Large men in shorts rolling around on the pitch and sticking their heads up each other’s arses is what first attracted me to the game anyway, mate. Now I mainly enjoy the songs and the drinking games.
Irish people like to be involved in something or be part of something that is successful, it gives them something to help them feel good about themselves. it also gives them a chance to go to the pub and socialise even though they spend a few hours staring at a screen and do very little socialising until they are drunk enough to have courage to talk to their friends without feeling uncomfortable. Rugby is perfect for this for the following reasons:
- there are fuck all countries where rugby is played so it is conceivable a team/teams from this country will win something at some stage
- nobody knows what is going on for the majority of the game so fans can throw out opinions without fear of contradiction
- nobody knows what the rules of the game are and fans can make themselves seem like experts when the loudly proclaim ‘hands in the ruck’, ‘not rolling away’ or ‘coming in from the side’ when everybody else hasn’t the foggiest idea what’s going on, but cheer loudly anyway
Who is asking for the autographs - fuckers.
http://www.scotsman.com/sport/golf/us-pga-rory-mcilroy-aims-to-confound-critics-1-3035180
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/rory-mcilroy-at-the-open-girlfriend-holly-141449
Other issue with rugby are the Chewbacca Defense warblings of rugby journalists and pundits - Gerry Thornley in particular.
[SIZE=6]13 Rugby Buzzwords To Use If You Want To Sound Like Gerry Thornley
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[/SIZE]
PJ Browne
- See more at: http://balls.ie/rugby/13-rugby-buzzwords-to-use-if-you-want-to-sound-like-gerry-thornley/#sthash.l4KKYV1t.dpuf
[SIZE=3]
Top Quatorze[/SIZE]
When used: Anytime you are discussing French domestic rugby. Commoners call it the Top 14. To Gerry and now you, it’s the Top Quatorze. You have obviously increased frequency of use since Jonny Sexton joined Jonny Sexton’s Racing Metro.
Example of use: I see both Setanta and BT are showing the Top Quatorze this season.
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[SIZE=3]Pitch up[/SIZE]
When used: Only trot this out when talking about players moving from Ireland to France. Players can only pitch up in the Top Quatorze or the Pro D2.
Example of use: Sean O’Brien pitching up at Clermont or Racing is a definite possibility.
[SIZE=3]Coaching ticket[/SIZE]
When used: Anytime you are speculating about a possible new coaching setup at a team.
Example of use: Joe Schmidt will surely retain Les Kiss on the Ireland coaching ticket.
[SIZE=3]Sword of Damocles[/SIZE]
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When used: The Sword of Damocles has been hanging over Connacht rugby for years now to various degrees of precariousness. This season it’s blade also looms large of the Heineken Cup.
Example of use: If the Heineken Cup goes belly-up, Connacht would be the first in the firing line. That’s another Sword of Damocles hanging over them.
[SIZE=3]Midi Olympique[/SIZE]
When used: Whenever some gravitas needs to be added to a conversation about French rugby, you can name drop this bi-weekly French newspaper. You can also refer to it as Midol. La Montagne or La Parisienne are suitable alternates.
Example of use: I see Leigh Halfpenny was linked to Toulon in Midi Olympique.
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[SIZE=3]Bloodless coup[/SIZE]
When used: If you need to communicate that a match was one-sided. Italian Pro12 teams are often involved.
Example of use: In the end, Australia and Italy was somewhat of a bloodless coup.
[SIZE=3]Fait accompli[/SIZE]
When used: You no longer say that things are a given, they are now a fait accompli. A multi-purpose phrase which can be applied to in-game situations and also conversations about the broader issues affecting rugby.
Example of use: The advent of the Rugby Champions Cup was made to seem like somewhat of a fait accompli.
[SIZE=3]Callow out-half[/SIZE]
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Picture credit: Brendan Moran / SPORTSFILE
When used: Whenever you need to talk about the current Munster out-half situation. Particularly useful when discussing JJ Hanrahan or any other young inexperienced out-half.
Example of use: Munster have lost Ronan O’Gara and now they’ve got two callow out-halves vying to replace him.
[SIZE=3]Pound of flesh[/SIZE]
When used: A handy phrase which you should utilise during discussions about the disadvantages of Irish players moving to the Top Quatorze. Effective in relaying your knowledge that they play a lot more games in France than the Pro12
Example of use: These French clubs, they pay well but they want their pound of flesh and that’s something Jonny Sexton is realising quickly.
