The AK Bets rugby podcast with George Hook is excellent.
He accurately predicted that if Ireland were slowed at the ruck they would lose.
He said the state of rugby union is in a very weak state. Numbers playing the game at adult level are fallen off a cliff especially in Newzealand.
In Ireland, the numbers playing the games are totally over estimated as it includes the likes of @Bandage work colleagues Niamh, Rob & Hannah who play tag.
Clubs who had 6/7/8 teams now only have 2/3/4.
The school players who dedicate their teenage years to the school game basically all give up at 24.
Australian rugby union is broke and struggling to survive.
The English club game is an awful state with so many clubs bankrupt. Wales the same.
The biggest problem is the dangerous nature of the game and concussions from the collisions.
What would the New Zealanders player other than rugby though? Their soccer team is weaker now than it was 10-15 years ago when they drew with Italy at the 2010 World Cup. They donât have any indigenous games like GAA do they?
Weâre very lucky to have GAA in Ireland. It makes a very varied sporting scene and adds a real organic and local pride that just isnât there in other parts of the world. All the English have in the summer is a bit of cricket or a tennis tournament that is mostly contested by foreign players.
Not really. Miles away from them. The Warriors got a bandwagon, same as they would if they existed here.
This meme on rugby is overplayed. The game has never been more popular- France and South Africa are incredibly strong now both on and off the field where as they were a mess 20 years ago.
Game going gangbusters in Japan with them queuing up to host the tournament again.
I think a lot of rugby unionâs current problems internationally stem from the problems with sustaining professional club leagues.
France seems to be the only place that can do it and thatâs mainly down to the relative weakness of the Farmerâs League aka Ligue 1 in association football.
All pro sports in Australia are nearly always a mess. They donât have enough money to sustain so many sports but theyâll come like trains in the next Cycle.
The Welsh appear to be in terminal decline. A dads army effort and the underage tap has dried up. Australia are a pale shadow of their former selves. France and South Africa are strong enough as it is. Those two becoming even better doesnât really enhance the game at all. We could have a âBig 5â soon with a huge chasm to the rest. Itâs worrying that a two time European Cup winning club like London Wasps go to the wall.
Genuine big worry is England going pop. They simply cannot support the professional game as it stands.
I think.only one club isnât reliant on a sugar daddy for day to day funding, and itâs largely dreary and poorly attended. There is zero glamour.
Iâd imagine 8, but they badly need to generate a more attractive format. Iâd often get offered free sale sharks tickets and Iâd rather sleep on the couch.