A serious discussion about the merits of rugby football

Things
1

Can we leave all obvious wind ups and insults out of this thread please?

But I really want to know how otherwise intelligent people (in some cases) follow this activity. That clip of Paul O’Connell trying to pass the ball was hilarious and it’s broadly representative of the skill set of the average rugby footballer.

When I stopped watching the game in 2011, it was a mix of steroid addled gym monkeys and overweight fatties trundling into each other in straight lines. I understand nothing has changed in the intervening period.

So why do Irish people in their thousands follow it? Surely it can’t be all attributed to marketing and how the provincial “franchises” were sold to the public? I’d accept if that had a relatively short lived impact but it’s a decade or more later and still people are going to these games in their droves. Is it simply that most people are thick?

Or have people invested in supporting the activity to such an extent that they’d lose face if they admitted there’s literally no skill involved in the game? Kick up in the air, charge after it, collide and repeat.

Maybe it’s the fact there was some success (not unexpected given the best Irish players are concentrated at two provincial franchises compared to English and French players being spread around a dozen or more teams) and people like to feel part of it?

Is it the social class thing? Rugby football has traditionally been the pastime of the upwardly mobile. Are other people grasping to be part of it? Is it more the day out and the social interaction and networking that keeps people coming back?

And what about people who were subject to it from a very early age due to their upbringing or where they went to school? This might go back to the time invested point but at what stage do they admit that they’ve been sold a pup?

For example, my auld lad is hugely interested in horse racing and brought us to meetings all over the country as kids but when I got older I naturally concluded that watching midgets beating horses around a circle is a retarded pastime and I’ve no interest in the activity.

But I find that people who grew up with rugby football are very defensive about it and loyal to the activity - they’re like cult members who see no wrong in what’s a really, really poor spectacle.

The nub of the point is that there’s simply no sporting skill involved in rugby football. People go to games and cheer when a group of competitors push an opposing group of players back. Why are they doing this? People are free to do what they like - I’ve no problem with it - but I can’t get my head around this. It’s fucking mental.

2

Is morkeshing too simple an answer? The provincial franchises and the selling of them was a master stroke.

3

I can’t understand it myself. I must say from time to time I would watch Southern Hemisphere games on Saturday mornings if nothing else is on, but the difference in skill level and flair is unbelievable between that and the Heineken Cup.

4

It’s a social class thing. If upper class west brit types play it, then upwardly mobile types will latch on it to in same way cunts drink coffee instead of tea and pretend they like drinking wine instead of pints.

In fairness, the game itself when played at the highest level, like the All-Blacks, French (in their prime) and Aussies (when they want to) play it, then it actually can be a decent spectacle with a a fair amount of skill.

In a sense, it’s not that much different to watching the Irish soccerball team, which also relies on more grunt than skill.

5

[quote=“His Holiness Da Dalai Lama, post: 861772, member: 1503”]It’s a social class thing. If upper class west brit types play it, then upwardly mobile types will latch on it to in same way cunts drink coffee instead of tea and pretend they like drinking wine instead of pints.

In fairness, the game itself when played at the highest level, like the All-Blacks, French (in their prime) and Aussies (when they want to) play it, then it actually can be a decent spectacle with a a fair amount of skill.

In a sense, it’s not that much different to watching the Irish soccerball team, which also relies on more grunt than skill.[/quote]
The difference between soccer and rugby is though that a soccer player who looks shite on the telly is 1 million times better than most people while there are big strong lads that with a small bit of training could be good at rugby

6

I’m pretty hungover from all the pints I drank yesterday. Premium level in the Aviver is shit.

7

[quote=“Bandage, post: 861768, member: 9”]Is it the social class thing? Rugby football has traditionally been the pastime of the upwardly mobile. Are other people grasping to be part of it? Is it more the day out and the social interaction and networking that keeps people coming back?
[/quote]
Yes, women especially, and not particularly good looking ones either.

8

Rugby football deserves no serious discussion - just derision and mocking.

