

TheFlaker (Mayo) - Posts: 8763 - 21/02/2026 22:00:43    2657703

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Replying To Tadhg2020:  "I think the big issue rugby, or any less popular sport, faces outside the big urban populated areas is player pool. Take even a town of Athlones size. Numbers are decent up to u14/15 in the club game. There is only one club for the town and its hinterland. However it falls away after that.


TMy own lad was a handy 12 and back up 10 at u14. He came back for u15 and the 2 flankers from u14 were picked in the centre. He didnt come back for u16 as he's a gaa player first and foremost and the collisions were getting heavier. He didnt want to risk the injury exposure. By u18 that same rugby team were down to 15 players and had to pull lads up to field a bench. One of my sons friends was coaxed back due to the short numbers and ended up having to sit out his 6th year gaa season due to a significant bang to the head he received in that game.
There is also only one school playing the game in Athlone. Its primarily a gaa school( istrangely it plays gaa in leinster and rugby in Connacht) and there are a lot of dual players. The injuries the rugby lads pick up is an issue that the football team have to contend with. I know that can work both ways but it doesnt feel that way.
Jonnie Sexton and his celebrity highlighted head injuries and parents are more aware of that issue now. It does hinder rugby participation in my opinion as does the injury exposure in general. Of course the lure of " making it " will always be an attraction and what young boy doesnt want to be a professional sportsman and play for his country. However, in my experience, both parents and young lads are making a call on that ambition around the 14 to 16 mark and walking away if they dont believe its a realistic proposition."
And you are bang on about lads making a call on it as a teenager. You get far more out being a decent club GAA player than playing senior rugby in a lower league.

TheFlaker (Mayo) - Posts: 8763 - 21/02/2026 22:13:33    2657710

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Replying To TheFlaker:  "And you are bang on about lads making a call on it as a teenager. You get far more out being a decent club GAA player than playing senior rugby in a lower league."
Dont get me wrong, I get where some of the posters are coming from. If you are from Limerick or Cork city or South Dublim/Wicklow/Kildare etc it can give you a different perspective. Im from limerick and went to a " rugby" school in the city. I played for them and value the ethos and culture I learned and was part of there. However I am a gaa man first and foremost. Most of the secondary schools in Limerick city, for example, are "rugby " schools and you are encouraged to play. Athletic sporty lads generally do and some excel. In that environment the drop off comes later. There are opportunities for scholarships, bursaries, bonus cao points etc if you are at a certain level. If yoi look at a lot of the clubs u20 and senior teams they will be populated with a lot of thee lads . And, of course, they do tend to look after you very well if you are good at rugby!

Tadhg2020 (Limerick) - Posts: 33 - 21/02/2026 22:56:40    2657718

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Replying To KillingFields:  "overhaul how and in what way?"
I stated earlier that the current legal system is archaic, ineffective and inefficient.

Archaic - The Irish legal system is directly modeled on the English Legal system, which by design was Intentionally vague to allow loop holes for those with sufficient wealth/power to get off on technicalities. In the past I spoke to Gardai who vented their frustration at people who committed serious crimes, getting off on technicalities, despite clear evidence that they commit serious crimes. Aside from criminal law, the current court system is bloated and extremely costly, like making a will (1-2 hours work) might have a €500 - €1000 fee upfront, but it usually has percentage of your estate after your death.

Ineffective - There are loads of people running around with in some cases >140 previous convictions, several cases up in Letterkenny court in recent years with criminals in their 20's, 30's and 40's with over 100 previous convictions. Getting fined €300 and sentences to 18 months in prison, with 12 months suspended. Anyone with over 20-30 previous convictions should get 20 years, no parole, stop protecting criminals who the scourge of the Countryside.

Inefficient - Sentencing financially struggling people to 3 months in jail for failing to keep up with TV License monthly payments, Gardai drive them from Donegal to Dublin to Mountjoy, then sending them immediately home by taxi after processing, because it was a low crime and there is no space. Apparently one case cost the state over €1000 over a debt of €160 or whatever at the time. Or farmers gettings sentenced to 3 months in jail for refusing to inject certain vaccines to their .

I think for these cases a new approach is needed, a more mature approach that fits Ireland better, like the average person who is generally law abiding and not committing murder, rape, abuse or theft, shouldn't be getting getting criminal sentencing or threatened with this over misdemeanor issues. I don't have all the answers, but I can see there are problems.

Commodore (Donegal) - Posts: 1622 - 22/02/2026 12:17:15    2657758

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Replying To TheFlaker:  "That's absolute nonsense. Laughable actually. If a coach is good enough he doesn't have to become an assistant or take a provincial job."
Not laugable.
New Zealand have done this for years and didnt do them much harm. i dont see problem with it

KillingFields (Limerick) - Posts: 3941 - 22/02/2026 14:50:01    2657784

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Replying To Square_B:  "My understanding is that McCall has spent most of his career as the Director of Rugby at Saracens, I don't recall anything significant at Ulster when he was head coach and whilst Sarcens won load of trophies over the years could you say he was really directly involved day by day on the pitch. Ronan on the other hand has coached in New Zealand & France and excelled. Won it all as a player and has picked up 2 European Titles with a very unfancied La Rochelle side. Unheard of for an Irish man to excel in both France & New Zealand. He has to be the next coach IMO."
director of rugby can mean different things in different clubs.