[SIZE=3]Pissing ice cubes[/SIZE]
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Picture credit: Stephen McCarthy / SPORTSFILE
When used: This is the equivalent of the Americanism ‘clutch’. You will employ this when talking about players who stay cool during high pressure game situations.
Example of use: Dan Carter just pisses ice cubes everytime he steps up to the kicking tee.
[SIZE=3]Sabre rattling[/SIZE]
When used: This usually occurs between governing bodies though two high profile coaches may occasionally engage in a bit of sabre rattling.
Example: There’s plenty of sabre rattling going on between the LNR and the FFR at the moment.
[SIZE=3]Litmus test[/SIZE]
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Picture credit: Stephen McCarthy / SPORTSFILE
When used: To be employed everytime an uproven team or a new coach has a tough upcoming game. Pat Lam’s Connacht, Rob Penney’s Munster and Matt O’Connor’s Leinster will all face several litmus tests this season. A newly appointed captain may also face a litmus test.
Example of use: That game against Munster was a real litmus test for Matt O’Connor’s Leinster and you’d have to say that they failed.
[SIZE=3]Living off scraps[/SIZE]
When used: If you’re analysing a game, this is an effective phrase to communicate your recognition that a team is somehow staying in a game despite not seeing much attacking ball. Examples of scraps are unforced errors by the other team such as knock-ons in their own 22 or inexplicable penalties being given by the referee.
Example of use: Ireland will be living off scraps against New Zealand.
Those issues are serious and well documented, this thread is trying to examine why rugby is popular. As an aside, i cant stand keith wood, hes a pompous simpleton.
Still nowhere nearer to solving this mystery.
How can somebody like, say, @Juhniallio who knows absolutely nothing about rugby football become an expert on the Connacht back row? And why would he want to?
There is no entertainment or skill in rugby football. The comparison with football is silly - a bog standard Leinster junior league match clearly showcases much more talent and skill than elite rugby football.
[quote=“Bandage, post: 861983, member: 9”]Still nowhere nearer to solving this mystery.
How can somebody like, say, @Juhniallio who knows absolutely nothing about rugby football become an expert on the Connacht back row? And why would he want to?
There is no entertainment or skill in rugby football. The comparison with football is silly - a bog standard Leinster junior league match clearly showcases much more talent and skill than elite rugby football.[/quote]
Give it a rest, pal-this is wearing thin.
No. A bad soccer match is equally shit as a bad rugby match and possibly more boring. Any sport that can end up nil all after an hour and a half has serious issues to address.
Didn’t @Bandage used to be a rugby fan? Back around the time when Ireland were relatively successful? And now he has sensed the shift towards an anti rugby sentiment on the board he has clambered aboard that bandwagon too. Is there any cause that @Bandwagonage won’t sign up to?
That’s an obscene comment.
As an aside, I’m a die-hard supporter of the Leinster rugby football team.
#BlueFever
You fuck off, you fucking cunt. Why do you like rugby football, you dim-witted spastic? I hope you get aids. You will get them too.
Sorry @Horsebox, mate. I just noticed my “no insults” guidance in my thread opening post so I take most of that last post back.
I already told you why I liked rugby yesterday you fucking simpleton. Are you a bit thick? Can you not read? Is English your first language?
No worries, pal-everybody loses the rag every now and then.
I have a feeling he will be a rugby fan again once King Joe turns our fortunes around again and we become an absolute powerhouse on the world rugby stage.
What a cunt.
[quote=“Horsebox, post: 862003, member: 1537”]I have a feeling he will be a rugby fan again once King Joe turns our fortunes around again and we become an absolute powerhouse on the world rugby stage.
What a cunt.[/quote]
Becoming a world powerhouse involves beating 2 of the other 9 countries that play the activity. Is that likely, pal?
You were clearly being flippant and jokey - this is a serious discussion, you fucking cretin.
In Joe we trust, mate.
[quote=“Horsebox, post: 862003, member: 1537”]I have a feeling he will be a rugby fan again once King Joe turns our fortunes around again and we become an absolute powerhouse on the world rugby stage.
What a cunt.[/quote]
Of course he will. @Bandwagonage will probably ‘pitch up’ at the aviva for the last game where it looks like we might win the championship to swill back 12 pints of heino and roar on the guys and tell anyone who listened that he always believed in King Joe and that this is a fitting end to the greats of the golden generation.