If anyone is stupid enough to follow or get involved in this activity then off with them, I would just appreciate it not being shoved in my face.

9

[quote=“Rudi, post: 861781, member: 1052”]Rugby football deserves no serious discussion - just derision and mocking.

If anyone is stupid enough to follow or get involved in this activity then off with them, I would just appreciate it not being shoved in my face.[/quote]

+1

10

My main gripe with rugby supporters and I have said this on here before is they don’t really care. Their team losing doesn’t wreck their weekend the way it would for a football or GAA supporter who has attended a game or is a semi serious supporter

I would put fuckers who follow golfers into the same category. Who “follows” a grown man while himself a grown man

11

[quote=“TheUlteriorMotive, post: 861805, member: 2272”]My main gripe with rugby supporters and I have said this on here before is they don’t really care. Their team losing doesn’t wreck their weekend the way it would for a football or GAA supporter who has attended a game or is a semi serious supporter

I would put fuckers who follow golfers into the same category. Who “follows” a grown man while himself a grown man[/quote]

You are clearly mixing up bandwagoners and genuine supporters , whom exist in every sport.

12

[quote=“TheUlteriorMotive, post: 861805, member: 2272”]My main gripe with rugby supporters and I have said this on here before is they don’t really care. Their team losing doesn’t wreck their weekend the way it would for a football or GAA supporter who has attended a game or is a semi serious supporter

I would put fuckers who follow golfers into the same category. Who “follows” a grown man while himself a grown man[/quote]
None of that makes any sense, mate.

13

It does well for a few reasons mentioned above, social/professional opportunity , meeja hype which works a huge amount but it boils down to the fact that the its a perfect product for many. Irish people are event junkies, no way would these jersey hoarding cunts have any interest in watching a schools or club game but the fact something is televised is a strong draw for irish people, just look at how people crowd around the camera at the end of gaa games. Thing is at this time of year with no profile games in croker to flock too what else are they supposed to do. I genuinely think people who pay money to watch the irish soccer team are mentally ill or just gritting their teeth and getting through it, as part of their identity is as soccer fans. Its utter shite. Same has happened with many rugby fans.

I played rugby when i was younger and loved watching tri nations games and super rugby, and still do. I love champions league games and the big tournaments, but no way would i subject myself to either of our putrid ‘national’ teams anymore. So event junkies want an event to attend, couldnt stomach soccer, so what else are they going to do.

14

Who follows a particular golfer? Might have your favourites mainly for financial gains they have given you but no one flies to america to follow one lad around a tournament.

15

You don’t need to understand. Every team needs piano players and piano shifters.

16

It’s just a social thing,not a sport.

17

That doesn’t make any sense either. Your comments about ruining their weekend is just stupid. There are thousands of people who go to rugby games who don’t give a shit and are just event junkies-there are also people who are genuine supporters and do give a shit. It’s kind of like the way there would be a handful of people at GAA league games but 82000 in Croke Park on All Ireland final day.

The gibberish about grown men following golfers was nonsensical.

18

It amuses me how much some of you hate rugby. If you don’t like it don’t watch it. If you don’t like the crowd that follows it, don’t drink in pubs bedecked with Leinster and Munster flags.

19

[quote=“TheUlteriorMotive, post: 861805, member: 2272”]My main gripe with rugby supporters and I have said this on here before is they don’t really care. Their team losing doesn’t wreck their weekend the way it would for a football or GAA supporter who has attended a game or is a semi serious supporter

I would put fuckers who follow golfers into the same category. Who “follows” a grown man while himself a grown man[/quote]
When I play golf in the Deer Park a cunt of a grown man follows me around waiting for me to land my ball in the trees and then the cunt runs up and robs it and flogs it to cunts of taxi drivers from Artane in the car park. There is an epidemic of this kind of shit in the Deer Park.

20

This thread isn’t all that informative so far. I wonder if any of the rugby football followers could expand on what they enjoy about the activity. Is it the running in straight lines, the pushing, the collisions, the lifting or something else entirely?