KillingFields (Limerick) - Posts: 3941 - 22/02/2026 14:51:02    2657785

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Replying To TheFlaker:  "The last time you debated this with me you named clubs not even in existence anymore. Go do some research about the playing numbers. In Connacht and Ulster especially. Feel free to debate it again."
I named south sligo. so what. i could name other new clubs now and youd find some way to try dismiss it. playing numbers are not this bad way you want to make them out to be. but you can never be wrong can ypu

KillingFields (Limerick) - Posts: 3941 - 22/02/2026 14:58:27    2657791

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Replying To Tadhg2020:  "I think the big issue rugby, or any less popular sport, faces outside the big urban populated areas is player pool. Take even a town of Athlones size. Numbers are decent up to u14/15 in the club game. There is only one club for the town and its hinterland. However it falls away after that.


TMy own lad was a handy 12 and back up 10 at u14. He came back for u15 and the 2 flankers from u14 were picked in the centre. He didnt come back for u16 as he's a gaa player first and foremost and the collisions were getting heavier. He didnt want to risk the injury exposure. By u18 that same rugby team were down to 15 players and had to pull lads up to field a bench. One of my sons friends was coaxed back due to the short numbers and ended up having to sit out his 6th year gaa season due to a significant bang to the head he received in that game.
There is also only one school playing the game in Athlone. Its primarily a gaa school( istrangely it plays gaa in leinster and rugby in Connacht) and there are a lot of dual players. The injuries the rugby lads pick up is an issue that the football team have to contend with. I know that can work both ways but it doesnt feel that way.
Jonnie Sexton and his celebrity highlighted head injuries and parents are more aware of that issue now. It does hinder rugby participation in my opinion as does the injury exposure in general. Of course the lure of " making it " will always be an attraction and what young boy doesnt want to be a professional sportsman and play for his country. However, in my experience, both parents and young lads are making a call on that ambition around the 14 to 16 mark and walking away if they dont believe its a realistic proposition."
there isnt 1 school in athlone playing. Marist play but athlone CC play league and cup and i think others have or still do play blitzes and development games. It plays rugby in Connacht as the athlone club has primarily played in connacht over the yeaes.

KillingFields (Limerick) - Posts: 3941 - 22/02/2026 15:03:22    2657792

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Replying To KillingFields:  "director of rugby can mean different things in different clubs."
O'Gara is still the outstanding candidate for next Irish coach.

Square_B (Leitrim) - Posts: 1833 - 22/02/2026 15:46:56    2657811

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Replying To KillingFields:  "Not laugable.
New Zealand have done this for years and didnt do them much harm. i dont see problem with it"
That's not the point you made. An already successful coach would not have to be assistant to anyone if he was good enough for the main job and it was available. That's the point me and another poster made.

TheFlaker (Mayo) - Posts: 8763 - 22/02/2026 17:21:46    2657844

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Replying To KillingFields:  "there isnt 1 school in athlone playing. Marist play but athlone CC play league and cup and i think others have or still do play blitzes and development games. It plays rugby in Connacht as the athlone club has primarily played in connacht over the yeaes."
Ah come on, you are nit picking now. Marist is the only school in Athlone that plays rugby competitively. Im not aware of them ever playing ACC or Colaiste Ciaran in a competitive fixture or even a challenge game and my son is a leaving cert student there. I dont recall any players on his bucks team being from ACC either. Marist do take their rugby seriously though. Its just that GF is probably the more popular game in the school and soccer is very popular in the school too as is basketball. ACC isnt a very sporty school atm. Success wise anyway but it is a predominantly GF , and soccer school as is colaiste ciaran.

You could argue thatvrugby union is in every national school in the country also if you really want to win the argument ( which seems to be the case). Afterall the irfu do employ coaches to go around to the schools and promote the game. Thats doesnt really mean that rugby is present though. You can make that argument but it doesnt really stand up. There is one rugby club in athlone and its hinterland. There are 4 GF clubs, 1 hurling club , 1 basketball club, 1 rowing club and numerous soccer clubs. That sort of puts it into perspective.

Tadhg2020 (Limerick) - Posts: 33 - 22/02/2026 18:01:44    2657853

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Replying To Tadhg2020:  "Ah come on, you are nit picking now. Marist is the only school in Athlone that plays rugby competitively. Im not aware of them ever playing ACC or Colaiste Ciaran in a competitive fixture or even a challenge game and my son is a leaving cert student there. I dont recall any players on his bucks team being from ACC either. Marist do take their rugby seriously though. Its just that GF is probably the more popular game in the school and soccer is very popular in the school too as is basketball. ACC isnt a very sporty school atm. Success wise anyway but it is a predominantly GF , and soccer school as is colaiste ciaran.

You could argue thatvrugby union is in every national school in the country also if you really want to win the argument ( which seems to be the case). Afterall the irfu do employ coaches to go around to the schools and promote the game. Thats doesnt really mean that rugby is present though. You can make that argument but it doesnt really stand up. There is one rugby club in athlone and its hinterland. There are 4 GF clubs, 1 hurling club , 1 basketball club, 1 rowing club and numerous soccer clubs. That sort of puts it into perspective."
I have reffed Athlone CC against Marist in under 14 and Junior schools games in the past and Marist isnt the only school playing competitively in Athlone. The Community college has sides usually at B or C level though

KillingFields (Limerick) - Posts: 3941 - 22/02/2026 18:08:07    2657859

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