Tim, you are the only one going on about grassroots here. why the fascination with it? Itâs like as if it is the only thing you are clinging onto, that the rugby is such a great organisation here because of its grassroots. And to be honest, you make it sound as if rugby is some sort of utopian sport where every child from every corner of the country can become an Irish legend, when in my opinion, itâs anything but that.
Rugby is still built around selective schools and clubs. The way it is shaped right now, if you dont go to one of the specialised schools, or if you dont join one of the provincial or top ranking clubs youth academies, you can pretty much forget about ever making it. There are very few who make it without going through that process. Even Tadgh Furlong, you could consider one of those who made it, but he still had to join Clontarf and was on the Leinster academy for a long time before getting through. I think I have said it on here before, but I know of lads from Wexford who were on Leinster academies, and ended up giving up on it because of the closed shop nature and exclusivity of Leinster Schools cup players. Iâm sure Leinster are trying to branch out and by having the regionalised branches of academies helps, but itâs hard to get past the tradition of the old boys schools, not through any fault of theirs, itâs just the way it is. Tradition is a good thing, but this tradition gives it pretty much a closed shop unless you can force your way into it.
Whats your definition of grassroots that you keep going on and on about? Because I see more work done at grassroots level in soccer than I do in rugby. Every little shitty village and cluster of houses across the countryside playing soccer every Saturday and Sunday morning. But yet the rugby sides is 4 clubs in the whole of the county, and a couple of schools who throw out a team for the sake of it. Your grassroots in Dublin or your school may seem the way it should be everywhere, but its far from it outside of rugby only areas. Yes, it is great that the majority, if not all of the rugby side can be players who have come all the way up through the IRFU system. But is that it? Why keep going about a sporting event from 25 years ago as if that excuses the actions of thousands of utter fucktards who were probably at the same sort of shit back then, and who would probably have annoyed the same people on here had a) we had internet, and b) had formed irrational and contrarian thoughts at ages of 5 to 15.
Would agree with that. The bandwagon really ramped up in 1990. But at the same time, no one really followed the soccer team with expectations that they would win all around them. The match in Rome in 90 was probably the pinnacle though.
The rugger buggers still using soccer as their defence
Soccer is big time. You simply canât get away from it, it has to be brought up in every conversation about rugby. Unreal.
Rugbyâs grass roots are significantly inferior to soccer when you look at playing numbers. Just because they are a top 8 team in the world does not make it an achievement. Top 8 in rugby is equivalent to top 150 in soccer.
Eire were indeed unbeaten at that tournament, mate. Well spotted. Although despite the superb coaching of Mick McCarthy they still only beat the hapless Saudis, the worst team in the competition.
before the World Cup - âweâve a very strong squadâ
after the World Cup - âa few injuries and the unfortunate suspension of Sean OâBrien after some French lad got a deserved box killed usâ
When they win they get all the credit. When they lose they get none of the flak.
You regularly see GAA and soccer managers badgered in interviews after bad defeats. Schmidt is on with tubrudy tonight and it will be a complete love in. âAfter such a poor start the players showed enormous courage and character to get back to within three points. Of course it was a pity Argentina, who are regularly hammered by the big three down south - then racked up twenty unanswered points but our players showed such leadership and determination to get themselves back into contention. Hopefully we can learn the lessons and take it into the Six Nations.â
No stern questions or a persistent line of questioning as to why they failed so spectacularly and underachieved yet again. Heâll get the kid gloves treatment whereas the likes of Martin OâNeill will be slaughtered should we fail to get past Bosnia.
Incorrect. Others have brought up âWest Britsâ and âno Grassroots, just a bandwagonâ. It merits discussion when a group of lads go on and on about Italia 90 being the greatest Irish sporting achievement ever. If you want to talk about grassroots and reference the senior side, donât rely on an event where few of the players learned the game or played here.
Rugby has had a grassroots, pyramid structure throughout its history in Ireland. That grassroots built facilities the grassroots of Irish football couldnât and allowed football to use. Posh schools are grassroots too.
This is an anti rugby football thread. There have been numerous similar threads for the last few weeks. You, a person who doesnât like rugby, are one of the top 5 posters on the Official Rugby World Cup thread.
You donât see threads like this, in volumne or frequency, taking anti association football stances on predominately rugby forums or even GAA ones.
